Lost and Found

by Jennifer Bryan Yarbrough

  "Then outside it is, Miss Eden. I'll even let you lead the way." I winked at her and she smiled and grabbed my hand as she led us all outside.

  ******************

  The children led me outside to show me their huge fort. I wouldn't necessarily call it a fort, because it was so big, it looked like it belonged in the middle of a city park. There were 5 swings in the middle and two slides at each end, one that was tall and very high and a shorter one that had little curves in it. There were monkey bars and a rock climbing wall beside each one of the slides. The first thing I noticed when we had come out of the house was a pool, and thank God it had a gate with a lock around it, so that the children couldn't get in any time they felt like it. In the middle of the pool were stairs that went up to a slide that wrapped around into the pool. I can imagine they have fun swimming in the pool. I know my kids would have. Eden jumps into one of the swings and Gideon climbs up the rock wall and sits on the walkway that goes across the top of the swings and sits down and looks at me.

  "Will you push me, Owibia?" Eden bats her eyes at me and just the way she says my name has me smiling. She's just too cute and sweet for words.

  "Of course I can, sweetheart. Gideon? Do you want me to push you too?" I start pushing Eden to get her swing going and I look up at him.

  "Nah. I'll just watch, if that's ok with you." He is definitely watching me. He keeps staring at me and grinning.

  "That's perfectly fine. So do you two really never get to come outside and play?" I was asking him, while Eden beamed as I pushed her higher.

  "Only when Mrs. Williamson felt like it, which was NEVER! She would only let us play in our rooms, while she stayed in her room watching us on her monitor. I was always in trouble for something, so I was only allowed to lie on my bed most of the time. She was always nicer to Eden." Poor kid. Boys have to let off a lot of energy every day and playing outside is a great outlet for that.

  "So what happened at school today? Did you really do that to your teacher?" He looked embarrassed and a little ashamed that I had brought it up. His smile disappeared and he dropped his head down to his chest and started talking to me so quietly I could barely hear him, so I had to get closer.

  "Yes, I did, but my teacher is mean like Mrs. Williamson. She even told him what a bad kid I was and he could paddle me any time he felt like it. So I well, I wanted to pay him back.” It sounds like I need to go talk to his teacher, or tell Cash he needs to talk to him.

  "Did you get punished at school for what you did today?" This was going to determine how I was going to punish him, because I think I sent one of his biggest problems packing.

  "Yes. I got 5 licks at school by that teacher, in front of the principal and after school detention for a week! You told Mrs. Williamson that you were going to handle my punishment instead of her." He looked up at me with a nervous look on his face. "So, what is my punishment?" He dropped his head down again and I could tell by the look on his face that he knew that what he did was wrong, but in a way I was really proud of him for taking up for himself, when he had no one else to take up for him.

  "It really depends on you, Gideon. Do you think you could promise me that you will never do anything like that again? And that if you have a problem at school, you won't try to take care of it yourself? And that you'll come tell me and let ME take care of anyone mistreating you?" He looked at me in shock and bewilderment and then mistrust.

  "Why would you do that for me? Didn't you hear Mrs. Williamson? I'm a bad kid." This little boy is tough. He just met me and by the way he's been treated, I can understand why he doesn't trust me.

  "Because that's my job for one, and I don't believe anyone should be mean to little children, or anyone that can't defend themselves. And I DON'T believe that you are a bad kid at all. From what I can tell so far, you seem to be a very smart kid that has been making some bad choices. So, can you promise me what I asked?" He started to answer, but then he hesitated, like he was thinking about what he was going to say and then he smiled that gorgeous smile of his.

  "Yes ma'am." Oh. He is smooth. He does have manners. "But will you do something for me?" And here we go haha, the beginning of our newfound friendship.

  "And what would that be?" He had me chuckling, because I have no idea what is going to come out of his mouth.

  "Will you go to my school tomorrow and talk to my teacher for me? Tell him I'm going to be better from now on? Because if I tell him, he won't believe me." He looked at me with pleading eyes. Honestly, his father should be the one to go defend him, but I had already told myself I would.

  "Believe it or not, I was planning on doing that anyway. So do we have a deal? Do you want to shake on it?" He jumped down off of the walkway, which at first had me scared, because it seemed too far from the ground, but he just looked at me and giggled, when he saw the scared look on my face. Then he put his little hand out to me and I leaned down to shake it.

  "Ah, don't worry; I can jump even further than that! And yes ma'am, we have a deal." He looked up towards the door of the house and I turned around, and saw Carmen coming outside with a tray of snacks and I looked at him and he was grinning from ear to ear.

  "Snacks! Yeehaw!" And he was gone. Just like that, running towards Carmen as fast as his little legs would carry him. I looked down at Eden and she looked so content in her swing. I slowed it down, so she could get out.

  "Are you ready for snack time, Eden?" She nodded her head and grinned at me and then grabbed my hand, as we started walking towards the house. I looked down at her cute little self and looked up to see that Gideon was already chowing down on his snacks and all that I could think of was how I could get used to this. They really are such sweet beautiful children and just needed the right kind of attention, and I knew in that moment that I had made the right decision.

  ********************

  Carmen and I are sitting at the table on the back porch, watching the kids play on their swing set and enjoying the view. She had brought out sandwiches and oranges and apples, along with lemonade. Carmen is the cook and maid of the house and Lucas happens to be her husband. She also informed me that they had worked for Cash and Vanessa since before Gideon came along.

  "I just have to tell you Olivia, if Mrs. Kingston were here to tell you herself, she would be so proud of you for standing up for the kids the way that you did. I know that I am and I want to thank you. We have tried telling Mr. Kingston that she was being mean to the children, but she always lied her way out of it and he knew we didn't like her from the beginning, so he thought we were trying to get her fired." She reached over and patted my hand. I could feel an instant friendship forming with Carmen, and with Lucas as well. When he got back from taking that evil woman to the airport, he said that he had never been so excited to see anyone leave in all his life. He even said that even though I didn't want to, he was driving us in the limo to school the next morning, especially when he found out I was going to go speak to Gideon's teacher and the principal of the school. He advised me to wear something expensive looking and to talk to them the way I had Mrs. Williamson, so that I would have them shaking in their boots. I just laughed at him and told him they would listen to me regardless of what I was wearing.

  "Thank you for that, but I really don't know what came over me when I walked in. All I saw was a little boy getting brow beat by an evil woman and I just lost it. I normally don't act like that." I've always had a much laid back personality and avoid confrontation at all costs, but I was so enraged by what I saw.

  "Oh, I've had a confrontation with her now and then and she would always tell me that she would lie and tell Mr. Kingston that she caught me stealing some of the grocery money and honestly, as long as I've worked for him, I don't think it would worry him so much about looking for another cook, like it would to find another nanny. She was their nanny for over two years and stayed longer than anybody. No one else lasted a month, because Gideon would try them and act like your typical boy, but all he wants is to be shown some
love." She looked out at the children and smiled. "And I think you're just the right person for that." She was grinning at me.

  "I suspected that when Cash, I mean Mr. Kingston, offered me the job the other night. Can I ask you something?" She nodded at me to ask. "Does he spend any time with them?" I immediately knew the answer, by the tears forming in her eyes.

  "No, he doesn't. Lucas and I try to show that we love and care about them whenever we could when SHE wasn't around. Little hugs and kisses here and there and Lucas would love going to pick up Gideon by himself, because he would always take him to get ice cream or a burger after school when he got into trouble, because he knew that she would send him to bed without supper and it would be morning before he got to eat again." This makes me sad and angry at the same time. It's time that Mr. Cash Kingston woke up and realized what was going on under his roof.

  "Do you think it would do me any good to tell him the real reason I started working today? I don't know. Maybe it'll wake him up a little. Was he like this when his wife was alive?"

  "I don't know if you should tell him or not. I would hate for him to fire you, knowing that you went behind his back and fired her. He might be really mad about it. As far as was he like this when Mrs. Kingston was alive? No. He was the sweetest, most romantic husband and doting father I had ever seen in my life. The day that Eden was born and Mrs. Kingston died? I think his heart literally broke in half, because he's never been the same since." I think back to the day at the cemetery and yes, he definitely looked like a man whose heart was broken in two. But he has two beautiful children that came out of that union. I know I've been selfish since I've lost Derek and the kids and honestly didn't think I had a reason to live and I understand his darkness, I truly do, but he has got to open up his eyes and see what he does have. If I could, anybody can.

  "I do understand his pain and how lost he feels." I immediately start playing with my wedding ring and run a hand through my hair. Carmen looks over and notices me playing with my ring.

  "You lost your husband? Is that why you took the job?" I hesitate to tell her, but there's no sense in lying, so I open up to her.

  "Yes, I did. He died a year and a half ago and he was partly why I took the job." I didn't feel like going into the details of everything, so I just left it at that. "But I do feel that Mr. Kingston needs a wakeup call and to realize that he has two small children depending upon him, so I think I am going to tell him about Mrs. Williamson, to try to get his attention, hopefully." Carmen pats me on the hand and smiles and the back door opened up and Cash is standing there looking at us.

  "Hey, Olivia." He looks from me to Carmen. "Carmen", and then looks back at me. "Do you mind if we have a talk? I'll be in my study when you're done." He glances out at the kids and turns and shuts the door.

  "Well, here's your chance, Olivia. I wish you lots of luck and don't back down and maybe he'll respect you more." That made me wince, because I hate confrontation more than anything.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  I walk into the house, and I feel as if I'm walking into a tomb, it's so eerily quiet. I didn't think to ask where his study was. During the whole fiasco, I didn't really pay attention to how big the living room and kitchen was. You could have fit the whole house that Derek and I lived in, just in this one big room.

  The room was big and open. On one side, you had the living room, with modern furnishings mixed in with some medieval paintings on the wall and a family crest with swords, and the biggest fireplace I had ever seen. I think I could walk under and inside the chimney, it's so big. The kitchen is just as big as the living room, with a big dining room table in front of the big picture window.

  After searching through the house for a few minutes, I finally find his study and he has the door open. I knock on the door and he lifts his head up from the desk and stands up and waves me toward the seat in front of his desk.

  "Come in, Olivia. Have a seat. I hope Carmen has been showing you around and you are settling in alright."

  I walk across the gigantic room to the seat that he indicated for me to sit in and sit down. I can already tell that it is going to take me weeks to find my way around his castle.

  "So far, all I've seen is the foyer, living room, kitchen, and outside. We haven't had a chance yet for Carmen to take me on a tour. You do have quite a castle here." He seems to be mad about something, because he seems to be brooding and seems rather deep in thought. Am I not allowed to take the children outside or speak to Carmen? Surely that's not why he's mad.

  "Yes, it is rather big. I've been thinking about downsizing recently. It's just too much upkeep, but I've been too busy with work to look for something smaller."

  "Well, that's understandable." Small talk. Ok, I can do this for a little bit.

  "I need to ask you a question, Olivia. I got a call from Mrs. Williamson after she arrived at the airport and I'm a little confused about something that she said." That evil BITCH! That's why he seems so mad and there's no telling what she said to him.

  "What was it that she said?" I'd rather know what all she said, before I completely stick my foot in my mouth.

  "She called to inform me that I made the wrong choice in hiring you and that you were not the kind of person that I needed to watch my children, and especially for Gideon. I understand he got into some trouble at school today?"

  Wow. When I said he had gorgeous eyes, I wasn't kidding. They get even bluer when he is mad, which is what is keeping me from standing up and throwing obscenities at him right now. Focus Olivia. Focus!

  "Yes, he did get into trouble at school today and he was punished, and I've talked to him about it and it won't happen again." I started to raise my voice, but I reined it in. He is my boss after all, even though he's acting like an ass right now.

  "Don't you think he should be punished here as well for what he did? From what Mrs. Williamson said, he put tacks on his teacher’s seat while he was out of the room, before he sat down on them? They had to get the nurse to pull them out with pliers, because they went in so far." I giggled. Oh lord. He just looked at me like I was crazy.

  "I'm sorry. I know that's not funny at all. But, his teacher has been really mean to him and it was just a prank gone wrong." Oh this made him mad. I could tell by the intense stare he gave me.

  "You think it was a prank gone wrong? So, you condone this kind of behavior? Maybe she was right; maybe you're NOT the one for this job. Is it also true that you FIRED HER?" And this is when he started yelling at me, And when I started yelling back.

  "YES, I DID FIRE HER AND YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF, FOR NOT FIRING HER YOURSELF!" Oh my God! Did I really just say that? Scream that? I look at his enraged face and realize that yes, I did. SHIT!

  "WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?" He pauses and takes a few short breaths and looks at me for a few seconds, before he continues in a calmer tone. "Why, may I ask, did you fire my nanny? She has worked for me for over two years, and I've never had a problem with her and you swoop right in, and just because you obviously didn't like her, you told her she was free to go? Can you explain yourself, Olivia?"

  He was gritting his teeth through the last question. I don't even know where to start. I had to calm down myself and take a few breaths. We are staring at each other intently and then he breaks contact, and looks around the room.

  “Ok, you pretty much begged me to take this job and I was very hesitant to take it, I'll admit. I've been, well, I've been very depressed since I lost.... my husband and I needed a way to, well, start living again." I know I should tell him about the kids as well, but I just can't go into it that deep with him. I need him to understand where I'm coming from and also try to get him to understand that he's not alone in his grief. Why, I don't know. But he nods like he understands and his face softened a little and motions for me to continue.

  "The night I met you was the first day that I had gotten out of the house and actually enjoyed myself with Claudia. She had finally had it with me and my grief, and force
d me to get out and have some fun, and told me that I needed to get a job or join a charity group, just something to leave my room. So, when you mentioned that you were looking for a nanny and she suggested that I be your nanny, well, that was why I drank so much, because it was just too much too soon."

  He got a knowing look on his face and then he started cracking up laughing. I mean his head rolled back and he was holding his belly and laughing. How dare him. I'm trying to tell him why I took the job and telling him personal things about me, and he's laughing at me? He looks at me and sees that I'm upset, and straightens up real quick.

  “I'm so sorry. I'm not laughing at what you just said and I assure you, I truly understand why you felt that way, but you're the one that kicked me aren't you? It wasn't Claudia at all, was it?" Oh that. I had forgotten all about that.

  "Guilty." I just smiled back at him. Maybe he's not as bad as he pretends to be.

  "I understand your hesitation now, but what does this have to do with Mrs. Williamson?"

  "Well, I showed up wondering if this was what I should be doing, and I heard yelling through the door and when no one answered, I walked in and what I saw going on in your kitchen, made me feel like I had made the right decision in taking this job." I know I still haven't gotten him to understand, so I continue.

  "What I saw was an angry little boy, being bullied by a mean old woman. Do you know that she sends him to bed without dinner? And threatens to use a yard stick on him, if he doesn't mind? I still haven't gotten to the bottom of if she HAS used the yard stick." He looks at me shocked and confused.

  "She would never do that. He's only 7 years old, for Christ's sake. Has Carmen been filling your head with stuff? I'll talk to her." Are you kidding me?

  "No, Mr. Kingston! I saw it with my own two eyes! It was when she raised her hand to strike him that I intervened and told her that I would start today, and that she was free to go. So, if that's the kind of nanny you want for your children, one that withholds food from them and starves them and one that HITS them, then maybe I should go!"