Original Photograph from Flickr
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Peter gestured for Naomi to step into the house. Her first step into her new home. An entrance hall. A small alcove. Coat rack to the right. Shoes. A white door. Stairs straight ahead. Peter closed the front door revealing a hidden door to the left. He opened it. He led her into the room. A big room. A big bed reaching to the far wall. Two singles pushed together. The far wall was a mirror. It made the room look huge. Naomi waved at herself in the mirror. Next to the bed was a rug. The rest of the floor was tiled. LIke the hall. On her right was a small table. Tucked under it a stool. Beyond the table were three doors in the wall. The furthest was a glass door of a shower with a wash basin. The middle a toilet. The closest a large wardrobe. Naomi looked pleased. She thought this was her room. A big room. Probably bigger than she had ever had before.
Peter walked to the first door. He opened it. Half the shelves were full. Half empty. Peter pointed to the empty shelves one by one. Naomi put her small holdall on the lowest shelf. She looked at the other shelves. Male things. His things. She looked confused. She had not expected to share a room. She watched Peter open the middle door. A small toilet cubicle. Like the one in an aeroplane. Peter closed the door. He pointed to the shower. He shrugged.
Perhaps you would like to have a shower first. (Peter)
Naomi looked down. She did not meet his gaze. She had not thought about what life would be like as an au pair. Working all day. Always on call. No privacy. No space that is hers.
Au pairs always think of what they will get. Not how they pay for it.