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And yet, the thought of him never left her mind. As she laid her head on the pillow the previous night, excited about her new job, about the financial freedom that was finally within her reach, all she could see was Hyde’s face smiling at her. Despite all her conscious efforts, she kept thinking about his hands on her burning cheeks, on her neck, on her hips. She could almost hear his voice filling up her bedroom, him calling out her name in ecstasy.
“Parker is still asleep,” Hyde said, as she closed the door.
He looked around, looking for something, then saw his keys in a little glass bowl that sat on a nightstand in the hallway.
“He doesn’t wake up before 8, so you have about an hour to relax,” he smiled gently.
“Have you…?” she started, but he seemed to read her mind.
“I told him all about you,” he assured her. “He knows I need to go to work and he also knows that you will be taking care of him while I’m gone.”
“Is he OK with that?” she asked, a little unsure of the whole thing.
She was hoping that Hyde would be there to introduce them. That was how these things usually went. The child would feel much more at ease when the parent was present, and, of course, it made total sense. The fact that a stranger would be there when he woke up seemed like a bad start.
“He saw you yesterday,” Hyde told her, “he said you have a kind voice and he wanted me to ask you if you would read to him today.”
When Hyde said that, she felt a pleasant warmth surround her heart. If that was true, then there shouldn’t be any issues. Reading was a special time for most kids and they usually didn’t want just anyone reading to them.
“Of course,” she replied, quickly. “I brought that biology book I mentioned…”
“Great!” Hyde exclaimed cheerfully. “He likes porridge oats for breakfast and orange juice. He likes squeezing it himself. You’ll see, he’s a very capable almost 5-year-old.”
Rene smiled. The way Hyde spoke about his son was contagious. The joy. The pride. The happiness. It was heart-warming.
“I wish I could be here to introduce you to him, but…” he stopped, gesturing at the way he was dressed.
He looked suave in that suit, with just the right amount of professionalism. It wasn’t over the top, which was what Rene usually thought about those stuck up business suits. His was immaculate.
“It’s OK,” she assured him. “We’ll be fine.”
“My number is on the fridge,” he told her, pointing in the direction of the kitchen. “If you need me for anything, and I do mean anything, just call. Even if it’s to ask me where the milk is.”
“OK,” she replied, unable to resist the urge to laugh. “I will.”
“I’m serious,” he added, his tone turning somewhat grave. “If he wants to call just to hear me, let him. I’m never too busy for him.”
“Of course,” she nodded again.
Hyde looked down, as if he was trying to remember something, something that was at the tip of his tongue, but he still couldn’t remember it. He took a few steps forward, then backward, then looked up at her again. He looked nervous, like he didn’t really want to go.
“Is everything alright?” she asked, worried that he might change his mind about hiring her.
“Yes, I just, “ he started, raking his fingers through his hair. “I wish I could stay with him just a little while longer…”
He was almost whispering now, and she wasn’t sure if that was because he was afraid to wake up Parker, or because this pain was pressing on him so heavily. Whatever the reason, she understood how painful that could be. She wanted him to know that Parker was in good hands, that there was absolutely no need for him to worry about anything, but she knew that her saying this wouldn’t be enough. He had to see it.
“Listen, why don’t we give you a call when he wakes up, just so you could see how we’re doing?” she suggested.
He seemed surprised to hear this, like he wasn’t expecting this suggestion. Then, a smile of agreement appeared on his face, and that anxiety was gone as quickly as it appeared.
“I’d really appreciate that,” he beamed.
“Then, it’s settled. When he wakes up, we’ll call and you can tell him you love him and that you’ll be back shortly. That way, it should be an easier transition.”
“I… thank you…”
He smiled, then his face leaned upward, and his nostrils flared open. For a second, Rene thought he must have smelled something, but she herself couldn’t. Was there something in the air? She took a shower, so she was sure it wasn’t her he was smelling. It was a silly gesture, one Rene didn’t understand nor did she want to discuss it, so she just waited for it to pass. A second later and Hyde was looking at her again, breathing normally.
