Page 26 of Under My Skin

“Don’t worry about the money, Dani,” he said softly. “I promise, whatever she’s charging, I can afford it. I already told you, the only thing I care about is you finding someone who’s a good fit. Just make sure she can handle working some nights so you can be with me.”

“I know,” I told him, trying the bouncing from the knees trick that one of the church ladies had taught me…to no avail.

A knock sounded at the door, and I breathed a silent prayer of thanks that I had an excuse to stop talking to him. Because the more I talked to him, the more he made me forget what he’d done to my sister. And I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t forget that this was abusinessarrangement because I was desperate for help, and that he was only helping me because he didn’t know who Isaac really was.

“Look, I’ve gotta go. She’s here,” I said quickly.

“Okay. Text and let me know how it goes. And if you end up taking the little man to urgent care, I’ll take care of the bill.”

Yet again, how could he be this kind to a baby he didn’t even know, but not have even had the balls to tell my sister to her face that he wanted nothing to do with his own son? It just didn’t make any sense.

After the stress of the past hour, a few tears spilled over my cheeks as I used every ounce of strength I possessed to keep from asking that question out loud.

“Thanks,” I said quietly. “I’ll let you know.”

Quickly ending the call, I rushed to the door – still with a screaming baby in my arms – just as there was another knock.

“Hi. Carolina?” I asked as I opened it.

“Just Lina,” the woman, who looked like she was in her early thirties, said in a thick Latina accent. “And you’re Daniela?”

“Yep. Call me Dani,” I told her as I stepped to the side to let her in and then shut the door behind us. “And this grumpy little guy is my nephew, Isaac. Thank you so much for meeting with me on a Saturday. Sorry it’s a little bit of a mess in here.”

“It’s completely fine.” She smiled. “Looks like it’s been a tough morning.”

I nodded. “He’s been wailing like this for an hour. I’m thinking about taking him to urgent care just to make sure nothing’s wrong.”

“May I?” she asked, holding her arms out.

“Sure.” I handed Isaac off to her.

He didn’t completely stop crying when Lina took him, but he did quiet a little.

“Hola, guapo,”she murmured as she started to bounce and sway back and forth. “Mucho gusto. Me llamo Lina. ¿Cómo estás hoy?” Hello, handsome. It’s nice to meet you. My name’s Lina. How are you today?

Heading to the couch, she knelt in front of it and laid him on his back. She picked up his legs and started to move them back and forth, mimicking a bike pedaling motion, then gently massaged his stomach. After a few minutes, an awful sulfur smell filled the room and he immediately quieted.

Yep, she was the one. Not only because she’d helped me get him to stop crying, but also because she’d immediately started speaking Spanish to him.

“Okay, you’re officially a miracle worker,” I chuckled, sniffling a little bit.

She laughed softly. “It was just a little gas, wasn’t it, nene?”

“Now I feel stupid,” I mumbled. “I swear, I tried burping him and it didn’t do anything.”

“Don’t feel stupid. Babies don’t come with instruction manuals,” she said as she picked him up and cradled him in her arms, then sat down.

“He’s normally such a happy baby,” I sighed as I sank onto the couch. “That’s why I was scared something was really wrong.”

“No. Sometimes you just have to help them work the gas out a little more. Pumping their legs or gently massaging their stomach usually works, or sometimes a warm bath can help too. Is it okay if I put him in that swing while we talk?”

“Yes, of course.”

Lina took Isaac over to his baby swing, carefully placing him in it and turning it on, and then came back to sit next to me on the couch. “So, you said on the phone that you’re in school full time?”

I nodded. “Yeah, which is why I’m actually glad you’re looking for full-time hours. I’ve been doing the best I can since my sister died, but I need a reliable caregiver for him, especially because I’m starting med school in the fall.”

“School’s almost out, though, right? Are you still going to need the full-time help over the summer?”

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