Page 32 of Suddenly Entwined

“I know you haven’t said yes to the nannying thing. This would be a huge favour. Please. Please, Caro.”

“You really sprung that on me last night.”

“I know. It came to me in a stroke of genius.”

“Don’t get carried away.”

Silence stretches between us as I imagine Berg pleading with those expressive green eyes and then I think of Lou and the idea of that little bean feeling yucky at school kills me.

“I’m not gonna let a sick child sit there. Yeah, I’ll do it,” I sigh.

Power tools whine somewhere in the background.

“Thank you, thank you. I owe you. Big time!”

“Wait, don’t I need car seats or something?”

“Caro, if you’re trying to convince me you’re not the right woman for this position, you’re doing a bad job at it.”

I laugh. “What do I do?”

“I’ll text you, or me, I guess, the code for the house. There’s two booster seats in Natalie’s closet. We used them for a trip a couple of years ago. You set them in the backseat and then use the seatbelt—”

“I’ll Google it. Oh, better text me your phone password, too.”

“Forward, but okay.”

“Excuse me, time is of the essence. And I need to change that goddamn ringtone.”

“You know, timeliness is probably the number one thing on my list for a nanny.”

“Goodbye, Berg,” I say, wishing he could see how hard I’m rolling my eyes at him.

When his text comes through with the code to his place, I head upstairs. It feels bizarre to let myself into Berg’s house, even with permission. The scent of rich coffee lingers in the air and quiet music is playing somewhere. A light blue floral runner covers the foyer’s oak wood flooring. An assortment of items clutter the floor, speaking to the type of morning Berg might have had. I scan the framed photos on top of a console table. Front and centre is a recent Christmas photo, the girls perched on Santa’s lap and Berg smiling behind the big guy's oversized, velour chair. To the left of the short hall must be Berg’s room, and compared to the front entrance of the house, it’s serene. A window overlooks the front yard and a large bed is properly made up in white linens. Centred over a lowboy dresser is a rectangular mirror topped with more photos, some folded laundry, and a bottle of cologne. Booster seats, I remind myself, taking a step back and returning to my task. The oak planks creak beneath my feet as I pass a bathroom with an oceanic shower curtain. The music grows louder toward the end of the hall and I find that it opens up into a large eat-in kitchen. A Smart speaker is tucked into the corner of the countertop playing a local radio station. I turn back into the hall and find the room that’s obviously theirs. A set of oak bunk beds lines one wall, a huge bookshelf dominating most of the other. Louisa told methey tried to have their own rooms last year, but switched back weeks later. The boosters are right where Berg said they’d be, tucked into the back of a small closet beneath some blankets. I take both seats, just in case.

The elementary school is only a few minutes away and since it isn’t the normal hours for pickup, I easily find a parking spot in the school lot. If I thought I felt out-of-place walking into Berg’s house, entering an elementary school to pick up a child is five times weirder. Especially since Chris and I went here. The office is at the entrance, where it’s always been, and I spot Louisa right away, hunched over a tiny table working on a colouring sheet.

“Joan?”

The secretary is younger than I’d imagined, dark brown hair pulled into a high pony as she blinks away from her monitor and notices me. She’s sporting a grey hoodie with the same pine tree emblem I remember.

“Hi? We spoke on the phone. I’m here to pick up Louisa.”

At the sound of her name, Lou’s head pops up, and a smile takes over her face, temporarily lighting her tired-looking eyes.

“Caro!”

“I need to see some photo ID.”

“I’m not going to be on the list,” I say, handing my licence over and preparing to call Berg again.

“Carolina Wolfe?”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“Yep. You’re right here. Dad called a few minutes ago and added you to the approved pick up list.”

Of course he did.

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