Don't Tell a Soul

by Travis Szablewski

  "Oh, my God," Harper said, saddened. Poor girl. Harper saw herself as Elena described Rosie. Harper never had a lot of friends and the ones she did have were made up. No one understood her.

  "Yeah, so I just wanted to tell you that because...I don't want you to be surprised if she has some strange or weird ideas. You can't really take what she says to heart. She's very blunt...like her mother," Elena giggled.

  "I can't wait to meet her," Harper lied. She had never dealt with something like this before. All of the other children she had ever cared for were normal; played outside, fought with their siblings, picked their boogers and wiped them on the cat. Stupid, childish things. But Rosie...she sounded...different; very different.

  Elena stopped at the door at the end of the hallway. She reached up and turned the crystal door handle slowly...and pushed the door open.

  Rosie's room was gigantic. The walls, painted a bright plush pink. The carpet, pearly white. A book shelf stood in the corner and was stocked full of children books, porcelain glass dolls, and snow globes. Harper and Elena slowly stepped over a set of Barbie dolls and toys that were scattered along the floor as Harper set her eyes upon a small yellow canopy bed. A little girl sat on the edge of the bed, her back to Elena and Harper. Her long, curly blond hair hanged down the back of her white summer dress.

  Harper and Elena slowly shuffled around the corner of the bed...as Harper set her eyes on Rosie Livingston. Her dark blue eyes slowly traveled up from the doll in her hand and up to Harper. Rosie was beautiful. Her tan legs dangled over the edge of the bed, swaying back and forth in the air. Soft, pink lips. Rosy cheeks. She really was a complete replica of Elena...it was almost terrifying.

  "Honey, I would like you to meet Harper...she's going to be the new nanny," Elena said as she knelt down in front of Rosie. Rosie stared at Harper, her eyes glued to her.

  "Hi, Rosie; it's very nice to meet you," Harper said with a soft smile. "May I sit down?" Harper asked as Rosie stared at her in silence.

  "Yes," Rosie said, her voice soft...almost a whisper. Harper smiled as she sat down along the edge of the bed beside Rosie. Harper looked to the old baby doll in her hands.

  "Who is this?" Harper asked as she looked up from the baby doll and to Rosie.

  "Jenny," Rosie said as she ran her tiny fingers along the baby doll's face. "She was crying earlier, so I picked her up and rocked her to sleep," Rosie said.

  "Oh, why was she crying?" Harper asked as she puckered out her bottom lip.

  "I don't know. She's always crying," Rosie said as shrugged softly.

  "Well, can I hold her?" Harper asked.

  Rosie hesitated...as she looked to the doll and then back to Harper's extended hands. Harper couldn't help but smile as Rosie slowly lifted the baby doll and gently placed it into her arms. Harper slowly rocked the baby, back and forth.

  "Ssshh, it's OK, Jenny; it's OK, Jenny," Harper whispered. Harper felt her stomach fill with butterflies as she watched Rosie begin to giggle.

  "You did it; she stopped crying," Rosie said with a wide smile.

  "Well, what can I say; I've worked with lots and lots of babies," Harper said softly. "So, if you ever need any help with her...I'll always be here," Harper added as she smiled to Rosie. Harper looked to Elena to see a large grin on her face.

  "So, what do you think of Harper?" Elena asked as she rubbed Rosie's leg softly.

  "I like her; she finally got Jenny to be quiet," Rosie said as Elena and Harper busted into laughter.

  "So, I guess that means I can be your nanny?" Harper asked as she handed Rosie the baby doll.

  "Definitely," Rosie said with a smile as she hugged the baby doll tightly. Elena stood up along with Harper as they both giggled.

  "Do you have any plans tonight?" Elena asked Harper as they walked towards the door.

  "No...not really; I was just going to go home and watch Netflix probably. Same old, same old; I'm boring," Harper smirked.

  "Well, how would you feel about starting tonight instead of tomorrow? Grayson and I were actually wanting to meet with a few friends of ours for dinner," Elena said as she bit her lip nervously. "I don't mean to put you on the spot!" she added as she placed her hand onto her chest.

  "No, no! It's perfectly fine! Yeah, you two go; I'll start tonight," Harper said softly.

  "Oh, thank you so much! Seriously! You have no idea how much this means to us!" Elena said as walked towards the door. "I actually need to go get ready but there is some leftover lasagna in the refrigerator for her dinner or you guys can order a pizza. Whatever you want," Elena said.

  "OK, yeah that sounds good," Harper said as she watched Elena pull the bedroom door open and walk out into the hallway.

  "OK, thank you so much again, Harper," Elena smiled. "I really think you're going to like it here," she added with a smile.

  "I think I will, too," Harper said. Her stomach twisted as she thought of Grayson. She thought of how she would be seeing him every single day and how she knew the dirty secret they both shared. She could never tell. After meeting Rosie...after seeing how sweet and down to Earth Elena was...she couldn't ruin this beautiful family. Not now. Not ever. Harper slowly turned back towards the bed as the Elena shut the bedroom door behind her.

  "So, Rosie...what do you like to do for fun?" Harper asked as she slowly walked towards the little girl. Rosie now sat at a small tea party table in the center of the room. A stuffed tiger, bear, and a giraffe were sitting at the table with her.

  "I really like coloring and playing outside," Rosie said as she poured the imaginary tea into a small, plastic tea cup.

  "Oh, I do, too! I love drawing and painting, too," Harper said as she sat down onto the edge of the bed.

  "Delilah liked painting, too. She was a famous painter," Rosie said as she served the tea to her furry friends.

  "Delilah? Who is Delilah?" Harper asked with a smile. Was Delilah the new Goldie? Harper couldn't help but smile. Watching Rosie...with those stuffed animals...it was as if she was as if she was watching herself.

  "She was the old nanny," Rosie said as she placed three plastic croissants onto the plates in front of the stuffed animals.

  "Oh, well was she nice?" Harper asked.

  "She was really nice. She was really good at drawing and painting. I really miss her," Rosie said as she looked up to Harper as her smile faded quickly.

  "Oh, well I'm sorry she left. But I promise that I will never leave you," Harper said as she slowly knelt beside Rosie and stared into her dark, piercing blue eyes.

  "She never left," Rosie said, her voice...almost a whisper. As if she was telling Harper a huge secret that could never travel beyond these four pink walls.

  "What do you mean?" Harper asked as she slowly placed her hand on Rosie's bare shoulder.

  "Delilah...the old nanny...she never left. The last time I saw her...daddy took her down to the basement," Rosie said. Harper felt her heart sink into her stomach as she stared back at Rosie. Grayson? Why would he take the nanny down into the basement? What was Rosie trying to tell Harper? Did something...did something bad happen to Delilah?

  "What do you mean?" Harper asked as she pushed further for answers...

  "She went down to the basement with daddy...and she never came back upstairs; only daddy did," Rosie said as she slowly grabbed the small plastic tea cup in front of her and brought it to her soft, pink lips...

  Something Wicked

  Harper peeked through Rosie's cracked bedroom door as she watched her chest rise and fall under the covers of her bed. She had just put her down for her afternoon nap and felt like she could use one herself. She was up all night, tossing and turning, as the haunting statement that Rosie had said about Grayson and the old nanny, Delilah, swirled in her head. Did he really hurt the old nanny? Or was Rosie just speaking of some imaginary tale she had inside of her head? Elena said that she did have an active imagination...but still...how could an idea...something so wicked come from such a sweet, kind little girl like Rosie?


  Harper slowly walked down the grand staircase as she fiddled nervously with the golden locket that hanged around her neck. She never took it off, ever. It was the last thing her father had given her before he passed away two years ago. His tattered, torn picture hidden deep behind the golden heart-shaped walls. He always with her this way; directly over her beating heart.

  Harper slowly stepped in through the doorway of the kitchen. She froze in her tracks...

  Grayson's bright blue eyes focused in on her as he turned away from the refrigerator. His pair of ear buds were in his ear that connected to the iPod in his left hand. He wore a pair of basketball shorts...and nothing else. Sweat beaded down his wet, glistening chest as he smiled softly to her and raised a water bottle to his lips.

  "What are you doing here?" Harper asked, her voice quivered as she eyed his tan torso. God, he looked good for thirty-five; blessed with his hard abs and soft skin. She remembered the feeling of his tight, muscular arms wrapped tightly around her body that morning she woke up beside him.

  "I took a long lunch so I decided to come home and get in a quick run," Grayson said as he yanked the ear buds out of his ears. He leaned against the middle island as she slowly inched closer...but not too close...

  "Listen, that night...that...that wasn't me. I should have never, ever, ever been that stupid," Harper said as she gently placed her hands onto the edge of the island.

  "Oh, so are you calling me a mistake?" Grayson giggled coyly as he sat up straight and edged around the bar island and towards her.

  "Yes, I am. You're married, Grayson. You have a family. You have a wonderful, smart little girl and a gorgeous wife. I'm not a home wrecker...and I'm certainly not ever going to let that happen again," Harper said as she watched him inch towards her, closer and closer.

  "Then why did you take this job, huh? Don't pretend you didn't enjoy that night," Grayson said as he stopped beside her. Harper stared forward. She couldn't look at him. She couldn't take the risk.

  "Because it could open a lot of doors for me. Nothing more, nothing less," Harper said sharply as she broke her rule. Her eyes lingered to their corners...and settled on him.

  "I don't think that's true," Grayson said as he slowly grabbed a strand of her hair and twisted it around his finger. "I think you know exactly why you took this job. I think you're much smarter than you put on. I also think that you still want me...despite the tiny little white lie that you uncovered the second you rang the doorbell," Grayson said, his lips edging towards her ear. She could feel his hot breath inside her ear. She could feel her layers...peeling back one by one.

  "I'm not that kind of girl," Harper snapped as she shoved his hand away and turned to him.

  "Oh, but you were that night. Do you even remember anything?" Grayson asked with a soft smile.

  "No, thank God," Harper growled as she slowly backed away from him. Grayson then grabbed her around her waist and pulled her body against his. He then spun her around and pinned her against the counter, his groin pressed tightly against her backside. He grabbed the back of her hair and pinned her upper torso down against the top of the bar. Harper felt her heart race as he leaned down onto her back.

  "We danced, really close. Nice and slow. Our bodies were sweaty, wet with heat. You said you wanted to be a bad girl. You wanted to feel my tongue, deep inside of you...exploring the places you're too scared of to explore yourself. I pinned you down on the bed...your long legs were wrapped around me...your wrists, bound to the headboard. You told me to fuck you, harder and harder," Grayson said.

  Harper then elbowed Grayson in the stomach. He shuffled back a few inches as he giggled to himself. Harper quickly ran her fingers through her hair as she glared to Grayson.

  "It was a mistake, Grayson! That wasn't me...I was drunk!" Harper snapped.

  "Oh, it was you. That was the real you, Harper. You should be thanking me. You'd still be that shy little girl in the corner of the bar. The girl who is too scared to move, too scared to feel the music, and too scared to take a chance every now and then. I was that chance. You know that you felt more alive that night with me than you ever have before in your entire life," Grayson said as he walked towards her. Harper then slammed her hand against his chest. Who did he think he was? He knew nothing about her. Where did he get off talking to her like he knew her, inside and out? He knew nothing about her passions, her dreams, or her life.

  "Did you do something to the old nanny?" Harper asked. Her eyes widened. As soon as the words slipped through her lips, she regretted it. She wished she could reach into the air, take them back, and hide them deep down inside of her. But it was too late for that.

  "What are you talking about?" Grayson asked as he looked at Harper, shocked and stunned. Harper then realized it was too late...she might as well come out and say it.

  "Rosie said something yesterday...she said that...you went down to the basement with Delilah, the old nanny. She said that she never came back upstairs and that was the last time she saw her," Harper said as her voice quivered.

  "Did Elena not tell you about her? She's eight years old, Harper. She has such an overactive imagination. She's a child," Grayson said.

  "Yeah, but how could she just come up with something like that? That's pretty messed up..." Harper said, unconvinced. She watched him as he slowly shook his hand and placed his hands onto his hips.

  "The last time we saw Delilah, she was acting...different. She was always smiling...she was always laughing. But on her last day, something was off. Elena even asked her...but Delilah just brushed it off. She said that she was having some relationship troubles and that was it; she said it was just stupid boy drama. The next day, when she didn't show up...we didn't know what to think. I tried calling her but her phone had been disconnected. That was a year ago. We haven't seen her since," Grayson said.

  "So, that was it? You didn't file a police report? You didn't do anything?" Harper asked in shock.

  "What were we supposed to do? She was just the nanny. I called her mother who was her emergency contact and she said that she did this the year before to another family. She just...ditched out...took off," Grayson said quietly.

  "Did you have sex with her, too?" Harper asked coyly. She couldn't help but smile. She knew the kind of man Grayson was. No woman was ever good enough. He always had one...or three in the back of his pocket.

  "No, I only have sex with people that I like," Grayson giggled. "I didn't really care for Delilah. She was good with Rosie, but other than that...she had a pretty bad personality. She didn't make me laugh the way you do," Grayson added as he began to inch towards Harper.

  "There's nothing to like about me," Harper said softly.

  "Sure there is. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean I don't. There are a lot of things I like about you," Grayson said as he slowly placed his hands around her waist. Harper couldn't hold it together...she couldn't resist anymore. The way he too control of her earlier...it made her go crazy inside. She loved that...the force...the primal instinct of his being.

  "Like what?" Harper whispered as her eyes slowly drifted up to his own.

  "Like the way you smile," Grayson said softly.

  "How generic," Harper said with a giggle.

  "Or the way I held you that night; the way your hair tickled my chest. The way every single time I made you laugh, you looked the other way to hide your smile...and I have no idea why because it's beautiful. You're beautiful and smart and funny and just...incredible," Grayson said as he smiled to Harper.

  Harper couldn't help herself. She had never had a man talk to her the way that Grayson did. He genuinely wanted her. He craved her presence...he craved the taste of her lips and the sound of her voice. She never had a man understand her body and her deepest, darkest, dirtiest secrets before.

  And then the reality of the situation smacked Harper directly into the side of her head...

  Elena...

  Rosie...

  No...this wasn’t isn't right. This can't happen...
ever. Harper slowly put her hands up and pushed Grayson away from her gently.

  "I'm sorry. I just...I can't do this...I can't," Harper said as she pushed around him and walked towards the kitchen doorway.

  "Why? I've never felt a connection like this with anybody else, Harper! Not ever! I don't know what it is about you! You drive me crazy! I'm sorry I can't just break up my family! I don't want my daughter to live in a broken home the way I did! I'm sorry I can't parade you around the way I parade Elena around. Is that what this is about? You want to be noticed? Do you want to be that girl wrapped around Grayson Livingston's arm? Is it all about the attention to you? What is it? Tell me!" Grayson yelled as Harper stopped in her tracks. She then spun around and walked towards him as she could hear her heart pound inside of her ears.

  "You wanna know why, Grayson? I don't want to be someone's dirty little secret! I want to be hard to forget about! I want to be the one you can't stop talking to your mother about! I want to be those two a.m. thoughts when you're all alone in your room, staring at the ceiling fan. It's not about me wanting to be noticed. It's about me wanting to be worth mentioning. Worth remembering. Worth loving," Harper said as the warm tears slowly began to trickle down her cheeks. "And...clearly that isn't the case here," Harper said as her voice cracked. "I can't spend my whole life in the dark. I can't spend my whole life in the background. I've been doing that my whole entire life. And I'm done," Harper added as she spun around and charged out of the kitchen.

  How selfish could one man be? Did he really expect her to just keep sleeping around with him behind Elena's back? She was her employer now. She needed this job more than she needed any man. This...the two of them...it was done and over with. Her future was more important than some stupid, disgusting one-night mistake. Harper slowly descended the long hallway and towards the foyer.

  CREEEEK.

  Harper stopped in her tracks as she slowly turned around to see a wooden door slightly ajar behind her. Harper slowly inched closer towards the door. She reached up...as her fingers trembled in the air.