Page 15 of Quiet as Kept
“Yo, Xarielle, thanks for everything today.”
“You’re welcome. It’s my job.”
I nodded. “I guess I’m thanking you for being so seemingly good at it. The last nanny . . .” I shook my head as my thoughts trailed off. “Just . . . thank you. And um, I know I said you’re off on Saturdays, but this Saturday I actually need you. I want to give you a tour of the island, show you where I pick up groceries, where the girls’ doctor’s office is located . . . stuff like that. And I know you probably want to see the community center, the library, the?—”
“Park.” She cut me off with a grin. “I want to see everything.”
It was my turn to grin because her enthusiasm was contagious. “And the park.”
“What time should I be ready?”
“Seven. Seven-thirty.”
“I’ll be ready. Good night.”
“Good night, Xarielle.”
I walked away from her as she headed to her room on the first level. I made my way to the primary bedroom. As soon as I closed the door behind myself, I shot Yahirah a text.
Me:Yo, I might owe you a finder’s fee.
Yahirah:My bestie is everything, isn’t she? I bet the girls took to her right away, didn’t they? Kids love Xari. And Xari loves the kids.
Me:They do seem comfortable with her, and she’s great with them. She came here in a trap ass hooptie. I can’t even believe the truck made it from Londynville.
Yahirah:LOL. She’s had that truck since college. She bought it with cash. She likes to say that it’s the one thing she owns free and outright. She’s not getting rid of it.
Me:She came here with a schedule. A weekly schedule of things she plans to do with the girls each day. The schedule was detailed as hell.
Yahirah:She’s a teacher, Bro. What do you expect? For her to be disorganized and fumbling through everything? That was your other nanny. That chick was a nightmare.
Me:Say less. I’m the one who caught her naked in their bed. Anyway, thanks. Thanks for the plug. Thanks for looking out.
Yahirah:You’re welcome.
Five
Xarielle
I awoke to the faint smell of the ocean and the sound of waves crashing against the surf as an easy breeze floated into the bedroom from the window I’d left cracked. The sheets on the bed, the decor of the room, everything made me feel like I’d spent the night wrapped in a cocoon of luxury. Even having the breeze float in was a luxury because I never would’ve fallen asleep with my window cracked at home. The way the crime rate was set up in my area, that would’ve been an invitation to somebody with nefarious intentions.
At home. I smiled. For the first time in my thirty-two years of life, Londynville wasn’t my home. Jackson Island was my home.
“I live on a whole island,” I whispered to myself.
But this isn’t your house.You’re this man’s employee. It’s his house. And as soon as his girls are old enough to start school, you’re out of here.
“Well, I have to enjoy it while it last, live in the moment, and save my ass off.”
Because if I could help it, I was never going back to Londynville as anything but a visitor.
I stretched, climbed out of bed, and began making it up. I had no idea what the day would bring, but I knew that whatever it brought, it would bring it right next to the ocean in a mansion, not right next to the alley, one block removed from the most impoverished neighborhood in the state. I had definitely leveled up.
I walked into the kitchen showered, dressed, sun-screened, and ready to go. The girls were having breakfast—toast, scrambled eggs, and berries. Dakota and Destin were seated on booster seats at the kitchen island. Kept stood behind Destin’s chair, wrangling her hair into a ponytail. He knew what he was doing too. He was using the exact technique I would use. I smiled to myself. It hadn’t occurred to me before this very moment that he was the one who did his girls’ hair.
“Good morning,” I said. “Good morning, Dakota. Good morning, Destin. Good morning, Kept.”
“Hi.” Dakota looked at me, her big brown eyes so innocent and pure.