045 :: Bathing Diane
Naomi lay asleep on the lower terrace. Peter woke her.
Diane will be home early. In ten minutes. (Peter)
Naomi looked at Peter sleepily. A contented look.
Diane wants you to bathe her. (Peter)
Naomi reached for her Skroll.
What will I be doing. (Naomi)
English. (Peter)
What do. (Naomi)
I am not sure. She has never asked me to bathe her. You would wash her gently. Stroke her. I guess. Massage her with cream after. Do not do anything sexual unless she says. You shower. I will run the bath. (Peter)
Naomi nodded. They went in. Naomi showered. Peter got instructions from Diane. Bubble bath. Essential oil burner. Aromatherapy candles. He prepared the bathroom. Naomi came upstairs. Peter waved his hand across the bathroom.
This is what she asked for. (Peter)
Naomi nodded. Peter took her Skroll. He put it on the shelf. Naomi nodded again. Diane was coming up the stairs. Peter stood at the door.
Hi Peter. Hi Naomi. (Diane)
Hi Diane. I have told Naomi what you want. (Peter)
Thank you Peter. It was one of those days. (Diane)
Peter stepped out of the bathroom and closed the door. Naomi came to Diane She unbuttoned her shirt. She unzipped her skirt. It dropped. She walked about Diane like Diane was a statue. She slipped off her shirt. Stripped away her underwear. Diane stepped into the bath while Naomi gathered the discarded clothes and dropped them in the laundry chute. Naomi took up the loofah. The soap. She lathered. She washed her arms. Her hands. Her fingers one at a time. She washed her legs one at a time lifting them from the water. She lathered her hands and massaged her soapy hands about her feet. Between each toe. She dropped the second foot in the water. Diane sat up. Naomi washed her back. Her shoulders. Her neck. She washed her armpits and her chest. Diane stood. Naomi lathered a cloth. She washed Diane’s hips. Her bum. Between her legs. Diane sat down. Lay back. Naomi scooped up water and rinsed away the soap that remained. She ran the hot water in the basin. She dropped a flannel in the hot water. Squeezed it out. Naomi lay the warm flannel over Diane’s eyes. She then sat on the chair. Awkward. She waited.
In the kitchen Peter had the bathroom on screen. He was sauteing onions, garlic and ginger. When Naomi placed the hot flannel on Diane’s eyes he took the frying pan off the stove. He was playing music quietly so he did not hear when Diane started talking.
They are such dicks. (Diane)
She adjusted the flannel.
Idiots. They come ask me the stupidest questions. It is always me the come to. Never any of the other managers. Lara asked for a c-dip for a colourist. We never do it. Still she aksed me. I said no so now she thinks I am the cunt. She should never have asked. (Diane)
Peter looked at the screen. Diane had stood up. He put the pan back on the stove. He tipped in the rice.
Thank you. (Diane)
Naomi stood. She turned on the hand shower. She pulled the plug. She rinsed Diane. Rinsed her feet as she stepped out the bath. Turned off the taps. Wrapped Diane in a towel. Patted her dry like drying a small delicate child. Then she gently rubbed her, A pampering soft rub. She dribbled lotion onto her hand and massaged it into Diane’s skin. Their naked forms contrasting. The young and the old. The smooth and the wrinkled. The future and the past.
In the kitchen Peter slipped three tilapia fillets into the hot stock pot. He chopped a handful of parsley. He placed the zester on the counter. He put out the plates. He served the rice. He prodded the fish. He watched Naomi wrap Diane in a kimono.
Screen off. (Peter)
Diane came down the stairs and sat at the breakfast bar. Peter got out wine glasses. Pinot Grigio. He lifted the fish out of the stock onto the plates. Naomi came into the kitchen. She sat next to Diane. She opened her Skroll.
Thank you Peter. (Diane)
Have you taken Naomi to see the sights yet. (Diane)
Not yet. Soon. I thought I would let her find her feet first. (Peter)
Of course. The British Museum is the most impressive. (Diane)
Yes. We will save up for it. (Peter)
You have been. (Diane)
Yes. Not long after I came. The last Naomi took me. It was amazing. We rushed about trying to see everything then took our time in the Africa gallery. She read everything. (Peter)
Yes. She was African. Did she stay in London. (Diane)
I think not. She said she was going back to Ethiopia. (Peter)
You do not keep up with her. (Diane)
She sold her Skroll on the day she was due to leave. To another au pair. She has not contacted me with her new id. And I have not seen her online. (Peter)
Oh. I hope she is alright. (Diane)
I am sure she is. You know how it is in Africa. They have other things to think about. They do not worry about their online profiles. (Peter)
Jesus. One big fucking disaster. It is not worth thinking about. (Diane)
Still we contribute to international aid. (Diane)
I think they stopped that in the last budget. It was how they funded the big military spending increase. Stupid. All that shit will end up on our doorstep. A just-coping Africa is so much better than a nuke sub in the Thames estuary. (Diane)
They finished the meal in silence.
Thank you again. I will be in my room. Why not watch a film. John is going to be late again so there is no need to make him supper. (Diane)
We will do. Thank you. (Peter)
They watched Diane leave. Naomi stood. She picked up the plates.
My turn. (Naomi)
Sure. I will go choose a film. (Peter)
The Au Pair
