The Trans Ultra Collection Vol 3

by Ursula Lovelace

  It was a dream come true. My idol was handing me a contract on a silver platter. Of course, I knew I couldn’t accept it while wearing a disguise.

  No, it wasn’t a disguise.

  Gertrude was who I was.

  I didn’t really care if he accepted me or not. Being Gertrude for so long had made me realize that I always had the talent to make it big. I didn’t need validation from Willie and the rest of Sunstone Records. All that mattered was that I believed in myself and my abilities. “Thanks… but I’m good.”

  He gasped in disbelief. The man wasn’t used to being declined. “What? Don’t you understand? This contract is worth millions.”

  I didn’t need a big label to make me a star. I had my God-given talents and this was the twenty-first century. I could use the internet and social media to spread my music. What I had done in a bar could ripple across the entire world.

  The indie scene would be my new home. I could start my own label as Gertrude. You just need an account on music stores to sell your music. There was also good money in performing live in front of a crowd.

  “I appreciate the offer,” I said with a smile. Not many people turned him down but I had made up my mind. “I’ll do it on my own as an indie artist.”

  Turning away, I closed the door before a shocked Willie Browning. Having Sunstone Records’ respect was enough to bolster my confidence. I had everything I needed to become a pop diva. I had failed before but now I could succeed on my own through this new persona.

  Greg’s star had faded but it was Gertrude’s time to shine!

  Chapter 1

  I loved an easy job where I could slack off and get paid for it. Manning a convenience store as a teenager made me love no effort jobs. I could shut my brain off and watch TV in between scanning items for customers. It was natural for me to drift between low effort jobs.

  Of course, a nice house beat working in a dingy convenience store any day of the week. I drove past mansions and two story rancher type houses. I didn’t have to look at them with envy. I was going to live in one of them.

  This was a much nicer neighborhood than the one I lived in. All of the houses I passed by were worth millions of dollars. It ran the gamut from the white picket fence ranchers to sprawling mansions. Kids played on freshly mowed grass as young mothers took their babies out on strollers. I couldn’t see a single crack on the sidewalk. It was a suburban Garden of Eden.

  All the garages and driveways I passed were full of luxury sedans. Of course, no one would dare speed through here in a sports car. I had heard that the town’s mayor lived around these parts in a mansion. He had passed a number of traffic and noise ordinances in this part of town. You could face a hefty fine for causing trouble in this neighborhood. Call it corruption but I wouldn’t blame a guy for pulling a few strings for his block.

  When I reached my destination, I parked my car before a rather beautiful mansion. It wasn’t the biggest on the block but it looked more regal than the others. A spotless white fence formed the perimeter of its large garden. I knew a monthly landscaping crew took care of it once a month. This place wasn’t some McMansion cobbled together over time. It had a long history behind it.

  I followed the paved pathway up to the entrance. The front lawn looked like it had been cut and treated a few hours ago. I wouldn’t have to worry about it for a while. That suited me since I was the kind of guy to sit back and relax. I could probably nap through Pearl Harbor.

  Finally, I rang the doorbell which played a cute jingle. A minute later, I heard footsteps approach me from the other side. A woman opened the door and smiled at me. “Oh, you’re here early, Mark!”

  I chuckled. “I could always do a couple laps around the block, Mrs. Williams. This neighborhood is beautiful.”

  “Thank you for coming on such short notice,” she replied, exhaling in relief. “It’s always hard finding a caretaker for the house on such short notice. Everyone I knew took Todd’s side. There was no one left to talk to for advice.”

  Todd was her husband. Well, ex-husband if I wanted to be precise. “I’m glad I could help, Mrs. Williams.”

  Ms. Williams looked to be in the middle of dolling herself up. She had put on a nice dress with expensive jewelry but her hair was undone. Nonetheless, she smiled and said. “Come on in. Make yourself at home. Oh, and call me Amanda. Mrs. Williams isn’t my name anymore. Like they say, out with the old and in with the new!”

  I had learned that she was a recent divorcee that had received half of everything from her husband. This included the nice mansion we were in. The woman had more money than what she knew what to do with.

  “Anything you want, Amanda,” I replied, following her into the house. This was a damn fine place to live in. The heated floor felt nice against my socks. The place was fully furnished with all manner of pricey furniture. I guessed that a maid service had gone through it a few days ago. “You have a beautiful home.”

  “Don’t let it overwhelm you,” she said, finishing up her hair with a hand mirror. When Amanda got the last curl right, I followed the pitter-patter sound of her heels across the mahogany floor. “The place is not that big once you get used to it. Let me give you the guided tour. The layout is not that complicated, really.”

  Her ex-husband hadn’t just given her the entire house. Amanda had also earned a hefty payout each year from half of his stock investments. Her newfound wealth meant that she wouldn’t have to work another day in her life. The newly freed woman could travel the world to her heart’s content.

  I also knew that she was looking to sell off the house since it was too big for her. “How’s the search for a buyer going, Amanda?”

  She sighed and rubbed her forehead. “My agent is talking with a few interested people but they’re all staking out for a better deal. They won’t budge and neither will my agent. Everything’s at a standstill.”

  “I’m sure you’ll find someone,” I replied. If I had the cash, then I would pony up for this mansion. Of course, it was just a few million dollars out of my price range. “This place is gorgeous. It must be hard to part with it.”

  “The house is just too big for me,” Amanda said. I knew that she was trying to make a fresh start for herself after the divorce. Selling the house would give her a tidy sum of money as well. Not that she was hurting for cash. “Besides, I can’t keep dealing with this stupid home owner’s association. The moment I divorced Todd was the moment they came after me. I’m telling you that this is a conspiracy!”

  I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “Uh-huh.”

  She continued her rant. “Todd played cards every week with the head of the association. They’re coming after me because of my ex-husband. They even told me that the length of my mowed grass is violating one of their stupid regulations.”

  I chuckled. “Don’t let them ruin your trip. In a few hours, there will be hundreds of miles between you and them.”

  “They won’t even let me take a vacation by myself!” she sighed. “They think if I leave this unattended place for a week that it’ll attract burglars and bring down the market value of the whole block. They were even threatening to charge me a fine!”

  “That’s why I’m here,” I replied. “I’ll look after this place so you can catch some waves in the Caribbean.”

  I had met Amanda while manning my uncle’s convenience store. She stopped by for some Advil when I overheard her talking about looking for a house sitter over the phone. The woman searching for someone who could water the plants and do a few menial tasks. Otherwise, the home owner’s association would raise a stink while she was away. Amanda just wanted some peace of mind while she was half way across the world.

  I had done this kind of gig before. Of course, they were for relatives or old college friends. They only had messy apartments or rundown condos. Nonetheless, I politely offered my services when I rang up Amanda’s Advil. The payment she proposed for being a caretaker only made it sweeter.

  I had to admit that Amanda had m
ade quite an impression on me. She was kind of cute for an older woman with her bubbly, trusting personality. The woman was willing to let a complete stranger house sit her mansion.

  Well, she did make a few calls to make sure I wasn’t some crazy serial killer. Nonetheless, I suspected that she had a mild case of OCD. She needed someone to look after her stuff for her to have some peace of mind.

  “I’ve stocked up the pantry,” she said, leading me into a futuristic kitchen. It had everything from a high-tech oven to a thousand dollar knife block. “Feel free to cook up something for yourself. Just remember to cleanup afterwards. I don’t want any ants getting inside.”

  I was the type of guy who subsisted on microwaveable dinners. Nonetheless, I eyed the utterly massive refrigerator. It was as nearly half the size of the entire kitchen back at my apartment. “Uh-huh.”

  We turned a corner and walked into a large entertainment hub. In front of a leather reclining chair was a gigantic 4K television with all the bells and whistles. It had just about every game console along with an Ultra Blu-Ray player. It was even hooked up to Netflix and Hulu. I knew what I was going to go later tonight.

  “This was my ex’s den,” she explained with a sigh. Amanda looked at her reflection in the television screen. “Boys and their toys. I never understood why you need such a huge television. I’m fine with watching videos on my phone.”

  I whistled at the length of the television. “Size goes a long way.”

  Amanda giggled. “Help yourself to it. My ex spent a fortune on the sound system but the whole thing was collecting dust for months until the maid wiped it clean.”

  It gave a moment to look at her face. She was a rather attractive woman. I didn’t understand why a man would divorce her. Maybe I didn’t know Amanda well enough to judge her character. Her husband had given up half of everything he had in order to leave her.

  Finally, she led me upstairs to a bedroom. The room was rather large. It needed to be in order to accommodate a large bed and dresser. It had a joint medium sized bathroom that included a full bathtub. It looked like something out of a five star hotel.

  Amanda continued the tour. “This is one of four bedrooms, Mark. Well, technically two.”

  That seemed like a small amount for such a big house. “Just two?”

  “Todd converted one of them into an office for work and another into a game room for blowing off steam,” she answered. “You can play pool down the hall in the conservatory if you’d like. As for this room, I used to sleep in it. I’m in the process of moving over to the master bedroom. I love a king-sized bed!”

  I didn’t bother asking why she was sleeping in a different bed from her former husband. By now, the answer was clear. “Can I sleep in this guest room, Amanda?”

  She laughed. “That’s why I brought you here. I hope you don’t mind sleeping in a place like this. I’m… redecorating the master bedroom so it’s a bit of a mess there. Stay out of there until I come back.”

  The master bedroom sounded nicer but I didn’t want to argue the point. “I don’t mind at all.”

  “It has everything a woman needs,” Amanda said proudly as she walked to her closet. She opened up the closet’s doors which revealed her extensive wardrobe. It had everything from dresses to shoes and even a pair of wigs. There was a full length body mirror attached to the door. “I think it’s just as cozy for a man.”

  I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I was interested more in cars than in dresses. While the garage doors were closed, I knew they held a trio of luxury cars. “I won’t complain. Anyway, should I give the cars in the garage a spin or two? I heard they can have engine problems if you leave them idle for too long.”

  Amanda smirked and dashed my hopes. “I knew you would ask about that. Technically, those cars still belong to Todd. He hasn’t gotten around to pick them up and I’m not too eager to give it back to him. Don’t lay a finger on them. I want to have him to be the one who calls me first.”

  I might have walked right into the middle of a couple’s feud. Hopefully, Todd didn’t bother me. I wanted some peace and quiet during my time as a caretaker. Nevertheless, I stood up straight like a housebroken recruit at a boot camp. “Yes, ma’am!”

  Amanda’s phone buzzed. “Damn, my Uber will be here any minute. I’ve gone over all the basics but call me if you have any questions.”

  “Don’t worry about me,” I replied. “I’ll let you enjoy your time off, Amanda.”

  “No wild parties or unsavory guests,” she said, wagging a finger at me. “I have the key to the liquor cabinet. I know that Remy Martin cognac looks tempting but that’s reserved for special occasions. Don’t even try to lock pick it or force it open.”

  I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “Yes mom.”

  That got a laugh out of her. Amanda planted a kiss on my cheek. “Thanks for doing this for me, Mark.”

  I didn’t bother to tell her that I was here for the easy paycheck and free Netflix. “It wasn’t a problem at all.”

  We heard a car honk its horn outside. “Time for me to go.”

  Chapter 2

  I helped Amanda carry her luggage to the car like a proper gentleman. She gave me some last minute instructions about how to avoid getting into trouble with the home owner’s association in case they acted up. For instance, they could have me fined if my car wasn’t properly parked in the driveway. I was starting to feel like I actually owned the place.

  When I heard the front door shut close, I nearly jumped for joy. I had this huge mansion all to myself. I wasn’t crazy enough to invite friends over and have a wild party. Amanda could find out and get mad as hell at me.

  Instead, I was content to be in the lap of luxury for the next week. I wouldn’t have to pay for food. I had no responsibilities other than to water the plants and keep the peace. This was even easier than manning a convenience store.

  With the entire house to myself, I decided to take a nice hot bath. The shower at my apartment ran on a timer. You got ten minutes of lukewarm water before it went cold. This mansion had a state-of-the-art boiler. I could bask in warm water for hours.

  It was the simple pleasures of life that made me happy.

  I began by taking off my clothes. I saw my reflection in the dresser’s mirror and chuckled. I had never looked like the personification of masculinity. I was skinny and could barely grow a mustache. I didn’t have any body hair on my arms and legs. I couldn’t wait to have my soft skin exposed to warm bathwater.

  Well, I needed a way to dry myself first.

  I looked for a bath towel. I had brought a few of my belongings over for the week but I forgot to pack a towel. I figured I could borrow something from Amanda and then throw into the laundry machine once I was done. I didn’t intend to be a rude caretaker for the house.

  Just an opportunistic one.

  I looked around the adjacent bathroom for any towels. I saw a variety of shampoos and body lotions near the tub’s rim. There were even some scented candles next to a matchbox. I knew I was in for a treat. However, I didn’t find anything to dry myself off with.

  Going back to the bedroom, I opened up her closet and rummaged through it for a towel. I couldn’t help but be distracted by the extensive collection of clothing on display. Amanda had everything from sundresses to mini-skirts and tasteful one-piece evening wear. There was quite an extensive collection of lingerie, including a full set of garters and stockings. At the bottom, I found a half dozen shoes ranging from sandals to high heels.

  I reached out to touch one of her satin dresses. “Wow, so soft.”

  The sheer lightness of the satiny cloth was spine-tingling. In comparison, the t-shirt and denim jeans I had discarded were harsh to the touch. I wondered if the rest of Amanda’s clothing was just as soft. Soon, I was thumbing through her entire collection of clothing.

  I found her lingerie collection to be especially pleasing to the touch. Many pieces were handmade and featured embroidered patterns. For some reason, I
took out a matching pair of dark grey bra and panties.

  I felt compelled to place them on the bed before retrieving more clothing. I selected a set of garter belts with pitch black stockings. Finally, I went to the hangers and selected a nice one piece evening dress.

  I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. I just had this weird compulsion to wear a dress. These clothes felt unbelievably soft to the touch. I knew it was wrong but I was all alone in this place. It wasn’t like anyone would ever find out that I was dressing up in women’s clothing. Amanda was flying down to The Caribbean without the slightest clue about what I was doing.

  Nonetheless, I had to be careful about this. One misplaced set of lingerie could raise uncomfortable questions. Knowing how OCD Amanda was, I needed to put back everything where it originally had been. She would have my head if she found out what I was doing with her wardrobe.