Noelle (Babysitter’s Club 4)

My body went from hot to cold and back in seconds and my head swam with visions that were too quick to grasp. Even the scents and sounds seemed to change as I looked around the room taking it in.

I didn’t have time to dwell on my confusing feelings. In fact I was rudely jarred back to the here and now by the door being slammed behind us as she came in.

He stopped and turned at the bottom of the stairs with his hand on my wrist, his body turned in such a way as if he were protecting me.

Outside the sound of a car pulling rapidly down the dirt road leading up to the driveway was heard just seconds before another door slammed.

Maybe that’s the thing in these parts, slamming doors. I relaxed a little when the woman Sheila, his mom, came in. She was the only familiar face in this bunch.

“Hi mom, what brings you here?” Her focus was on the Trudy person, at least I think that’s who she was. No one had bothered making any introductions as yet.

For all I know she could be a loony cousin who lives in the attic. She looked the part. But she wasn’t looking so scary now as she backed away from Sheila’s glare.

“I remembered that this child was coming in today and thought I’d better come on over before there’s trouble.” Each word was aimed at Trudy who seemed to be getting smaller with every passing second.

“I see you found the place okay Noelle.” She swiveled her head my way with that same winning smile I remembered from the day we met and all I could do was nod as I swallowed.

I was swallowing nervously because the woman I met had been a sweet grandmotherly type, if a bit young in her fifties maybe.

She’d been dressed conservatively in a nice summer dress, though her makeup had been minimal and she didn’t look the sort to go overboard with her appearance.

This version wore denim overalls over a white Henley, with a man’s work boots on her feet and a red bandana pulled over the curls that were an exact replica of her son’s with a slight smattering of grey.

It wasn’t so much her state of dress that gave me pause though, as much as it was the rifle she carried like someone way too comfortable with using it. No wonder Trudy looked like she was trying to disappear into the wall.

“I told you not to worry mom, I have it all under control.” She flicked a glance his way and her whole face changed with the smile. “Where’s my sweet baby? She still down for her nap?”

“Yes mom, Isabelle is still asleep and don’t you go waking her up either. This teething thing has turned her into a right terror.”

He smiled when he said it and I bit back the sigh that would’ve been way too loud in the two hundred year old plantation house with the high ceilings and extremely large rooms.

“I told you I could…” Trudy made as if to step forward but both mother and son gave her a look that had her hanging her head and looking down at the floor. Exactly what is it that she’d done again?

I knew they were no longer an item, but for the life of me I can’t remember why that was. And of course Sheila never did go into too much detail when we met that one time.

But it had been obvious from the minor mention of her the day of the interview that she was not well liked by her ex-mother in law. But it seems the husband didn’t bear her any warm feelings either.

Noelle

There was a heaviness in the air that wasn’t there before and I looked around at the other three to see if they felt it as well.

Something was brewing beneath the surface and once again I felt that lethargy in my limbs, as if I were wading through something thick and cloying.

Then Sheila spoke and broke the spell. “Well I know you can handle it son, but seeing as how I’m the one who hired her I thought it only right I be here to welcome her and see that all goes smoothly.”

Again her speech seemed directed at Trudy before she turned back to me, and Callan. “You go on ahead and show our girl around. I guess it’ll take her a day or two to learn her way around.”

Try month, not day. The place was huge with as many twists and turns as expected from the design which could be seen from outside.

With each step that sense of familiarity kept growing, even the feel of his hand that had yet to release its hold on mine felt like it should be.

My mouth may, or my not have hung open up the staircase with its intricate design of climbing vines and berries.