Take Good Care

Questions

I sat on a small black leather sofa in my father's frigid office. Everything was locked up, not a paper to be seen or signature to be witnessed. I was trapped in by the four white walls to hear what my father's unknown, mysterious request would be.

I had just finished high school, and was nervous but excited to go off onto college. I looked back at my high school career and wondered where the time went and how I spent it. I remembered staying up late with friends, driving wildly, and blasting music. I reflected back on my classes and how torturous they had been to sit through with the dull teachers, awkward desks, and unpleasent classmates. I thought of the countless hours I babysat to become independent, buy meaningless items, and to save up for something that would never see the light of day.

I always had a desire to travel, but with my father's tight work schedule, we really never get the chance. I've always had too many unrealistic dreams, but this one seemed somewhat possible. I have been babysitting almost every day for the past five years of my life. Each time I have gotten paid, I have put some money away in a large glass jar, holding the dream for me to travel one day. Hopefully when I go to college and get a real job, I can put even more money towards my fund and one day see Europe, Asia, and so many other places.

My father bursted into the room on his cellphone interupting my daydream of walking the streets of Rome. I quickly looked up at him anticipating what he was going to ask me to do before getting ready to go off to college. He looked stressed and disheveled, and looked at me with worry in his big brown eyes.

"Yes...ok, I see....listen, I'm trying my best and...no, I'm not....I'm not disrespecting you...I can't comply with what you want me to do! If there's anything else I can...she's just...she has her whole future ahead of her...why...but....ok." my father hung up the phone, and put his hand through his dark brown hair. 

"That sounded like fun," I said with a smile on my face. I couldn't resist chuckling to see how stressed he was.

"Dominique, this is serious."

I quickly changed my mood and tucked my long brown hair behind my ears. "Um, ok. So what did you want to ask me?"

"I need you to do me a favor."

"What kind of favor?" I asked slowly with an eyebrow raised. 

"A large one, that I hate to ask, but I have to. I'm in a bit of trouble with my business partner and cannot carry out his first request, so he wants me to help out his um...friend. You have to understand, I would never ask you to do anything like this, but it's for the sake of my job."

"Dad, you're scaring me what the hell is going on."

"I'm sorry Dom, I just really need help here but I am so sorry to put this on you."

"Ok, I'll help, just calm down, what is it?"

"I need you to um...become the nanny of a child. Full time. For um...a long time."

"What?" My jaw dropped. My fists clenced. What was going on? Why would he ever ask this? This was unbelievably strange, even for my father.

"Yes, the nanny of a child, named Lux Atkin."

"Are you kidding? I'm going off to college, my babysitting days are over."

"Dominique, please, just listen because you have to do this favor for me."

"Or what? Or else what, Dad? What the hell and who the hell do you even work for? Now would be a really good fucking time to tell me so you can explain this one." I stood up and smacked his desk. How could he ask me to give up my whole future for some 'task' I didn't know a clue about?

"I can't tell you that, you've known I could never tell you ever since you were a child." He clenched his teeth to gain composure, as it slowly slipped away from him word by word.

"Yeah, well when it concerns me, I should know, because this is fucking ridiculous."

"Dominique, I wouldn't ask you to do this under any silly circumstances this is serious business that will be holding our lives together!" He punched the desk.

"What the fuck are you talking about!? You want me to take care of a child, not a government secret! God damnit, dad! I'm getting really sick of the secrets and the lies I've been told my whole life. For one time, I want you to come clean and explain, for my sake!"

"I CAN'T, Dominique! I need you to fucking get on a plane tomorrow morning to Heathrow Airport in London and become the full time nanny of this child!" He stood up and yelled for all of the neighborhood to hear. 

"WHAT? Leave New York, abandon college, not see my friends!? No, no!"

"You're always going on about how you want to see the world and travel! Well here! Here's your chance! Go. See the world. Lux's mom is the stylist for an up and coming boy band, named One Direction, and needs someone to take care of her child for her while she is busy."

"I don't give a fuck about someone I've never meant and some stupid little shit 'up and coming' boy band, Dad!" I stuck my tongue out at even the sound of boy band, as if it was supposed to be some sort of prize. I started to walk out of the office.

"They will be paying you $50 an hour! And you are payed 24 hours, 7 days a week!"

I turned around to face my father: who couldn't resist being payed that much for just chasing around a child for a bit?

"Alright, so why do they just want any person to do this? Why me?"

"I told you Dom, my business partner is a family friend of Lux's parents and they told him they needed a lot of help with Lux and travelling with her all of the time. I'm in a bit of trouble with my business partner, and he thought I could help him by helping his friends, since I could not carry out his first request. Please Dom, just help me here. I am truly sorry I am putting this all on you. But if you don't do this, I fear for us."

I looked into my fathers eyes and saw desperation, tiredness, and surprisingly, honesty. I guess I had to do what I had to do; save my father and myself. I would have to become less selfish, and deal with whatever life would bring me. My father always kept me safe and provided for me. I supposed it was my turn now to do so for him. 

"Ok, dad. I'm doing this for you. But to not see my friends, go to college, be with strangers, leave you? That's hard, dad." Tears started to form in my eyes, waiting to release some fustration I had within me.

"I know, Dom, thank you so much. And I promise, one day, I will repay you for doing all of this. And I will tell you the truth about everything. They are good people you are going to be with. I'll give you the plane ticket, hotel information, and names of everyone once your packed. Just please be strong, and one day everything will make sense. You're starting your life, and it's going to be lovely, I promise." He held my face in his hands like he did when I was a child, and stared into my eyes. He hugged me tight.

I stepped away from him and took one last look at him and opened the door to leave his office. I headed straight for my room to fetch myself my suitcases, with tears in my eyes. I still had so many questions. What was I getting myself into?