Becca.
“Oh, Becca, trust , she’s a doll, she’s wonderful,” Sophia said to , giving a bright smile. At the mont, we were sitting at a diner, sipping coffee and discussing things. There was dim lighting above us, not that they needed to be any brighter given the sun was out.
Jas was taking a day to spend with the kids while Sophia and I went out shopping and discussing her new find. Last night had been a wonderful distraction from Allison, but she was admittedly on the back of my mind at all tis now.
I refocused, looking at Sophia with a careful smile. “That’s good,” I said, thinking things through. She was telling about a lady she’d t at the market months ago and beca friends with. Unfortunately, Sophia’s break had to end soon, and she’d need to go back to running her business.
I’d need to make a decision, but after the last two problems, particularly Layla, I was having a hard ti caving to the idea of a new nanny. I said, “You have a good sense of character, so I believe you, but I don’t know yet.”
“When you do et her, you’ll know!” Sophia said, smiling brightly. “She is wonderful with kids. She’s a middle-aged woman with only adult children now. We talk over tea a lot, and I ntioned knowing soone looking for a stay-at-ho nanny. She seed very excited.”
“I suppose,” I said, reaching up to rub the back of my neck. Soon, a sandwich was placed in front of , sothing I grabbed for eagerly and began to munch at. Now, my stomach wouldn’t be as relentless with annoying clawing hunger, and I could focus.
“I know you’re hesitant, dear, but you deserve YOU ti, as does Jas. You two are very busy people! Will you have the ti to watch the kids at every waking mont?” she asked, causing to slowly shake my head.
“I won’t,” I confessed, thinking through my many plans for the future. I needed elbow room, and a nanny had always given that. The best plan was to hear her out. Certainly, I was starting to cave, and I let out a sigh.
“Alright. When would I be able to et her? Can she co talk with us now?” I asked.
“I was hoping you’d suggest that!” Sophia laughed. “I had her keep her schedule clear for today in case you’d be open to it. I can have her be here in ten minutes. How does that sound?”
“Sounds like a plan,” I said, finishing up my sandwich in several bites and lapsing into chatter with Sophia in the anti. I had a few things on my mind, one of them being charity. “You work with charity groups through your own business, right? Don’t you have several projects?”
She nodded, raising a brow curiously. “I do!” she said, her voice dripping with happiness. “Beyond that, I make sure what I sell is sustainable and ethical. They’re expensive, but for a good reason.”
“That makes sense,” I muttered. Then, I explained my concerns about the ‘savior complex,’ and what she thought about that. As she listened, she nodded, a smile widening on her face. She took a sip of her tea, contemplating a response before speaking.
“What a dilemma! The fact that you’re thinking about these things is very important, Becca. Actually, the leather I use for my handbags is from families who work with the leather directly in various countries with many less fortunate people.”
I leaned forward, listening to what she had to say. That was intriguing. “That way,” Sophia continued, “they get the money for their work, and the money from the company goes into their economy. Not only do I get a high-quality product, but they get paid for their work.”
Her expression twisted into one of disgust. “Other companies look for cheap labor, but I pay my sources the price the high-quality leather is worth. So of the money goes to a reputable charity, as well. I’m not really looking to get richer. Why? No point in having so much excess money.”
That was true. I had so much of it now that I could live comfortably and still contribute to helping people in need. This charity research was very important to for that reason. “That makes sense,” I said softly. “How can you tell you’re working with reliable sources?”
“I do a lot of research, just like you, but also phone the locals and discuss things. I’ll visit where I get my leather too, the families who make it, and make sure they are being treated fairly. My money goes to charities that are local and not disruptive to cultures.”
“That all makes sense,” I said. I let out a sigh, then ran a hand through my hair. “Maybe going to Guatemala directly and settling there would be counterproductive? Perhaps I should start a charity that would work with the locals. Do you think being there would be disruptive?”
“That would be up to you!” Sophia said with a gentle smile. “I would take a visit there first, get a feel, and talk to people. You have a good heart, Becca.”
Touched, I smiled at Sophia with gratitude. I still didn’t know the path I wanted to take, but things were looking up for on that end. Plus, Jas may be coming around. Granted, this Allison issue could throw yet another wrench in all of our plans.
A few minutes later, the woman Sophia suggested arrived. Her hair was tied up in a bun, and she had a warm look to her. There was a softness to her that emanated off of her in waves, causing to be intrigued. My first instinct was to give her a smile.
The one she gave back was incredibly friendly. “Sophia!” she said as she got to our table. Sophia stood up and gave her a hug in greeting before sitting down.
“Madeline! Sit, sit! I’m so glad you’re able to et Becca now,” Sophia said, her tone a gushing one. I couldn’t help but smile at this exchange. Madeline had long red hair that looked long enough to fall down her back if it weren’t in a bun. She had so decent toning, indicating she worked out when she had ti to herself.
Her eyes were a light green, and her bright smile never faded as she spoke. Her eyes fell upon , and she dipped her head with respect. “Hello there! You must be Becca!” she said cheerfully. I nodded, holding out a hand, which she shook with a firm grip.
“I am,” I said with a smile. “You were interested in being a nanny?”
“Yes, of course, darling!” Madeline said with a lot of excitent in her tone. Sophia’s smile widened, and I couldn’t help but notice how positive she sounded about this. She ca across as a wonderful woman already!
“That’s excellent. Now, Sophia said you were wonderful with kids, and yours have grown up. Alessandro can pull hair sotis and needs so patience. He’s sweet, though, and enjoys poking noses. Dahlia loves it when people play with her toy cars so she can join in,” I said.
There was so much more to both children, but I’d wait to inform her of everything. She’d need to et them first, after all. After I talked about the specifics of what the job would entail, as far as the schedule and pay range, I went into explaining their eating habits, when they went to sleep, and other little intricacies she’d need to know.
The entire ti, she leaned forward, listening intently and nodding. If she had a notebook, she’d probably be taking notes! I was impressed. She asked a lot of important questions, as well, such as allergies, appointnts, and the like.
“I could take them to the park at so point if you wanted,” Madeline suggested, giving a smile. “Kids play so many imaginative gas on the playscapes, after all! And they make for good exercise.”
“That sounds great,” I said, giving a soft smile. “We’d need you to inform security and have them co along if you were to do that. High money family ans high risk,” I said. She didn’t seem deterred by that and just nodded.
“I bet. Money doesn’t solve all problems!” Madeline said. “That won’t bother , though. I will only do it when we all are comfortable, anyway.”
“I’ll need to run a background check on you. Is that alright? If so, can I have your information?” I asked. She nodded and provided all the details, which I forwarded to Jas. This was around the ti the kids would be given a nap, so he’d have ample ti to run checks.
The conversation continued for a half hour before Jas got back to . I read his text, then said, “Your background is very clean. I think, after talking to you today, I feel good. I need to think it over so more, though.” I smiled at Madeline, who returned mine with a bright one.
“Great! Thank you Becca for considering , and thank you Sophia for recomnding ,” she said politely, leaning back in her chair and seeming satisfied. With that, I was howard bound, my heart actually warm.
I had just t Madeline, so I’d need to talk to her a few tis and watch her interact with the kids before making my decision. However, my instincts told she was a very good fit. Her general deanor was incredibly positive.
Not only that, but Jas knew how to find hidden information that regular people would otherwise miss. Given she had none of that in her track record, I felt very confident.
The drive ho was quiet and pleasant, but that energy changed when I got inside, with security by my side. Sophia arrived shortly after , returning to go occupy the kids so I could talk things over with Jas. There was tension in the air, and I had no idea why.
I swallowed, entering another room to see Jas at the table, typing away at his laptop and frowning considerably. Three mbers of the security team were there with him, muttering back and forth.
“What’s going on?” I asked nervously, taking a seat across from Jas. He t my gaze and let out a sigh, shaking his head. Running his fingers through his hair, he paused, probably trying to think of how to explain to just that.
“The security caras showed soone trying to get over the gate last night.”
My heart began to pound, and I widened my eyes. His expression turned grim, and he added, “It’s hard to see who it was. The footage is unclear.”
My breath caught, and I hugged myself, closing my eyes. There could be any number of things going on now. Could it be Allison or a new problem? I didn’t know.
Jas said softly, “We’re beefing up security. I have several people on call now. We’ll be safe, Becca. Don’t worry.”
With everything that happened on a regular basis, I wasn’t so sure.
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