Jasper
“Once again, I am terribly sorry for the little incident earlier this evening. Please send me the dry-cleaning bill.”
“That won’t be necessary, Scott. It was just an accident. I hope you weren’t too hard on the young gentleman; he did provide exceptional customer service.”
“Thank you again, Mr. Harding. We look forward to seeing you back here very soon. You and your family have a wonderful evening.”
“We will, thank you. And you as well.”
We grab our coats from the coatrack and then exit the restaurant. Once we’re outside, I look to my left and notice a young man sitting on the concrete pavement with his knees curled up to his chest, and his head buried between them. When he raises his head, I immediately recognize him as the young waiter who served me earlier.
“Wait here, kids. I’ll be back in a moment.”
“Hello again,”
I say as I approach him.
He raises his head to look at me, and I can see his bloodshot, watery eyes.
“Oh, hello,”
he responds, quickly wiping his eyes.
“Are you all right? Have you been crying?”
“I, ah … I’m okay, just allergies.”
The old allergies routine that people try and pull on you whenever they’re trying to avoid telling you what’s really on their mind.
“That’s not going to work with me,”
I tell him.
“Excuse me?”
“The whole ‘allergies’ thing. You don’t have to be ashamed of crying just because you’re a man.”
“I’m fine, really.”
He now gets to his feet, keeping his back firmly pressed against the wall. “I’m awfully sorry about earlier. I just lost my balance.”
“Absolutely no apology necessary. It was just an accident. Is that what you’re so upset about?’
“No, not really … well, maybe kind of.”
“Honestly, it’s just a suit. It can be replaced; no harm has been done. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“It’s not that. I was fired.”
“Fired?”
“Yeah.”
“Over a silly misunderstanding?”
I question.
“Among other things. It just hasn’t been my day today.”
“Well, I happen to be a close, personal friend of Scott’s. I could go and talk to him for you if you like and see if we can sort something out.”
“No!”
he answers, quickly. “Thank you, but I don’t need you to go in there and fight my battles for me. I really appreciate the gesture, but I don’t think it’s a very good idea.”
I look over at the kids who are busy playing on their phones and talking amongst themselves. I don’t normally take a personal interest in strangers, but there is just something about this man that has me drawn to him. I don’t know what it is, and I also feel somewhat responsible for him losing his job.
“I can’t help but feel as though I may be responsible for all this.”
“Why would you feel responsible? You don’t even know me. And besides, it’s not like you intentionally got me fired.”
“Yes, I realize that, but if that wine hadn’t have spilled all over me, you would probably still have your job. I mean if it were anyone else, I’m sure it wouldn’t have been such a big deal. Scott is probably just a little embarrassed about what happened in his restaurant because of who I am.”
His eyes immediately travel the length of my entire body as he examines me from head to toe. And then when his eyes finally lock with mine, I take the opportunity to study him. Jet black, fuzzy hair, baby blue eyes, a narrow jaw, perky lips, masculine shoulders and arms and manly hands. Very veiny and manly hands. This guy is exceptionally well put together.
“Look, Mister, I don’t know who you are, and quite frankly, I don’t care, no offense.”
“None taken.”
He picks up his backpack and swings it over his left shoulder.
“Are you on your way home?”
“I don’t have a home. Not anymore anyway.”
“Oh?”
I inquire.
“It’s complicated, and quite upsetting to talk about, to be honest. Actually, it’s one of the reasons why I was fired.”
“Dad, are we leaving?”
Violet, my daughter, calls out to me.
“In a minute, sweetheart,”
I reply, then look back at the man. “You were saying?”
“I was saying that I really should be going. And so should you. By the sound of it, your daughter is waiting for you.”
“You just told me you didn’t have a home, so where are you going?”
“Is that really any of your business?”
he snaps. Then, obviously noticing the shocked look on my face, he adds, “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m the one who should be sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“Look, I appreciate you coming to check on me, but I can assure you I am fine and you have nothing to worry about. I’ll just check myself into a cheap hotel until I can figure out what to do next.”
I study him for a few very long seconds, and I know I don’t know this guy very well at all, but I feel like I’m compelled to help him.
“Please, let me help you.”
“And how do you propose to help me? I don’t know you and you clearly don’t know a thing about me.”
“My name is Harding.”
I stretch out my hand for him to shake. He studies it for several seconds, then reaches out and takes my hand.
“Harley. Harley Valentine.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Harley.”
“Nice to meet you, as well,”
he replies.
“Wait, you said Harding?”
“Yes.” I nod.
“As in, multi billionaire investment banker, Harding?”
“You’ve heard of me.”
“Who hasn’t? You’re only one of the richest men in America. I have heard a lot about you but haven’t really seen your face. I don’t watch much television. But aren’t you from France?”
“Originally, yes. I moved to America when I was a teenager.”
“Your accent is kind of muddled,” he says.
“Yeah, I get that a lot. To tell you the truth, I don’t even know what I sound like anymore. Harley, please let me help. I feel awful about what’s happened to you, and even though you insist it’s not my fault, I can’t help but feel responsible.”
His eyes wander around the perimeter, before finally landing on my children. He spends a few seconds just staring at them and not saying a single word for the time being, then when he focuses his eyes back on me, I try and give him a reassuring smile.
“I don’t know what you’re going through, Harley, but would you rather we stand out here in the cold freezing our asses off, or go and sit down inside a café somewhere and we can talk?”
He considers me again. There’s been a lot of eye contact between the two of us tonight, and it hasn’t necessarily been just between the eyes either. I can smell his manly musky scent, a combination of smoke, alcohol, and food. Our gazes pierce right through each other and the longer we stand out here, the more I find myself increasingly intrigued by this man that I know so very little about. I don’t know what more I can say to him to make him understand that all I’m trying to do is help him.
“I could go for a coffee,”
he finally answers.
“Perfect.”
I walk back to the kids and hear him follow close behind me. We walk a few blocks before stopping outside one of the cafés.
“I thought we were going home?”
my oldest son, Tristan, asks.
“There’s been a change of plans, Tristan. Let’s go inside. Hot drinks for everyone.”
We step inside the café. It’s fairly crowded and there doesn’t seem to be any available tables. One of the waitstaff approaches us and acknowledges me with a smile.
“Good evening, sir. Do you have a reservation?”
“Ah, no we don’t. We were kind of just hoping to grab some hot drinks.”
“I don’t have a table available inside, but there are a few tables available out back. It’s fully enclosed and has heating.”
“That would be fine, thank you.”
She grabs five menus from behind the counter and ushers us through the crowded restaurant. We proceed through another section of the restaurant which leads to an outdoor area and she takes us to a table. The five of us sit down and she places a menu in front of each of us, then walks away and back through the doors into the restaurant. I angle my eyes over the top of the menu and notice Harley scrolling through his on the opposite side of the table, then my eyes shift to the children who are also scanning the drink menu in front of them.
After some time, the waitress returns to our table, I give her our orders and hand her the menus. Harley sits beside me and I can tell that he’s tense, not surprising, considering he is sitting down about to have a drink with a practical stranger and his kids. And, if I’m being completely honest with myself, this is a little awkward for me, too. It’s been quite some time since I’ve allowed, well, a stranger to join me for a drink.
“Harley, I’d like to introduce you to my children. Sitting beside you to your left is my youngest, Violet. On your right is my second eldest, Kit. And this is Tristan, my eldest.”
“It’s great to meet all of you,” he says.
I pause for a moment, then look around at the kids before landing my gaze on him once more. I don’t know what it is, but I can suddenly feel this tension humming between us, something I haven’t felt since … Todd. I zone out for a moment, just watching. No, actually, I’m staring at him. He’s laughing at something funny that Violet must have said because she too is laughing. Then Kit shows him something on his phone and the two of them laugh. What should be an awkward moment appears to be completely natural and comforting, and then the idea strikes me like a bolt of lightning.
“Harley, I’m in a little bit of a bind, and I was wondering if you’d be able to help me,”
I say across the table.
“A bind?”
“Yeah. You see, I’m a single father with three children to raise, and working full-time doesn’t allow me to give my children the proper care that they deserve.”
“I don’t follow.”
The waitress returns with our drinks, she places them on the table in front of us and then walks away.
“How would you like to work for me?”
There’s an immediate deafening silence all around the table.
“Work for you?”
he repeats.
“Yes.”
“And what exactly would I be doing?”
I pause then look at all three of my children before shifting my attention back to him.
“How would you like to look after my children for me while I work?”
Immediately, I feel Violet’s eyes narrow in on me, with her mug of hot chocolate a quarter of the way up to her mouth. Then Kit almost chokes on his marshmallow, while Tristan spits out his drink and practically sprays it across the entire table.
“Yep, exactly the reaction I expected,” I say.
“Hold on a second. You want me to look after your children?”
I nod.
“Me?”
“Is there an echo out here?”
I ask, looking around.
“You don’t even know me,”
Harley replies.
“Exactly! Dad this is a very bad idea. How do you know this guy isn’t some psychopathic killer or something.”
I turn my attention to Tristan and glare at him.
“I would, of course, do a thorough background check on you and leave no stone unturned,” I add.
“But me? I don’t know the first thing about looking after kids. I can barely take care of myself, let alone three kids.”
“I’m sure we could work something out. Are you totally opposed to the idea?”
I don’t know what it is that has made me offer this proposition, and he is right, I certainly don’t know the man. Yet why do I feel like this is the right thing to do? Like, this I was meant to present him with this offer.
“He may not be, but I am!”
Tristan booms from beside me.
“Tristan, where are your manners? It’s only a suggestion; there’s no need to get so worked up about this.”
“Isn’t there? Dad, you’re treating us like we’re children who can’t look after ourselves.”
“Yes. You’re my children, and that makes you my responsibility,”
I inform him.
“Dad, I’m sixteen. I’m not exactly a child.”
“But you’re not an adult either, and until such time that you are, young man, you will do exactly as I say.”
“Dad, why do we need someone to take care of us? You’ve looked after us on your own ever since Daddy died,” Kit adds.
I feel my eyes fill with water and I hold back the lump that’s suddenly appeared in my throat. I’ve been juggling looking after the kids and trying to work full-time on my own for the past eight years and it hasn’t been easy. I’ve had to take them with me on business trips and leave them in a hotel while I’m working with no one to look after them except the hotel staff, who come and check in on them every couple of hours and deliver their room service. It hasn’t been easy without Todd, but I’ve managed. And even though I know I could continue to do so until they’re legally old enough and wise enough to care for themselves, it would make things a lot easier if I had someone look after them for me.
“Yes, Kit, I have. And I’ve made a lot of sacrifices, none of which I regret for a second because I love you all very much. Which is why I think this is in everyone’s best interest.”
“Letting some stranger into our home to babysit us twenty-four-seven is in our best interest? Wow, Dad. I thought you were better than that.”
“That’s enough, Tristan,”
I say, sternly.
I look over at Violet from across the table. She has her hands over her ears. It’s what she always does whenever there’s an argument happening at home or I get into a heated discussion with her brothers. And there has been a lot of that happening recently, which is another reason why I need to get someone to look after my children and eliminate me taking my frustrations out on them after I’ve had a very stressful day at work.
“We don’t need a babysitter, Dad,”
Kit says. “No offense,”
he adds, looking at Harley.
“It’s not a babysitter. Think of this more like … a nanny.”
“A nanny?”
Tristan asks.
“Well yes, kind of. They would do all the things that a babysitter would typically do except they’re a nanny.”
“I think this is the most ridiculous, no, the dumbest idea you’ve ever suggested.”
“Tristan, I told you to mind your manners. Now please sit down and let’s talk about this like adults.”
“So, I’m an adult now? Two seconds ago, I was a child. Now all of a sudden, I’m an adult.”
“Look, young man––”
“Screw this. I’m calling an Uber and going home.”
He gets to his feet and storms away from the table.
“Tristan! Tristan, come back here right this instant.”
He ignores me and continues through to the restaurant. I attempt to move away from the table to follow him but Kit reaches over the table and grabs my arm.
“Dad, let him go. He needs to be alone right now.”
It’s just one of many disagreements I have with my son. No matter what I say or do, it’s never enough. And whenever we sit down and try to have a civilized conversation, it always ends with him storming out of the room. There have even been times when he would leave the house for hours. Or he would leave the house for days and stay at a friend’s place.
“Maybe I should leave,”
Harley suggests from the opposite side of the table, getting to his feet.
“No. You don’t have to do that. Please. I’d like to apologize for my son. He’s not normally like this. Actually, he is. And that’s all on me, not you.”
“I think he makes a very compelling argument though. Like he said, you don’t know me, and for all you know I could be some psycho killer.”
“Are you?”
I ask, coyly. He says nothing but gives me a forced smile. “Please stay.”
I give him a pleading look, then he slides the backpack off his shoulder and rests it down on the floor. He takes a quick look around the table before taking his seat again.
“I don’t want to cause any problems between you and your son.”
“Trust me, the problems existed long before I met you. I assure you; this isn’t your fault. But it does prove to you that I need help with these kids. I could use some help.”
“I told you. I don’t know the first thing about looking after children. I mean, what if I screw it up and something bad happens to them? I don’t think I could live with myself.”
“It’s not like they’re toddlers that need twenty-four-seven attention. I just need you there to do the things that I can’t do all the time. So, what do you say? Will you help me out?”
“Let me try and understand this. You want me to take care of your children while you’re at work all day?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re willing to pay me to do that?”
“Absolutely. Unless, of course, you’d offer the service for free and save me a ton of money,”
I say with a playful wink.
“So, I’ll be a nanny to your children?”
“Provided you pass a background check and a few other details that I may need to iron out, yes.”
“As in Mary Poppins, nanny?”
“Yeah … minus the flying umbrella, the endless carpet bag, and the magic. And if you want to wear a dress and heels around the house, then to each to their own I say.”
He chuckles, and I can’t help but laugh, too.
“Robin Williams managed to pull it off and fool the world. I’m sure with a little make-up I can make it work.”
I let out another chuckle.
“So does that mean you accept my offer?”
“On one condition.”
“And what’s that?” I ask.
“You work things out with Tristan, and as long as it’s okay with Kit and Violet?”
He looks at the two of them, and while Kit gives me a questioning look, I try and return a reassuring gaze to let him know that everything is going to work out just fine. Violet quietly sips her hot chocolate, leaving a mustache of froth above her upper lip and I smile.
“Deal.”
“And one more thing,”
he continues.
“Yes?”
“The minute I screw up, you fire my ass and throw me out on the street.”
I now give him a questioning look and I can tell that he is serious. There’s no way in hell that I’m going to throw this guy on the street. But if it’ll make him accept my offer, who am I to argue?”
“Deal,”
I finally answer. “Anything else?”
He shakes his head. “Nope, I’m good.”
“Perfect. It’s settled then.”
I bring my now warm chocolate to my lips and take a tiny sip. I keep my eyes focused on Harley as I stare at him over the rim of my mug.
“I guess I better look for a place close by then so that I don’t have to commute as far.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” I say.
“Oh?”
he inquires.
“You don’t need to worry about a place to stay.”
“I don’t? And why is that?”
“Because you’ll be living with us. That’s the benefit of being a nanny. Once everything is finalized, I will arrange to have your things sent over to the mansion. So, all you need to do is make yourself right at home.”
His lips curve into a wide smile and that’s all the confirmation I need to know that I’ve made him happy. It also makes me feel better knowing that he’s no longer unemployed and I don’t feel guilty about making him lose his job.
“I do have one suggestion if I may?”
Harley asks from across the table.
“Of course,”
I say, inquisitively.
“I don’t want to be called ‘the nanny’. Can we maybe think of something else?”
“Sure! What did you have in mind?”
“What about …”
He looks at Violet, then Kit, before finally locking his eyes with mine as he brings the mug to his lips … “The Manny?”