Life Changes

Catharine was feeling reflective as she finished washing up the breakfast dishes, gazing out at the sun-filled garden below the kitchen window. Her life had changed so dramatically in the last couple of years. She had never imagined that one day she’d decide to abandon the career she’d struggled to establish, in favour of a slower lifestyle. But here she was, housekeeper to a talented artist, baking, cleaning and running the life of a talented, but very needy, genius.

“Oh no!” she wailed as the smell of burning muffins dragged her back into reality. She pulled the muffins out of the oven and breathed a sigh of relief to see that they were not hopelessly ruined. She wanted to have everything perfect this morning. Her friend, Hannah, was going to be arriving at any moment expecting morning tea.

Hannah had been derisive of Catharine’s choice to leave the firm. “You’ll never last, think of the pay cut!” Catharine just knew that Hannah would turn up her nose at the paint stained verandah where the artist preferred to spend most of his time. It was strewn with his equipment, and although Catharine did attempt regularly to put the verandah into some semblance of order, the artist usually only took a few minutes to undo her hard work. It was too late to worry about that now, as there came a brisk knock on the door.

Catharine apprehensively smoothed her hair and hoped that her blouse wasn’t marked as she went to open the door. Hannah stood waiting, immaculate in a soft pink business skirt and jacket. She beamed at Catharine, who smiled in return. As Catharine ushered her friend into the cosy kitchen she warned her “We have to be a bit quiet, he’s sleeping, and he gets so cross if you wake him before he’s ready.”

Hannah winked knowingly. “I’ll be quiet as a mouse. He won’t even know I’m here” she replied. She took in the room as she sat down, her eyes flicking from the paint spattered chair in the corner to the boldly coloured art works propped against one wall. Catharine was momentarily embarrassed at the untidiness of the room. Certainly it was dust free, and clean, but the higgledy piles of the artist’s possessions made it almost impossible to have the room look perfectly tidy.

Catharine put the kettle on and put leaves into the teapot as she listened to Hannah’s chatter. The office seemed so far away now. Hannah’s voice broke off as she noticed a photograph of the artist sitting on the dresser. “Oh Catharine he’s gorgeous! You lucky girl!” she gushed. “No wonder you don’t want to come back to the office! What a babe!”

Catharine grinned “He is cute, isn’t he? But it’s not that easy. He’s temperamental to say the least. If things aren’t just the way he thinks they should be then you should hear him yell!”

It was obvious Hannah thought that Catharine’s life was a breeze now. “No need to rush into the office, you don’t have to stay late at night, you don’t even have to work weekends!” she gushed.

Catharine raised her eyebrows. Hannah sounded like she was preparing to get out of the office rat race too. “It’s not all tea and muffins, you know, Hannah” she replied. “You wouldn’t believe the mess he makes! When it’s not painting, he’s sculpting. And he’s such a picky eater. I can’t tell you how many meals I have made that he has simply refused to eat. Everything revolves around him, and how he’s feeling at any particular moment.”

Hannah chuckled “You took a big risk, leaving the office like that, and to do housework! To be honest, I thought you were wasting everything you had achieved. You did what was right for you, Catharine. I can see that now. I know he makes you work long hours, and I still have the same opinion about the pay cut, but I can see that you are happier than you ever were at the office. Your artist has done you good. You are more relaxed, and your boss is adorable! I envy you.”

Catharine had to agree with her, “It’s true, I am feeling more relaxed. Cooking and cleaning will never be an award-winning career, and most people think I am wasting my life, but I feel that it is important. I am helping another person to reach their full potential. I sometimes have to work past midnight, but I do get breaks, and I have found the time at last to learn things I have always wanted to do. I get to take care of this beautiful house and garden, and I have even found some time to do a little writing.” She blushed. “I always dreamed of writing, but it wasn’t considered a career.”

“The artist is the toughest boss I have ever had,” Catharine concluded. “But I have had more rewards working for him than I ever did at the office.” She looked around at the house. It wasn’t an immaculate office, filled with expensive furnishings and opulence, but it was a comfortable welcoming environment, filled with comfy chairs and fresh cut flowers, the sort of place a person would be happy to spend days at a time enjoying. She was satisfied with this new life, with the odd hours and the demanding boss. The artist had taught her so much, not just about art, but about life. Her horizons had broadened immeasurably.

“I really hope you are right” Hannah breathed. She hesitated a moment, and fiddled with the handle of her cup. Catharine could see that she had something important on her mind. “I am going to have a baby too” she said quietly, her eyes filled with joy and uncertainty.

Catharine squealed “Hannah, that’s fabulous!” Her voice broke off abruptly and she clapped her hand over her mouth as her two year old genius wailed in outrage at being woken from his nap. She winked at her friend as she got up from the table to pick up her young son.

“Your life will never be the same, it will be better.”