Babysitting Mr. Powers' Daughter

GRACE

“It would be amazing if you got that job!” I glared at Sam. “What?” she asked, her mouth filled with popcorn.

“The other day, you were against babysitting. You didn’t think it was so befitting for someone like me.”

She rolled her eyes as though I was lying against her.

“Of course, it does not fit you. But since you’ll be babysitting in a rich home, it is the best job you could probably have.”

“Money does change people’s minds faster than a snake bites.” As I threw some popcorn into my mouth, the movie playing on the television became distant to my ears because I recalled something. “It has been two days and I have not received a call. What if I didn’t qualify for the job?”

“You have to chill, girl. Whether you get the job or not, you will be called or texted at least.”

I agreed with her with a nod and assured myself to stay calm. I have been acting out of place because I keep worrying about not getting the job.

It seems as though I am sure that I will fall into devastation again if I don’t get the job.

Anyway... speaking of staying calm, my mind travelled to Mr. Powers, the fine man I almost tripped for at the hotel.

I recalled the beauty of his eyes and my insides softened, that is something my sober self hasn’t felt towards men in a long while. But I soon pulled myself together as I reasoned out that he is one of those fine men you see just once in your lifetime. They are the types that leave your head in chaos when you randomly recall a freaking handsome man you once saw somewhere.

So, I told my brain to stop planning my wedding to Mr. Powers. Though there is no denying that seeing his fine face would be nice, meeting him again is a very slim occurrence.

I hugged the bowl in my hands to my chest and proceeded with indulging myself in my fantasy. I know, I just told my brain to not do it, but I can’t help it.

“Uh oh... I have not seen that look on your face since Kyle.”

On hearing that name, my fantasy fell like a fragile plate and shattered into a thousand pieces.

“Sam, you know I don’t like hearing that name,” I said, my voice almost a whisper. The jelly feeling inside me was quickly replaced with intense heaviness.

“Grace...” I gave Samantha a warning glare before she could say anything more.

“I don’t want to hear his name.”

“But...”

My phone’s ringtone interrupted whatever she was about to say. I picked it up and saw that it displayed PRIVATE NUMBER boldly on its screen. Even though on a normal day, I would ignore the call, I accepted the call since I was expecting one.

“Hello?”

‘Grace Sands?’ The way the man on the other side said my name though...

“Yes, this is her.”

‘You have been selected to be Ruby’s babysitter. You are to report to the penthouse tomorrow by one pm for your training.’

“Really?” I could finally relax. “Thank you very much, sir.”

‘Do. Not. Be. Late.’ His voice. It was so... I have no idea what to term it as.

But there was a need to know who I was speaking to.

“Who am I...?” The call ended before I could complete my question. A bit annoyed, I removed the phone from my ear and stared at the blank screen for a few seconds.

He really hung up.

I don’t want to be that person that quickly judges a man so quickly, but what an attitude!

“Who was that?”

“I do not know. But I got the job.”

Sam’s face lit up. “Really? Yay! I knew it! Congrats, girl!” She was more excited than me.

“Thanks. I hope this turns out to be interesting though.”

“What if it turns out to be a boring task?”

I shrugged. “I’ll probably quit.”

“No, no. You are not quitting. You won’t have to. Rich people have the most drama, so things will be fun.” Sam was certainly in for the money and gossip. “So who are you babysitting?” she asked.

“A girl named Ruby.”

“She sounds cute. Have fun.” Her face became serious. “I hope this means no more of your night drama.”

“Yes, it does. I promise.”

She gave me a short smile and immediately threw me into her arms for a huge embrace.

********

“I am surely going to miss working here. Ruby is a great darling, so you will love babysitting her.” I smiled at Fiona, the lady who had interviewed me. It turned out she was Ruby’s nanny.

“Fiona?” The woman faced me. “Why are you quitting this job? It seems you love it a lot.”

She sat down on a stool in the kitchen and I settled beside her.

We had just finished my training. I was introduced to the whole house and was given a list of Ruby’s likes and dislikes and a calendar highlighting her daily activities.

“Well, my husband has finally retired from the military and I would love to spend some time with him. It has been so long since we had a proper life together.”

“You must miss him so much.” Fiona’s smile agreed with me. “For how many years have you been Ruby’s nanny?”

“Ever since she has been born. So, five, almost six years, if my Maths is right.”

“Whoa. Ever since she has been born? Why? Isn’t her mother around or something?”

Fiona immediately jolted as though something sparked inside her. “Grace! You are a nice lady and I want you to babysit Ruby for as long as possible. But if you want to keep this job, you must mind your business. Their family is no issue of yours. Just do your job and get paid. Okay?”

“Uh... yes. Alright. Mind my business.” Maybe Sam was right. They are probably one of those rich families with secrets.

Instantly Fiona switched from her concerned mother-giving advice mode to a cheerful youth mode. “Speaking of getting paid, your monthly salary is five thousand dollars. And it is likely to increase if you do a great job after three months.”

If I were drinking water right at that moment, I would have choked.

Uh? Five thousand dollars for babysitting?

Fiona chuckled at my bulged eyes.

“You have no idea how much I am being paid,” she said. “Just enjoy your job and the pay. As I said earlier, Ruby is an angel, so you will have no issue with her.”

I accepted everything Fiona told me and believed it. But after some seconds of silence, I voiced my concern. “I have a question. Why does Ruby have to go to another floor to get schooled? It is called homeschooling for a reason.”

“That is how her teacher wants it. He says it is more convenient for him since he is in a wheelchair. I had my worries too since the teacher is a grown male, so I usually sit with them throughout the lesson. But as you know, I had to put you through your duties today, so I sent the housekeeper instead.”

I reserved the rest of my comment. “If that is the case, I am more than ready to start working.”