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She hangs up before I can say anything else.
"I think I just got a job,” I mumble to myself, not feeling super excited. "I just got a job.” I walk over to the mirror and stare at my reflection. “But what is the job, Zara?” I touch the sides of my face and then head toward the door to make sure the kids are not getting into trouble. They're watching a cartoon I've never seen before, and right now, I'm not going to check it out to make sure that it's appropriate for them either.
I pick up my phone to call Lila to see when she will be back and see that I have a message from an unknown number. When I open the message, I see an address I assume is where I’m headed tonight.
"Hey," she says, whispering into the phone, "I can't talk right now."
"What's going on?” I ask her. “You’ve been gone a really long time. Are you okay?"
"Oh, Zara," she groans, sounding defeated. "It's really bad. Really, really bad."
"What’s happened?"
"Can I speak to you tomorrow? Hank and I are trying to work a miracle," she whispers.
"Tomorrow? You're not coming back tonight?"
"No. We have an emergency cast meeting to try and stop the review from coming out.” She is serious, and my heart sinks. “Shit has hit the fan. The review is not as good as Hank thought it would be.” She pauses. “Why? Do you need me to come back tonight? Is everyone okay? Is…"
"It's fine," I say. "Everything's fine. Good luck tonight. I’m sorry about the review."
"Thank you, Zara. Love you."
"Love you too," I say and press End on the call. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," I mumble under my breath. "How is this happening to me again?"
I call Elise, but of course, the phone just goes to voicemail. I'm going to have to give her a piece of my mind when she gets back. I don't mind looking after my niece and nephew, but this is ridiculous. I then call my neighbor to see if she can babysit. It's my last chance to get someone to look after the kids, but the phone just keeps ringing.
"Shit," I say to myself.
I don't know what I'm going to do. After the conundrum that happened at Rosser International, I don't want to take the kids with me to another job interview. It's not like it worked out well for me the first time. "But it's fifteen hundred dollars," I mumble to myself. Even if I only last one night, it’s still fifteen hundred dollars, and as long as I don't have to sleep with anyone, I'm willing to do almost anything that’s not physical for the money. I'll even strip off some clothes if I have to. I just won't strip off all my clothes. There’s no way I’m going to have my pussy lips hanging out for the world to see. There's no way I’ll shake my naked breasts either. I’m not confident in my body and don't want the fifteen hundred dollars that badly. I need to be able to look myself in the mirror the next morning.
"Hey, Luke, Charlotte," I say as I walk into the living room and study their faces.
"Yes, Aunty, Zara?" Luke says, and they slowly avert their glances from the TV to me. Their movements are slow, and their eyes look heavy. It's been a long day. "I have a possible job that's going to pay me good money. But I don’t have a babysitter tonight. If I give you both a candy bar, do you promise, and I mean you have to promise that when we get there, you'll be good and just sit and sleep or read a book?"
"I promise, Aunty Zara," Charlotte says, nodding.
I look over at Luke. I know he's the one that would be the problem.
"I'll be good," he says, nodding solemnly. "I won't get in trouble again, Aunty Zara. I promise."
"Okay," I say. "Normally, I wouldn't take you guys. I know it's not the most fun just sitting around and waiting, but your mom is out of town on that job thingy." I try not to roll my eyes. "And Aunty Lila is meeting with castmates about the play, which I think might be ending soon… I mean, it might not be ending soon. Don't tell her I said that, but if the review is as bad as I think it's going to be…" I grimace. "Then I don't think this is the break any of the cast thinks it's going to be."
"What do you mean?" Charlotte says. "Like a Kit Kat break?"
"No," I say, shaking my head. "But do you guys want a Kit Kat?"
"I want a Kit Kat," Luke says. "I'm the Kit Kat monster." He jumps up and moves his arms back and forth like he's a gremlin. I'm the Kit Kat monster, and I want a Kit Kat and a Hershey Bar and a Milky Way, and…"
"I think one Kit Kat is fine." I press my lips together.
"I want a Kit Kat too and a Milky Way and Hershey Bar," Charlotte says. "And…"
"Guys?" I shout, and they both stop. I wonder if I'm making a mistake. I wonder if I should just call off the whole thing. I don't have to go in for the job. I can start looking again tomorrow.
"But it's fifteen hundred dollars," I whisper. "For one night of work. Guys, go and get dressed. Okay?"
They look at me and nod solemnly.
