shook her head. “We’re stressing about finding the perfect nanny, and it was a long day of interviews. Not that it’s an excuse for his rude behavior.”
I nodded but refused to say anything because I didn’t forgive him and would never forget.
“He’s through here.” She led me to a room at the other end of the two-bedroom house.
Inside was a little boy. He was so engrossed in what was on the screen that he didn’t hear us come inside.
“Casey,” his mom called. “Say hello to Ms. Jacobs.”
“Hi, Ms. Jacobs,” he called back but kept his eyes on the screen.
“Can you put that on pause, young man, and turn around, please?” she said in a stern voice.
His little shoulders went up and down with a sigh before he hit the Pause button and turned to view us.
“Hello, Ms. Jacobs,” he said with measured patience, reminding me of his father.
Two guys with attitudes.
Poor mom.
“What do you know about Mario and Luigi?” I probed the kid after watching what he was playing.
“More than you.” He smirked, catching on to my thought.
“Did you know Princess Toadstool is always in another castle until you get to world 8, and I beat Bowser, the real one?” I nodded with a lift of my nose.
“No wayyyy,” he exclaimed. “How?”
“And I didn’t use cheat codes.”
“No wayyyyyyyyyy,” he exclaimed again. “You have to show me.”
“Well, I only show people who get to world 5,” I told him. “Then I’ll know you’re skilled enough to handle the real Bowser.”
“World 5, level 4 or 1?” he asked.
Nodding at him, I said, “You’re a smart one. Okay, let’s say world 5, level 4.”
He huffed and said, “I’m only on world 3, level 4.”
“Well, it looks like you have a ways to go,” I countered. “Good luck and stop using Luigi because he’s really his sidekick.”
“Ahhh, thanks.” He quickly turned around and resumed playing again. “World 5 it is.”
His mom laughed, and I turned to see her looking at her son in admiration but also in sadness.
She closed his door and said, “When can you start?”
I blinked at her but saw the intensity in her eyes.
“Well, I can get some things in order with my studio, but with the hours being what they are, I will have time for the transition,” I answered honestly.
“You’ll have time while he’s in school. The cooking and cleaning won’t take that long, so you’ll have your own time.”
I nodded at her words since they were true. With a schedule like she proposed, I could still pursue my art if I wanted, and I could even pay for the rent and not do odd ends for the beauty supply store.
“Can you start tomorrow?” she asked with an almost desperation in her voice.
“Mrs. Vega, that’s awfully early,” I answered honestly. “Also, I would prefer not to do the live-in.”
“I know, but—” She didn’t finish her sentence because she was interrupted by Mr. Vega, who called her name in that same stern voice he spoke to me with earlier.
“A word,” he beckoned.
She looked like she wanted to sigh but kept it in, saying, “Excuse me,” and went to him.
I wandered to the living room, where my bag remained, and strapped it across my body.
A few moments later, Mr. Vega came back into the living quarters and said, “Ms. Jacobs, thank you for stopping by. We’ll be in touch with your agency. I’ll see you out.”
Mmmkay.
“Okay, please tell Mrs. Vega I said good night,” I replied and led the way so that I could get out from his presence sooner rather than later.
“Good evening,” he called as I descended down the concrete stairs once I was outside. I turned to say bye, but the door was already closing.
Well, okay.
That was a hard no.
Mr. Vega - Ch. 1
Faith Jacobs
“She offered you the job on the spot but then changed her mind?” Mama asked.
“No, Mama, she didn’t change her mind,” I said for the fifth time. “He must have. He was a jerk, I tell you. Like, a real jerk. The kid was nice, and so was his mother, but that man. I don’t want to work for them, Mama. He was not nice, did not apologize for being rude, and seemed to be overbearing.”
I shrugged my shoulders as I put away the canned goods in the cupboard. Mama focused on the items for the freezer.
“I’ve had parents like that. I’d steer clear of them because they had other issues that I never wanted to uncover,” she said as she stuffed the beef