Secrets in Plain Sight

the hire

I've decided to try something new (again), hopefully it works and you guys enjoy (:

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Y/N POV:

Applying for jobs has never been a fun game for me. Sure there's been times where I'd be looking for them to change up the scenery but I've never had to do it because I was jobless. A couple of weeks ago I got let off in a company I'd been with for three years. It wasn't anything major but it was what kept my rent from falling apart. I've been using my savings money for overdue rent but it's thinning like no tomorrow.

As soon as I turned 16 my parents kicked me out of home and told me to live with my boyfriend's house (at the time). I can't blame them, I was giving them hell from the minute I was born apparently. A year ago we bought an apartment together, a couple weeks later, I got cheated on. Am I surprised? No, not at all, disappointed? Yes. But it taught me a lesson to not let people in so easily and stand your ground more than anything. My 18th birthday was pretty much ignored this year as neither of my parents contacted me, once again not surprised. Funny how the world works.

All memories aside, this morning's routine has consited of sending emails to every open agency for childcare/ au-pair in NYC, as well as an autumnal walk to the only cafe open at 6:30am. It was nice and cozy, and smelled just like apple pie. There was absolutely no one aside from a small family down the back and the cafe cat on the window sil, so ordering wasn't an issue at all.

Gentle greetings from the barista and another co-worker behind the counter made me smile as I ordered and sat at an open booth waiting for my name. I slipped an air-pod in and opened my laptop refreshing my emails, groaning in frustration when none came through. I'm the most impatient patient person you'll meet, I'll want asnwers yet will understand that it's 6 fucking thirty in the morning. Once my name was called, I grabbed my order and sat back down, opening my studies for the semester, huffing when a few average results came back from a recent test. 

"Stupid Bachelor of Education, everything is online anyway, why do we need teachers anymore. TikTok shows you everything anyway" I grumbled and leant back in the booth, pretty much inhaling my coffee. The cafe cat jumped down from it's spot and waddled it was over towards me circling between my legs. "Hi pretty girl" I murmured and picked the black cat up, grinning when it purred.

"What are you up to today Liho hmm" I spoke to her as if she'd speak back and giggled when she just meowed and gave me a look. "Oh is that right? Well aren't you just a trouble maker" I sighed and ran my fingers through her fur. The owners in the store let me name her after she walked in one day shaking and dripping wet after a storm, resembling me, twenty minutes prior. After a few more minutes of attention, I let her sit next to me while I started writing some more emails to some agencies.

It rent was again due in two weeks and to say I was stressed would be an understatement. I've got so much to do as well as look for a job to pay bills and try and navigate time for myself through it all is really fucking hard. "Can I pet your cat" a small voice made me jump slightly as I turned to face the culprit. The small child from that small family and her mother were sheepishly standing next to my booth looking at the cat.

"Oh- uh yeah, she's not mine but her name is Liho" I nodded and scooched the cat over just a little bit and turned back towards my laptop to finish my paragraph. "Mama she's like yours in the books" the little girl said in awe and my face flushed as I realised who was next to me. I kinda zone out when people talk to me and I don't pay attention to anyone really as I'm too focused on not messing my words up or not looking like a fool.

"Yeah she is baby, except Liho has green eyes and this goregous girl has grey-ish eyes" The blonde mother replied in a soft voice and what she said next made me freeze. "Move that sentence up before the other one, it might make more sense" she had obviously seen me writing and deleting the same stupid sentence I've been stuck on for the past ten minutes. "Um thank you, I didn't realise you were watching" I mumbled and did what she recommended, re-reading the sentence. "Make more sense?" she questioned genuinely. "Yes thank you" I looked anywhere but in her direction.

"Rose baby why don't you see if Liho will follow you to Cosmo and Papa" Scarlett gave a gentle nod of encouragement to her daughter and the little girl picked up the cat with ease, placing her next to her feet. Small giggles were heard throughout the cafe as the two of them were walking side by side, the cat weaving between her legs. "I saw majority of the email and if you'd like to send me your grades and anything you were going to attach in that email to me that might make things easier for you. I need someone to look after the kiddos while Colin and I are in our working seasons, we'll never be away together so there'll always be at least one of us with the kids but just hacing that extra person there for stability would be amazing"

I couldn't help but stare at her in shock. Ain't no way I just got offered a job by Scarlett fucking Johansson. "Are you being serious?" I whispered and fiddled with the sleeves of my jumper in front of me. "Honey I wouldn't have asked if I was kidding, that'd be cruel" she smiled softly and gave me a nod. "So what do you say? Send me those documents and the job's yours" she grabbed a pen out of her pocket and wrote both her email and number on a nearby napkin.

"I've gotta run cause Rose has ballet in half an hour but call me if you email me, I'll be sure to check everything when I get a chance" she excused herself and gave me one last smile before rounding her family up and walking out the door, Liho in tow and stopping at the door with her head tilted. After a short pause of what the fuck, I was greeted with Liho's usual purring nature as she jumped on my booth and curled up onto my lap. What a fucking morning.