Million-Dollar Man

[Chapter Three: A Challenge Indeed]

[June 17th, 2015]

The day had definitely worn me out. Wednesday had been very demanding and angry about leaving afterwards. I smoked a whole pack of cigarettes after she went to bed. As I polished off the last one, I began to think-why was I paying so much for cigarettes as Wednesday went hungry? Sure, she had gotten a Happy Meal with the five dollars I'd stolen from Ivy at the playground, but she couldn't live off of that. I was a terrible mother. I threw the empty pack on the floor and huffed. It wasn't my fault I didn't have any money left. I would start at this Gomez person's house and make some money to feed Wednesday and buy cigarettes.

[June 18th, 2015]

I woke up early and got Wednesday up. She wasn't happy about it, but the promise of food at "Mr. Addams'" house appeased her. I dressed her in black shorts and a red tank top. She wore a pair of rugged pink flip-flops bought at Walmart. I wore a pair of jeans and a black tee shirt. My beat-up Chaco sandals from high school were too small, but I stuffed them on in effort to look nice. My family had money, you see-but I got none of it when they kicked me out. Wednesday had cost me everything. If I didn't love her so much, my life would be meaningless.

We walked for nearly two hours up to the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. We passed mansions and strip clubs, elite neighborhoods and frightening alleyways. No way was I using shortcuts with Wednesday walking next to me. I had the paper from my application in one pocket-the address was 0001 Cemetery Lane. The house was frighteningly huge and modern, completely unlike anything I had ever seen. This Gomez person was definitely rich. Why did he need a babysitter when he could have a full-time nanny?

This whole situation felt somewhat suspicious. I felt out of place among the million-dollar houses and Lamborghinis parked in the driveways. Housewives in velour tracksuits walked by me with their dogs, both noses in the air. I was a misfit, clearly. I clutched my purse a little tighter. Gomez Addams' house was surrounded by a fence, which had a gate. I walked down the driveway to it.

To my surprise, there was a speaker on the gate. There were two buttons-one said "talk" and one said "ring doorbell". I pressed "talk" and waited. Nearly five seconds later, a man's voice spoke: "Gomez Addams speaking. Who is this?" "Morticia LaFayette-the new babysitter?" My smoker's voice was raspy. I cringed as he paused in responding. "Yes..come on in." The gates opened and we walked in. Wednesday, surprisingly quiet, gaped at the gate's doors as they slammed shut behind us. 

The whole situation felt thoroughly creepy. We walked up the driveway slowly as my heart thumped like a bass drum. When we arrived at the front door, it swung open. A tall, balding man spoke in a dead, monotone voice: "Morticia LaFayette. Mister Addams has been waiting for you." My hands began to sweat. Keep it cool, Morticia. "Yes." "All right. Follow me." The man began to walk rather briskly down the main hallway. I was much shorter than him, only five foot two, so I dashed after him like a rabbit away from its predator, except this time I was going forward. 

The tall man led me to an office on the first floor. It was tucked away underneath a glass staircase. A slim, fit man was typing away at a computer as I entered. The tall man shut the office door and I stood in front of the doorway, dumbfounded. The man stood up and I gulped. "You must be Morticia." "Yes," I said, trying to avoid his gaze. My brain was crying for a cigarette. "The new babysitter..you do know you'll be working from nine to five, Monday through Friday?" I nodded. "I need this job, sir." "I know you do," he said, laughing tersely. "Sit." I sat down in a chair in front of the desk, little Wednesday in my lap. Mr. Addams had just noticed her, and his expression changed to that of surprise. "You have a child?" He queried. I nodded. "Yes. She's three. Her name is Wednesday." "Wednesday?" he laughed. "Well, my son's not much better. His mother named him Pugsley." "Oh," I said, squirming in my seat. I felt like an elementary student brought before the principal. 

The man spoke. "I know this wasn't in the application, but I felt putting it in there would be somewhat inappropriate. Pugsley's mother passed away last year, and ever since she passed, I have found that I am somewhat unable to take care of him, so that's why I hired you.

"Now, I understand that commuting every morning and evening is tiresome. Pugsley needs a mother, not just a babysitter, and I understand that you are not married. What I am going to propose is simple."

My heart rate quickened. I was going to explode, I knew it! My palms were itching for the cigarettes they knew were in my purse. I swallowed hard. What does he mean, a proposal? I don't even know him! He could be a freaking serial killer, for God's sake!

Just as I was about to question his motives, the man spoke. I should really stop calling him that. His name is Gomez, for God's sake. Gomez spoke. "Now, this will not be official, but merely a formality. I will not be living in sin with you. Now, Morticia, this is simple-will you marry me?"

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Note: I don't mean to condemn living together out of wedlock (Morticia had a baby with her boyfriend). Gomez is so cold hearted! Don't worry, he won't be like that for long. ;)

Did you like this chapter? Do you have any suggestions? Let me know in the comments below!

I really hope you guys like this chapter. I've worked really hard to make it suspenseful, but as you all probably know, I'm not very good at being suspenseful! :)

Thank you so much for reading! Don't forget to vote/add/comment if you enjoyed!

Much love,

-misswednesdayrose