Page 30 of Ruthless Serenade

"Don’t worry, sweetie," I soothe Sharon, brushing her hair back from her forehead. "We’ll get you some medicine, and you’ll feel better soon."

Tania.

I grab my phone and dial our precious babysitter’s number, my stomach churning as I wait for her to pick up. She’s my last hope. But as the seconds tick by with no answer, I feel a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach.

Finally, on the fifth ring, I hear Tania’s voice. "Hello?" she says, her voice sounding distracted and harried.

"Tania, thank God," I breathe, relief washing over me. "I’m so sorry for calling last minute, but I need your help. Sharon’s sick. Can you come over?"

There’s a pause on the other end of the line. "Mindy, I’m so sorry," Tania says, her tone apologetic. "I’ve got a doctor’s appointment I can’t miss, and then, I promised to help my sisterwith some errands. If you’d called yesterday, maybe I could have rearranged things, but now…" She trails off, and I close my eyes, fighting back the stress that threatens to overwhelm me.

"It’s okay, Tania, I understand," I say, my voice tight.

"I'm really sorry," Tania says again, and I can hear the genuine regret in her tone. "If there was any way I could make it work, I would. But today, I just can’t."

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Don’t worry," I lie, my mind racing as I try to come up with another solution. "I’ll figure something out. Thanks, Tania."

I hang up the phone and run my fingers through my hair. What the hell am I supposed to do? It’s one of those days when I just can’t just skip work. This upcoming meeting is important and I need to prepare. If I let the Solomons down, I can say goodbye to this job. Simple as that.

I look down at Sharon, who’s curled up on the couch with a blanket wrapped around her. She looks small and tired, her face all pale and scrunched up like she’s hurting. My heart breaks.

Screw it, Mindy.

There’s no way you can leave your sick six-year-old alone.

She’s more important than any job.

I heave a sigh. "Hey, baby," I say softly, crouching down next to her. "Mommy's gonna call the office and see if she can stay home with you today, okay?"

Sharon looks up at me, her eyes getting all teary. "But, Mommy, I have to go to school. We’re practicing for the big StoryNight! I can’t miss it." Her voice comes out quiet and sad, and it just breaks my heart even more.

"Oh, honey," I say, giving her a gentle hug and a kiss on the forehead. "I know how much you’re looking forward to Story Night. But right now, the most important thing is for you to rest up and feel better."

Sharon sniffles, hiding her face against my shoulder. "But what if I forget my story?"

I gently stroke my baby girl’s hair. "You won’t forget your story, honey bunny. You’re the best little storyteller I know."

Sharon’s face brightens up a little, a small smile sneaking onto her lips. "You think so?"

I nod, looking her in the eye. "I know so, baby. And until you feel better, you can practice your story with me. How’s that?"

Sharon’s eyes widen with surprise and gratitude. "Really?" she whispers, her voice croaky from crying earlier. "You’re not going to work?"

I smile at her. "Let me call the office first, sweetie, alright? If they let me stay home, we’ll watch movies and snuggle on the couch while you tell me the story for the school event, okay?"

Sharon nods, a weak smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Okay, Mommy," she murmurs, her eyelids already drooping with exhaustion.

I take a deep breath and dial Christine’s number. My heart is thundering against my rib cage as I wait for her to pick up. When she finally answers, I launch into my explanation, my words tumbling out in a rush. "Christine, I’m so sorry to do this,but I need to stay at home. Sharon’s sick, and her babysitter is busy today. I can’t leave her alone."

After a long and uncomfortable silence, Christine’s voice crackles through the phone line. "Mindy… I’m sorry about Sharon, but you know how important this period is," she says with a sharp edge to her tone. "We’re at the end of the quarter and with the annual presentation coming up…"

My stomach drops. I know Christine is right. It’s one of the busiest times of the year, and with the upcoming visit from the company’s owners, I can’t expect to skip office days without consequences.

"I hear you, Christine," I say apologetically. "I promise this won’t become a habit. I’ll make sure to get everything done and return to the office as soon as possible."

Christine lets out a heavy sigh. "Fine. Stay home with Sharon. But you must also understand that as a business, we need someone we can rely on. We’ve got deadlines to meet and clients to keep satisfied. As much as I understand your challenges, I can’t keep covering for you. If this continues, I will have no choice but to consider…," she pauses, "other options."

My heart plummets. "I… I understand, Christine. I won’t let you down again, I promise."

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