TRANSFORMATION D'UNE BOURGEOISE - 5

"And now the 'piece de resistence ma cherie' Monique said smiling broadly,
come here I will tie your apron'. I approached and she adjusted the
large matching working apron on top of my dress. She criss crossed the
bib straps behind my back and fastened them to the strings with two small
buttons, then she firmly tied the strings in a big bow in the back. She
pointed to the door. "Well, this is your obligatory uniform for working
in the house Marie Benedicte, run along now like a good maid and finish
your chores and then report back here, I want to continue our little
conversation and plan the rest of the day."

It took me an hour of intense work to finish what I was ordered to do. I
was moping the kitchen floor when I literally smelled Monique's presence
in the room. I turned around and she was standing by the door looking atme. God how she changed! She was the epitomy of elegance wearing a dark
grey silk suit, a light grey blouse, fine stockings and elegant medium
heel shoes. My expensive Chanel 5 perfume was filling the air around her. And there I was opposite her the
epitomy of a servant, sweat running down my forehead , my apron front
splashed with water, resting my rubber gloved hands in the mop stick.

I looked admiringly at her. "You look fantastic Monique, I can't believe
that change, you are indeed a very chic lady!"

She answered casually back : "That proves my theorie Marie Benedicte,
that finally the clothes make the master, if you know how to wear
them of course and not the other way round. And look at you, after an
hour's housework you look all the way the part of a Portuguese 'femme
de menage'. We have to work with your hair a bit and do some other
adjustments but you certainly look the part".

I looked at her aghast, but e peculiar excitement run through my body
like an electric current. I managed to answer in a rather meek tone of
voice "But what do you mena ' looking the part?', I simply agreed to
help with the housework and I dressed like this to please you."

She looked intensely at me : "We might as well sort things out here and
now! Marie Benedicte, I have a proposition to make to you. Would you
consider to change positions with me and become a 'femme de menage', a
maid, a cleaning woman for a year and I will be 'la femme bourgeoise',
a woman of the high society. You will find out where I come from and I
will be able to fulfill my dream and live the life of an upper class lady
even for a limited period of time. Think, it can be like a sabbatical
year for you, you will be able to experience things totally outside of
your own milieu. For me it is a lifetime long ambition to know the world
of luxury and wealth, a world where you come from but I know it from the
servant's side. For you it is going to be a complete reversal of roles
and positions in life."

She stopped and looked at me, I could tell she was completely taken by
her own words, she was already so near to fulfill her dream, she was
already dressed the part and she was enjoying it immensely. But what
about me, I was confused as I was trying to think hard for an answer. I
knew already that it was either her terms or good bye Monique for good.

6 What did I really have to loose? My life was in shamples at the moment
with the departure of my husband. I was not working and I was financialy
independent, I had not immediate family and very few friends, as a matter
of fact most of those so called friends were my husband's friends and I
knew very well that they were going to disappear from my life. And that
was going to be an experience, probably a hard one but an experience
anyhow. And why do I have this inner excitement that is transmitting
sexual signals to my body? Do I really get a sexual pleasure out of it?

I must have blushed all over because Monique looked at me inquiringly
and asked : "What is it Pet? Do you consider my proposal? You realise
of course that by that stage there is no going back. It is either my
proposal or I am out of here and your life ."

I looked at her, took a deep breath and said : "Oui Monique, J'accepte
votre proposition!" and I continued more excited now after I said the ok :
"But how is it going to work, and we have to talk about lots of practical
matters like ...."

She stopped me with her hand : "Now let's make your acceptance more formal
and from now on I am Madame Monique, or simply Madame for you and your are
'ma femme de ménage' Marie Benedicte or simply Maria, so please repeat :
"Oui, Madame, J'accepte de devenir votre femme de menage pendant un an!"

Blushing all over again and excited at the same time I repeated :
"Yes Madame, I accept to become your cleaning woman for a year!"

"Very well Maria, I am your employer from now on!!" she said triumphantly
and she continued : "Now you asked before about practical matters,
you are right we have to sort them out. First of all you will put our
agreement in writing and send it to your solicitor. Not everything of
course, just write simply that due to a prolonged absence abroad you are
authorising me, Monique Perreira dos Santos to handle all your financial
affairs, pay all the bills and run the household paying the domestic
staff (that is you!) etc,etc. Then you notify in writing all the people
that you think they might contact you, telling them that you are going
abroad for an indefinite amount of time to recover from the shock of
loosing your husband to another woman. Also you will apply to your bank
to issue credit cards in my name. Of course I'll take your credit cards,
and your car keys, your are not allowed to drive anymore, only public
transport for you. You will receive all the money that I earn from my
various domestic and cleaning jobs which you are going to undertake from
now on." She stopped seeing me getting more and more uneasy.

(5 - a suivre)