Nanny with Benefits

“Okay. I just need to grab my briefcase and run. I’ve left every number and address you’ll need on the countertop. Linda at kindergarten knows you’re the new nanny, so I’ve signed for you to be the responsible person in terms of drop-off and pick-up duties. Thanks so much. I’m impressed you’re here early. Rhonda, my personal secretary, will be delighted I’m in early too. She’s been dealing with the headaches for the past few days.”

I was about to speak, and then Alexis entered wearing a pink set of clothing. It was made up of a cute rainbow tee and denim pants. “You look beautiful, Dada! But Clara doesn’t like that silly tie.” She noticed me immediately. “Karly-good-girl! You’re just in time for the curly wurly hair machine. How many minutes do I have, Dada?”

Damon looked at his watch. “Twenty-two! Give Dada a kiss so he can go now, please.”

Alexis skipped over to her father. He bent down, and she kissed him with a smile plastered on her cute, cheeky face. “Bye, Dada. Karly’s here now. You go get ’em!”

“Bye, Clara and Alexis and Karly.” I watched his gorgeous physique depart through the front door. God really—definitely—broke the mold by making him.

“Bye!” Alexis and I said at the same time. Clara also had her hand up in a wave with that stitched smile, keeping everyone entertained.

The morning flew by, and I found myself in a whirl and feeling great as I dropped Alexis along with Clara off for kindergarten. Linda was an absolute dream and was genuinely happy I was her new nanny. She also said Clara had been a godsend for Alexis’s coping skills, that the doll had been a real help in aiding her self-esteem too. Although, truth be told, Clara was only allowed to sit on her “special shelf” during kindergarten. That was so Alexis could fully become involved with the other children and activities, which helped her social skills to grow.

When I got back to the penthouse apartment, there was a list of chores to take care of: laundry, some dusting, cleaning, tidying up Alexis’s room, and meal preparation for dinner. I would be staying for dinner, and when Damon got home, I’d be allowed to go home as well. It was a full-on, activity-driven morning, and I was coping pretty well for my first day.

Before I knew it, it was time to pick up Alexis from kindergarten. I couldn’t believe how quickly those few hours had flown by. At the apartment, I watched Alexis with her spaghetti bolognese. She was thoroughly enjoying it.

“Remember how I told you Clara doesn’t eat?”

I smiled at her. “Yes, I remember.”

“Well, she thinks you’re the funniest nanny in the whole wide world now, and all day on the special shelf, she was giggling about it.”

I smiled at her as she slurped spaghetti into her mouth. “Well, I think Clara is funny too! And she has the best stitch smile I’ve ever seen.”

She nodded in agreement, overcompensating with the mannerism. “Yep!” I watched her little face change. “I am fuller than a bear in the woods eating picnic basketetts.”

Her cute word prompted my attention. “Basketetts?”

“If that’s the wrong word, you’ll have to tell Clara. She gets them wrong sometimes. I’m still trying to learn her.”

I looked at Clara, who had her own chair at the table and that same unique smile. “Oh. Clara, it’s ‘baskets.’”

Alexis looked at me again. “Thank you. She will try and member. I mean remember. It’s time to wash up, and then, well, I don’t know. Do you know, Karly-good-girl?”

“I have something marvelous planned for us!” I said in a big, motivational voice.

Her face brightened immediately, looking cuter than ever as the bolognese mixed with her dimples. “Oh, cool. Let’s go!”

We spent the afternoon reading about dinosaurs and filling in some worksheets that were a part of her afternoon activity schedule. We read about a princess who was upset that she was locked in a tower for ten years, and then we did a “fuzzy puzzle” that had a message hiding in the picture until you completed it.

After a time, I looked at the clock to check on the lasagna timing. Dinner was at six o’clock in this household. Damon would probably have his later. I left Alexis to her TV time and made a salad with dressing on the side so Alexis could choose if she liked it or not.

“Honey, I’m home!” The voice filtered in from down the hallway. Alexis’s face lit up, and she ran to see her dad. He looked as good as he had this morning, although his tie was undone and his shirt unbuttoned to a few holes down.

“Something smells amazing,” he said as he held Alexis in his arms. He looked at me as I added a few finishing touches to the salad.