Page 19 of Miss Trust

Tory

Ihid my awe over the grandeur of the house as Mona, a tiny slip of a woman, gave us a tour. Although it was only a single story, it reminded me more of a compound than a home. It was gorgeous, though, from its open-space concept to the beautiful pool outside.

“The house has eight bedrooms and ten bathrooms.”

Anytime a house had more bathrooms than bedrooms, you knew it was for rich people.

When we came to our suite of bedrooms, I was speechless. It was the nicest thing I’d ever seen. Penelope wasn’t quite so reserved, squealing and twirling around as though she was in a palace. It was bittersweet to see her so happy but know I wasn’t the one who could provide this for her.

“Each bedroom has one bed, but we can move Penny into your room if you prefer.”

We’d always shared a room, but my little girl was all about having her own.

“Mommy, can I please have my own room?” We had just stepped into the adjoining room, which had the sort of canopied bed you saw in the movies. Of course Penny would want to sleep here. It seemed as though someone had especially prepared it to be a little girl’s space with pink linens and a flowered bedspread.

“Yes, but I’ll need to get a monitor.” I had to ensure I could hear her in the middle of the night or if I was on the other side of the compound. I’d noticed the kitchen was a fair distance from our suite.

Mona smiled. “I figured you’d need one in this big house, so I picked up this.” She held up the box she’d put on the nightstand. The packaging indicated it contained a portable camera and monitor kit. “What’s nice is you can have the monitor on you in the house, but you can also download an app which gives you a live view on your phone in case you’re out of range of the house.”

Daisy spoke up. “How wonderful.”

“Yeah.” It was wonderful. It was also overwhelming. “Um, I should bring in our suitcases.”

Mona smiled. “How about I help, so we can chat some more? You probably have some questions for me.”

“I’ll stay with Penelope,” Daisy offered.

We walked through the house and out to the car. I could see the truck was down the hill, unloading all of my belongings into the garage.

“I’m sure this is a lot,” Mona started.

“It is overwhelming. I just hope I’m making the right decision.” On paper, it was a no-brainer. Accept a job in a gorgeous mansion in Malibu, get much-needed medical insurance and a ticket into Children’s Hospital. But in my brain, I was waiting for the catch. In my life, there had always been a catch.

She gave me a soft smile. “Chance told me about why you took the job, and if you worry about trusting him, I can tell you one hundred percent he’s a man of his word. Of course, I’m biased given I’ve been with him since he was six weeks old.”

“You have?”

“Oh, yes. I was his nanny, and when Reid came along, I took care of him too. I love those boys as if they were my own. And although they have their faults, believe me when I say they’re both good men.”

This was comforting to hear considering my sister was in love with Reid. As for my new boss, I wasn’t anywhere close to trusting him. “Chance mentioned you were a teacher?”

“I was a kindergarten teacher, both in the Philippines where I’m from and then here in the US. After teaching for twenty years, I decided to become an in-home nanny. I’m first-aid trained, and although I’ve been retired from being a nanny the last few years, I love spending time with children. They keep me young.”

Frankly, she didn’t look old enough to be retired, but good for her. “Why are you coming out of retirement?”

“I live local and was already getting the house situated for him since it’s so close to mine. When he told me you were coming, I offered to help. I figured if I worked here Monday through Friday, it would allow you to deal with the contractors and whatever else you have going on. But I’m happy to babysit on weekends or nights, too, if you need it. We can go over a preschool curriculum if you’re agreeable. Of course, it will depend on how Penny is feeling. I imagine after chemo she’s not much for school.”

“Yes, she normally sleeps a lot. I have to ensure she keeps eating and drinking.” Thinking of the fact she was about to begin chemo again made me sick to my stomach.

“A friend of mine went through treatment, and I would make her smoothies. The ice was soothing to her mouth, and it was a good way for her to get her protein, fruit, and vitamins.”

It was a good idea, one I hadn’t thought of doing. We got to the car, and I decided to broach the most critical question. “I should ask how much you charge.”

Surprise was reflected in her expression. “Actually, Chance has made arrangements to pay me.”

“He must be mistaken. He pays me a wage and has offered me to live rent-free, so I’m absolutely paying you directly.” I suddenly wondered when I would get my first paycheck.

She smiled. “As you wish. In that case, I think forty dollars a day would be fair.”