The Babysitters

Chapter 2

It all started on a drizzly Saturday afternoon. The sky was grey and I was just finishing up on my English essay for Monday when my mother walked in, the image of grace she is.

"Why are you so hell-bent on doing these extra assignments, Tab? I mean, if you don't help out soon, you'll have to wait another year until we can afford college, you know that." Oh, here she goes again, I mean, I don't blame my parents for not having the money to send me off just yet, especially with the economy the way it is, but she doesn't have to nag at me 24/7 about it.

"Yeah, what can I do to help out?" I ask, trying to keep the irritation out of my tone, that would only make things worse.

"Oh I don't know, maybe get a job? I hear there are places open in the diner on main street."

"Mum, I don't want to work there! Have you heard the stories from that place?" I protest.

"No, and I don't want to, they're probably just rumours anyway."

She starts as a shrill ringing fills the air between us and picks up the house phone.

"Hello?" I'll never understand why she does that voice, the one that all mum's do when they're on the phone. You know the one that makes them sound far more civilized than they actually are?

"Yes...Yes of course she'll do it...seven?..Yes....Yes, could you or Chester take her home?...Oh, no worries! See you then, Sabine." What was that about?

"You can thank me later." She says as she sways out of the room on her heels.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I got my first job and how my life began.

****

It took a while to get to the Rose household, and when I saw it, I quietly gulped in the passenger seat. The family obviously had money...which meant incredibly spoilt kids in my book. Kids I had to look after.

I was welcomed by who I assumed to be Sabine. She was a thin woman with short blonde hair and a beautiful face. Whether that was her makeup or not, I couldn't tell, but she obviously knew her stuff when it came to fashion judging by the chic black dress and heels. My attention was drawn away from her when I glimpsed a handsomely rugged man behind her, his short black hair stuck up in spikes and a warm, slightly sheepish smile on his face. He had one hand stuck in the pocket of his business trousers and the other on the back of his neck, further enhancing the shyness in his glance.

"Oh, Danielle! And this must be Tabitha? Hello, I'm Sabine, and this is my husband, Chester." So that's who it was. "Thank you so much for agreeing to watch the kids, it's so hard to find a sitter these days!"

I smiled and said the typical "oh, it's fine"'s and "don't worry about it"'s and in a few minutes, the Rose's and my mother were gone, leaving me to look after the Rose brats. Great.

****

Why is it that I have to be so unfortunate? I mean, as if having an obsession over the position and cleanliness of things isn't enough, Mr Handsome and his wife just had to walk in the door whilst I was scrubbing the kitchen floor to try and get rid of those god awful spots. They seemed to take it well enough and the kids were great, but still...

"I better take you home." Chester brought me out of my thoughts with a jolt. I just nodded and followed him to his car.