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“That’s part of the reason I wanted to talk to you out here,” my dad said. “Now this is just an idea, and you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. But with how things have been going for you online, I can’t help but wonder if you want to take a bit of a different direction with what you’re doing for a job. At least for now, until you really get your footing in the writing world.”
“Oh?”
“I was just online reconnecting with some of my old buddies, and I think I might have found a good job for you, if you’re interested, that is.”
“Dad, I’m a little too old to sign up for the military, and besides, you know I’m not cut out for basic training,” I said.
“Thank God for that,” he replied. “I’m proud of what I did, but I wouldn’t want you to do that with your life. It’s not what I envision for my daughter.”
“So, what do you envision?” I asked. “If you came up with a job you think would be good for me, tell me what it is.”
“First of all, how do you feel about moving down to the Keys?” he asked. “Because this is the kind of job you’re going to have to do on-site, and that means you’re going to have to be willing to move down to the Florida Keys to do it.”
“I like Florida,” I said with a shrug. “Well, enough anyway. I mean we’ve only been down to the Keys a couple of times when I was younger, but I would be okay with working down there. What kind of job is this anyway? The more you say the more I’m intrigued, but the more I’m confused, too.”
He smiled. “You’re going to be surprised, but I think it’s a good idea. At least, if you give it a real chance, I think you’ll be good at it.”
“Dad!” I laughed. “Stop being cryptic. I like things laid out on the line for me. What is it you have in mind? And who am I going to be working for?”
“Alright, alright. You’re a lot like me in that regard, I have to remember,” he told me with the same twinkle in his eyes. “How would you like to be a nanny?”
Chapter Three
Neils
“It’sgoodtohearyour voice! How long has it been?” Rob asked when I answered the phone.
“Too long,” I told him. “Way too long. I guess it’s too easy to get caught up in the digital world and just rely on messaging each other instead of actually talking. Especially with how much time I spend on the computer these days.”
I sat back in my chair, glad for the chance to have a phone conversation with him after however many months it had been. We both got so caught up in our own lives, it was hard for us to carve out the time to talk to each other like this, and I wanted to do it more.
Libby was in her room occupied with something on her phone for the moment, which gave me the time to talk about this with Robin and not have to worry about her listening in on what was being said. I knew she was curious about who would be coming to help with her, but I didn’t want her to get too involved in the hiring process.
At the end of the day, this was for her good, and I had to hire someone I felt would be the best option, not necessarily someone who would just be her friend.
But talking to Robin pulled my mind in another direction. It was nice to catch up, and while there was a solid purpose to our call, I also just wanted to reconnect.
“I’m never going to be one of those people,” Rob said. “You know me. I’m way too old school for that sort of thing.”
“I remember a lot about you, and old school doesn’t even scratch the surface,” I said. “But it’s good to hear your voice, old buddy, how are you doing? What’s been going on in your life?”
“A lot of the same shit these days,” he said. “Enjoying my retirement and not doing shit with my time except for finding a way to get my kid out of the house. Don’t get me wrong, enjoy the time you have with your daughter, but when they reach a certain age, you really can be torn right down the middle between loving them more than anything and excited for them to get out on their own.”
I laughed. “I suppose it will make sense to me when I get to that point in my life. Right now, I feel like I’m a helicopter parent who doesn’t like letting my kid out of my sight for more than a minute.”
“I used to be that way,” Rob said. “But they grow up. Then they do shit like go off to college and you start to think that things are pretty nice and quiet around the house, then the next thing you know, they come back and start asking for things. Like money.”
“I don’t know what you mean by coming back to ask for money,” I told him. “Mine already asks me for money all the time.”
“Well, she is what? Ten?” he asked.
“Twelve,” I told him.
“Damn. She’s getting big. Not too much longer and you’re going to have a teenager on your hands.”
“I’m not looking forward to that.”
“Don’t worry,” he told me. “It’s only going to get worse from here. Besides, you’re one of the few fathers I know who has the money to give her. I’m still jealous of your work.”
