Fool Me Once, Fool Me Twice

Looking After Me

As we reach the top of the stairs my cell phone begins to ring. I check the caller ID, but it's an unknown number. It could be Skyline, so I guess I should answer.

"Hello?" I ask, a hint of irritation in my tone. 

"Jenny?" I hear a reply that I am not expecting.

"Grace?" I can feel my face screwing up in confusion, "How did you get this number?"

"Wade gave it to my mom." There is something off about her voice, but I can't tell exactly what it is.

"Is everything alright?" I'm beginning to get a little nervous.

"Not exactly, can you meet me somewhere?" I know what it is in her voice. It's tears. Grace is crying.

"I really want to, Grace. But I can't, I just started a new job, my boss would never let me." Nate taps my shoulder and I look up at his glorious smiling face.

"You need to be somewhere? I can help you." His smile gets wider as he speaks. I nod and tell Grace what he says.

"Do you know Franklin Square? Meet me there in an hour." I smile when I hear the crying stop. "I love you, Grace."

"Love you too, Jenny." Grace hangs up before me and I turn to Nate.

"So how do you plan to get us there?" I raise an eyebrow and a grin spreads across his face.

"We're going on a family outing." He replies and turns back to the landing. He speeds down the endless row of doors and stops at the last on the right. He knocks loudly and pushes the door open, beckoning me inside with him. On the bed at the far end of the orange coloured room is a  girl around Grace's age. She has long, thick chocolate brown hair and wide blue eyes. She is surrounded by pencils and thick white paper. As I move closer I see portraits of people that I recognise. Oliver, Elizabeth, Allie, Claire and Nate. I pick up Nate's portrait and smile.

"This is amazing." I breath, taking in all the minute details of his face that she has included.

"Thanks." She smiles, pushing herself into a sitting position.

"This is Jenny, she's looking after the girls." Nate says, and I love that he doesn't call me 'The Nanny'. "Jenny, this is my little sister, Megan."

"Nice to meet you. It's just Meg, by the way." She holds out her hand and I shake it. It's strange to be surrounded by so many British people, it's kind of spinning me out to be honest.

"Meg, put some shoes on. We're going out." Nate informs her with a  mischievous smile.

"Where are we going?" Meg slides off her bed and slips into a pair of sneakers.

"Jenny is going to meet someone, but we're going too. As an excuse." 

"Okay, cool." Meg agrees straight away.

"Thanks, you guys." I'm touched that they would do this for me, "I'm just going to go and change."

I run down to my room and change from jeans, a sweater and boots into denim short shorts, a white tank top and my green Converse sneakers. I grab my bag and shove my cell phone and a thin sweater inside. I run back down to Meg's room and she and Nate are waiting for me.

"Lets go!" Nate hoots and leads us out of the room. 

"So you're going to be an artist?" I ask Meg as we follow Nate down the stairs.

"I'd like to be. Or a writer, but my dad would never let me." She looks at me with a sad smile.

"What? Why not?"

"He's told me I have to study economics at university, bacause I'm taking photography and fine art as A levels." She sighs.

"What are A levels?" I ask.

"Um, well we have them in England. You finish year eleven when you're sixteen and then study A levels until you're eighteen." She explains.

"Oh, kind of like Junior and Senior year of high school." I nod in understanding.

"Did you go to university?" Meg asks as we walk through the back door.

"Yeah, I just graduated. I studied art history." I smile and wish it was true. What I would give to really go to university.

We reach the gazebo and Nate begins to talk.

"Jenny, Megan and I are planning to take Allison and Claire to the park, Dad. Is that alright?" 

"Yes, yes of course. Do you want a guard with you?" Oliver asks as if it;s the most normal thing in the world to take a gurad to the park with you.

"No, we'll be fine." Nate shakes his head and calls the girls over. We head away from Oliver with smiles across all of our faces. At the front door Nate grabs a set of car keys and throws them to me.

"What are these for?" It's a stupid question, I know.

"It's for the minivan. Hope you're a good driver." Oh he has no idea.

"Why are you doing this for me?" I ask him.

"You're looking after the girls right? So someone needs to look after you, and why not me and Meg?" Nate answers and opens the front door. He spreads his arm to the side, "After you."