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He smiles at me brightly and I smile back. “Hi, Ryan. Is it okay if I come and play with you today?”
He nods. “Yes.”
“Great. What do you want to do first?”
I keep my eyes on him, watching as he attempts to avoid meeting my eyes while trying to hold my attention at the same time. He is far more retreated than he was yesterday now that he is in control of his emotions and aware of those around him. Sylvia and Lucan may have thought that yesterday’s tantrum was the test, when in truth and fact, interaction with a normal Ryan would have been a true indicator of my capabilities. I watch him as he watches Sylvia move closer to the door, anxiety etched on his face.
I call her over. “Sylvia, would it be okay if you stay with us a little while?”
She looks at me strangely. “Okay.”
“Trust me,” I whisper.
It takes about half an hour before Sylvia is able to slip away. He is engrossed in his coloring book and does not notice that she is gone. Slowly, I engage Ryan in conversation.
“Did you get your moogie back?” I ask.
“Yes.”
“Can I meet him?”
“He’s in my room,” he continues coloring without looking up at me. I sit a few feet from him, just far enough to observe him at work. For a child his age, he is very precise in organizing his space. His crayons are not scattered all over the desk and, surprisingly, none of them are broken. He also spends a lot of time sharpening his crayons to a point. As soon as one begins to get stubby, he sharpens it again.Andhe colors between the lines. Wow! There is a lot to digest about Ryan. But from what I can see, he is not an ordinary child.
The morning is quiet as he continues to do what he wishes and I simply watch him, inserting instructions here and there. I wish I brought a note pad to make notes as to what I need to do with him. We have a bathroom and snack break, then he goes back to coloring.
I get a break at lunch time when Sylvia takes him to get something to eat and to put him down for a nap.
“I’ll put him down today. But as the daytime nanny, this is something you will do. Come along,” Sylvia tells me.
“Okay.” I follow them up the stairs to Ryan’s room. Sylvia changes him out of his clothing and into pajamas. I observe quietly.
Sylvia says, “Ryan believes that if he is expected to sleep, he should be in sleep clothes. Isn’t that right, young man?”
I smile as he nods enthusiastically. “Pajamas are for sleeping.”
“I’ll get the blinds.” I slip by Sylvia and draw the blinds, plunging the room in semi-darkness. “And this is the night light?” I flick the switch on a tiny duck plugged into a socket. The room is bathed in a soft yellow glow.
Sylvia’s eyes are on me as she tucks him into bed. I stand by the door waiting. She soon joins me and hands me a baby monitor. We step into the corridor and close the door quietly.
“How on earth did you know?”
“Let’s just say, Ryan isn’t my first rodeo. How long does he rest?”
“Thirty minutes maximum. When he wakes up, he’s going to want a bath and change of clothes. I’ve already laid out the new outfit. Did he spend all morning coloring? Or did he want to do something else?”
“He colored,” I reply.
“He’s going to want to take a walk in the garden when he wakes up. I’ll show you how to get out there. He especially loves the pool but he’s not allowed in it without an adult. Can you swim?”
I nod. “I can.”
“Great!” she laughs nervously. “I cannot swim to save my life and prefer to stay well in the shallows. And Lucan just doesn’t have the time. So, feel free to bring your swimsuit in case he asks to go swimming.”
“I will tomorrow. So hopefully, he doesn’t ask today.”
Twenty-five minutes later, Ryan wakes up. As Sylvia mentioned, he asks for his bath and after he is dressed, we go out for a walk around the garden. He even slips his hand into mine as I point out and name some flower types. When he finally asks to go inside, we return to his playroom shortly after. At exactly five o’clock, Sylvia comes to join us. Ryan is engrossed in his soldiers and barely looks up when she enters.
“I take over from here for the rest of the evening,” Sylvia says.
