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“Only if you and I spend an hour outside later with the soccer ball or take a bike ride.”
“It’s seven thousand degrees hot, Dad.” He sighs. “Can we swim? We’ll die doing soccer or riding.” His point is valid.
“Fine. We can go swim laps in the pool when we get back, because you have had your face in a screen all day. You’ll turn into a Fortnite soon.” He rolls his eyes, and scoffs down his lunch in three bites. “Shoes, backpack, and a charger so I don’t hear you whine when it goes flat,” I call after him as he rushes out of the kitchen at light speed. He can never just walk––it’s got to be a run, or jump, or hop. I wish I had the energy to match his.
My phone rings, and I swallow my last bite before I answer.
“Lance Cole speaking.”
“Mr. Cole, it’s Nathan. We spoke earlier.” Damn, he is faster than I expected. “I have three candidates ready for you to interview tomorrow. Would you like them to come to you or have the interviews facilitated here?” I look at my planner. Tomorrow is a shit show.
“Here, please. I can’t take too much time off in my day tomorrow.” That will just save travel time, and me having to pack Nova up to go with me. It’s important he likes the person too.
“Perfect, we will send you the details of each beforehand. Please could you fill out the client profile I have emailed you so we have the address on file? I hope you find the perfect person to assist you and Nova.” Me, too, at this point.
“Thank you, Nathan. I will get it off to you after my meetings this afternoon.” I’m going to be late at this rate. “I can fit them in between my meetings tomorrow. Will that work?”
“We work with you, Mr. Cole. That’s why we have the reputation we do. We are here to help you, and that means we fit in with how you need things done. Pop me an email, and I’ll schedule your interviews around your day.” Wow, okay, I like this already. No running around, and they’ll fit with my schedule. Maybe only until they see my schedule.
“Great, thank you.” I am packing my laptop and getting things together to head out. “Nova.” I call out for him. We need to get going. I don’t like being late, especially not when I called the meeting. “Buddy, we need to go.” He strolls into my office, no shoes on, and I want to yell, but hold back. “Shoes?”
“Oh, I forgot,” he says and dashes out to grab his things and put sneakers on his feet. By the time I get out of the office, he’s waiting at the front door, with shoes on. No socks, but shoes—I will take the win.
“Let’s go. Have you got a charger?” I make sure, and he nods.
“And earphones so Kim doesn’t moan about the silly sounds on my games,” he says, and I can see her going bonkers listening to animal crossing or whatever gobbley gook the one game makes. “Can we please be quick?” He begs, but I don’t make promises I know I can’t keep.
“I’ll try, okay.” I sigh and hope one of the interviews tomorrow works out—for both of us. “If you behave, we can go out for dinner after we swim later, deal?”
“Deal, but only if I choose dinner.” He tries his luck.
“I am not eating a happy meal. We can go somewhere proper.” I need real food, since hotdogs or peanut butter is all we have at home, and I still didn’t order the groceries. “Somewhere with steak.” I decide that’s what I feel like eating.
“And burgers,” he adds with a cheeky grin as he climbs into the booster seat at the back of my car. “And fries. And ice cream.” His list is longer than mine. I only want something tasty that I have not had to cook.
“Ice cream is negotiable if you swim laps with me and get your dinner.” Nova settles on our deal as we sit in midafternoon traffic to the office. He scrolls through my Spotify to find his favorite song and plays it on repeat. I will be singing it in my sleep again.
TWO
SIENNA
It’s summer vacation for schools, and a lot of wealthy families travel during this time. I wasn’t expecting to get placed with a new family yet. I thought it would be at least until the fall. But Nathan has called me for an interview today. It’s a teaching and nanny post which he knows I have the skills for. I have my teaching degree. I do not have the patience to manage thirty children at once while teaching them.
Childcare and private tutoring is much more my style. There’s only one set of parents to manage and fewer small human beings to juggle. I loved my last post. The kids were phenomenally talented, and the adults were just chilled enough that it was fun to work there. But, in a world where you can work from anywhere, they decided that France was better than Vegas and relocated when schools closed.
They did not ask me to go with them. They wanted a French nanny to help the children learn the language. I was sad to see them go. It can be emotional when you are with them long enough to get attached. You see the little ones growing up. They really do become family—which we get strictly trained should not happen. But I am a person, and I have a heart and feelings. I can’tnotget attached. To me, it is my job to care for them. Really care.
I have the file from the office about the family they’d like me to interview with tomorrow. Single parent home, father, and son—required to complete a summer homeschool program. Poor kid, no one wants to do school in the summer, but there’s a reason for it, I am sure. We will have to balance it with having some fun. I know a few other nannies who have summer homeschool. Mostly international families, but I am sure we can arrange to connect and get them all together.
It seems like an ideal job. It is, however, only a limited time contract. They will be moving away in three months—I guess that’s just life. I read over all the information again. The little boy sounds amazing. His dad is a very busy man, and I can see why he needs help. Nova’s plate is also full of sports and extra activities.
“I have an interview tomorrow,” I say to my mom, sitting down at the kitchen table. I live with her when I am not working. Paying rent when most jobs require me to live-in is just a waste of money. Here, I can come and go and not stress about lease penalties and finding someone to take over when I have to go at the drop of a hat. “It’s only for three months but it seems like a nice family.” She puts a bowl of salad on the table and then opens the oven behind me.
“Oh, that was quick. I honestly thought you’d get the summer off. But this is great.” My mom is always happy when I am here, or when I am working—she is just a happy person. “I hope you get it. You’d be bored here all summer with me and Dad,” she says, and she isn’t wrong. The chicken pie she pulls out of the oven smells like home, and I wait as she sets the table for dinner. I get up, offering to help, only to be told to sit back down again.
Like clockwork at six, my dad comes in through the door to a home-cooked dinner on the table and a hug from my mom. “Hello, girls.” He kisses the top of my head on his way past. “How was your day?”
“Sienna has an interview tomorrow.” Mom excitedly shares my news before I can. “And the boy from next door cut the grass today, so you don’t have to.” My dad smiles and sits down. We all tuck into dinner. We chat about the news, the heatwave that is slowly cooking us all to death. It’s always hot here, but this has been ridiculous.
