“Sari, Sari, Sari, Sari, Sari,” I woke up to Ayden saying my name over and over again.

            “Yes Ayden?” I sat up and wiped the sleep from my eyes.

            “Mornin!” she threw her arms in the air as she shouted, a huge smile covering her face.

            “Good Morning,” I laughed as I sat up. It’s really hard to get annoyed with her for waking me up in such an annoying way when she’s so cute, “Did you sleep alright?”

            She nodded her head and grabbed my hand, “Let’s go wake Daddy.”

            “I think that’s a great idea, but I’m just going to get dressed first, real quick ok?”

            Ayden nodded her head and jumped on my bed singing who knows what.  She makes it up as she goes.  After I got ready we went to the house and I saw Justin sitting at the kitchen table, as we got closer. There is no possible way that Justin is up on his own after a night of partying.

            I opened the sliding door and Justin looked up, “Morning Ayden,” he smiled when he saw her.

            “Mornin Daddy!” she offered in a singsong as she climbed on his lap.

            “Look who’s here.” Justin’s mother walked over and I am pretty sure my smile was bigger than Ayden’s… if that’s possible.

            Ayden ran to her grandmother as I went to pour myself a cup of coffee. Justin’s mother treats Ayden like a princess, and when she’s here Justin treats her like a princess too. It does bother me that he doesn’t treat he like that all the time but at least it gives me hope that he can be a good father if he wants to be.

            After his mother gave me a hug and thanked me for everything she took Ayden while Justin and I went to deal with his business shit. We drove quietly in the car, I didn’t say anything because I never want to get him riled up and honestly it could happen at any moment.

            “If you want to call for a nanny or whatever we can interview next week. I have a couple days off right?”

            I nodded my head; I can’t believe he actually listened to what I was saying. I mean, I’ve been saying it for the past two years and he never listened before.  “I thought your mom wasn’t coming in until tomorrow.”

            “Yeah me too, she surprised me at six this morning.”

            I laughed a little, he looks annoyed… and tired, and cranky, it’s only a matter of seconds before he breaks.

            “How long is this thing going to last?”

            “The interview or the charity?” Justin shrugged for an answer as he looked out the window, “The interview is just over breakfast. The charity you just have to read a book to the kids and then do a pressroom. It shouldn’t be too long.”

            He didn’t answer me but instead continued looking out the window. As soon as we arrived at the restaurant the Justin everyone in the world knows and loves came out.  It bothers me that he can turn the assholeness on and off so easily but he never does unless it has to with his job.  There are often jerks interviewing him but he’s always that cool, funny, sweet, fake Justin. But then when he’s home with his daughter he’s the asshole. It doesn’t make sense.

            After the interview we went right to the charity. Everything there was great, he’s so good with kids… at least kids that aren’t his. Once again, it doesn’t make any sense. We went back to the house after all the interviews and I went for a walk with Ayden and Justin’s mother, Lynn. Lynn and I talked about the intervention she was planning.  I just listened, I didn’t say too much. It’s an awkward situation because I know that Lynn worries about him but I think a lot of the time he’s just being obnoxious. I don’t think he is completely out of control because he has his moments where he’s normal.  If he had a serious problem I would think he’d be crazy all the time. And then there’s the fact that he is my boss, and I feel like telling on him could get me in trouble. Although it wouldn’t be all that bad to get fired.  But I couldn’t leave Ayden alone with his crazy ass.

            The plan was put into effect later on that evening. Once his mother talks to him I think he’ll be ok, at least for a little while. I wish she could stay forever, but then again if she did they wouldn’t need me. I took Ayden out to dinner and to the bookstore while the intervention took place. She picked out a bunch of books about bugs and worms. I really wish I could get her interested in something else.

            “Ayden, you know when I was a little girl I used to love Winnie-the-Pooh.”

            “No,” she said as she grabbed a book and handed it to me, “Buggies.”

            “What about Dr Seuss?”

            Her mouth dropped open and she jumped up to grab another book with ladybugs on the cover.  She’s not even listening to what I’m saying. Obviously she’s Justin’s daughter.

            “Alright, I think we have enough for a little while,” my arms were full of books but I grabbed a couple Dr Seuss ones to add to the pile.

            When we got back to the house I could see Justin sitting on the couch with his head in his hands and Lynn pacing around the room. “Maybe we should go back to my house for a little and let your Daddy and your Granny talk.”

            Ayden didn’t listen to me, instead she just ran in the house.  Justin turned away from his mother and let out a sigh of relief as his daughter ran to him.  “Did you have fun baby girl?”

            She smiled and nodded her head; “I got one of dem and one of dem, and one on buggies.”

            “Cool,” Justin said as he picked her up and I took that as my chance to get away but I couldn’t get too far.

            “Sari, did she eat?”

            I nodded my head, “Yes, she ate everything.” Lynn watched her son carefully and then looked over at me. I think I was interrupting whatever it was that was going on, “Do you want me to take her while you’re talking?”

            “No, we’re done.” Justin stood up with Ayden in his arms, “Thanks for watching her.”

            “Yeah, no problem. I’m going to call about the nanny.”

            Justin nodded his head and I could see Lynn trying to get him to say something but I walked away instead of just standing there awkwardly waiting for whoever had something to say to say it.

            As I walked through the yard I heard the door open and Justin jogged to catch up with me, “Hold on Sari.” I stopped as he caught up to me, “Thanks for everything. I’m sorry I’m such an asshole sometimes. I don’t do well with stress.”

            I know that all too well. “Your mother is making you say that.”

            He looked down and nodded his head, “Yeah, but seriously Sari, thanks. You put up with a lot of shit.”

            “Yeah. It’s my job though.”

            “Yeah,” he laughed, “It is. But thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

            Justin’s mother stayed for a couple days but it wasn’t long enough. He really is a totally different person when she is here. The good Justin usually stays a couple days after his mother leaves but who knows if that will happen this time.

            Today was the day we were supposed to go interview for the nanny. I went into Justin’s house at nine thirty and he was already awake, “What are you doing?”

            “Huh?” he asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee, “I’m going golfing.”

            “No,” I answered quickly, “We’re interviewing for the nanny.”                       

            “Shit, that was today?” I nodded my head, he’s an idiot. “I can’t, I’m going golfing.”           

            “Justin, you have to go to interview them. They’re coming, you need to be there.” I can’t believe he seriously thinks he can go golfing when he’s supposed to be interviewing.

            “Sari, I haven’t had a day off…”

            “Neither have I, you need to come.”

            “Why? I don’t know what the fuck to look for. You know, I trust you.”

            I rolled my eyes. He’s trying to make it sound like I’m so amazing so he can get out of it. I’m not buying it.  “You need to come.”

            “I don’t want people to know I have a daughter.”

            That one has me fuming. He’s so worried about his damn image that he hides Ayden. “You need to come.” I repeated. He took a deep breath, I took a deep breath, “I’m not backing down Justin you have to come. I’ll call your mother.”

            “Alright,” he put his hands up in defeat, “Whatever, when do we have to go?”

            “Now,” I answered with another eye roll. He rolled his eyes in response and followed me to the car.  We drove to the office in silence.  Justin is real pissed that I’m making him miss his golfing. “You can go golf after.”

            “No I can’t.”

            “Well then you can go tomorrow,” I really feel like I’m his mother and he’s seven.

            We sat down in the office and waited for the first girl to come in. Justin’s foot was tapping nonstop and it was driving me crazy.

            The first girl that came in could not have been any younger than me.  She walked in, took one look at Justin and literally screamed. She shouted, she threw her hands to her mouth and screamed like every single one of her dreams was coming true.  Justin gave me a look and security came in and took her away.

            “One reason why I didn’t want to come.”

            “OK, but I could have hired her and then she came home and freaked out like that in front of Ayden.”

            Justin smiled and shook his head, “OK Sari, you’re right.”

            “Thank you, see that wasn’t too hard.” I smiled as the next lady came in.  This was an older woman, not really older but like my mother’s age.  She was wearing a nice dress and had her brown hair pulled back. “Hi, I’m Sari,” I stood up and shook her hand.

            “Nice to meet you, I’m Maria.”

            “Justin,” he didn’t stand up but he did shake her hand. I guess that’s worth something.

            She sat down and I asked the questions while Justin just sat there. She seems perfect, she’s been a nanny for 18 years with the same family and only stopped because the kids are grown up, but she still keeps in contact with all of them.  Maria has three kids of her own that are all off in college or have graduated and become successful members of society. She’s sweet and she has that motherly feel to her and I think that it is a very strong possibility that she can help me with Justin too.

            “I like her,” I said after she left, “she has the experience and she’d be really good with Ayden.”

            “Yeah, whatever Sari I don’t care.”

            I took a deep breath, “Well you probably should care Justin, we’re looking for someone to take care of your daughter.”

            “I know, I do care about that. I’m just saying I don’t know what to look for.”

            It’s not that hard, look for someone who you think will be able to take care of her. I really don’t think it’s that hard. He’s so caught up on himself I wouldn’t be surprised if he even listened to anything Maria said.

            The next girl that came in and long black hair, a skirt that was way too short, a top that was way too low, and heels that were way too high.

            “Hey,” Justin stood up for her; he practically jumped up and ran over to her.

            “This is um… Chantal right?”

            “Yeah,” she’s chewing gum too. Who comes to an interview to be a nanny looking like a stripper and chewing gum?

“I’m Justin,” he shook her hand for way too long and they both just kind of stood there making googily eyes at each other.

            “Sari,” I introduced myself even though no one was interested. I sat back down and looked through the papers, as they continued looking at each other, “OK so” nothing. They don’t even know I’m here, “Justin.”

            “Huh?” he looked over at me for the first time.

            “Can we do this?” he looked back at her, “So you can go golfing.”

            “Yeah, take a seat Chantal.” Justin said as he sat down and then she did too. “So Chantal where are you from?”

            “Jersey.” Of course she’s from Jersey, of course.

            “What brings you out here?”

            “Acting.” Of course she wants to be an actress. How did she even get this interview? I thought this nanny agency was supposed to be the best in the land.

            “So have you been a nanny before?” she shook her head, “Do you have experience with kids? Ever baby-sit?”

            “Babysitting isn’t really my thing,” she answered. Um… then why the fuck are you here interviewing to be a fucking nanny?

            “So you have no experience at all?”

            “I have a brother.”

            “Oh, she has a little brother,” Justin answered with a smile, I’m surprised he has moved his eyes from looking at her boobs the whole time to be able to actually answer.

            “How old is your brother?” I asked.

            “Nineteen.” Oh my god. And she’s 22… so I’m sure she had a lot to do with bringing him up.

            “OK, well thank you.” I stood up so hopefully she’ll leave.

            “Yeah, we’ll call you,” Justin stood up and smiled, “We’ll see you later.”

            “So Maria right?” I asked as we drove back to the house.

            “I want Chantal.”

            “OK, but there’s a difference between wanting someone and wanting them to watch your daughter.”

            He laughed at that, “I think she’d be good with Ayden.”

            “You can’t be serious.”

            “I am serious, why not?”

            “Justin you can not hire someone because they’re cute.”

            “I can’t? How do you think you got your job?”

            I don’t know what to say to that.

            He laughed at the fact that I didn’t know what to say, “And look how wonderfully that turned out,” he answered sarcastically, “The fact is she’s my daughter, I’m paying for the nanny so I get to pick out who I like the best.”

            “You’re stubborn though. You didn’t even want to go.”

            “Well thanks for making me go then,” he smiled.

            I took a deep breath, “You really trust this girl with your daughter?”

            “Of course, god Sari, relax. She’ll be fine.”

            I don’t know why I thought that he would actually let me get someone that knows what they’re doing.  I should have known better. Obviously he’s going to pick the worse choice there is so now I’m going to have to add another person that I have to take care of. This is going to be trouble.