Deviant Fixation

by Valencia Carmelita

  He ushers us ahead to an expensive navy blue jeep. I peer curiously over my shoulders at the retreating backs of Rachael and George disappearing into the town house.

  I slip into the back passenger seats with the children despite Harry's insistence that I sit in the front. I couldn't abandon them in the back, the kids came across as major mischief makers in need of consistent surveillance.

  Within five minutes, we see Rachel returning with a grim expression set about her face. She yanks open the drivers seat of the vehicle and gets in. "Sanam, why are you in the back? Please come sit in the front."

  "Oh I didn't want to leave the kids alone in the back."

  "It's alright now, please come sit in the front I insist."

  "Okay." I give in as I recheck the seat belts secured onto the children.

  But Arielle whines. "Don't gooooo, stay with meeee!!"

  I look towards Rachael with a raised brow. She sighs wearily and accepts. I remain where I am.

  "Let's watch Aladdin!" Arielle squeals excitedly. "Mummy!Mummy! Turn on the tv!"

  Rachael switches on the mini tv screens fixed in the back of the seats facing us. She then starts the ignition and steers the jeep out on to the road.

  Curiously, I lean forward towards Rachael in between the crevice of the front seats. "What happened ?"

  She sighs in apparent disappointment while keeping her eyes focused on the road ahead. "It belonged to George, he's an habitual smoker."

  "Oh" The realization dawns on me. "But how did the cherub get ahold of it?"

  "Cherub?" Rachael slightly chuckles at the nick name I've given Charlie before she continues on again in a serious tone. "Thats what I'd like to know! George insisted he never handed Charlie the lighter. But it makes no sense whatsoever that Charlie acquired it on his own unless George was careless enough to leave it around you know ?"

  "That is very strange." I agree before adding. "Maybe he left it around by accident?"

  "Well George states he has his lighter already, he's showed it to me so he says he doesn't know how I found another lighter of the exact same brand as the one in his posession." Rachael explains in a puzzled tone. "But you know what I think, he's lying! I mean if he would have just admitted that it was another one of his lighters, then I wouldn't have had to fire him!"

  A mixture of disappointment and anger tinges her voice as she grips the steering wheel tightly. "Nor should he be smoking on the job in the first place! Which I had warned him against !"

  I felt slightly bad for the guy. He had to lose his job over something that could not have been his fault at all.

  Was this his second offense?

  Would be unfair of her to fire him on first offense but I guess that's none of my business.

  From the looks of her severe mood I didn't feel comfortable enough to intervene on this topic since I myself am a guest.

  "But who lit the fire? Maybe we should ask Charlie again what happened?" I offer. Kids were better at telling the truth. They just needed a little more tactful goading.

  She gives me a quick alert glance through the rear view mirror before stating. "He gets upset easily so if you could do that without him getting upset then I'd be grateful."

  In all honesty, I was expecting her to be the one quizzing the cherub. But I sensed she didn't trust herself enough to handle a possibly tantrum throwing child, albeit she is his mother.

  I nod assuringly at her and lean back into my seat in between the children.

  Both Arielle and Charlie are deeply focused into the animated Disney movie playing before them on their separate screens.

  "So Charlie, my name is Sanam." I introduce and the child briefly glances up at me shyly yet the movie catches his attention again.

  I can't help but smile at the adorable plump and rosy cheeked cherub. Extending out my hand, I ruffle his downy hair. "Charlie, you're very brave! As brave as superman!" I say, remembering one of the toys littering the corridor floor was an action figurine of superman. It most likely belonged to him.

  He glances at me again but yet with a much keener expression. "I am?"

  "Yes you are! But you gotta be careful too!" I coax as I continue brushing my fingers through his soft hair. "Superman never starts fire, its dangerous thing to play with!"

  He stares up at me as his mouth curves in a sad pout as I ask "Do you know why superman doesn't do such things?"

  A shake of his head in denial has me answering "Well because superman helps save people from such things-things like fire can harm people! And superman never harms people."

  I study his face as he stares back yet lost in thought over my explanation. So I prod gently "But since you're even braver than superman, will you promise you won't play with fire so no one gets harmed?"

  "Oh kayy." He looks down at his small fingers in shame.

  "Good boy!" I caress his cheek and then cup his chin. "Will you tell me how did you get the thing that helped you start the fire?"

  "Not suppose tell you" He says in his broken blubbering sentence. He encases his thumb back into his mouth.

  "Why not?"

  "Coz Louis tol me it's a secret"

  "Who's Louis?" I question.

  He gasps in shock over his revelation, planting his cute little hands over his mouth. I apprise Rachael with the detail. "He mentioned someone named Louis?"

  "Charlie honey, tell mummy who is Louis ?" She asks.

  "He's a clown!" Charlie chirps happily. "He does tricks! He's my friend!"

  Rachael creases her brows in contemplation. "Likely one of his imaginary friends. He has a ton of them. I often find him talking to the air and it worries me."

  For some odd reason I have a dubious feeling about this. But before I could interject with any further opinion on the matter, Rachael announces "We're here! Let's forget about what occurred and get some lunch!"

  ◆◆◆

  Just as the luxurious exterior, the interior of the Italian restaurant appears very upscale and trendy. An immaculately dressed waiter leads us to a table for five since there aren't any left to seat four customers.

  Currently my stomach is killing me from the lack of food as I peer around at other people already digging into the lavish cuisine on their plates.

  The waiter hands us menus and Rachael starts ordering right away. I scan the menu for something hearty and halal to eat. To my disappointment I only find one dish titled in English, Which is a simple vegetable appetizer.

  But the disappointment quickly replaces with my rumbling stomach. So I select the appetizer.

  "That's all?" Rachael queries with apparent concern "Atleast order something, heavier, you are looking pale and tired!"

  "Err.." I trail off as I peer down again at the menu list. Nearly every dish was titled in Italian so I didn't understand what they contained. "I can't have any meat here..."

  "Oh you're a vegetarian, well then there is no problem!" She turns to the awaiting waiter and orders "I'll have them serve you, two plates of Pepadew Pesto Spaghetti with Feta Aragula. It's completely vegetarian dear."

  "Two plates?" I gape at her.

  This place was seriously over the top expensive and I didn't want to be spending a hundred dollars for two plates let alone one.

  "Don't worry dear! I've got it covered, you need to eat two plates because you're looking extremely famished." Rachael flicks her wrist dismissively at the waiter who promptly scurries away.

  "No, you've done enough for me, I'll pay!" I plead as I rummage through my shabby satchel.

  "Please, don't argue over this now! After all you have done for me is more like it !" Rachael reaches out her arm and touches my shoulder, pausing me to look at her in wonderment. "What I mean by that is, the children have never been so well behaved till now-since you've talked to them!"

  "Really ?" I ask incredulously as I peer at the two kids who are busy staring around peacefully at the going ons in the restaurant.

  "But I didn't really do anything..." I trail off.

  "Ye
s, I mean it and you did talk to them unlike anyone else has..well except their uncle-he's the only other person they willingly listen to and obey. Now there is you!" Rachael beams at me.

  Feeling flattered, I vocalize my gratitude. "Wow, thanks I didn't think I'd come across that influential on your kids." Then without thinking, I suggest the obvious. "You should have the uncle take turns caring for them?"

  A weary look flickers on her face as she responds. "Vladimir doesn't reside with us, he hardly has any spare time." Then a knowing smile tugs at the corner of her lips. "When he does, He shows up at random-surprising the children, spoiling them senseless. They love him to bits, he's their only uncle."

  My shoulders stiffen at the mention of his name. I had completely forgotten that she was related to him.

  Perhaps I was expecting some other uncle, maybe another brother of hers. Yet he had to be somehow the uncle who brought the well behaviour out of these children.

  I was finding this hard to believe, a ruthless and crazed Mafia member was some paragon of good mannerisms for kids.

  I prevented myself an outwardly scoff in the presence of Rachael. Albeit I was glad that jerk doesn't reside with her.

  "Anyway, besides you're my guest, and I can afford your expenses my dear! I'm an headmistress of a prestigious university and a manager of a widely reputed beauty salon and cosmetics brand." She exults proudly and then with a sweeping gesture of her hand at the restaurant. "If I wanted, I could purchase this entire edifice! So please, don't worry! I am willing to support you."

  "But that can't go on for long." I insist with a sheepish smile as I avert my vision onto my lap. "I'd need to eventually find a well paying job and pay for my own expenses."

  "You don't need to." Rachael implores but sensing I wouldn't surrender in to these goadings, she eventually gives in. "Alright when you're ready to work, you can but I'll have you know right now that it's not a very safe decision on your part to venture out for employment."

  The realization of what she's implying dawns on me promptly.

  How did I manage to forget that the Burq Al Nar gang members were on the hunt for me ?

  She's right, I'm unable to work under such perilous conditions. I have to remain covered by security surveillance in order to survive.

  Witnessing my dejected expression, Rachael squeezes my upper arm in an affectionate and reassuring manner as she offers in a sweet tone "I know, it must be very hard for you to cope with. I can very much empathize. Infact right now my security team is guarding the entrance of this restaurant, they followed us here by one of the security vans. This is our life everyday."

  I raise a brow in wonderment "You must pay a fortune for security!" Then my brows crease in ire. "Must be so annoying! Why would anyone want to hurt you anyway, you're so nice! Why does anyone want to harm good people?"

  A wistful smile graces her lips as her eyes grow distant in thought at my miffed words. "With wealth comes the risks and side effects."

  But immediately the distant look vanishes from her eyes as she fixes me with eagerness. "Would you like to be employed by me ?"

  Woah! that was totally random!

  "Um..." An momentarily uncertain pause ensues before I recover. "Why are you doing so much for me? Not that I'm ungrateful of any of it, but why have you agreed to house and feed me upon Mister Mirza's request?"

  Rachael leans back in her seat, a distant and melancholic glint appears in her eyes. "He's like a father figure to me, he's helped me cope with major traumatizing issues...and besides that I wouldn't have become headmistress of Griffith had he not been there guiding me all along the way.He was my professor when I was student at that very university."

  "Oh I see.." I allow what she's revealed to sink into my brain.

  "I owe it to him, he's never asked any favours of me." She continues but then her gaze readjusts on mine and she leans forward with eagerness.

  "So never think of yourself as a burden..now tell me would you be interested in working for me?"

  I gaze into her eyes, basking in her kindness and offer "Thank you."

  My hopes are raised at the potential prospect of a safe employment. "If it's not too much of a bother, I mean what would you employ me for ?"

  Her smile broadens, resting her elbows on the table, she laces her fingers together and props her chin atop them. "Would you be interested as a nanny for Arielle and Charlie ? I trust you with my kids, you've rescued Arielle before and the way you talk with them is unlike any other except for my brother."

  "Oh..well I ..." My awkward voice trails off as I contemplate over her offer.

  "I'm paying you for it, seventy dollars an hour!" Rachael beams and with persuasive ease she continues. "The food, travel, and vacation etc expenses are on me since we would be traveling everywhere together anyway."

  " w-what ?!" I sputter in astonishment. "Miss Rachael you're being more than generous, I-I can't accept that you pay for the rest of my expenses. If that is to be the case then I might as well be a nanny without the seventy an hour charge!"

  "Refer to me as Rachael, and please I insist you accept some money for your work...My children are not easy to deal with, so many nannies have quit-" Her voice cracks.

  My Curiosity getting the best of me, I ask. "How exactly do they behave around others besides me and umm.. your brother ?"

  She leans in very close to me with a concerned expression and whispers "It's terrifying, I can't describe right now in their presence. Trust me on my words, they aren't easy to deal with. As much as I love them more than my own life, they drive me insane!"

  "Oh.." My eyes flit in surprised suspicion between the two children who currently appear tranquilly well mannered.

  "I-It was maddening to keep searching for someone who could help take care of the children...You would be the first one to have such a calming effect on them other than my brother." Rachael implores and I glimpse the beginning of tears glistening in her eyes.

  Inwardly, I berate myself for reducing her to begging. I had no idea that finding the right nanny issue had such an adverse effect on her.

  After seeing her tear filled eyes, I no longer doubted that the children gave her immense trouble.

  It's terrible, your own children giving you a hard time even when they are spoiled with everything they ever desire.

  "Alright, I accept it Rachael." I answer, smiling at her wistfully and give her hand an affectionate squeeze.

  She laces her soft fingers in mine and returns the gesture, excitement etching into her graceful features.

  The waiter arrives with the tray of our meal and sets the steaming bowls and plates before us. Unable to control my hunger any longer, I dig into my healthy vegetable pasta dish immediately.

  "Mmm this is so good!" I manage to say a couple of minutes later in between bites.

  Rachael chuckles as she peers at me over her fork full of meat and pasta. "If you think that's good, then wait till you try out Italian dishes cooked by the family chef !"

  She proceeds to take intervals of feeding Charlie his meal and then herself.