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Lyra couldn’t shake the sense of melancholy that had settled over her in the last week. The slight depression at impending unemployment had left her feeling tired and unsatisfied with everything.
The thump she had heard from her front door was the newspaper thrown from the street. A newspaper she wasn’t paying for. Apparently, the apartment’s previous tenant was still paying five dollars for something they weren’t reading.
Montana was facing the tail end of winter, and her skin prickled as she inhaled the cold, crisp breeze. The chilly air enhanced the fragrance of everything around her, and the scent of Montana’s pine trees had never been this clear.
You could always look in the newspaper’s help wanted ads,she said to herself sarcastically.
But frustration overwhelmed her, especially when she went back into the kitchen and discovered she had burned the coffee. She threw the newspaper open, knowing that she’d never find anything.
The Missoula newspapers were only ever good for reading through the personals section, where someone named Candy was corresponding with an ex-lover named Arnold. The ads between the two got steamier every week, and they were better than watching a soap opera.
But today, Lyra ignored the sleazy romance section … although she would go back to read it later because she wanted to know if Arnold would ever grow a pair and ask Candy out.
You were right,she thought to herself.Nothing good in here.
Until she came across an ad that was so poorly written that it had to be a joke. But the more closely she read it, the more desperate it sounded.
Whoever had written it was in deep shit and needed help right away.
Looking for a nany for my newborn daugter. Room and board availble. Will pay whatevr you ask. Pls.
Lyra almost burst into laughter as she read and reread the ad. There was a phone number attached, and after she put the kettle on for a cup of tea, she decided to call it.
A gruff voice answered the phone, and her breath was caught in her throat for a moment. Her stomach twisted with doubt as she realized that if she took this job, any hope of getting a job with her degree would vanish.
Then she looked at the stack of bills on her countertop.
“I’d like to interview for the nanny job.” She spoke clearly and confidently as a sudden wave of dizziness passed over her.
“When can you come?” The voice had softened. Lyra tried picturing the man the voice belonged to, but all she came up with was a grizzly, wild man who didn’t shave.
“As soon as you need me.”
“Fine. Tomorrow morning. I’ll send you the address.”
The man ended the call with a curt goodbye, and Lyra put her cell phone down as a sense of excitement welled in her.
Her phone buzzed twice. Two messages came through. One from the man, whose address was on the outskirts of town.
The other was from her mother inviting her to dinner.
* * *
Lyra arrivedfor dinner at her mother’s home with a bottle of wine and a block of stinky cheese.
She explained the job interview she had lined up with her mother, who shook her head with disappointment. But for once, Lyra didn’t care. Things were finally looking up.
Outside, thunder rumbled and roiled across the sky. “These situations never work out, trust me,” her mother warned. Lyra knew her mother, Karen, only wanted the best for her. “You’ll get attached to the child. And him. And he’ll end up marrying his secretary.”
THREE
TIMBER
How can a baby have this much shit in her?Timber thought to himself as he tried to clean Marigold’s bottom. He didn’t want to say the words out loud because he didn’t want her to start swearing at such a young age.
She’s literally a baby. Besides, she’s your kid. She’s going to cuss.
He grinned reluctantly to himself, but the grin vanished as another stream of poop came out of the bottom he had just cleaned.
