Chapter 3 #2
Maybe he’d make himself an appointment with a neurologist, just to make sure everything was well and good.
Maybe he was just really tired. He was up at six with the baby and he put the baby down at seven. That was five thirteen-hour days. And it was at ten thousand feet, which put a lot of stress on the body.
He was getting paid really well, but twenty-five hours of overtime a week was tough.
So yeah, he would just crash and burn for a while, get some rest, guzzle some water, take some Tylenol. He would be fine.
Though as he pulled the Tylenol out of the medicine cabinet, he would swear he heard Jacks’ voice crying.
Oh, sweet baby. I’m fine. I’m just up in the bathroom. I’ll be right down. He started singing a soft lullaby as he washed his hands and took a second to make sure that the lines and arches and angles all appeared to be the way they were supposed to be.
He took a deep breath, nodded once. Okay, excellent.
So far, so good.
He headed back downstairs, the soft cries having been soothed. It was as if Jacks had been able to hear him, but of course the baby couldn’t hear him all the way up there, could he? No. It was just because somebody was holding him and kissing him probably and making him happy.
Babies really were pretty easy as long as somebody tried to figure out what it was they wanted.
Everyone had started eating, and he stole a single sausage biscuit and smiled. “Sorry, guys. Thanks for saving me one.”
Baby Jacks waved at him, and he walked over to kiss his little forehead.
“Hey, beautiful baby, how you doing? Looking forward to spending the day with your dad, having fun?” He shot Mr. Sadler what he hoped was a friendly grin and not anything that would upset the big guy.
Jacks tried for his sausage biscuit, and he eased it out of the way. “Do you want a bottle, instead? I can manage that for you.”
Little Jacks scowled at him, that sweet face pulling up just like his dad’s. Actually, maybe he did that not because of genetics but because of the way he’d seen his father do it.
The thought made him smile.
“He’s really been trying to get to the meat lately,” Hayden told him. “But I think you’re right, a bottle is probably more at speed. I can do it though. You sit and eat your breakfast.”
“Are you sure? I’m up still.”
Jacks grabbed his arm as he walked by, and somehow he ended up sitting in the chair right there, meeting the little boy face-to-face.
“Look at you, demanding boy,” he said, rubbing their noses together. “We have our breakfast, and then…”
Well, he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do.
“I guess I need to talk to your dad about what I’m supposed to do on the weekends.”
Said dad had gone to get the bottle, he presumed, but Rita and Denise were still right there, and they giggled to each other, then turned to him.
“There’s a pool.”
“A heated pool.”
“It’s just out past the sunroom. There’s a breezeway to the pool house.”
“And it’s even nice in the winter.”
They passed the words back and forth so fast it made him dizzy a little bit.
Rita carried on and he could finally distinguish the voices. “There’s also a game room and a movie theater.”
Not that this place was fancy. He rolled his eyes trying not to be a butthead. But in fact, that was actually pretty cool because now he didn’t feel so bad about not being able to go down the mountain. As long as he wasn’t going to bother anybody by using these things.
“Thanks. I wasn’t really sure what the deal was. I’ve never actually nannied in a place that I didn’t just go exploring on my days off. Just…does Mr. Sadler travel much? And if he does, does he take the baby, or will I have him here? I guess I should just ask him, huh?”
Denise smiled at him. “Yes, the little one is new, so a lot of bits and bobs are just a little bit different.”
Rita nodded. “But I know you’ll figure it out.”
He smiled at them both, unconcerned. “Jacks and I get along like a house on fire, and the two of us will manage.”
Besides, it really wasn’t just the two of them, was it? There were both of the ladies, and together they would figure it out. He had no doubt.
“Okay, manage what?” Mr. Sadler said, coming to sit.
“I was just asking if you ever traveled and, if you did, whether or not the baby and I would be traveling with you, or if I was going to be here with Jacks. I told him, either way, it didn’t matter, we would manage.
We were discussing my day off, what the expectations were, what you all needed from me. ”
Sadler looked at him like he was insane. “Well, I’m assuming on your days off you take your days off.”
He forced himself not to sigh. “Yes, but am I taking meals with the family? Do I go find my own situation? Should I just head out of town?”
“Of course, if you want to head out of town in your car, and you think it will make the trip. Go for it. It sounds like fun actually. You could get some time off.”
Jacks frowned again, the suction on the nipple slowing, the baby’s look intense, and Sadler blinked at the little boy.
Then he got another grin. “Well, you’re welcome to stay here, and you’re always welcome to eat with us.”
Rita stared between them, and then insisted, “I can’t think of any point in time where you wouldn’t be welcome at this table.”
Sadler shrugged one shoulder and went back to eating, one eye on Jacks and his bottle. “I’m sure it’s possible but not plausible, so yes, of course if you’re home and interested, you’re welcome to, or you can make yourself a microwave meal upstairs. I don’t really care one way or the other.”
Those words shouldn’t hurt. He was nothing to this man but somebody willing who could hold a baby.
Why on earth would he care what Hayden Sadler thought?
Jacks made a strange grunting sound and turned, burping spit in an arc towards Sadler that looked like it was deliberate.
Of course it couldn’t be, but the whole thing was kind of hilarious because it made him feel better.
Daniel had a champion in little Jacks, he thought.
“Do you mind if I ask what you and Jacks do on my days off?”
“We watch a good many movies,” Mr. Sadler said. “He likes a lot of the ones with cars. He also goes swimming, and he likes to watch me play video games, as long as they’re things like cooking and farming. And I try to save the stuff that’s not suitable for kids until after he goes to bed.”
He nodded. “That’s probably wise. It’s amazing the kind of things that will give little ones nightmares, and the parents don’t even know that they were actually paying attention. It’s wild.”
That was just the truth. He wasn’t even trying to be a bitch about that.
“Really?” Rita blinked, her eyes wide.
“Absolutely. I had a nanny kid who literally watched his parents play Resident Evil when they thought he was napping, and they had a terrible, terrible time.”
“Seriously?” Sadler asked, and he nodded.
“And what was worse is that nobody could figure out what was wrong. Nobody understood why this sweet little boy was suddenly screaming his head off in the middle of the night, and they hadn’t even known he was watching.
So they were convinced he’d had some kind of a brain situation, when in fact it was literally that he’d watched something he shouldn’t. ”
Denise was a little green around the gills. “That’s kind of horrifying.”
“Yeah, and his poor parents felt terrible because of the whole situation, but it was just a silly mistake. They adored him, they weren’t trying to make him upset in any way, and yet there he was, hysterical and scared.” He shook his head.
“How did you find out what it was?” Hayden Sadler’s eyes were intent, focused.
“He told me.” It had been the oddest situation, because Luke had been too young to talk, but he could make pictures, and somehow Daniel had figured it out.
“That’s amazing.”
“It was, if only because the little one needed help, so badly.”
Jacks reached out and tugged his arm hard, so Daniel leaned over.
“It’s all right, little bit. I have a feeling you’d be able to tell me exactly what it is you were thinking, too. You seem like the kind of person who’s very clear about what he needs.”
“Oh, yes, he can be incredibly clear.” Hayden smiled though, handing him the bottle, letting him feed little Jacks. “Did you want me to do that?” Hayden asked, as if he had embarrassed himself by just assuming Daniel would do it.
“No, I got it. I can eat one-handed while I feed him.”
Jacks was already kind of figuring out how to hold a bottle, which again, way too advanced for someone his age, supposedly.
Seemed odd that Rita and Denise, who were both a little bit older, wouldn’t know more about babies’ development. But then again, that was presumptive of him. They were clearly a couple, maybe they didn’t know any kids really.
“Thank you.” Hayden turned to go get another cup of coffee. “What would you like to drink? I can pour you something.”
He would wait for the coffee until after he had fed Jacks, so he blinked at the sideboard where all the drinks sat, sort of like a hotel buffet. “How about orange juice?”
“You got it. And if you want a tour of the house after you’re done, a real tour, I can show you where the pool is and the game room, stuff like that. I don’t mind at all.”
Hayden poured him a glass of orange juice and brought it to him, setting it on the opposite side of the table from where he held Jacks.
Daniel thought maybe Hayden had got more sleep last night than he had in previous nights because he seemed happier today and more at ease.
“That would be very cool, thanks.”
He’d explored his rooms, and the nursery, but that was about it. He hadn’t felt welcome to simply explore the huge house.
He had to admit, this was the most unique nanny job he’d ever taken, no question. He’d been reluctant to explore. He didn’t know which rooms the baby was allowed in. Hell, he wasn’t sure which rooms he was allowed in.
So, a tour would be helpful.
“This is going to be your home now, too.” Hayden rolled his eyes. “I mean, this is your home now, too. You should feel welcome.”
Okay, well that was unexpected and kind from Mr. Sadler. He’d take it.
“I’ll try my best,” he said, smiling. Jacks burped hugely, then went back to suck the bottle down in record time.
“So delicate,” Hayden said. Hayden. Mr. Sadler. That was a tough one too. He had no idea what he was supposed to do with that.
“He’s a little flower on the trash heap of life,” Daniel agreed, his words getting a round of chuckles from everyone at the table, including Jacks.
“Are you so funny little boy? Are you so smart?” He wasn’t very good at making adult conversation, sometimes. He was so used to talking to little ones, and he found himself focused on them and ignoring all of the grown-ups in the room.
“You do like him, don’t you?” Mr. Sadler said.
He looked up, surprised. “What’s not to like? He’s funny. He’s super easy to get along with. I’m not sure what the concerns were, and I’m certain we’re in a bit of a honeymoon period because I’m pretty new still to him, but I don’t understand what the problem might be. He’s an absolute joy.”
Honestly, he’d assumed the issue was that they were out here in the middle of nowhere, on top of a mountain, like a family of weird goats.
Fancy weird goats with leather seats and a heated pool, but still weird goats.
He supposed it could be worse; they could actually be weird sheep, and then somebody would have to carry those big heavy horns. Mountain goats were more pokey and less thuddy.
“Some people might find Jacks a bit challenging. He is, as you can tell, a very, very smart young boy.”
Well, he wasn’t a boy yet. He was a baby. He hadn’t even gotten to toddler, and that wouldn’t even come for another year.
This was a baby who couldn’t walk or talk and just needed snuggles.
How hard was this?
Again, he was just thinking about how he didn’t know anything about what he was supposed to do on his days off, so maybe he got it. The hard part was maybe boredom.
“Don’t discount how much mischief he can get up to,” Hayden told him.
Jacks made this ruh-ruh noise, as if telling Hayden not to give away all his secrets.
“Maybe in a year or so? I’m not sure that mischief can happen yet. We’re still finding our feet. In a year, he’ll be talking, sort of. He’ll be jabbering for sure. He’ll be walking. Then there will be mischief.”
The ladies looked at each other. It was a little odd, because then they got up and took their plates to the kitchen.
“Have a good weekend, guys,” they called, and then boom, they were gone.
Okay, that was really weird.
“Did I do something?”
Hayden blinked, then offered him a smile. “No. No. Everything is fine.”
“Okay.” There were four or five sausage biscuits left, so he took another one. They were delicious, and he was hungry. Something about the mountain air made him ravenous.
Hayden moved the plate away from Jacks’s reaching hands, snorting. “No way, buddy.”
“He really is interested in the meat. I’ve never seen a baby his age who is so hungry. Especially after a bottle.”
“He’s kind of off the charts.” Hayden grinned. “I think the ladies have decided I’m not going to eat you. ”
“Well, that’s probably good. Last time I checked, not edible.” He rolled his eyes at himself. “But I mean, I can say it’s easier if we get along. I’m going to be around for a bit. So…” He shrugged. “I mean, let’s be honest. In this case, if you decide to keep me, that’s eighteen years.”
“Actually, I think that Jacks has decided to keep you. What happens at eighteen years old?”
He tilted his head. “Well, in my experience they go to college. I mean, no one says anyone has to go to college to make a living. Obviously they don’t, but if he does go to college, I’m totally here for that.
As far as, you know, helping with SATs, getting them all ready to move on.
” At that point, he’d have one more job in him probably, if it was long-term, before he’d retire.
Although…maybe he just wouldn’t retire. Maybe he’d just go from being a nanny to a grandnanny.
Christ, he was a dipshit. A giant nerd.
“Regardless, one way or the other, by eighteen, he’ll have decided I’m unnecessary, and it’s time for me to go.”
Jacks began to cry.
“What’s the matter, baby?”
“He’s very sensitive to moods,” Hayden murmured, “Maybe he’s worried that you’re sad.
” The guy grabbed a piece of biscuit and popped it right into Jacks’s mouth before Daniel could stop him.
The baby gummed it right down. “That did it. Come on, if you’re hungry, eat up, and then I’ll show you around. ”
“Sure.” Daniel ate one more sausage biscuit for good measure because they tasted so darn good. Then he burped little Jacks one more time before handing him back over to Hayden.
It was his day to be with the baby after all, so it would be better if they bonded some.
He was going to go see the damn house and find that pool.