Meriweather Way Secrets

We all have secrets...Elise Fairborough had many! Living at number twelve, Meriwether Way for the last six years she had discovered the very best way to press her husband's shirts, the perfect stain remover for her white sheepskin rug even the best way to brew coffee in the morning to give it the strongest taste. Yet if one thing Elise had learned above all that she had perfected in the last six years, it was how to keep a secret behind closed doors.

'Yeah of course just set up the meeting, I will be down in an hour... No don't make it earlier than three...because I won't make it in time. I'm leaving now.'

Elise felt her stomach clench as Alex walked out the front door. His suit looked perfect, each pleat finely ironed, his crisp shirt looked effortlessly white. Even the lipstick stain on his collar had been flawlessly removed.

'Be safe honey' She smiled flicking the speck of lint from his shoulder as he headed towards the car.

'Yeah thanks baby' he muttered sliding in the front seat of his SUV.

Her smile never faltered as he reversed off the drive and sped down the lane.

'Elise' Carrie called from across the street; she hurried over in her Manolo's, pearls swishing with the intensity of her run. 'I just saw Alex leaving, is he off to work again.'

Elise smiled though it didn't touch her eyes.

'He has work he needs to do.'

'Of course I know how busy he is, anyway I wanted to talk to you about Steven.'

Elise sighed turning back towards her front door 'Steven?'

'Yes.' Carrie followed her into the hall; her subtle deep breathes confirmed her haste. 'It's just me and Mark were wondering where you hired him from?'

Elise shut the front door on Dottily way and turned embracing the sweet youth of her friend and neighbour. Steven, her male nanny had drawn some considerable interest over the year and a half, he was polite, gorgeous and most importantly brilliant with her three boys, the only thing Elise was he wasn't, was interested in her. Of course Elise would never dream of eliciting an affair with the youthful handsome help but what else could she do but admire, besides Carrie was much more his type, Young, fresh, beautiful and impossibly sweet.

'You don't have any children Carrie what could you possibly want a male nanny for?'

Elise instantly regretted her question; Carrie and Mark had been trying for a baby for so long the mere thought of conceiving tormented them endlessly. 'I'm sorry Carrie'

'No don't be.' She smiled turning away from Elise. 'I just wanted to know for the future.'

Elise grasped Carrie by the shoulder, squeezing it softly with the palm of her hand, 'Sure, I'll get the number for his company, there really quite good.'

Carrie turned with a beaming smile the saddened expression she once sported removed from her face.

'Thanks Elise, so tell me where the hunk is?'

Elise smiled, it was no secret her manny was the epitome of masculinity with a healthy compassion for children. He was twenty three and gorgeous, fresh out of a PHD in child speech therapy and saving to travel the world. Since male nannies had just become the height of fashion, Elise had little choice but to hire one for her boys. It was a shame she supposed he was gay but perhaps for the best, if he was straight she would have little choice but to fantasise about an affair with the nanny constantly while her husband attended business meetings all day at work.

'He's upstairs with the kids, they have practise in an hour, and then he's bringing them home.'

'They must find it hard with Alexander away all the time.'

'Of course they do but Steven is a really great manny and because he lives with us they see him all the time. I would recommend one to you for when you have your own babies Carrie,' Elise turned to see Carrie's hopeful face 'And believe me honey you will soon'

Carrie grinned 'Thanks'.

Elise walked towards a small dressing table at the door of her living room, pulling the antique draw from the frame she rummaged for the card that had brought Steven into their lives. 'Anyway here it is.' She handed the small white card over admiring the flawlessly cut edges and the smooth writing softly embossed and trimmed with thinly laid gold leaf.

Carrie grasped the little card with hope perhaps if she made plans for a baby now, the baby itself would be sure to follow. She turned towards the large wide front door readying to leave 'between me and you,'

Elise tuned her attention back on the cheery blonde, soft yellow curls framed her face as the silky fabric of her dress floated about her perfectly lean legs, 'Yes.'

'I just wondered, you being here alone most days and all, if it doesn't get a little... hard to have someone like Steven living with you?' Elise wanted to reveal the truth the little secret that plagued her every day, how she loved to watch Steven playing in the garden with the Kids because on heated days he would remove his top and reveal mouth-watering abs, how she longed to touch his sun kissed skin, brush the backs of her fingers down his lean chest, even venture further to meet the intense patch of fine hair trailing from his stomach to his groin.

'I barely have a chance; I mean I have the house to keep clean.'

'Don't you have a maid for that?'

'Well she's European and for my standards I often find I have to go round behind her and do it myself' Elise's voice rose with each word until all that remained was a high pitch squeak.

'Well I know how much Alexander means to you, you two are so happy it must be hard to even consider someone else in the same way.'

Elise blew out her fringe with her breathe, of course Carrie would think her relationship perfect she had spent the last six years claiming it so, but their house wasn't filled with love, of course her children where the core of her world but Alexander considered her nothing more than the help. It was no way to live life, obsessing over the children and pining for her man, that was just it, Elise needed a thorough bread male, someone to take her in a way that made her feel her femininity, touched her senses and most of all helped her reach her peak.

Carrie's lips creased into a soft smile, 'Well I best be leaving... Mark and I are going to brunch at the new restaurant on Elvi street, of course you know everyone will be brunching there it was murder getting a table.'

Elise nodded slowly everyone but Alexander and Elise would be there of course. She would be cooped up in her outwardly untouched home, cleaning her flawless untouched china and feeling just well... untouched.

'Perhaps Alexander and I will go soon... when he's not so busy.' Her words dripped like pure acid down her throat. The sweet single malt whisky hidden in the silverware cabinet might relieve some of this bitterness she thought quietly to herself as she let Carrie out. As she moved to shut the door, the sweet fragrance of roses fanned into the house from the bush she trimmed each day on the surrounding wall of the entrance. The odour made bile film her stomach. Spotting a stray branch leaving the pitch of the house away from the rest of the bush created havoc in her mind, she itched to reach for the trimmers and relieve the delinquent stem from her house. Surveying the wayward branch Elise reminded herself that this was simply the role of a virtuous housewife to maintain the home while there husband brought back the bread, or the scent of cheap perfume on their jacket or a vile shade of red lipstick stain on their collar. She grappled with her thoughts moving to the small draw of her antique French side table close to the kitchen entrance. Collecting her secateurs Elise ran her fingertips over the softly padded handle wondering how Alexander planned to run his delicate fingers over the giving thighs of his newly hired secretary once he reached the office. Elise was under no delusion for why she had been hired and the adequacy of her C.V had nothing to do with it. Scooping them into her grasp she paced the dark oak floor along her hall back to the front door. The light from the softly sun drenched room cast appealing outlines on the polished metal blades, Elise pondered how the crisp lights in Alexander's office looked reflecting in the deep red tresses of his PA's hair, having met the stunning ex-model once before when she was newly hired, Elise could speculate... pretty dam good.

SNIP! The secateurs cut cleanly through the affronting rose limb. Elise shook herself there was no point crying over spilt milk or motel receipts, it had been the daily routine for over two years, Alexander couldn't even bring himself to touch her anymore. In truth Elise had become so desperate for physical contact she had been willing to overlook the tousled look of his clothes when he returned from the office late, even the stench of cheap vodka and the insulting aroma of perfume hadn't been enough for her not to throw herself at him, but he always shamelessly turned away leaving Elise's inner self to whimper and crumple over like a run over rabbit, her sex life was literally at deaths door.

Elise kept herself in great condition, better than great; she tried to appear consistent with her beauty; softly done face, demure but sexy dress, for fuck sake even her fringe quaffed at the right angle.

SNIP! A branch Elise hadn't intended to cut hit the floor; she stared in horror as the result of her frustration fell from her house. Her small outburst felt good. SNIP! There went another one. SNIP! SNIP! SNIP! A momentary smile spread across her face, for once it made no difference to her that the front door lay wide open, let them watch, let them judge they could not critic her any more than she did herself.

'Umm are you ok Mrs Fair borough?'

The deep voice from the stairway almost caused Elise to lose a finger to her incessant clipping; she pulled her hand from the branch just in time taking a rose off the bush with her sudden movements.

Steven looked aghast no doubt questioning her sanity and her reason for the lack of.

Elise looked to Steven in shock her mind fogged from her wild imaginings about Alexander and Alexis, his beautiful red headed assistant. Realising Steven was eying the blanket of greenery and roses strewn on the front porch Elise racked her brain for a plausible excuse to her actions.

'I'm thinking of replacing it with a wisteria.' She inwardly winced at the ridiculous excuse.

'Then shouldn't you hire someone to take down the whole plant instead of doing it stem by stem with your clippers? I mean otherwise you will be here for a while' Steven decided to offer her a branch figuratively and waved his hand at the whole situation, so the woman was having a psychotic breakdown, with the amount of pressure to be seamless in this town it wasn't surprising people started coming away at them, even he could barely keep up with the O.C.D she possessed. She even ironed the kid's socks each afternoon.

Elise smiled recomposing herself and gently placed the cutters back in the draw, she collected a black bag from the kitchen before turning back to the foliage display on the porch and bending to scoop it up.

Steven had already begun collecting the debris by the time she returned.

'No, Steven I can do that it's my mess I can clean it up.' Elise snorted a little too tightly; the embarrassment of her actions mired her, causing her to softly blush red through the paleness of her cheeks.

'Don't be stupid I'm here now and I've already done most of the work, at least let me finish it' Steven smiled softly pushing her aside then holding onto her for a moment after, while she rocked on her feet, perhaps she was just having a bad day, Elise reasoned, she would not feel this way about her life forever, as soon as the clutter had been cleaned away she would not regret the life she chose for herself, she would then be able to look around her pristine house and think how lucky she was to have such beautiful things.

Steven swept the last of the tangle of greenery with his hands into the bag and stood back to admire his work.

'Perfect' He chortled gently resting a hand on Elise's shoulder.

Elise looked around her pristine house and felt...nothing. 'Gosh how are the children I didn't even think to ask when you came down stairs what are they doing?' Elise snapped out of her ire remembering the two beautiful boys she worshipped upstairs.

'Their fine Mrs Fairbourogh, Nathan is all ready for soccer practise, I just left him to finish putting on his socks before we head out and I put Nicky with him playing with his toys while I came down and spoke to you about something.'

Elise couldn't be more grateful to have such a manny as Steven, his impeccable manners and easy grace with her children made every other woman in Dottily Way ravenous to pocket him as their manny. The fact that he looked outrageously handsome every second of the day but made no signs of knowing it helped his appeal, even Elise couldn't help but stare at the chiselled lines of his face, perfect in every way.

'Of course Steven what is it?' Elise asked frowning at the formality between them, he had been a part of their family for a year and a half since the second of her two boys hit two and no matter how often she insisted he ease his formality he continued to be professional down to the dotted I's.

'In the past year I have never imagined I would be asking such a thing from you in all my time, I even feel ashamed to ask now Elise' The softness to which he spoke her name endeared her, he was such a decent man at heart.

'You can speak to me freely Steven, whatever it is you need...ask?'

'Well I know that Mr fairborough is leaving town for the weekend tomorrow otherwise I would never of asked because it would have been a straight NO from where he's standing but...well...my brother is expected into town tomorrow for the weekend and seeing as I'm your live in nanny I can't exactly offer him a place to stay that is my own. I know this is so much to ask but I was hoping...'

'He could stay here with us? Of course he can.' Elise beamed, if his brother was anything like Steven he would be a delight to have round.

Steven's expression melted on his face, shock over took him. 'You would let my brother stay here? I was going to ask for maybe a couple of days off and a small raise to help pay for the hotel bill.' Steven replied dumbfounded.

'Why would you want to spend a raise on a place to stay when you have a perfectly good home here?' Elise mocked wagging her finger softly in his face.

'Well I just thought you wouldn't want a stranger here...around your kids.'

'He's not crazy right?' Elise questioned sternly

'No' Steven responded

'He wouldn't hurt my children would he?'

'Of course not, he's my brother.'

'Then he stays with us.' Elise smiled.

'Are you sure?' he queried searching her eyes for any sign of duress.

'Stop analysing my reactions Steven, look you have been here with us for the most stressful time of my life when I hit rock bottom with two screaming boys vying for my attention. I quite frankly don't know how you put up with my obsessive cleaning disorder when tending to two boys but you do it day in day out and you don't make me feel guilty for needing your help. So if you can't turn to me and ask for help when you need it for something as small as helping a relative out for a weekend then there is some serious problems in our relationship.' The fact that Steven was handsome didn't change the fact that she cared for him as a friend, it didn't reinforce it either, she truly liked him for who he was and the actions he took never mind if he had a great ass and sexy dimples.

Steven chuckled wholeheartedly 'You were kind of a mess when I arrived.'

Elise poked him defensively in the ribs 'That doesn't mean you can backchat me know Mr... so its agreed your brother can stay here this weekend.'

The grin quickly faded from Steven's mouth 'Yes that being said I think it's better that I stay with my brother in a hotel over the weekend.'

Perplexity marred Elise's expression 'But why I said its ok.'

'Yes but...' Steven clutched for the right wording 'He's not like me in many ways but our look and even then it's questionable he's not as well...kept as me so to say.'

'Rubbish Steven I won't let you spend your money on a hotel for two days when I already said he can stay here, so he's not a super manny with impeccable dress sense.' Elise leant towards him as though about to reveal a secret, she whispered softly towards his ear 'I think you'll find not many people are.'

Steven laughed tapping her softly on the back before calling up to Nathan to hurry this pace. 'Look I better go up and get Nicky ready for the journey I'm taking him to watch his big brother play ball today remember.' Steven hesitated, 'Are you sure you don't want to come to.'

Elise surveying the room, she saw numerous objects out of place and the rugs looked in need of a desperate hoover, though she knew she was deluding herself by cleaning to prevent her thoughts of Alex she could no longer hep her actions it had become compulsive. She didn't even want to imagine the state of the kitchen though the only person to use it all morning had been Alex, that fact alone made it the dirtiest room of all.

'No I don't think so I've got so much to do here.'

Steven sighed peeking past Elise into the flawless rooms that littered the house. He understood her need to clean, hell he even understood the reason why, if her fuck wit of a husband couldn't service her sexual frustration and she didn't believe in looking anywhere else then he supposed it was clean obsessively or hump the sheepskin rug.

Steven turned to start back up the stairway 'Oh I was planning to pick Lorkan up from the airport around ten Saturday morning, if that ok? I can take him out for the day if you would pre...'

'You will need to spend the day settling him in not wondering the streets looking for things to do, bring him back here and I can cook you lunch once you've finished packing.'

'You don't have to,'

'But I want to.' Elise beamed 'Please it's no trouble you haven't seen your family in so long, it's not often we have another Maynard visit this home.'

Steven smiled and nodded once before turning back up the stairs, once she was introduced to his brother she may not want to see another Maynard again.

Elise watched the smooth lines of Stevens back disappear round the corner before she turned on her heels. Now where was that duster?

'Well hello' Elise smiled watching the strange man enter her house with confusion dusting the features of his face. He spared her a glance before swinging the duffle bag from his broad shoulder onto the freshly polished wood floor. His boots scuffed in the mud from the street, Elise mentally winced.

A loud whistle shook the hall as he took in his surroundings almost dazed by the ornateness of it all. 'HEE...LL...OOO' Lorkan replied loudly. 'Steven this cannot be where you're living now?'

Steven fell into the front door behind his brother scooping for the bag he just dropped, on what he knew would be freshly polished floor.

'Yeh it is, and it stays this beautiful because we don't just chuck stuff on the floor and let it mould there.' He sighed, eyeing Elise's first impressions of the man he brought home.

Elise couldn't help stare at the brass of someone who would not even formally introduce himself to his host let alone throw his belongings on the floor and survey the house like he wanted to knick something from it.

Steven caught Elise's expression 'Lorkan this is your hostess Elise. It was only due to Elise's say so that you have a place to stay.'

Elise addressed her employee and friend in horror 'This is your brother.' She worked hard to conceal the shock in her voice but it drizzled from the corner of her mouth like ice cream down a cone.