Chapter 3
EPOV
I was surprised but relieved when Sookie accepted the job on the spot, as much as I was still a little unsure about my selection, I sure as hell didn’t want to start that whole process over again. I had reluctantly set aside my idea of what the perfect nanny should be opting rather to go along with a small voice in my head that said this was what was best for Holly. I just wished the voice was louder but I prayed this gamble paid off.
With most of my work wrapped up for the weekend I decided to call it a day so I would have ample time to talk to Holly about Sookie’s visit in the morning, get her fed and get her to wind down by her bed time. Holly knew we were looking for someone more permanent to look after her during the day but I hadn’t really told her much more than that yet. With her fifth birthday right around the corner, Holly was not your typical four year old; her comprehension level was pretty high and her vocabulary could rival that of most teenagers today. I practically begun reading to her the day she came home from the hospital. My ex-wife of course thought I was ridiculous reading law journals and legal briefs to a newborn but I saw it as a way for me to get done what I needed to yet still be able to spend time with my daughter. Of course as she got older and more alert my reading selection became more age appropriate but when she began talking I made it a point to teach her as many words as I could regardless of how absurd it sounded hearing a two year old say “ostrich”.
So it wasn’t that she couldn’t understand was going on, it was just that I didn’t want the added stress of having to give her an update everyday while we were searching. The only thing bigger than my child’s vocabulary was her inquisitive nature and I promise she could what and why with the best of them.
o~O~o
“Come here Little Bit, I want to talk to you about something.” I called to Holly from the living room. We had just gotten home from dinner where somehow the little con artist had managed to get another night of pizza out of me.
“If this is about Barbie’s hair…she wanted it cut.” Holly said walking into the living room. I swear one day, if she chooses, my daughter is going to make a kick ass attorney ‘cause she could argue her way out of or justify almost anything.
“What…no this isn’t about your Barbies but apparently we will be talking about them in a few minutes.” I said as I watched her solemn face brighten then return somber. I sat down in the oversized chair and waited as she crawled up in my lap. With one arm around her, I held my other hand up and she placed her tiny hand against it lining up our fingers and thumbs together. In the last two or more years I could not recall a night that we did not go through this little ritual. Once our palms were together Holly would comment on the difference in size each day stating that her hand was a little bit bigger than the day before.
“It’s bigger today, look Daddy, see right here?”
“I believe you may be right baby.” I said kissing the top of her head. “Holly, you know Bill and I have been looking to find someone to stay with you and watch you during the day, right?” I waited then continued after she nodded her head.
“Well, we think we’ve found somebody but I want you to meet her and spend a little time with her to see what you think how does that sound?”
“What if I don’t like her? I mean what if she’s like Mrs. Fortenberry? I don’t like Mrs. Fortenberry.”
I couldn’t blame her there; I wasn’t a real fan of Maxine Fortenberry either. When we opened the firm we were young and inexperienced so we chose to hire the most experienced staff we could afford and she was brought on as Paralegal Supervisor but over the years she had gotten downright mean and on more than one occasion had voice her displeasure with Holly being in the office. But once she is respectfully reminded whose signature is in bottom right hand corner of her paycheck she moves on to some other subject.
“Well, that’s why we want you to meet her…to see if you like her. But I promise you she is nothing like Mrs. Fortenberry.”
“When do I have to meet her?” I could tell by her use of “have” rather than “get” that she was very apprehensive about this get-together.
“She’s coming by in the morning at 10:00 so you can show her around and talk with her a while. Okay?”
“Kay.” She said and after a few minutes she asked, “Daddy, can you tell me about her?”
I spent the next little while telling her what I knew about Sookie; well the things that would interest a four year old and she asked more questions. By the time her bath and bedtime rolled around, much to my relief, she sounded like she was actually looking forward to the visit.
And again I prayed that this was the right move.
o~O~o
“Holly….we have company.” I sang down the hall as I made my way to the front door silently noting the fact that clock on the DVR said 10:00 on the nose.
I opened the door to see Sookie standing there dressed casually in a pair of white pants with a bluish-purplish top, I’m sure there was some fancy name for the color but to me it was bluish-purplish, and a pair of white sandals.
“Sookie…welcome. Won’t you come in?” I said stepping aside to let her pass.
“Good morning Eric, I hope you’ll pardon me while I gawk at your beautiful home.” She joked.
“Of course…I appreciate the compliment. Did you find us ok?”
“I did, your directions were flawless.”
Suddenly we were interrupted by the thumping of little feet on the hardwood floor.
“Daddy, is this her?” Holly asked as she clung to the side of my pant leg.
“Yes Holly, this is Ms. Sookie Stackhouse.” I answered.
“Hello Holly, how are you this morning?” Sookie asked as she squatted down to Holly’s level, her face appearing like she genuinely cared about the answer.
“I’m fine.” Holly answered. “You have a funny name.”
“Holly! That’s not very nice!” I scolded but fortunately Sookie was laughing and didn’t appear to be put out by my daughter’s sudden lack of manners.
“Daddy, it’s not a bad name, it’s just a funny one.” Holly argued but was still timid from my reaction.
“It’s ok Holly, my name is very different and it is a little funny. We may just have to come up with a nickname for you to call me, ok.” Sookie offered.
“OK.” Holly said as the smile returned to her face. “I like your blouse, that’s a pretty color.” She added.
“Why thank you Holly. This is called periwinkle, it’s my favorite color.” Sookie told her. Or bluish-purplish.
“I like it too.” Holly said with a grin.
“Well, why don’t we go in the living room where we can talk for a little while?” I motioned toward the living room and allowed Sookie to lead the way.”
“You’re right daddy; she does look like a princess.” Holly whispered except Holly had not yet mastered whispering so her words could easily be heard in the next room never mind just three feet ahead where Sookie currently was. Lord, just kill me now. If Sookie heard, she made no indication and since the floor was obviously not going to swallow me up and put me out of my misery I chose to verbally ignore the comment but rather smiled and nodded to Holly.
“Have a seat Sookie.” I said pointing to the couch and I took a seat in the chair. I expected Holly to come crawl in my lap and was surprised that she chose to take a seat beside Sookie on the couch.
“My daddy says you can teach me to swim.” Holly said jumping right in.
“If you want to learn how to swim, and it’s ok with your dad, then we’ll find a pool and I’ll teach you how to swim.” Sookie said with a smile.
“We have a pool, but I don’t get in it much because daddy’s too busy most of the time.” Holly said matter-of-factly.
My heart broke a little when she mentioned I was too busy, I mean we were together virtually around the clock so it was easy sometimes for me to forget that most of that time was spent doing what I needed to do rather than what she wanted to do.
“Well, if you have a pool then I have to teach you to teach you.” Sookie said after receiving an approving nod from me. “Because having a pool and not being able to swim is like having a bowl of ice cream and not having a spoon.” Sookie tease and Holly giggled.
“What else can we do?” Holly asked and Sookie turned on the couch pulling one leg under the other so she could face Holly.
“Well, I thought some days we could go to the museums. We can go to the library, we can go to movies. We can go shopping some and I could even teach you to cook a little.” Sookie began to list other things they could do together but Holly’s eyes lit up when she mentioned cooking.
“You’ll teach me to cook in the big kitchen?”
“Of course, you can’t expect your dad to cook all the meal can you?”
“Daddy doesn’t cook!” Holly said sounding appalled at the mere suggestion. Sookie looked over at me.
“I…er…no I don’t cook.” I don’t know why all of a sudden I was embarrassed by that fact but there it was.
“Eric, I’m sorry I wasn’t implying anything…just…well, what do you do for meals?”
“We eat out.” Again for some unknown reason I was embarrassed.
“All of them?” Sookie asked incredulously.
“Well…yeah…practically.” I said trying to find my defensive voice but failing miserably.
“That’s not healthy, not to mention ridiculously expensive.” She countered.
“I know, but there’s only one of me, I’ve done the best that I could.” I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to justify myself to her when I really wanted to yell “that’s none of your damn business” but there was a part of me that like the fact that she honestly seemed to care.
That little voice in my head that had been sticking up for her all along was beginning to get a little louder.
“Well, that stops now.” She said with surprising authority. “From now on, I’ll cook the nights I’m here and I’ll make sure there is food for you guys when I’m not.”
I nodded my head, for some reason afraid to respond any other way but mentally reminded myself to adjust her salary to accommodate the additional service. Meanwhile Holly got off the couch and came over to me in the chair.
“Daddy, is she going to put you in time-out?” Holly asked apparently concerned about my wellbeing.
We all laughed and I picked her up and pulled her into my lap.
“No, honey but you better be glad you got pizza three times this week, because I don’t think that’s going to happen again.” I informed her. Knowing the addiction my daughter had to an Italian pie I expected this revelation to upset her or at a minimum elicit a pout but no.
“Daddy it will be ok, she’s going to teach me to cook healthy stuff.” The little traitor said and I marveled at how quickly female bonds are created.
“OK well…Holly why don’t you show Sookie around while I go check my messages and email? You remember which room we decided would be hers, right?”
“Come on Sookie, I’ll show you your room and then we can go play in mine.” Holly offered her hand to Sookie as she got up off the couch and they began their tour.
I spent quite awhile in my office answering emails and returning calls not because I was particularly busy but because I wanted Holly to be able to spend some time alone with Sookie before we made our final decision. After about 30 minutes I quietly made my way to Holly’s room. Yes I was eavesdropping, but it’s my house and my daughter, so I didn’t feel guilty one damn bit.
“…I’m sure she was looking for something a little shorter for the summer, but what is she going to do now in the fall when she wants it longer and her hair doesn’t grow back?” Sookie reasoned.
“I guess I didn’t think of that.” Holly replied. “I better not cut any more of their hair, huh?”
“I think that would be wise. But at least you only cut one of them; all the others still have long hair.”
And the little voice in my head got a little louder still.
SPOV
The conflict that was going on in my head was insane. I had just landed my college dream job and could finish my degree without worrying about money, late hours or having to decide between moving in with Sam or getting a new roommate. But there would be no celebrating; the best that I could hope for tonight was damage control.
I stopped at the store on the way home and picked up what I needed to make Sam’s favorite dish, a meal that was not a particular favorite of mine but every little thing helps. Right?
I had just finished preparing dinner when I heard the key in the door followed by Sam’s footsteps towards the kitchen.
“Something smells wonderf…oh shit Sookie! You took the damn job didn’t you?”
TBC
