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“I don’t know that it would be smart to invest in these different outlets I’m considering because of the financial risk involved. If it all works out like I want it to, and like it feasibly should, then there’s really no harm no foul. But I don’t know if I feel comfortable with taking the risk it would be.”
“How big of a risk are you thinking?” Gigi asked. “You’ve been in these business classes for a while now, and I have confidence that you probably know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure, on paper I know what I’m doing,” I said. “But when it comes down to how it’s going to pan out in real life, I can’t say for sure how things are going to unfold. And that bothers me.”
“You know what I would do if I were you?” my grandmother asked.
“I was hoping you’d tell me,” I chuckled. “You’ve always been the strong, independent woman I strive to be in my own life, so if you could help point me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it.”
“You are quite strong and independent,” my grandmother assured me. “But that’s not the point here. The point is that you need investors. And the best way to get investors is to network.”
“Ugh,” I said, not hiding the fact I rolled my eyes. “You know I’m not very good at socializing.”
“Oh, yes you are,” Gigi replied with a playful slap on my arm. “You’re a natural. You walk into the room and just take center stage without even trying.”
“You’re thinking of Tiny TNT,” I laughed, using our favorite nickname for Teresa. “She’s the firecracker, remember?”
“Just because your sister is more boisterous doesn’t mean you’re lost in the background,” my grandmother told me. “All three of you girls have so much going for you, you can do anything.”
“Thanks, Gigi,” I said. I knew she didn’t mean to sound cliché, but in the moment, I wasn’t so sure I was able to pull this off. Perhaps if I was more like one of my younger sisters, but I was me, and I was busy.
“Here we are,” I announced, pulling into the parking lot of the cancer treatment center. “Let’s come out of there with good news today, okay?”
Gigi smiled. “I’ve felt great. I’ve even been doing the self-checks they said I should do, and I don’t know of any knew lumps or bumps. I think it’ll be fine.”
“I think so, too,” I smiled as I got out of the car with her.
It had been devastating news when my grandmother had been diagnosed with cancer, and I felt lucky she had so far been able to beat it. I was the one who primarily took her to her appointments, so while she was currently in remission, I still felt a level of anxiety going into the building.
“Do you want me to come back to see the doctor with you today?” I asked her. Sometimes she did, other times she saidshe preferred to go alone. I worried more when she didn’t want company, but I trusted her judgement.
“No, it shouldn’t take long,” Gigi said. “I know it’s a lot to ask you to come all this way with me then to leave you out in the waiting room, but there’s a few things I want to talk about with the doctor privately.”
“Whatever you want, Gigi,” I told her with a smile I was so used to forcing, it looked entirely natural. “It’s entirely up to you.”
“I’ll have them come get you if there’s something they need to talk to you about,” Gigi promised. “But I really do think it’s fine, just fine.”
“I think so, too,” I replied, trying to set all my anxiety aside and sound confident.
She gave my arm a reassuring pat, then we headed inside. Gigi insisted on doing all of the check in on her own, which I respected. Her independent attitude was something I would forever admire and strive to have myself, even when I reached her age and no longer did everything on my own.
When she was called back to see the doctor, I gave her one last nod before pulling out my phone and turning my attention to the emails that had come in from the Nannying website. They were the standard emails we got from the site. Questions that came from people who didn’t care to read through the FAQ page and preferred to reach out directly.
Most often, I would simply direct them back to the FAQ page, but that day, I was feeling overwhelmed with the prospect of answering them at all. My vision for the business was to grow and expand, and I didn’t want to waste time with these kinds of emails anymore. But until we had enough money to be able to take the financial risk, there wasn’t anything I could do.
I was so engrossed with my phone, I didn’t hear Gigi come back into the waiting room, so when she suddenly appeared next to me, I nearly dropped my phone.
“I’m sorry, honey,” she quickly apologized when she realized I’d been startled. “I thought you heard me say your name.”
“No, don’t worry about it,” I told her with a reassuring smile. “How did it go?”
“There’s no change, so I am comfortable saying it went very well,” Gigi replied. “What has you so interested in your little screen that you didn’t see me coming? Perhaps you’ve met someone who’s shall we say… special?”
“Oh Gigi, you know I would tell you if I was seeing someone,” I laughed. “Besides, when would I even have time?”
“There’s a lot more important things in your life besides just work. I know you have a lot of dreams, but I don’t want you to spend your life working too much to realize any of them.”
“I know, and I’m only working a lot for a while,” I told her. “When I’m able, I’ll stop waitressing and just focus on the nanny business.”
