The Proper Nanny

Chapter 1

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Julienne sat across the table from her friends. It was still pretty early, around 6:00pm.  She started to feel her muscles relax as the stress from the past week rolled off her as she laughed amongst friends.

These "professionals" as they liked to kid her, didn't meet up once a month to dine at five star restaurants. Oh, no. Their tastes, as Simone quipped, were way more refined. The last Thursday of every month, they dropped everything and meet up at the local Taco Bell for the Big Box Hitter. Here they didn't mind being less than the adults they claimed to be. 30-somethings letting loose and dropping the pretenses.

So engrossed in one uping each others' story of the week they didn't notice the new customers placing their order until they sat right in front of their table. Mid-laugh,  Julienne paused at the sight in front of her. Chelsea turned to see what had caught her attention. Taking in the spectacle, Chelsea nudged Bianca, Natalie, and Simone to take a look.

Julienne stared as a man reached over to pet the gorilla sitting across from him on the head. The gorilla happily, it seemed, munched on a soft taco. Julienne's personal favorite.

No one spoke until Chelsea leaned over and whispered loud enough for the group to hear, "In Atlanta., the cute ones are always the crazy ones. What a damn shame!".

Bianca commiserated, "A total waste".

Julienne looked closer at the two. The young man, Mr. Abercrombie and Fitch himself, looked to be the epitome of health and sanity, save for the gorilla he was helping to feed. Late 20s/Early 30s, tall (had be 6'2" or taller), athletic build, dark shiny hair worn a little long, and dazzling light blue eyes that sparkled as he laughed. He could have been the poster child for Abercrombie & Fitch. Guess even they have standards when it comes to mental health, she thought.

But, oh, if he were actually SANE and looked at her like that!

Swoon!

She might have to rethink Operation Manless for 2012.

Shaking her head from such thoughts, she mumbled, "Not in 2012,  Julienne, not in 2012".

She'd had enough of the constant demands and little returns from a "relationship". It being 2012 and all, why did these "men" even call what they offered "relationships" any more? A faithful wife; an admittedly unfaithful husband-but a new car, an expensive home, and money to burn as a consolation prize for the trouble. No thanks!

Just then, the Gorilla hopped down off his seat and caught her gaze. He? She? Roared and galloped towards her? Galloped? What do gorillas do, anyway? She never thought that she would go out like this. Too many hours of National Geographic flashed ran like a kaleidoscope right before her eyes.

Her tombstone flashed in her mind:

' Julienne Beth Greenwood. Born August 1, 1982. Died May 31, 2012. Death by Gorilla'. Something like that could only happen to her.

She snapped back to reality as he or she stopped short in front of her. Wait. THIS is reality?!

The gorilla giggled merrierly; "Hiya! Imma grilla." It was then she noticed that the eyes were the same startling blue of Mr. Abercrombie and Fitch himself. Laughing, she had to admit the costume did look pretty realistic. Not that she'd had many opportunities to introduce herself to a gorilla.

Natalie exclaimed, "Aww, how cute!"

Chelsea nudged her, "Not so crazy after all."

Bianca muttered, "Must be something else wrong with him."