The Nanny Affair

Chapter 1- Rosalie

As I sit at the table in the kitchen, on this warm May morning, I scratch the back of my head. The pandemic was a major inconvenience for me. I am currently unemployed, and my savings are quickly depleting. If I don't find work soon, I won't be able to afford to cover my share of the rent. Natasha, who is also my roommate, is one of my closest friends. When I first moved to Toronto, three years ago, that's when I first met her. We were both employees at the restaurant that was located down the street from us. We were able to live a comfortable life up until the point when the virus reached us thanks to the amazing tips. Everything came to a halt, and we quickly realized that our situation was hopeless. When Natty enters the kitchen, she immediately begins staring at me.

"Any luck?" She asks as I stare at my laptop at job openings. I sigh and shake my head, feeling the discouragement settle in.

"Nothing yet, you?"

"Nope," Why is it that she can't just go work for her dad at the law firm? I just don't get it. She gets along well with others and is familiar with the workplace. Even though she volunteers her time there on occasion, she has no intention of working there full time. She insists that she wants to create her own career path and build a legacy of her own

I power down my laptop and get out my running shoes. After putting my headphones in, I leave the apartment to go for my morning run. I take a jog along the path that runs through the park and across the Harbour Front. The lake in the morning is a stunning backdrop for the sunrise. The finish line at the coffee cart is always the most exciting part of my morning. As I make my way along the path, I can feel my body loosen and become energized with every step

"Hey Mario,"

"Good morning Rosie. I've got your coffee right here." He smiles. I hand him cash to pay for it.

"Thank you,"

As I reach for my coffee and turn around, I accidentally bump into the guy following close behind. I managed to ruin his expensive suit by spilling coffee all over it.

"I'm so sorry," I start to say. He stops me before I can finish my apology and smiles reassuringly.

The man laughs, "It's okay,"

When I look up, I am met by the most strikingly handsome man I have ever seen. Eyes of deep forest green and dirty blonde hair that reminds me of a warm summer day in a meadow, his face is one that I could not easily forget. His hair swept back from his forehead, framed by a strong jaw and full lips. His entire being radiates a mysterious energy, and I can't help but wonder what kind of story his life holds. He smiles at me, his eyes sparkling like the stars on a clear night, and I am suddenly transported to another world, one full of endless possibilities. My breath suddenly stops at the sight. His gaze captures me, and I can't look away.

"I'll pay for the dry cleaning," I finally muster up the courage to say. What am I saying? My broke ass can't afford to pay for that. He smiles at me with a knowing look, and I feel my face flush.

"Like I said," His deep voice states. "It's okay," He smiles, and my stomach fills with butterflies.

"Again, I'm sorry." I walk away and he shouts.

"The least you could do is tell me your name."

"Rosie," I take a deep breath, "Rosalie." I turn around and make my way home. Why did I give that stranger my name? God, what am I thinking? Any girl would have if they saw his smile. I'm sure he's already forgotten my name, but the memory of our brief encounter will stay with me for a while.

I finally make it back to my apartment, and the first thing I do when I get there is walk inside to make myself a cup of coffee to make up for the fact that I was an idiot and spilled it all over that gorgeous man. I can't believe how stupid I am. I make myself a cup of coffee and settle down to consider whether or not I should look for additional employment opportunities. I make the hasty decision to take a shower, and then I proceed to occupy my mind with filling out application forms for jobs.

The apartment has a terrible water situation. After only a few minutes, the temperature of my shower drops, and I simply cannot stand it. I leap out and throw a towel around my body before wrapping my long, dark brown hair. I've got some business to take care of in the kitchen, so I head that way. Natty waits by the front door, ready to leave.

"Where are you headed to?"

"Dad needs help at the office, so I said I'd assist him," She rolls her eyes and I let out a laugh.

"Aww, aren't you such a sweet daughter." I tease her.

She throws a shoe at me but I laugh as she misses. She heads out and I make my way to the table. I can still see the steam coming from my coffee mug.

At least you stayed hot.

I sit down and open my laptop. I scroll through all the job listings over and over again, until one catches my attention

Full Time Live-in Nanny Needed.

I examine the requirements for the job, including cooking and cleaning. When it comes to everything I did while I was at the restaurant, adding a child into the mix makes it appear to be an easy task. After completing the online application in its entirety, I hit the "submit" button.

After turning off my laptop, I walk back to my room. I turn around and close the door behind me, hoping that someone who is currently recruiting will get in touch with me as soon as possible. The ringing of my phone interrupts my train of thought as I sit here pondering the situation.

"Hey, mom."

"Hey sweety, How are you?"

"Oh, you know, living one day at a time."

"Honey, you know if you need financial assistance, your father and I are more then willing to help."

"Mom, I don't need your help. I'm fine." I lie to her.

"That's good, that's good." She repeats herself,

"Mom? What's wrong?"

She sighs after taking a deep breath. "Cole, he came by the house looking for you."

The fear builds within me, "You didn't tell him where I was, did you?" I ask, about to have a panic attack.

"No, sweetheart, No one told him. Your brother was here and he spoke to him. He won't come back here, but I'm afraid he will find you."

"I moved across the country to get away from him. I don't have any socials because of it. My life is private. I'll be okay. I promise." I try to reassure her as I try to make myself believe the same lie.

"Okay, your father and I love you very much."

"Love you, too." I hang up and hold back tears.

I toss my phone onto the bed, and then I head to the mirror. As I let the towel fall to the floor, I look down at my back and notice the scars. He made certain that I would be able to cover them. That night, I had to fight for my life, and I vowed that I would never allow anything like that to happen again. He had no right to take away my freedom and control my life, but he thought he could. I was determined to take back my power, and never be a victim again.

The scars linger as a reminder of my past, a past I would love to forget but at the same time, they serve as a reminder of how far I have come. I ran away three years ago and started a new life. Everything was peaceful, but I knew one day he would be back.

But I can't think of that right now. I have to go on. He will never find me. There is no way he knows where I am. I've hidden for three years, at this point I'm basically a pro at it. I can't keep running forever, but as long as he's out there looking for me, I have to do my best to stay out of sight. I quickly get dressed and blow dry my hair. I look over at my phone flashing, indicating I have an email.

"From Wentworth Corp.? I don't remember applying there." I say out loud to myself. I open the email and read,

Dear Miss Lock

Thank you for your application. I appreciate your time and effort in submitting your application. We are responding in regards to the Live-in Nanny job. We have booked an interview for you with Mr. Wentworth tomorrow morning at 9AM. Please be prompt.

Thank you

Wentworth Corp.

Holy shit!