Page 17 of Baby Bodyguard

“Great.” She switched her attention to the women. “Okay, Daria? Why don’t you choose some suitable clothes for Widget. Since she’s not planning to work as an exotic dancer or fortune teller, we want simple and professional. Iknow I’m a fine one to talk, but keep the colors to a minimum.” Next she turned to Carmela. “Since Rosie’s unavailable, would you take care of the children?”

“No problem.”

“Fantastic.” She addressed Noah once again. “That brings us back to you. The computer room is this way.”

“Why don’t you also explain what’s going on,” he suggested.

“Sure.” She saved her explanation until they were out of earshot. “Daria and Carmela are relatives of my housekeeper, Rosie. When I learned they were looking for jobs, Ihired them to help Widget. Well, and Rosie, too, since she’s due to give birth next month.”

“Help Widget do what?”

“Get a job.”

Noah took a minute to work through that one. “You hired two women to help another woman get a job?”

“Exactly.”

“Why not just hire Widget?”

For a smart man, he certainly had trouble following simple logic—at least, her brand of simple logic. “Because Daria and Carmela needed jobs, too.”

“You’ve lost me.”

Sami released her breath in an impatient sigh. “None of them are mainstream enough for most placement services. Daria’s husband died, leaving her with four children to raise. Carmela had her two babies when she wasn’t much more than a child herself and is in the middle of taking adult education classes to earn her high school equivalency diploma.”

“Those are their children running around?”

“Right. Having the children here while they work allows them to earn a living without the added expense of daycare. And since none of them has ever held down a real job…” She trailed off with a shrug.

“I see why they’d be perfect to help Widget,” he muttered. “What sort of names are Widget and Pudge, by the way?”

“The ones they answer to,” she replied evenly. “When they decide to use their given names, we’ll call them by those instead. Do you have a problem with that?”

He took a deep breath and slowly released it. “I’m sorry, Sami. That was rude of me.”

“No harm done, though I’d appreciate it if you’d hold the sarcasm to a minimum, especially around the women. They’re doing the best they can under difficult circumstances, and I don’t want you to accidentally undermine their self-confidence.”

“You’re right. Iapologize again.”

There was no mistaking his sincerity and she forgave him on the spot. He’d been thrown into a peculiar situation and she could afford to excuse the occasional lapse of judgment on his part. Considering the frequency of her own lapses, no doubt he’d return the favor soon enough.

She smiled reassuringly. “Apology accepted.”

“You were saying you hired Carmela and Daria to help Widget get a job?” he prompted.

“Yes. Without training, her prospects are pretty grim. She couldn’t even afford proper clothing for a job interview.”

“Which explains the wardrobe in the other room.”

“Right. Even with the appropriate clothing, there’s still a lot to be done. She doesn’t know what to say or do during an interview. She’s totally intimidated by the mere prospect of applying for a job.”

“So, you’re educating her on those points.”

“Yup.”

“You’re providing clothing and teaching her how to fix her hair and makeup and helping her put together a résumé. Igather that’s not the extent of it?”

“Not quite. Iguess you could call Widget a joint project. I’m training her. Daria’s in charge of wardrobe. Carmela works on her appearance.”

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