Wait. Why was it so important that I meet some laundry list of impossible qualifications then? At my quizzical expression, she continued, “John was offered a promotion and a transfer to his company’s office in France, and it will mean such great things for our family. His travel will go down from twenty-one days a month to just seven days. And I can do my work from anywhere in the world—I just need a good Wi-Fi connection. We’ve already got a French nanny all lined up once we arrive, and we need you to help Milo prepare for his life in France. Our home in California sold really quickly. Faster than we expected. And we’re waiting for the lease of the current tenants in our new French home to finish up, so we’re spending the next few months here. On vacation.”
This was kind of like a stopgap, then. “A vacation where you still have to work.”
Sheila smiled at that. “Yes. I prefer to go to the business center during the day because if I’m home, I just want to spend all my time with Milo. And while we’re standing here in the kitchen, please know that you can help yourself to anything and everything. We keep it pretty well stocked. Our home is going to be your home, and I want you to treat it that way.”
I nodded, still feeling like I was in an actual dream. And not sure that I could ever feel at home here.
“Okay,” she continued. “Grab your stuff and I’ll show you to your room.”
There was another hallway and Sheila opened the door farthest from the kitchen. We walked into a cavernous room, just as lush and gorgeous as everything else I’d seen. There was a massive dark wood dresser, a matching entertainment center with a seventy-inch big-screen TV, a comfy-looking sofa, and several wingback chairs. But I saw only one bed. “Am I sharing this with Milo?”
Now it was Sheila’s turn to look confused. “No, Milo has his own room. This is just for your private use. You have your own bathroom, as well, just through that door. No one will come in here except the cleaning staff. So if you’re running low on supplies, just leave them a note and they’ll make sure to restock.”
Tammy had warned me that at her last nannying job, she’d had to sleep in the closet of the little girl she was caring for, and I’d actually expected something similar. What I hadn’t expected was a room bigger than my sister’s entire home. That feeling of “too much” came rushing back, but I was just going to accept it and go on. “Thank you. This is amazing. I can’t believe all of this is for me. I’ve never lived like this before.”
“You’ll be surprised at how quickly you get used to it,” Sheila said with a wink.
She wasn’t wrong. I already didn’t know how I was supposed to go back to cockroach/raccoon living ever again.
“So I’m going to get back to Milo, and you’re free to settle in or go out and explore the city. Maybe do some shopping?”
I definitely needed some better outdoor clothing. “Shopping sounds fun, but I . . .” I hadn’t told her that I was completely broke. I wasn’t sure how to explain that without her asking more questions, but somehow she seemed to understand.
“I’ve already transferred half of the money to your bank account. Like we agreed on.”
We’d agreed on that? Yay, past me! I didn’t even remember that part of the conversation, probably because I’d been so excited that a literal answer to all my prayers was happening.
Although I should have just said thanks, instead I blurted out, “That’s so much money. I can’t believe you’re paying this much.” Like I’d half expected to be human trafficked or locked up in somebody’s basement when I got here.
“We paid our last nanny a hundred and sixty thousand dollars a year, which works out to forty thousand for three months. We’re happy to pay a lot to have the best.”
“And you really couldn’t find anyone else?”
“We wanted the perfect person. And you made us wait until it was almost too late, didn’t you?”
At that I cringed. I was so not the best or the perfect person. Ugh. I felt terrible. I did finally manage a weak “Thanks.”
“You’ll need to get up with Milo at seven. And anything you need to know should be in the binder, but text or call if you need anything else, okay?”
I nodded.
“We’re all so glad that you’re here.” Then she left me alone and I put my bag, new phone, and laptop on the bed. Despite the size of the room, it felt a bit like the walls were closing in on me. So much for my conscience being totally clear.
I’d thought the Crawfords would be the worst and had rationalized my actions with that belief in mind. Now that I could see it was untrue?
I had to go somewhere that was not here.
I grabbed my wallet and the new phone and headed toward the front door. Sheila and Milo were sitting in the family room, reading a book together. When I came into the room I said, “I am going to go out. And buy some things.”
“Is that what you’re wearing? You should take one of my coats.” Sheila got up and headed to a closet in the hallway, taking out a coat and handing it to me. “Try it on.”
Part of me wanted to protest again, but she was right. It was too cold outside to be wandering around in my jacket. Her coat fit perfectly, like it had been made for me.
“I would guess we wear the same size,” Sheila said, smiling. “Have fun!”
“I will. Thanks for letting me borrow your coat!”
She waved her hand like it was nothing and went back to join Milo on the couch. I wondered whether I should say something more, but instead I left and headed down to the lobby. An employee, not the snooty guy from earlier, asked if they could help me. I told them I wanted to go shopping and they pointed to a large white van out front, saying it was a shuttle and that I could call them when I was finished and they’d come pick me up.
It took only a few minutes to get to the “historic downtown” area, and the driver told me there was a pedestrian mall. He let me out on a busy corner, and I found myself facing three different skiing-supply stores. Which made me think of how Sheila believed I could teach Milo to ski.
Oh man, what had I done? My heart felt unsteady, like it might stop beating altogether.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm myself. Maybe things weren’t the way I had anticipated, when I’d imagined myself as some kind of modern-day Robin Hood, taking from the terrible, selfish, spoiled rich people and giving it to my deserving and very poor sister.
The only way to get through this would be to do the best possible job I could and hope they never, ever found out the truth about me. I would work really hard and do whatever they asked me. If they needed to yell at me and give me extra chores, I was ready. Whatever it took.
I would be as honest with them as I could within certain parameters. I couldn’t tell them about not having actual experience or that the only French I knew was fries and kiss, but I would be as authentic with them as I possibly could be, and would have to hope it was enough.
For the Crawfords, and for my own peace of mind.
Right then a man smacked against my shoulder, making me drop my new cell phone. Of course. This was karmic retribution for what I’d done. Get a new phone, the universe breaks it into tiny pieces all over the sidewalk.
Before I could lean down to pick it up, the man who’d hit me grabbed it first and handed it to me. Something about him made my heart beat hard in my chest.