by V. S. Tice
“There will be no Roberto for you today.” I closed the door behind her after she was buckled into the back seat. I climbed into the driver’s seat and merged into the cloned herd of matching black cars.
“What do you mean?”
“Roberto is sick so he can’t make it tonight,” I smirked. “But I have other plans.”
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.” I looked in my rearview mirror and saw the apprehension on her face. About twenty minutes later, I parked the car and opened her door.
“Come on,” I urged her.
She climbed out hesitantly and looked around the large open area covered with twisted colorful metal and plastic. Kids were hanging from bright yellow monkey bars and sliding down neon orange slides that came out of blue plastic towers. I knelt down in front of her and zipped her jacket up a little more before pulling her face to look at me.
“We are going to have some fun.” I grinned widely and put my hand out for her. She took it slowly, and I ran us to the large playground at the center of the park. “What do you want to do first?” I looked down at her. She shrugged.
“Come on, let’s slide!” I pulled her toward the bright red steps leading to the blue tower. The slide had to be almost ten feet high. We got to the top, and I pulled her in front of me in the line of kids waiting to go down.
“I don’t think I can do this.” She wrapped her arms around my waist tightly, burying her face in my stomach.
“We’ll do it together.” I stepped us to the edge and sat down with her between my legs.
“Ready, set, GO!” I laughed as I shoved us down the spiral slide. Her giggles bounced off the walls of the tub as we slid down.
Hopping off the slide to make room for the next kid, she spun to look at me. “That was…that was so cool!” She jumped with excitement.
After four more times down the slide, she finally went on her own. At the bottom of the slide I cheered for her as she popped out of the tube.
“Can we swing?”
“Of course we can.” I grabbed her hand, and we ran over to the red and yellow swings. “I bet I can swing higher than you,” I teased.
“Nuh-uh!” She laughed and pumped her legs harder and harder.
“Watch this!” I prepared myself and leapt from the moving swing, flying in the air and onto my feet. I took a bow. “Ta-da!” I put my hands in the air and she laughed loudly. Then with a serious tone, I warned her. “Don’t you do that!”
She slowed her swing and then hopped off, but her footing wasn’t secure and she slipped. I ran over. Her little body was now on its hands and knees against the ground.
“Are you okay?” Her eyes were wide and worried as she climbed onto her feet. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“What for?”
“I’m going to get us in trouble now.” She put her head down and brushed furiously at her skirt.
“Huh? Wait…trouble for what?” I pulled her face to look at mine.
“Look” she motioned to a dirt mark on her skirt. “Daddy will be so mad I ruined my uniform.” She started to sniffle.
“None of that now.” She looked at me curiously. “That,” I pointed to her skirt, “is nothing. I’ll have it washed before you get into bed tonight.” The corners of her mouth began to turn up.
“You will?” She blushed slightly.
“Yep! No one will know but you and me.” I put my hand over my heart. “Nanny Swear!”
“What’s a Nanny Swear?” Her face scrunched up.
“A Nanny Swear means it’s our secret.” I winked at her and took her hand. “We do need to get back to the house though. I’ve got dinner to make, and you have math to do.”
At the mention of her math homework, she groaned.
“I promise we will make math fun tonight.” She nodded and we skipped back to the car together.
Victoria sat at the breakfast bar in the kitchen with her math paper while I cooked.
“Urghh! I can’t get them!” She pouted and tossed her pencil down onto the counter top.
“Let me see.” She slid the paper to me. “Ah I see. I know what you need.”
From the cupboard, I pulled out a bag of M&Ms and placed a handful in front of her. “Okay, so count out eight M&Ms for me.” She looked at me like I was crazy. “Go on.”
Her tiny fingers slid the multicolored circles into a pile of eight.
“Good. Your math problem is eight minus three. So, take away three M&Ms from the pile of eight.” She raised her eyebrow at me, and I laughed. I leaned forward on the counter and grouped her pile of eight in between us. “We have eight M&Ms here, right?” I looked up and she nodded. “Eight,” I took three M&Ms, “minus three,” I popped them in my mouth, “is what?”
She counted the remaining M&Ms. “Five!” she shouted with a hearty belly laugh. After that, she didn’t groan about her math homework.
Once dinner was finished, we curled up in her bed to watch her favorite mermaid cartoon. The next morning the bed shifted, bouncing my body around.
“Wake up, wake up, wake up!” Victoria was bouncing next to me. I pulled her down onto the bed and tickled her.
“You go brush your teeth, and I’ll meet you in the kitchen in five.”
In my own bathroom, I relieved myself, washed my hands and face, and caught my reflection in the vanity mirror.
Damn, I need some sun. My skin looked drastically pale. I secretly hoped the vanity’s harsh bright light was to blame. Leaning in closer, I examined my face. No new breakouts, just the same blue eyes, and long dark brown hair. Tossing my hand towel next to the sink, my five minutes was up.
We had music playing while Victoria mixed the pancake batter and I finished the bacon. We were both singing when I heard someone walk into the kitchen. I spun around quickly and sighed in relief when I saw Mrs. Baker standing there with a look of amusement on her face.
“Good morning, lovelies,” she smiled.
“Good morning, Mrs. Baker,” Victoria and I chirped in unison.
“Did you wash her uniform yesterday?”
Victoria tensed. I put my hand on her shoulder.
“Yeah, I had to wash some things for myself so I just threw it in. You don’t mind do you?”
“Heck no!” she chuckled. “I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing a uniform.”
“You hungry?” I motioned to the bacon on the plate in front of me. “We have plenty.” I practically sang it out.
“Oh, I really shouldn’t, I have a lot of…”
“Oh, come on.” I grabbed an empty plate and placed it on the counter.
“Okay,” Mrs. Baker sat down. “Are you making the pancakes, Victoria?”
“Yep!” she smiled brightly at Mrs. Baker. “It took two cups of mix, one egg, one tablespoon of oil, and one cup of milk.”
“Good remembering,” I patted her butt lightly. “I think it’s all mixed up. Just need to get it the griddle.” I pulled at my hair to get it away from my face.
“Let me help you with that.” Mrs. Baker took my hair into her hands and twisted it into a knot.
“Thank you,” I breathed out and picked up the bowl to start pouring the batter into even circles.
“No problem,” she waved off my thanks. “I remember when I was younger and my hair was long like yours.”
I glanced to her as she reminisced.
“Of course, my hair was never that straight or soft. Have you ever dyed it or anything?”
“I thought about it. You know, like highlights or something. I even considered getting one of those chin length bobs at one point.” I shrugged.
“Don’t you dare,” Mrs. Baker scolded with a chuckle. “Your hair is gorgeous and it’s perfect on you. That dark brown really makes those baby blues stand out, and your porcelain skin…whew…what I wouldn’t give to be your age with that combination.”
I laughed lightly.
“Oh, you just wait ‘til you’re
an old woman like me.”
“Nonsense,” I snapped at her playfully. “You are one hot mama,” I winked.
Victoria giggled, and I bumped hips with her.
We were all loudly entertaining ourselves as we ate our breakfast until a stiff throat clearing made me flip around in my seat. I was met with the cool gaze of Dr. Bishop.
“Collin, dear…” Mrs. Baker stood and walked over to him. “How are you this morning?”
“Good and you?” His eyes didn’t leave mine, but I tore from his gaze and looked down at my plate.
“Well, thanks to Victoria and Sophia, it has been a very wonderful morning.” I could hear the smile in her voice and saw it on her lips when I looked up. “Thank you for breakfast, dear.”
“No problem,” I smiled back before focusing on Victoria. “Let’s get this cleaned up, okay?” She nodded uneasily and we began cleaning things up.
“Are you hungry, Doctor Bishop?” I looked over my shoulder at him, shocked his eyes were still on me.
“No, thank you. I just came to grab some coffee.” His cool melodic words felt like the first winter frost against my spine. I shook it off and finished cleaning up the breakfast mess in the kitchen.
“Good morning, Victoria,” I watched her eyes widen before she turned around, a surprised look on her face.
“Good morning, Daddy.”
He walked past her and poured his coffee before leaving the room. Her face fell.
“Why don’t you head up to your room and get dressed? You have Karate class in about three hours so just put on something you can easily change out of later.” She nodded and ran toward the stairs.
“Don’t run in the house.” I felt the shiver against my spine again. I could have sworn he left the room, but when I looked I found him in the doorway of the kitchen, watching me.
“Is there something you wanted Dr. Bishop?” I had given up waiting for him to say whatever it was he needed to say.
“Did Victoria have her Spanish lesson yesterday?” He sipped his coffee, practically leering over the rim.
“No, sir. Roberto cancelled due to illness.” I wiped off the counter where Victoria had mixed the pancake batter.
“So what did the two of you do yesterday?” He raised one eyebrow at me. I was really starting to hate that little patch of hair above those hard emeralds.
“I took her to the park for some physical activity before we came home and practiced her math.” I turned back to the sink.
“The park?”
“Yes,” I answered shortly.
“I don’t think that is educational, Miss Ashwood.”
His tone was patronizing, just like it was during my interview. The bubbling of irritation started to rise inside of me.
“Roberto’s cancellation was very last minute so I went with a physical activity that would allow her enough time to practice her math before dinner.” I stood facing him from behind the counter.
For a moment, he looked as if he were trying to read my face before abruptly walking away.
Good god, he is such a ... a ... I tossed the cloth into the sink and headed toward Victoria’s room. If I ever get my hands on hair clippers, that condescending eyebrow is getting buzzed off.
SEPTEMBER PASSED AND October arrived with a full color palette of orange, red, yellow, and brown. Victoria was coming along in her math. She still seemed to be struggling a little, but I swear the level of math they forced on first graders was absolutely criminal.
“Tomorrow is my big math test,” she sighed heavily as I tucked her into bed.
“You know what?”
She looked at me.
“If you get an A on your math test, I will let you dress me up however you want for the day.”
Her eyes lit up. “Two different shoes?”
I nodded, even though that remark was making me nervous about the deal.
“They can’t be like one heel and one tennis shoe though. I have to be able to walk.” She giggled and nodded. I kissed her head and switched off her light on the way to my room.
When I picked her up from school the next day, she was bouncing. She stopped right in front of me and held up a white paper with a large green A on it.
“I guess this means you’re dressing me up?” I raised an eyebrow at her mischievous grin.
We got home, and I made dinner before we had to leave for horseback riding.
Victoria insisted on cashing in on her dress-up reward. She dug through my closet, and even through hers, before finally assembling my outfit. Thankfully, I was allowed to wear my jeans since it was chilly outside but was humiliated by the rest of the outfit. I ended up wearing a fluffy, cotton candy pink sweater my dad bought me one year for my birthday, along with one green sock, one red sock, one black tennis shoe and the other white. A pink tulle tutu was tied around my waist.
“Are you serious?” I said as I examined myself in the floor length mirror.
“Oh, I’m not done yet,” she snorted.
She slid fingerless rainbow striped gloves on my hands, draped a purple scarf around my neck, and pulled a bright blue and white polka dot snow hat over my head. The kind with the puffball on top and the long strings that hang down from ear covers.
"Is the hat necessary?" I bent down onto my knees as she pulled it over my head.
"Yes, the hat draws attention to your blue eyes.”
"Oh, really? Or does my hair look so bad it needs a hat on it?"
She placed her hands on her hips and got very serious.
"Of course not, silly!"
"I was just checking." I straightened up and looked back into the mirror. "Really?" My reflection was taunting me.
“Yep, you look marvelous!” She giggled. I convinced her to let me put on a turtleneck and a t-shirt under the pink sweater, for warmth, and took one last look into the mirror before we left.
Claire, her riding instructor, looked me over with large, curious eyes while the other nannies, children, and parents laughed.
“Um, interesting outfit you’ve got there, Sophia.” Ella appeared next to me.
“She did it,” I yelled loud enough for Victoria to hear. I saw her giggle as Claire helped her onto her horse. “I told her if she aced her math test I would let her dress me up.” I did a spin. “You like?”
Ella laughed.
“It’s fabulous.” We stood talking during the lesson, and I realized the time flies when I actually have an adult to talk to. At exactly seven, we drove back to the house. We walked in the front door singing and dancing to a song we just heard on the car radio, but our fun came to a quick stop. A very thin, brown-haired woman met us. She was taking in my appearance with a rather critical eye.
“Aunt Allison,” Victoria ran and wrapped her arms around the woman’s waist. Aunt Allison patted Victoria’s head.
“How’s my favorite niece?” Her voice was controlled and arrogant. She’s definitely related to Dr. Bishop. Her appearance, however, was flawless. She had straight brown hair cut in a trendy angled bob. Perfectly trimmed eyebrows and make-up complimented her creamy complexion.
“Great! I just went riding, and I got an A on my math test.” Victoria beamed proudly at her aunt. Her aunt looked back at me.
“I’m guessing you’re the new nanny?”
I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
She looked me over again, causing the hair on my body to stand up straight.
“Aunt Allison, this is Sophia. I got to dress her up today because I got an A on my test.” Victoria giggled. “Doesn’t she look silly?”
Allison nodded with tightened lips.
“Al –” Dr. Bishop’s voice cut off when he took in my appearance. For a split second I thought his frozen scowl would crack into amusement, but instead he quickly looked back to his sister.
“Allison, I have these.” He handed her a folder and she opened it.
“These aren’t them,” she sighed. “Maybe Max has them.” She huffed and glanced at me. “Does she always go out in p
ublic like that?”
Dr. Bishop cleared his throat. “Um…”
“No. It was for Victoria,” I said as politely as I could. “Excuse me.” I walked past them and headed upstairs.
“Sophia,” Victoria called out. “Can you help me with my homework? It’s math again.”
“Sure, come on.” I motioned for her to follow me. She grabbed her bag and ran up the stairs after me.
I could feel their eyes following me the entire way up the steps.
“Collin, how dare she?” Allison hissed. Biting the side of my mouth, I shut Victoria’s door.
After Victoria was asleep, I waited for Dr. Bishop to call for me or knock on my door, but it never came. No knock, no dismissal, nothing.
Chapter Four
TWO WEEKS PASSED since my first run-in with Dr. Bishop’s sister. Victoria and I were shopping for Halloween costumes.
“What about a witch?” I pulled the costume off the rack and held it up.
“Nah.” Victoria shook her head. “There,” she shouted.
I jolted with surprise, causing five or six witch costumes to fall off the wall. I groaned and started hanging them all back up.
“Look, Sophia, it’s perfect!” Putting the last costume back, I looked up to see her holding a mermaid costume. In fact, it was a rather sexy mermaid costume.
“Where did you get that?” My eyes widened.
She pointed to the adult section.
“It’s not your size, sweetheart.” I took the costume and hung it back up. “You need to look in this area.” I motioned to the children’s costumes.
“Oh. My. Goodness!” Her excited little face was the first thing I saw. “It’s…” She took a breath to calm herself. “It’s the mermaid!” She ran for the brightly colored Disney costume.
Holding it against her body, she examined the costume. “It’s my size, right?”