Mrs. Changretta's Past

Michael POV:

I woke up when the sun had risen past its highest point of the day. I knew I had slept late yesterday night but I hadn't expected to sleep till this late in the day.

No work today then, I guess I will skip two days consecutively from work for the first time in forever.

I walked into the living room to meet a big mess. I saw Yow and Mee sleeping at the opposite ends of the Sofa.

Shit! I hadn't woken up early to feed them, I knew they would make their way into where their food was, but I might have worsened our fight.

There was only one plausible solution, a guaranteed solution that settled every rift with your pets.

Their special treats I set aside for special occasions such as this. I have kept it at the very top of the kitchen shelves.

I walked into the kitchen and was shocked to meet a bigger mess in the kitchen. I groaned in pain. The whole place was disrupted, coupled with a couple of broken plates, the floor was littered and smeared with their food. I saw the minute bit of what I knew was their special treats. I quickly rushed to where I had kept it and found out it was all missing.

I thought I heard a cat hiss, I turned around to see both of them standing behind me, a distance away but their gaze was fixated on me.

I tried touching the food smeared to the ground, but I realized it hadn't dried up, which means they did it recently, probably this morning.

"You spoilt brats," I said

I glanced at the mess, I knew I didn't have the strength nor the will to clean it. I went in search of my phone which I had left behind in my room. I found it on the table I left it yesterday before crashing on the bed.

I had 15 missed call notifications, all shared equally between Mabel, Libby, and Cal. I had expected every one of them and knew why each called and need not call any back. I walked to the window and pulled the blind to take a look outside, I saw my car parked right outside the house. I presumed that was why he called.

I dialed Mrs. Changretta's number; Mrs. Changretta was a divorced middle-aged woman who cleaned my house occasionally. She had a cold demeanor about her, she was a no-nonsense woman and always carried an air of self-respect and authority. She doesn't try to familiarize herself with her clients, neither was I interested in familiarity or a pain chit chat. Which made both of us get along extraordinarily well, We don't have to talk to get along well, at least I have never berated, rebuked, or chided her before, which by my definition is getting along well. She does her work decently and effectively, the typical example of the type of people I want. I always wished I could have one of her in my office.

She has been cleaning the Laurel house for two decades, twice the number of years I moved in here. She cleaned the house for my predecessors and was introduced to me by them after making the final payments of the house, they had assured me she was a good woman. But I had been skeptical about her and who to let into my abode. I had Cal help me do a background check on her and didn't come exactly clean, she had a stain on her record, a big stain.

She was an ex-convict, who had a history of aggravated assault, but it was more than three decades ago. No matter the time frame, an assault is an assault and I don't want a violent human being around me. But, I had Cal look further into it, turns out her husband has been abusing her physically, he was a drunk, but a wealthy drunk. Anytime he had a bad day he took it on her, mauling and causing several bodily injuries on her, when she couldn't take it anymore and feared for her life, she had broken a bottle of wine on his head.

It was reported he had gone straight to a coma and she was arrested for the assault. Her husband was from a very affluent and wealthy family, they were able to ensure she got the maximum sentence for aggravated assault, which was five years in prison despite the monument evidence proving that it was self-defense.

When she got out of prison, already fired from her job, she couldn't secure another with the taint that followed her around. She was lucky to find a cleaning job at the Laurel house because the owner either didn't check for her records which was mostly unlikely or was indifferent about her past or just like me, who took his time to look into her story to discover she didn't deserve any of what happened to her.

I had nothing but respect for her for defending herself and not allowing anybody to push her around and despite her adversities carried her head without seeking pity.

Her phone rang twice before she picked it up.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Changretta"

"Afternoon Mr. Angelo"

"you busy? I need you to come over" I said

"I will be there in two hours, I am grocery shopping" She replied.

"You can make a detour and get me some cat foods and some treats."

"Okay, Mr. Angelo. I'd do that. I will be there in 3hrs"

"I may not be home, I presume you still have the spare key and can let yourself in"

"Yes Mr. Angelo"

"Good," I said and hung up, ending the short crisp, and effective conversations.