Live-In Position (4 page)

Damn, I need some sun.
My skin looked drastically pale. I secretly hoped the vanity’s harsh bright light was to blame. Leaning in closer, I examined my face. No new breakouts, just the same blue eyes, and long dark brown hair. Tossing my hand towel next to the sink, my five minutes was up.

We had music playing while Victoria mixed the pancake batter and I finished the bacon. We were both singing when I heard someone walk into the kitchen. I spun around quickly and sighed in relief when I saw Mrs. Baker standing there with a look of amusement on her face.

“Good morning, lovelies,” she smiled.

“Good morning, Mrs. Baker,” Victoria and I chirped in unison.

“Did you wash her uniform yesterday?”

Victoria tensed. I put my hand on her shoulder.

“Yeah, I had to wash some things for myself so I just threw it in. You don’t mind do you?”

“Heck no!” she chuckled. “I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing a uniform.”

“You hungry?” I motioned to the bacon on the plate in front of me. “We have plenty.” I practically sang it out.

“Oh, I really shouldn’t, I have a lot of…”

“Oh, come on.” I grabbed an empty plate and placed it on the counter.

“Okay,” Mrs. Baker sat down. “Are you making the pancakes, Victoria?”

“Yep!” she smiled brightly at Mrs. Baker. “It took two cups of mix, one egg, one tablespoon of oil, and one cup of milk.”

“Good remembering,” I patted her butt lightly. “I think it’s all mixed up. Just need to get it the griddle.” I pulled at my hair to get it away from my face.

“Let me help you with that.” Mrs. Baker took my hair into her hands and twisted it into a knot.

“Thank you,” I breathed out and picked up the bowl to start pouring the batter into even circles.

“No problem,” she waved off my thanks. “I remember when I was younger and my hair was long like yours.”

I glanced to her as she reminisced.

“Of course, my hair was never that straight or soft. Have you ever dyed it or anything?”

“I thought about it. You know, like highlights or something. I even considered getting one of those chin length bobs at one point.” I shrugged.

“Don’t you dare,” Mrs. Baker scolded with a chuckle. “Your hair is gorgeous and it’s perfect on you. That dark brown really makes those baby blues stand out, and your porcelain skin…whew…what I wouldn’t give to be your age with that combination.”

I laughed lightly.

“Oh, you just wait ‘til you’re an old woman like me.”

“Nonsense,” I snapped at her playfully. “You are one hot mama,” I winked.

Victoria giggled, and I bumped hips with her.

We were all loudly entertaining ourselves as we ate our breakfast until a stiff throat clearing made me flip around in my seat. I was met with the cool gaze of Dr. Bishop.

“Collin, dear…” Mrs. Baker stood and walked over to him. “How are you this morning?”

“Good and you?” His eyes didn’t leave mine, but I tore from his gaze and looked down at my plate.

“Well, thanks to Victoria and Sophia, it has been a very wonderful morning.” I could hear the smile in her voice and saw it on her lips when I looked up. “Thank you for breakfast, dear.”

“No problem,” I smiled back before focusing on Victoria. “Let’s get this cleaned up, okay?” She nodded uneasily and we began cleaning things up.

“Are you hungry, Doctor Bishop?” I looked over my shoulder at him, shocked his eyes were still on me.

“No, thank you. I just came to grab some coffee.” His cool melodic words felt like the first winter frost against my spine. I shook it off and finished cleaning up the breakfast mess in the kitchen.

“Good morning, Victoria,” I watched her eyes widen before she turned around, a surprised look on her face.

“Good morning, Daddy.”

He walked past her and poured his coffee before leaving the room. Her face fell.

“Why don’t you head up to your room and get dressed? You have Karate class in about three hours so just put on something you can easily change out of later.” She nodded and ran toward the stairs.

“Don’t run in the house.” I felt the shiver against my spine again. I could have sworn he left the room, but when I looked I found him in the doorway of the kitchen, watching me.

“Is there something you wanted Dr. Bishop?” I had given up waiting for him to say whatever it was he needed to say.

“Did Victoria have her Spanish lesson yesterday?” He sipped his coffee, practically leering over the rim.

“No, sir. Roberto cancelled due to illness.” I wiped off the counter where Victoria had mixed the pancake batter.

“So what did the two of you do yesterday?” He raised one eyebrow at me. I was really starting to hate that little patch of hair above those hard emeralds.

“I took her to the park for some physical activity before we came home and practiced her math.” I turned back to the sink.

“The park?”

“Yes,” I answered shortly.

“I don’t think that is educational, Miss Ashwood.”

His tone was patronizing, just like it was during my interview. The bubbling of irritation started to rise inside of me.

“Roberto’s cancellation was very last minute so I went with a physical activity that would allow her enough time to practice her math before dinner.” I stood facing him from behind the counter.

For a moment, he looked as if he were trying to read my face before abruptly walking away.

Good god, he is such a ... a ... I tossed the cloth into the sink and headed toward Victoria’s room.
If I ever get my hands on hair clippers, that condescending eyebrow is getting buzzed off.

SEPTEMBER PASSED AND October arrived with a full color palette of orange, red, yellow, and brown. Victoria was coming along in her math. She still seemed to be struggling a little, but I swear the level of math they forced on first graders was absolutely criminal.

“Tomorrow is my big math test,” she sighed heavily as I tucked her into bed.

“You know what?”

She looked at me.

“If you get an A on your math test, I will let you dress me up however you want for the day.”

Her eyes lit up. “Two different shoes?”

I nodded, even though that remark was making me nervous about the deal.

“They can’t be like one heel and one tennis shoe though. I have to be able to walk.” She giggled and nodded. I kissed her head and switched off her light on the way to my room.

When I picked her up from school the next day, she was bouncing. She stopped right in front of me and held up a white paper with a large green A on it.

“I guess this means you’re dressing me up?” I raised an eyebrow at her mischievous grin.

We got home, and I made dinner before we had to leave for horseback riding.

Victoria insisted on cashing in on her dress-up reward. She dug through my closet, and even through hers, before finally assembling my outfit. Thankfully, I was allowed to wear my jeans since it was chilly outside but was humiliated by the rest of the outfit. I ended up wearing a fluffy, cotton candy pink sweater my dad bought me one year for my birthday, along with one green sock, one red sock, one black tennis shoe and the other white. A pink tulle tutu was tied around my waist.

“Are you serious?” I said as I examined myself in the floor length mirror.

“Oh, I’m not done yet,” she snorted.

She slid fingerless rainbow striped gloves on my hands, draped a purple scarf around my neck, and pulled a bright blue and white polka dot snow hat over my head. The kind with the puffball on top and the long strings that hang down from ear covers.

"Is the hat necessary?" I bent down onto my knees as she pulled it over my head.

"Yes, the hat draws attention to your blue eyes.”

"Oh, really? Or does my hair look so bad it needs a hat on it?"

She placed her hands on her hips and got very serious.

"Of course not, silly!"

"I was just checking." I straightened up and looked back into the mirror. "Really?" My reflection was taunting me.

“Yep, you look marvelous!” She giggled. I convinced her to let me put on a turtleneck and a t-shirt under the pink sweater, for warmth, and took one last look into the mirror before we left.

Claire, her riding instructor, looked me over with large, curious eyes while the other nannies, children, and parents laughed.

“Um, interesting outfit you’ve got there, Sophia.” Ella appeared next to me.

“She did it,” I yelled loud enough for Victoria to hear. I saw her giggle as Claire helped her onto her horse. “I told her if she aced her math test I would let her dress me up.” I did a spin. “You like?”

Ella laughed.

“It’s fabulous.” We stood talking during the lesson, and I realized the time flies when I actually have an adult to talk to. At exactly seven, we drove back to the house. We walked in the front door singing and dancing to a song we just heard on the car radio, but our fun came to a quick stop. A very thin, brown-haired woman met us. She was taking in my appearance with a rather critical eye.

“Aunt Allison,” Victoria ran and wrapped her arms around the woman’s waist. Aunt Allison patted Victoria’s head.

“How’s my favorite niece?” Her voice was controlled and arrogant.
She’s definitely related to Dr. Bishop.
Her appearance, however, was flawless. She had straight brown hair cut in a trendy angled bob. Perfectly trimmed eyebrows and make-up complimented her creamy complexion.

“Great! I just went riding, and I got an A on my math test.” Victoria beamed proudly at her aunt. Her aunt looked back at me.

“I’m guessing you’re the new nanny?”

I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

She looked me over again, causing the hair on my body to stand up straight.

“Aunt Allison, this is Sophia. I got to dress her up today because I got an A on my test.” Victoria giggled. “Doesn’t she look silly?”

Allison nodded with tightened lips.

“Al –” Dr. Bishop’s voice cut off when he took in my appearance. For a split second I thought his frozen scowl would crack into amusement, but instead he quickly looked back to his sister.

“Allison, I have these.” He handed her a folder and she opened it.

“These aren’t them,” she sighed. “Maybe Max has them.” She huffed and glanced at me. “Does she always go out in public like that?”

Dr. Bishop cleared his throat. “Um…”

“No. It was for Victoria,” I said as politely as I could. “Excuse me.” I walked past them and headed upstairs.

“Sophia,” Victoria called out. “Can you help me with my homework? It’s math again.”

“Sure, come on.” I motioned for her to follow me. She grabbed her bag and ran up the stairs after me.

I could feel their eyes following me the entire way up the steps.