Page 26 of The Last Thing
“Ooh, do you know how to braid hair?” she asks, bouncing on her toes.
“I do.”
“Good.” She gives me a big smile. “You’re hired.”
Then she grabs my hand and drags me inside and right past Deck.
Or Wilson?
I don’t know.
I don’t know much of anything right now. I’m so overwhelmed I couldn’t think straight if I wanted to.
“Can you do two braids? One on each side?”
My focus goes to the girl standing beside the couch and staring up at me.
Right. This is why I’m here.
“What’s your name?”
She smiles brightly. “Sophia.”
“That’s a very pretty name. I’m Hallie. And yes, I can do two braids. But I need your help. Can you go get me your hairbrush?”
She nods firmly, then I get up and go to the kitchen, opening a few cabinets until I find the bowls, then I fill one with water. I can feel Deck’s eyes on me as I get back to the living room and take a seat on the couch, but I tune it all out.
If this is an interview, I’m going to prove my worth. Everything else can be dealt with later.
Sophia returns and hands me her hairbrush.
“Here, sit down on the couch in front of me.” I turn sideways on the couch and she sits down in front of me.
After dipping the brush in the water to wet her hair, I part her hair and separate a few strands, then get to work on two Dutch braids. It takes about ten minutes, but she holds still the entire time.
“Okay, ready for the reveal? Do you have a small mirror we can use so you can see the back?”
“Yeah, come on.”
She drags me down the hall to the bathroom, and I try to ignore the roiling in my stomach at the fast movement.
She pulls the mirror out and hands it to me while she gets a stool. Once she’s standing backward on it, I hand her the mirror and her little mouth drops.
“Oh my gosh! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Daddy says his fingers are too big and meaty to do braids. And Nana can’t because of her arthritis. I’ve always wanted someone who could braid my hair like this.”
I gently rub her shoulder. “Well, I’m happy to help.”
She throws her arms around me in a hug, and I hug her back.
This is why I love nannying. The amazing connection I form with the kids I nanny for is like nothing else.
Although I have a feeling the connection with my own child will surpass even that.
“Anything else you need to do to get ready for school?”
“Nope. I ate my breakfast, packed my backpack, and brushed my teeth. I just need shoes.”
“Soph!” Deck calls.
