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She nodded, apparently too full of conflicting emotions to say any more. After hugging Nyla and thanking her for the fun day, she sat down on the couch and watched as everyone filed out the door with their gear. I sat down next to her with my arm across the back as I had the night before. I wanted to comfort her if she needed it, but I still wasn’t sure where her head was at.
When everyone and everything was gone, she let out an audible sigh. “I can’t believe you did this.” She shook her head and covered her face with her hands. “I’m so embarrassed, but I’m also really relieved. I equal parts hate you and love you right now.”
"Don't hate me." I flashed her my most charming grin. "I wasn't trying to do anything but give you a self-care day and a running start."
She was silent for a moment as she seemed to process, and then she took off like a shot, walking through the house and opening every door, exclaiming intermittently as she did so. I followed behind, saying nothing, enjoying her happy squeals and excited exclamations.
She went all around, a full loop, and stopped again in the living room. I could see that the tension she'd held in her shoulders earlier was gone.
"Wow, this is really amazing! I feel like a new person. Okay, so what's next? Oh, you wanted to talk about rules, right?
"Mmm-hmm," I hummed, enjoying the change in her demeanor.
"Well, I want to make sure I keep the house clean, obviously, and stay up on laundry, and have a meal plan so nights aren't so stressful, and I need to make sure I wake up on time because if I can get the kids on the bus, then I only have to run Marcus to Mom's, and that's just a few blocks, so that would save me a ton of time. I need regular work hours, and I'll probably have more energy if I eat actual meals instead of grazing on junk food all day…" As she spoke, she paced circles around me, making me dizzy.
When she started another lap, I stood, reaching out to grab her shoulders, stopping her short. "Jasmine, come sit down with me."
I quickly sat again, and patted the couch cushion beside me.
She stared at me blankly, looking slightly annoyed at having her train of thought interrupted.
"Come on. Let's sit down and talk. You're going to wear out the carpet with all that pacing."
"Sorry." She sank down beside me and looked up with a sheepish smile. "I guess I got carried away. I just feel amazing, like this huge weight has been lifted, and I finally felt hope for the first time in ages."
"Well good. That was the goal. And everything you mentioned sounded important, but let's slow down and start with just a few new rules, then gradually add more so you don't get too overwhelmed."
"Yes, Sir," she said with a sigh, giving me the perfect segue.
"Rule number one. Call me Daddy. It's what I am comfortable with, and it's what you signed on for. The service is called Rent-A-Daddy, not Rent-A-Sir."
"Oh, right. Okay."
"That's not how you answer," I gently prompted. "I know it feels strange now, but it will get easier the more you use it."
"Okay. I mean… yes, Daddy."
I smiled encouragingly. "Good girl. Rule Number two: It's okay to protest, question, or ask for clarification, as long as you do it with respect."
She nodded curtly. "Got it."
I raised my brows expectantly, shooting her a pointed look.
"Yes, Daddy."
"Good. Now, when do you get the kids back?"
"Sunday evening,” she said. “Usually right before dinner."
"Okay, this weekend, I want you to do three things. Number one: Keep the house clean, which at this point only means cleaning up after yourself. Number two: Check in with me every evening at 9 p.m. and let me know how your day went. This can be done via text, but if I call you, I do expect you to answer."
"Okay. Yes, Daddy." This time she corrected herself. "What's the last thing?"
"Number three: Since you have the rest of today, all of tomorrow, and most of Sunday to yourself, I want you to focus on getting caught up on work. I will come by at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon to check in on you and make sure you've met your goals, and to lay out expectations for the coming week. That gives you about forty-five hours, so you should be able to complete twelve full hours of work in that time. Hopefully, that will be enough to get you caught up and maybe even ahead."
"What happens if I forget to check in, or the house isn't still clean, or I don't get all twelve hours?"
"You get punished."
