To Another
1113 Words
MILIANI
I blinked, utterly confused but I didn’t have the heart to correct him so I forced a small, hesitant smile.
“That’s enough, Keene. Let her go”. His voice quite firm yet unkind.
“But—”
“Now, Keene” the man said, more sternly this time.
Reluctantly, the boy released me, his small hands dropping to his sides. He pouted but didn’t argue, casting one last hopeful glance at her before stepping back and some men walked up to take him away.
“Come with me.” He instructed me, his hands tucked into his pocket as he led me into his office and then leaned back in his chair, his sharp gaze fixed on me like a predator sizing up its prey. The air between us was thick with unspoken tension.
Right there, it clicked. I knew I had seen his face somewhere. It was the same man I bumped into at the bar back at New York. What was he doing here? Was he stalking me? I had a billion questions running through my mind. What the hell was happening?
“So,” he said, his tone deceptively casual, “did life turn out the way you planned when you walked away? I mean.... I’m baffled. Was the new life worth it or did it disappoint you in the end?”
“I.... I do not think I quite understand what you mean, sir.” I tried to remain calm. He chucked and waved his hands dismissively before asking me to sit.
“Just like you heard, there is no open position at the office but you come highly recommended so.... I cannot allow you let you go. I hear how desperate you are for a job hence there is a position open at my house... You met my son earlier and I am in need of a maid. No. A nanny for my son.”
His lips thinned into a grin.
“However, the pay will be very generous, more than you could’ve hoped for, considering your current situation.”
“I’ll take the job.”
He let out a low chuckle and leaned backward.
“You’ll be living in my house, under my roof, all day, every day. I don’t want someone who comes and goes. You’ll be with us constantly, and your duties won’t stop at just the job. You’ll be... available when needed... so you won’t slip away.... again.”
I wanted to speak but then, decided to be quiet.
“So, when do I start? When do I resume?” I probed.
“Immediately.” He responded.
I blinked, caught off guard by the abruptness of his response, but before I could process it, he continued, his voice taking on a slightly colder edge.
“My driver is downstairs. He will take you to the hospital. You’ll undergo a basic health check—just a precaution. I want to make sure you’re... fine. I wouldn’t just want anyone being around my son.
Once that is done and you are fine, he would bring you back here. We’ll go over the contract, the basic things you need to know about my son, and the details of your role. If everything works out, we’ll arrange for you to collect your belongings. Then, you’ll head home with me.”
His words were cold, like they were a matter of fact, not open for negotiation.
“That’s fine by me.” I nodded. The trip to the hospital and everything went smoothly. He seemed pretty impressed by the result. I still found it so hard to grasp that all of this was happening in just one day.
“Good. Now, I am very protective of my son and any slight mistake can get you arrested so I would advise you to listen very well. You have to clean his room, take care of his laundry, keep an eye on his assignment, read him his bed time stories and make sure he is never bored.
Also, he is lactose intolerant and....”
“Oh, that makes two of us.” I muttered absent mindedly. His brows arched as he frowned. “I am sorry, I am also lactose intolerant and....”
“I know that but this is not about you. This is about o.... this is about my son.”
“I am sorry sir.” I cleared my throat. “Now....” He handed some papers over to me. “Go through this contract and sign it.”
You are strictly prohibited from engaging in any romantic or personal relationships with other household members or any guests or clients of the employer.
You are not permitted to leave the premises with the employer’s son without prior written notice from the employer.
You shall maintain a strictly professional relationship with the employer’s son at all times. Any form of emotional attachment, including but not limited to affection or personal bonding, is strictly prohibited. Your relationship must remain entirely work-related.
You are not to enter the employer’s personal quarters or bedroom under any circumstances unless explicitly instructed by the employer.
The clauses just seemed so weird but nothing seemed too out of place hence I signed it. Just like he said earlier, the driver took me to the motel to get my stuff and we headed to his house.
I suddenly felt a wave of nausea hit me and I hurried to the bathroom to throw up. He stood, watching me, his hands folded in his pocket. What the heck was happening to me, that too, on the first day of resumption?
“I am sorry.... I just... I think I ate something earlier today that didn’t sit well with me. My stomach’s been a little off since, and I’m sorry if I seem out of sorts. It won’t repeat itself.” I pleaded.
“Clean up yourself and come downstairs to introduce yourself officially to my son.” He spoke and stepped out. My head was banging really hard, my heart skipping a beat.
For days, I had been feeling nauseous and weak and sensitive but I had termed it to be stress. Two days ago, when I tried to button her pants that morning, they felt tighter than they should.
When I reached for a cup in the shelf a week ago, my chest felt tender, the usual comfortable weight of my body now sensitive to the touch. I’d been tracking my cycle for years, always knowing when it was due. But now, it had been almost three weeks since I’d expected it.
Could this be...... No! I couldn’t possibly be pregnant, could I?
- Writer
