I thought hiring a new housemaid would bring peace back into our busy home. But soon, her every move felt too familiar. She knew my husband’s favorite meals, his habits, even his allergies.
When I finally followed her one morning, I discovered where she was going, and the truth shattered me. Sometimes I look around our house and think, we did alright. We don’t live in luxury, but it’s a warm, cozy home, filled with the kind of quiet chaos that comes from raising a seven-year-old boy.
David and I both work full time, juggling jobs, errands, and Ethan’s endless school projects, and somehow we’ve managed to keep it all together. For a long time, though, that “together” part felt fragile. Before we hired help, our evenings were battles: whose turn it was to cook, who forgot to fold the laundry, who left the dishes in the sink again.
So when we finally decided to hire a housemaid to come three times a week, it wasn’t just about keeping the place clean. It was about saving our marriage from collapsing under dirty dishes and exhaustion. For almost a year, we had the same housemaid, Maria.
She was reliable, kind, and never intrusive. She became a quiet part of our family, the kind of presence you stop noticing until it’s gone. That morning, when she called, I thought she was just confirming her schedule.
But her voice was trembling. “I wanted to thank you for everything, Claire,” she said softly. “But I won’t be coming in anymore.
I’m getting married and moving to Florida.”
“Maria, that’s… that’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you,” I managed to answer. When I hung up, the house suddenly felt heavier, like something important had quietly slipped away.
I went upstairs to tell David, who was tying his tie in front of the mirror. “Maria’s leaving,” I said. He turned.
“Leaving? What happened?”
“She’s getting married. Moving away.”
“Well, good for her,” he said.
“We’ll miss her though. Want me to look for someone new?”
I hesitated. “You have time for that?”
“I can ask around at work.
Someone’s wife or cousin might know a good housemaid.”
“Alright,” I said. “I’ll take Ethan to school.”
By the time I got home that evening, David was sitting at the table, scrolling through his phone with a relaxed smile.“I found someone,” he said casually. “You did?” I asked.
The story doesn’t end here –
it continues on the next page.
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