NANNY FOR MENDES.

Seven

I knock Raul's bedroom door.

"Can I come in?"

"Yes."

I walked into the room. He patted a spot on the bed next to him. I sat next to him.

"We're friends now, right?" I ask him.

"Yes."

"Okay then. Would you tell me now what was bothering you this afternoon?"

"Nothing happened, Soph."

"Really, Bear? You were crying. Your eyes were red. How nothing happened?"

"Okay. A boy in my school is bullying me."

"Bullying you? Why?"

"I don't know. He's just mean."

"Does Shawn know?"

"No. And I don't want to tell him."

"He has to know, Boo."

"He's busy enough, Soph. I don't wanna worry him for nothing. It's okay."

"It's not nothing and it's not okay."

"Don't tell him. Please."

"I won't. I promise. But you have to tell him."

"Okay. Maybe later."

"Okay, Boo. Okay. Go to sleep now. You have school tomorrow. Goodnight." I kissed him on the cheek.

"You remind me of Mommy. She used to kiss me on the cheek before she left."

This poor kid. He needs his mother.
I just smiled at him. I have nothing to tell him, because nothing will fill that void. I know that.

I turned off his light and went to the living room.
Shawn is sitting on the couch. I went to sit next to him.
"Can I tell you something?" I ask him.

"Go ahead."

"Okay. I know that you might think that it's none of my business.... But this boy needs his mother. Try to spend more time with him."

I'm standing up to head to the kitchen, when I feel a hand on my forearm.

"What makes you say this?"

I just look at his hand on my skin. What I'm feeling now is not a good indicator.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗮.

"Sorry." He said, pulling his hand back.

"It's okay." I answer, sitting back on the couch. "To answer you, what made me say this is your son. Simply. Because before I left his room, I kissed his cheek goodnight. He told me I reminded him of his mother. His exact words were "You remind me of Mommy. She used to kiss me on the cheek before she left." It breaks my heart that an 8-year-old kid misses his mother. I know that you and his mother got divorced. I know he lives with you now. But that doesn't mean that his mother shouldn't be around. At the end of the day, it's his mother. Okay. Say that it's weird for his mother now that you're divorced. What about you Shawn? He needs both of his parents. You're at work most of the time. He misses you. He misses his mother. Before you came back home today, I told him to eat. Not to wait for you. Do you know what he said? He said the only time he gets to spend with you is over dinner. I'm just telling you to try to make time for him. There's no way in hell there's no time at all in your schedule. That's your son. There should always be time for him."

He didn't say a single word. He's processing what I just said, sinking it all in.

"I know I only worked here today, but the situation here is obvious. A nanny isn't what your son needs. It's a parent is what he needs. Or 𝘸𝘩𝘰 he needs, rather."

Still, no response.

"Shawn, do you work on the weekend?"

"I do."

"Figured. Okay. Does his mother take him on the weekend?"

"No. I send him to my parents."

"Send him? You don't even drive him yourself?"

"Our chauffeur drives him."

"Okay Shawn. I just said what I needed to say. I hope you don't think I'm intrusive. It's just that what he told me in his room just a few minutes ago really upset me."

"Okay Sophia. Thank you. Be back here at 6AM tomorrow."

Apparently, what I just told him didn't even pass by his ear. Or maybe it did. And got out of the other ear.

"Okay Shawn. Goodnight."

"I'll walk you."
Oooh. Nice Shawn. Good.

"No need really."