Nia

Chapter 1 Nia

Nia stood in the kitchen window of her Great Aunt Jean's house, her hands wrapped around a steaming mug of Earl Grey.  With her glassy brown eyes she observed the yard.  It was early and the grey morning light had a dulling effect on the ripe colours of the fruits, vegetables and flowers nesting in the garden below.  The grey light glimpsed past her ivory skin onto the white kitchen walls; it crept over the simple wood table and down the hallway until it met the light streaming in from the parlour.  Nia sipped from her mug; the hot drink burned as she swallowed.  She placed the mug on the table beside her and with two hands opened the top window.  

"What a fine morning," she thought, breathing in deeply.  The cool air rushed in from above and raised goosebumps up and down her body.       

The fact that Nia was wearing nothing but a pair of underwear was of no concern to her, as no one was present in the old house.  Too her remembrance she knew the maids didn't work the weekends, and her Aunt Jean would be at Church until late afternoon, however a nagging feeling told her that she was forgetting something.  

Retrieving her mug she took another sip and peered through the glass.  It was beautiful here out in the country.  She was never able to do this back in the city, not unless she wanted aerial photos of her naked body standing in an apartment window circling the internet.  Too busy, she thought.  When she first peeled off the satin silks earlier that Sunday morning, she felt like a dove fresh out of its cage: the freedom of no judgement was too exhilarating to waste.  

From the reflection in the window she saw a shadow rise up behind her.  Nia turned and screamed; her mug clattered against the floor.  A man stood in the kitchen doorway with a look of shock and puzzlement on his face.  

"Ohh-Kay, naked girl!" he said raising a dirty hand to his eyes whilst turning around.  Nia grabbed the white curtains pushed off to the side and hid behind them. 

"Who are you!" she called.  To her surprise she heard him laughing.  

"It's okay, it's okay, I meant no harm.  I didn't know she had guests over," he said. 

Nia peeked her head out of the curtains.  The man was fairly dirty, soil besmirched his seemingly handsome face; his jean overalls were covered in grime, and his hands were black.  

He slowly turned his head and when he saw her peeping at him he smiled.  

"It's alright, I'm the groundskeeper here.  I work for Miss Jeanie," he started laughing again. 

Nia felt the adrenaline dying within her.  

"Hi," she said nervously.  

"Here I'll turn around and you can go get something on okay?" the man said.  He walked into the hall behind him and faced the other way.  Nia dashed into the other room barring her breasts, and ran up the stairs to the guest bedroom.

"I knew I was forgetting something," she thought.  

  When she emerged wearing a summer dress she'd found hanging on the open closet door, she heard the man mumbling below: "What a way to start off July, a naked girl in the kitchen, my my."

*

"Nice dress," he said as she walked into the kitchen.  She nodded, biting her lip and muttered "Thanks," 

"And sorry to scare you, though the look on your face was hilarious." The man looked like he was going to laugh again but this time kept it together. 

Nia grinned and looked up at him.  

"I'm Henry, what's your name?" he asked slipping his hands into his pockets.

"Nia," she said. 

"I'd shake your hand but I'd get dirt all over you."

The air held the silence that followed.  Remembering the original reason for visiting the kitchen, Henry grabbed a watering pot from under the sink and began to fill it up.  

"So how do you know Miss Jeanie?" he asked.

"She's my Aunt," Nia said, "I've come to stay with her for the summer," 

"So we can be friends then?" Henry replied, throwing Nia a whimsical look.

"Sure," Nia said, smiling.

It was then that she noticed the mess she'd made with the mug on the floor.  She walked over, bent down and picked up the chipped pieces, all the while the humiliation of the situation wrenched at her stomach.   

"Let me worry about that," Henry said after Nia rose with the remains of the cup.  He scooped them out of her hands and dumped them in the garbage beneath the sink. 

"Oh, thanks, again," Nia said. 

Henry picked up the watering pot and began sprinkling the plants around the kitchen. 

"So what do you plan to do up here in Caburry?" 

"Nothing set, probably bike around and see what I can find." 

In a sharp motion Henry whipped around to face her.

"Do you like horses?" he asked.

"Uh-" 

"My whole family has horses," Henry continued 

"I've never ridden a horse before," Nia mumbled. 

Henry looked at her like she had four eyes and then asked "Where you from?"

"Vancouver," Nia replied. 

"Ah city girl," Henry chuckled turning into the hall, "Well if you're ever bored, I'm a five minute drive down.  Just ask your Aunt, she's known me since I was a boy." 

Nia brushed a piece of hair behind her ear, thinking silently to herself "I can't ride."

However Henry didn't wait for a reply.  He lifted the watering pot as if to say "I've got some more work to do" and with it in hand, left the kitchen.  

Author's Note

The end bit is a work in progress. I have yet to add detail and other bits.