Chapter 1: Look, it’s not my fucking problem…
She looked at the plate at the front gate, then back down at the small ad in the Detroit Daily. This couldn’t be the house. She was never this lucky. She called the number listed with the ad and asked if she was at the right address. She was. She buzzed the intercom and a man with a low voice asked her who she was. “Molly. Um, Molly Jenkins. I’m here answering the nanny ad in the Detroit Daily. It says I’m supposed to ask for Mrs. Macias.”
“Yeah, hold on. You’ll need to stop by the guard station inside the gate.” He buzzed her in and a small gate off to the side swung open revealing a small path leading to another gate. She walked down and the first gate slammed shut behind her. To her direct left was the guard station. They were very friendly, they searched her purse her jacket, and the female guard patted her down. They let her through to the main walkway to the house with a smile. She was happy to do it. She had a patience that could not be rivaled, most of the time. Perfect for children.
The front door was large wood, looked like mahogany. ‘These people must be loaded!’ She thought as she rang the bell. A woman answered. She was pretty, around forty-forty five with dark hair and eyes, a kind smile, and was taller than Molly. About five foot six. Molly herself was only five foot three.
“You’re Molly Jenkins. I’m Mrs. Macias. The owner is in his office. I’ll be talking to you before I introduce you.” She moved aside and allowed Molly through the heavy door. After sitting on the over stuffed furniture in the formal living room, Mrs. Macias started the interview.
“Have you had any prior child care experience?”
“Yes, I took care of my twin younger brother and sister before my family was split apart.”
“How old were they?”
“They were about six months old when I started and seven when they left.” She was very uncomfortable talking about her past.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty.” This was of course a lie. She was seventeen, but people have mistaken her for twenty two so she played the middle.
“Alright, so you were the sole care giver of your younger siblings?”
“Yes, we gained financial support from the state.”
“Alright, well, I’ll introduce you to Mr. Mathers now, but first, do you have any references?”
“No, I’m sorry, I don’t. I had to care for my brother and sister, they only left a month ago. I’ve been searching for a job since.”
“Well, I think Mr. Mathers will like you. The girls will too. Let’s see if my hunch is right, shall we?” The kind woman stood beckoning Molly with her arm, wrapping it around her securely as she was led up the stairs to the second floor. They reached a door farthest down the left from the stairs. “Look, it’s not my fucking problem! Fix your mistake!” The man slammed the phone down inside the office. Molly looked at Mrs. Macias terrified.
“Don’t worry, he’s very kind, if over occupied and over stressed, he’s still a very nice man.” She knocked on the door. “Yeah?” came from inside. Calmer than before. “Mr. Mathers, I have a very nice girl I would like you to meet. She’s answering the add in the Detroit Daily.” “Come in.”
Mrs. Macias led Molly in. “Mr. Mathers, this is Molly Jenkins. I think she would be an excellent nanny for the girls.” The man was large in build, muscular, with a slightly crooked nose, glasses perched on the bridge. He had piercingly blue eyes, blondish hair, and was wearing an expression like he expected her to flip out. He smiled after a moment and stood up, extending his hand. “I’m Marshall Mathers, It’s Nice to meet you Molly. Sit and talk a little,” he looked at Mrs. Macias, “Thanks Tanika.” Mrs. Macias left, leaving a very terrified Molly in her wake. Though she didn’t show it. Molly learned early that to show emotions of fear or anger only got her bad results. Her face remained smooth and blank.
“So, you impressed my house keeper, now you get to impress me.” He smiled at her very kindly, as if he could see something she was trying to hide. “So, you obviously have taken care of children before. Who was it?”
“My younger twin brother and sister. They left about a month ago. I’ve been trying to find work, I haven’t worked before. I had to take care of my brother and sister.”
“Your parents were gone?” He was trying to get an explanation without being harsh. He knew before he even heard it. Her effort to hide her fear was so evident, it reminded him of himself.
“My mother left after my brother and sister turned six months old. My father didn’t support us very well” Marshall nodded. He knew all too well what she meant.
“Well, I’m impressed, how soon can you start?”
“Right now.”
“Well, the kids are all at school, but the two oldest get out at 2:30 and the youngest gets out of pre-school at 2:45. I guess I should show you your room.” Molly allowed her surprise to show. She hadn’t expected to be given a place to stay or food to eat. It had been a day and a half since her last meal, at the hospital. She followed him down to the opposite end of the first floor and to the right. “Here’s Laney’s room, she’s the oldest, the one next to it is Hailey’s, she’s second, and the one across from hers is Whitney’s. She’s the youngest. Your room is the last on the left.”
Molly walked to the door and looked over her shoulder to see Marshall waiting. She peeked in. It was beautiful! She quickly shut the door so he could finish the tour. He took her downstairs to the kitchen, laundry room, garage, “You can park your car to the furthest left as you’re driving in-“
“I don’t have a car. I took the bus.”
“Well, we’ll remedy that soon.” He walked her back to the living room. She turned and said, “Thank you so much Mr. Mathers. I don’t have any belongings, so I guess I’m set. Thank you for everything. You really don’t know how much this means to me.” She started getting teary eyed, but held them back. She wouldn’t break down now. Not when everything was starting to go in her favor.
“Call me Marshall. We’ll do some shopping tonight for stuff you need right away and I’ll send you out with Mrs. Macias tomorrow. She’ll help you with everything.” He smiled at her so kindly. She couldn’t help it anymore. She finally lunged at him, wrapping he arms around his five foot ten frame and wept uncontrollably. Things were starting to look up. It was true. When you hit rock bottom, the only way you can go is up.
Marshall tentatively put his arms around Molly. He knew what was happening but he just didn’t have time. He had to get back to work. Marshall had never been good at expressing emotions outside of music. It just wasn’t his nature. Sure, he showed tenderness and love to the girls but they were children. He knew what it was like to not receive that from a parent at all. That’s why he showed he cared any chance he got, but it wasn’t enough. It seemed like nothing was ever enough. For Kim, the financial stability wasn’t enough. She wanted Marshall to change. He just couldn’t.
Thinking back to Molly he noticed he was calming down. She was just a jumpy little thing. Short, fragile, and skinny. Too skinny. He wondered how often she ate, or if she had a choice in the matter. Marshall pulled away and smiled down at her feeling guilty that here she was an emotional mess and all he could think about was returning the dozen calls he’d missed in the last half hour.
She blushed up at him and diverted her gaze. “All right little Molly, I have to go back to work.” She nodded. “Make yourself at home.” She watched him trudge up the stairs. She looked around. Her stomach sounded like Hiroshima. ‘I hope they don’t mind if I get something to eat.’ There was a clock in the kitchen that read 11:53. A few hours until she picked up the girls. She hoped they would like her. If they did, would they hate her when she turned eighteen in a few months and left to get her brother and sister back.
Molly made a sandwich and found that her stomach had shrunk so much that she could only eat half. ‘I’m slowly dying! Something has to change.’ She found her way to the family room turned on the TV. They had about 250 channels and about 100 movie channels. A far cry from the three she got at home. She fell asleep watching a movie on TNT. She didn’t know if they would mind her ordering a movie from the cable or not.
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Marshall looked at the clock. It was 2:00. Time for him to take Molly to pick up the girls. He walked downstairs to find Molly asleep on the sofa in the family room. He had to admit she was beautiful. He looked away as he felt a familiar tightening in his groin. She belonged to his girls, not him. He wouldn’t do that to them.
Marshall shook her awake. They didn’t have time for his pussy attitude at the moment. She started to wail like she was terrified and thrashed around barely missing his groin with her tight fist. He grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her. This only seemed to make things worse. She just started bawling! Finally he let her go. She suddenly went still and opened her eyes. She turned as red as a tomato, “I’m sorry.” She apologized, “I forgot where I was. What time is it?” She finished quickly, obviously not wanting to get into it. Marshall noticed but let it go. “It’s about two. We need to go get the girls. You can drive the hummer until we can get you a car. You can drive a stick?” he asked, not realizing the implications of his question.
“Yeah, I can.” She got up and they went to the car. As they were driving Marshall handed her a piece of paper. “Here’s the directions to their schools.” She nodded. ‘Here it goes…’
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Marshall pulled up in front of Hailey and Laney’s school. “Come in with me. The girls wait in the office.” She followed him through the winding halls. As soon as the girls saw him, they ran into his arms. His smile, she noted, was care free, like with them he wasn’t a rapper, executive, or a kid from the wrong side of the city. Just Daddy, protector and loving care giver. There were complexities to him and she found herself admiring him in a whole new way. From what Mrs. Macias had told her, she and him weren’t so much different than she thought. The main difference being their age and the fact that he had made it.
“Girls, I’ve got a surprise. This is Molly Jenkins. She’s gonna help take care of you when you’re with me.” Molly smiled adoringly at the girls and introduced herself. The girls took to her right away. Now she had to impress Whitney.
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Whitney’s school was easier to find. It was two blocks away. Hailey and Laney stayed in the locked, armored car while Molly followed Marshall to pick up Whitney. Making conversation, “Kim has them every two weeks, so she’ll be picking them up then. I hope you don’t mind not being paid for those weeks?”
“No problem, we haven’t discussed pay for weeks I will be working.”
“We’ll do that when we get home, kay?” She nodded as they reached the classroom door.
Whitney was adorable, only five and the spitting images of the pictures Molly had seen of Kim. All that she knew was what Mrs. Macias had told her. Molly had been so wrapped up in the twins and trying to get her GED had no time to pay attention to Hollywood.
Whitney looked up at Molly from the protection of Marshall’s shoulder, “Are you gonna be my mommy too, cause I already have one.” Marshall sighed, he had been expecting this, but he wanted to see how Molly handled it.
Molly took Whitney’s small hand, “No sweety, I’m gonna help your daddy take care of you while you’re with him.” Molly smiled and Whitney made a move to get down from Marshall. He let her down and Whitney grabbed Molly’s hand and trudged down the hall to the car. “I wanna show you my dolls, my sissys don’t like them, but they’re soooooooooooooo old. You wanna play with me?” Whitney looked up at Molly with big blue eyes. Molly smiled, “Of course babe, that’s what I’m here for.” Marshall’s heart warmed. One less thing to worry about. This should all be good.
Author's Chapter Notes:
The story takes a while to get going, but it will get there.
Disclaimer: If I knew any of these people, do you really think I would be writing about them? Laney?s name will be Elaina when she?s in trouble or her full name is required. I reserve the right to use creative license to fill in any gaps where my knowledge lacks.
Disclaimer: If I knew any of these people, do you really think I would be writing about them? Laney?s name will be Elaina when she?s in trouble or her full name is required. I reserve the right to use creative license to fill in any gaps where my knowledge lacks.
