Page 11 of Nanny for the Mercenaries

Jordy looked crestfallen. “I didn’t realize we had different definitions. I wasn’t trying to pull a fast one on you or anything.”

“I need something more permanent,” she said. “Not, like,permanentpermanent. But long enough to be consistent work. Why would I take this job? After three months, I’ll have to start the job search all over again!”

“We’re sorry to hear that,” I said, gesturing toward the hall. “Let me see you out.”

“Give it a try,” Jordy pleaded, jumping forward to block her path. “Three months is better than nothing, right?”

“If she wants to go, she can go,” I said.

I felt a little saddened by it, I realized. Part of me hoped it would work out and we would get to take Kaylee with us. But deep down, I knew this was for the best. We didn’t want to push someone into taking a job caring for our daughter. This would only work if they were completely devoted to the job. And all things considered, it would be best if our daughter stayed in America.

I was about to say as much when Kaylee came downstairs.

5

Trish

I couldn’t believe how badly I had messed up. The job wasn’t long-term. It was only three months,max. After that, I would be right back to square one.

And worse… these guys were totally not what I expected. They weremercenaries. Guns for hire. Soldiers of fortune. Did they kill people? What about other shady, or even illegal, practices? I had no idea, and I didn’t think I wanted to find out.

Could I crawl back to my old job? I doubted my boss would take me back. And if he did, he would first make me grovel. I wondered if my pride could take the public humiliation.

“Daddy! Daddy! I built a plane… who’sthat?”

The little girl—Kaylee—skidded to a stop in the hallway when she saw me. She was wearing a flower-print yellow dress, and her long blonde braid swayed over one shoulder. My heart melted when I saw her. The girl they had at the gym. Theirdaughter.

When I was younger, I hated kids. I was the eldest of three, and my little sisters drove me crazy. It wasn’t until I went off to college that I realized how much I loved them, and missed them, and enjoyed helping my mom raise them. Sometimes you needed to be absent from something to realize how important it was to you.

Now I loved kids. Working as a nanny or caretaker was who I was; it filled part of my heart and soul. Seeing Kaylee triggered that love inside of me.

“I’m Trish,” I said, kneeling so that I was at her level.

Without hesitation, Kaylee ran forward and threw herself into my arms. “My daddy is a hugger. So I want to be a hugger, too.”

“That’s good. I like hugs.”

“This is Kaylee, our daughter,” Jordy said.

Our daughter. There was that phrasing again. But Jordy said they weren’t gay. Then how exactly did this work? My curiosity was high, but I certainly wasn’t going to ask that in front of Kaylee.

“Do you want to play K’nex with me?” she asked.

“What’s K’nex?”

“I’ll show you!” She grabbed my hand and began pulling me away. Then, seeming to remember herself, she paused and asked, “Is it okay if I play with Trish?”

“Of course you can,” Jordy quickly said. “I bet she would love to see your playroom.”

Kaylee led me out of the kitchen, down a hall, and into the playroom. It was sort of like a sunroom, with an entire wall full of windows and two skylights in the ceiling. There was an adult-sized computer desk in one corner, but everything else was made for a child. Colorful toys were scattered all over the floor.

“I like your hair,” Trish said.

“Thanks! I like yours, too. Especially the braid.”

“My daddy braids my hair for me.”

I wonder if she means Archer or Jordy?Probably the latter. Archer seemed too posh for hair braiding.

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