And it fucking sucked.
NINE
SASHA
Iwoke up in the morning from the best sleep I’d ever had. The king-size bed with its lush bedding and soft pillows was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. It felt like sleeping on a cloud. The bed was soft with perfect support, and the blankets smelled of fresh laundry and lavender. I even dreamt that I was running through a lavender field. I slept so well that even though I wasn’t tired, I wanted to go right back to sleep, but I knew I had a lot to do, so I threw the blankets back and forced myself to get up.
Even though I’d brought my belongings up from the car the night before, I hadn’t bothered with unpacking anything yet. I dug through my stuff until I found everything I needed to start my day with a relaxing shower. I wanted to take my time, but I needed to be ready when Sophia woke, so I got to work on getting cleaned up. I dressed and was walking out of my bedroom within the hour.
I knew that Sophia wasn’t due to wake up for at least another thirty minutes, so I headed down to the kitchen for some coffee, and so I could make her breakfast in peace. The place was tranquil, but I was thankful to find a few lights had been left on throughout, so I could easily see where I was going.
I pushed my way through the swinging door that led to the kitchen. Expecting to find it empty, I gasped and covered my heart with my hand when I nearly ran into Monica.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” she said, falling back a step.
“It’s fine,” I told her, even though I was breathing heavily from the fright.
“Roman has already left, but I wanted to stay and go over a few things if you have a moment.”
I nodded. “Yeah, of course. I’m just going to get some coffee going. My brain absorbs information much better with caffeine running through it.”
I got to work on making a pot of coffee, and she stood on the other side of the island with a file folder. She set it down and flipped it open before going over everything she wanted to discuss.
“Here’s the address for Sophia’s daycare. Take your ID with you so everyone there knows who you are. They will ask to see it before letting her go with you. I’ve already called and added you to the approved pick-up list.”
I nodded and turned to look at her while the coffee brewed.
“I know you have your own car, but Roman didn’t think it looked very safe, so he’s left you the keys for the Mercedes.” She slid the keys over to me. “Of course, you’re always welcome to drive your own car; however, Sophia is only allowed in this car. Her car seat is already installed.”
I picked up the keys and looked at them. I’d never driven anything that expensive before. “He really wants me to drive his car?”
“It’s not his car. I mean, he owns it, but it’s not the car he drives. This car is only for the nannies and whoever else may be driving Sophia around.” She could see the confusion on my face, so she added. “Roman lost his wife due to a car accident. Youcould say that he goes a little overboard with his safety concerns where Sophia is concerned.”
I nodded, my chest tightening at her words.
“OK,” I said, putting the key down before turning to pour myself a cup of coffee.
“Here’s all the stuff you’ll need for that expense account we discussed.” She placed a credit card beside the key. “Feel free to use this account for anything regarding Sophia. Food, drinks, snacks, shopping trips, and gas to go here and there. Money isn’t an issue, so you don’t need to worry about it running dry. Also.” She pointed at me. “I’ll need you to fill out these forms.” She pushed a few papers toward me. “For tax purposes, and so we can deposit your weekly pay into your account each week.” She looked up at me. “Any questions?”
I lifted my brows as I took a deep breath, trying to keep everything straight in my head. “Not that I can think of.”
“OK, well, my number, along with Roman’s, is right here on this paper of emergency contacts. Her doctor is also listed there. But if I were you, I’d call me before anyone else. I’m sure you’ll have a few things pop into your head later, after you’ve had a moment to get your bearings. Don’t hesitate to ask.” She gathered her things. “Roman will be home around seven. He’s already planning on being here throughout the week, just in case you need anything. After you take Sophia to daycare, you’ll have the day to get settled.” She smiled. “Good luck.”
“Thanks,” I muttered, watching her turn and walk out of the kitchen.
I sipped at my coffee as I looked everything over. I was nervous to say the least, but I didn’t have time to worry about it. I had to get breakfast made for Sophia. I stacked everything into a neat pile and pushed it to the center of the island before starting to make some bacon. While I waited for it to cook, I made scrambled eggs and sliced fruit, then worked on sometoast and poured her a glass of milk. It was a lot of food, but I wasn’t sure about her diet. I could see Roman being a stickler for a balanced breakfast, so I wanted to make sure all food groups were covered.
When seven rolled around, I went to her room to wake her. I opened her door and stuck my head inside, looking around her dark room. I could make out the shape of her in bed. I opened the door wider and stepped inside, going straight to the window and pulling the curtains open.
“Sophia, it’s time to wake up.” I looked over my shoulder to see her starting to stir. I walked over to her bed and sat on the edge. “Good morning, sleepy head. Breakfast is all done. Are you hungry?”
She grinned sleepily and nodded as she stretched. “What’s for breakfast?”
“I made bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, and I cut up some fruit. You want to go check it out?” I held out my hand.
She nodded and slapped her tiny hand inside my palm.
After a quick stop at the bathroom, we made our way to the kitchen, where the two of us sat at the small table to eat together.
