Millie was waiting for Bill and the moment he got there she quickly checked to see that no one was around and whisked him away. She led him into her back room, that room off to the side and whose door was hidden by the racks of laundered clothes.
Soon as she shut the door she reached for him, took him in her arms and kissed him. As they kissed, Bill noted that one of her feet left the floor, or, more precisely, in her exuberance she bent that leg at the knee. Her tongue found his no problem and danced with it happily.
“I like that,” she said when they stopped. “I like you.”
“I like you too,” Bill said, “but…”
“I know,” Millie said, “you’re married and I shouldn’t forget that.”
“Well, that would be a good thing.”
“You’re not available.”
“No,” Bill said. “I’m not available.”
“I’m not looking for a boyfriend, Billy-boy. Really. But I can still like you can’t I?”
“And I can like you too. And I do.”
“But… When you say that you always make it sound like there’s a but, but you’re always too polite to go on and say it.”
Bill didn’t say anything to this. He just looked at her and then in a what-the-hell moment he took her back in his arms and kissed her. But he stopped after a brief moment.
“Wait,” she said. “I want you to do something for me.”
Bill said, “Okay,” and he waited for her to tell him what.
It was easy, it was very intimate, they kissed all the way through it. And when she was done, she gave him a last peck-on-the-lips kiss and straightened herself up.
“A dollar an hour,” she said.
“What?” Bill said.
“That’s your raise, Mr. First Cook.”
Bill stepped back a touch and looked at her as she finished settling herself.
“They haven’t told you yet, have they?”
“No,” Bill said. “They haven’t. And I want to know how you know these things.”
“I told you. My boss is a boss. This is a big, a very big hotel, and the person running the laundry operation is a very important person, equally important as the executive chef, and right up there on the management level with the Food and Beverage Director who your chef reports to. So…”
“Yeah, so…”
“So you think only the people on our level fool around?”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying we’re not the only ones using this room. I’m saying that if you don’t get caught stealing anything or raping anyone, you could tell Caesar to kiss your ass if you want to and even though you’re technically on probation for another eleven weeks, nothing will happen to you.”
“Well that’s good to know.”
“It’s real too.”
“You gonna tell me who else uses this room?”
“All in good time, Billy-boy. For now, my break’s almost over and I’m willing to bet your partner isn’t too happy. He’s a lazy one. Be nice to Caesar as much as you can. Being second fiddle has to be hard for him.”
Millie opened the door to the room slowly and went out first. She peeked through the rack of clothes closest to the door to see that no one was there and then led Bill out and around the counter so that he was back on the outside of her laundry room.
“You don’t need a uniform do you?”
“Nope. I’m fine. I only came by because I said I would and I’m not sorry I did.”
“I’m not sorry either, Bill Wynn. And I’m glad you’re working here. I’m also glad they gave you a position and a raise and are making it worth your while.”
“See you tomorrow,” Bill said.
Since no one was around, Millie winked at him and threw him a kiss.
