The Housemaid is Watching

By the end of this night, if I have not stabbed Suzette with one of these forks, it will only be because I’m not sure which one to use to do it.

The third in a series usually isn’t that great, so it’s not his fault.

Being ordinary has always been an impossible dream for me, so I’m happy to have achieved it.

My mom is a really good mom. She’s, like, the kind of mom where if you forgot you were supposed to bring in a tray of Rice Krispies squares for school tomorrow and it’s already almost bedtime, she will go out and get the Rice Krispies and marshmallows, and she’ll make it for you and make sure they’re packed and ready for school the next day.

I mean, I don’t think I’m a psychopath, but I didn’t go to prison for picking daisies.

Everything is going to be okay,” I tell them. But even as the words leave my mouth, I know that they are not true. And that things are about to get much worse.

The first time I heard about Wilhelmina Calloway, the girl who would become Millie Accardi, was when she was being charged with the murder of the son of my employers. I had no doubt that he deserved the justice Millie doled out, but the jury didn’t see it that way. She went to prison for his murder.

Except I can’t help but think that right now I have much worse problems than my blood pressure.

You are my wife. The mother of my children. I love you so much.” “Okay…” “Also,” he adds, “I know better than to double-cross you. I would like to keep breathing.

The second he says her name, I know exactly who this girl is:

Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine. I just want to read.

We can’t afford a cleaning woman! I can do it myself.

that a person can do bad things and still be a good person. As long as they were doing the bad thing for the right reason.

Three times a week, we have a class called Library. It’s one of my favorite classes, because you go to the school library, pick out a book, and you get to spend the whole period reading. I don’t even understand why that’s a class, because to me it just seems like fun. But a lot of kids in my class groan about it.

Ramirez returns a smile that is an endearing combination of excited and nervous. “Believe it or not, Cecelia set me up with her mother. This is only our second date, but we’ve been talking a lot on the phone, and… I know it’s early, but I like that woman a lot. She’s really something.

But a lot of books make me cry.

we can barely even afford this house,

It is true. If you read too many books, your eyeballs will fall out.

one thing I know about Enzo Accardi is that he is a good guy. I don’t think he would kill anyone. But if he did, it would be for a damn good reason.

Lancio un’ultima occhiata alla finestra, e benché sia dall’altra parte della strada, sono sicura di scorgere due occhi che ci stanno osservando.

There was a time in my life, like when I was a little kid, when it was easy to sleep. I don’t remember lying awake when I was in kindergarten. But now it seems like every night, I can’t sleep. I just stare at the ceiling every night.

It means I have finally achieved the normal life I always dreamed of. The life I’d do anything to get.

Once again, I wonder if moving here has been a terrible mistake.

my mom never

If she’s

shakes his head. “No. No!” Enzo is suddenly on his feet, yelling. “Not out! No!” Apparently, Enzo thinks this was an unfair call. Which doesn’t necessarily mean it was an unfair call. Nico isn’t any happier about this decision. The other kid is saying something to him, and he takes off his baseball cap and throws it on the ground. Nico is yelling something—I can make out the word “bullshit.” I hold my breath, willing my son to back off and return to the dugout. And that’s when Nico throws the punch. I could tell he was prone to getting angry—he’s gotten riled up during Little League games before. But I never saw him get violent before. He punches

Enzo gives very good massages. If he’s up for it, it’s tempting, but I am so tired. And a massage is never just a massage. Not with him.

I hate him for doing that. But also, I love him more than I have ever loved him before.

Oh.” Enzo and I exchange looks. Of course I love the idea of someone besides me cleaning my house, but we can’t afford it.

I guess he’s right, but at the same time, it seems like he is always there. Every time I have ever needed him, he has been there. It seems impossible that there will be a time when I need my dad and he won’t be around for me.