Nanny for His Son
She wore a cute hat and carried a pug in her arms. The odd thing was, both she and the pug seemed to have given Henry the same smile.
Flustered, he managed a smile back.
“How old is our child?” she asked right away.
“Pardon?” Henry was puzzled.
“When we talked over the phone, you didn’t mention your son’s age.”
“He’s three… almost four.”
“Perfect…” she said, placing the pug on the floor. “Binky, go make friends.”
Binky waddled comically, taking her time to explore the new flat.
“Does Binky… your dog… bite?” Henry asked, feeling uneasy. But soon he heard delighted giggles coming from his son’s room.
As agreed, Henry returned home exactly at nine in the evening. Unlocking the door, he was struck by the quietness. Tiptoeing to his son’s room, he found a surprising scene in the dim light – Ben was asleep, with Binky curled up at his feet.
“You’re back?” came a whisper from behind.
Henry turned.
“As promised,” he whispered too, handing the lady some notes. “Thank you… But why is Ben asleep already? He’s usually awake until ten.”
“Because he had such a fun time,” she replied wearily. “If you’ll allow me…” She gently picked up Binky and headed to the hallway.
“Let me call a taxi for you,” Henry offered. “My treat…”
“No need… Binky and I still haven’t had our evening walk.”
“I insist,” Henry said firmly. “The weather is awful. Get home first, and then you can walk her as much as you like.”
She gave in, told him her address, and when he heard the fare, he handed her the extra amount.
“Thank you…” the nanny nodded. “I’ll wait for the cab outside.”
After she left, it dawned on Henry that he hadn’t even asked her name. He went to the bathroom and was surprised by the sight of neatly washed and dried children’s clothes stacked high.
“I never agreed to this!” he thought, annoyed. Then, entering the kitchen, his irritation grew. On the stove was a pot with a note: “Breakfast for Ben!”
Suddenly, his sister’s words popped into his head about trying to set him up, and he decided he wouldn’t hire this nanny again.
The next morning began with Ben jumping onto his bed.
“Dad, when is Aunt Judy coming?” his son shouted cheerfully.
“Aunt who?” Henry growled. “Ben, let me sleep.”
“Aunt Judy. The nanny who came yesterday.”
His sleepiness vanished instantly.
“She won’t be coming back!” he said firmly to his son. “Not ever.”
“Dad…” Ben’s eyes filled with dread, and Henry felt a pang of fear himself. “And Binky? Isn’t she coming back either?”
“No…” Henry replied quietly, then gathered himself and hugged Ben. “Want me to get you a puppy? Today! A little dog!”
Ben wriggled free from Henry’s arms and retreated to his room.
Breakfast was silent. Ben stared blankly into space.
“Ben, what’s up?” Henry tried soothing him softly. “What’s so special about Binky? We lived fine without her and can do so again. Who’s more important to you, me or a dog?”
“You are,” Ben said in a flat voice, stood up, and went to his room.
Henry lost his appetite. Gently, he approached the door, listening. Inside, he could hear his son quietly crying.
Returning to the kitchen, Henry pondered for a bit, grabbed his phone, and dialed the nanny’s number.
There was no answer for a long while, then a quiet voice said:
“I’m listening…”
“It’s Ben’s dad, you know, from yesterday,” Henry began, but a drunken male voice interrupted.
“Who’s calling you now?!” And he heard a string of curses.
“What’s happening there?” Henry asked worriedly. “Who’s with you?”
“Nothing…” the nanny replied tersely… “It’s… my ex-husband. He won’t leave me alone… Sorry… I’ll call you back myself…”
“I’ll call you back!” the drunk voice roared.
Then there was frantic barking, a woman’s scream, and a drawn-out whimpering from Binky.
The line went dead. Henry found his heart racing for some reason. Something clearly terrible was happening in the “lady with the dog” household.
The address where he’d sent the taxi yesterday popped into Henry’s mind. He didn’t know the flat number, but he had to do something…
Calling out to Ben, “I’ll be gone for a bit,” Henry rushed out the door. Within minutes, he was starting his car, and fifteen minutes later, he arrived at the address.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” he hurriedly approached an old lady nearby, “Does a lady with a dog in a hat live here? Do you know the flat number?”
A few minutes later, Henry was on the fifth floor, standing outside a door where he could hear an angry male voice ranting drunkenly.
Henry pressed the doorbell and held it until a man appeared at the door.
“Who are you?” the man asked rudely, only to fall back from a well-placed punch…
Henry, holding back his animosity, patiently waited for the man to rise, wiping blood from his face.
“If you come back here, I’ll throw you out the window. Now get going.” Henry signaled to the door. “And don’t even think about it…”
The ex-husband vanished. Henry entered the bleak room. The nanny was in a chair, quietly weeping, holding Binky close, just like Ben had done.
Henry’s heart ached.
“Are you okay?” he asked her. Meeting her puzzled glance, he clarified: “I meant, is Binky okay? I heard her yelping…”
“She’s fine,” the nanny nodded wearily. Then she whispered, “How I hate him…”
“He won’t come back. I promise you.”
“He will…” she said hopelessly. “You don’t know him…”
“And you don’t know me!” He smiled, approached her, took the trembling Binky from her, and awkwardly petted her. “She’s so nice to the touch… No wonder Ben is crazy about her… Let’s go, Judy…”
“What?” she said, confused. “Where?”
“To Ben, of course… He’s waiting for you and Binky. A lot.”
“Are you joking?…” She studied him closely.
“No… I’m not joking…” Henry replied, looking straight into her eyes. He couldn’t understand what was happening to him, but he knew one thing – everything he was doing felt right.
“Staying here isn’t an option. Plus… the breakfast you made for Ben, he’ll only eat it if you’re there…”
Henry, with Binky in his arms, headed to the door.
“Catch up with me, Judy. By the way, I’m Henry. I’ll wait by the car for you.”
“Alright…” she nodded, still seated. “I just need to gather myself… And I’ll follow…”
