Blood of My Blood
It's a long weekend here in South Africa, so time for another short story. This one comes from a Daily Prompt competition I took part in. I didn't win, but I ended 4th which is good enough if I shake off the "Just one more and I would have won something" feeling. ;-) The prompt was "about a babysitter who finds out a dangerous secret about the family they work for". Enjoy it, leave your comments and don't forget to check out my debut novel, Wolf Soul, available on Amazon.
Blood of My Blood
I had finished my degree so, like so many other post-graduates, I was struggling to find my first job. When Mrs Harris called me for an interview at her place, I jumped for joy. The job spec required someone who could take care of her daughter, Lisa, a girl in her early teens, who suffered from a mental disorder. No previous experience required.
Mrs Harris was a very friendly lady, in her early thirties. She had been a mother at a young age and now that she had finally found a stable full-time job, she needed someone to take care of her daughter. Funny enough, no Mr Harris was present in the interview but back then I didn't find this strange. I assumed he was at work.
"Your studies are quite impressive, Tamara. I'm more than glad to give you the job provided that you are happy with your salary. Please start this Monday at 9am. I am usually home by 5pm, so you may immediately go then." she told me, much to my joy. I couldn't believe I was finally getting my first job. I wanted to badly to put on my CV that I had experience with mentally disabled people.
Mrs Harris was a very friendly lady, in her early thirties. She had been a mother at a young age and now that she had finally found a stable full-time job, she needed someone to take care of her daughter. Funny enough, no Mr Harris was present in the interview but back then I didn't find this strange. I assumed he was at work.
"Your studies are quite impressive, Tamara. I'm more than glad to give you the job provided that you are happy with your salary. Please start this Monday at 9am. I am usually home by 5pm, so you may immediately go then." she told me, much to my joy. I couldn't believe I was finally getting my first job. I wanted to badly to put on my CV that I had experience with mentally disabled people.
Lisa was very quiet girl, which somehow made my task easy. As well as her mental diroser, autism according to her mom, she was also uncoordinated and one of her hands was much smaller than the other and lacked three fingers. It reminded me of a crab pincer. She would often agree to play games with me and particularly loved that I read stories to her. Which I had to read louder than normal because Lisa couldn't hear well either. I was sorry for her and deeply enjoyed her company.
Mrs Harris was punctual too and every day she was indeed home by 5pm. She would immediately tell me tog o.
"You must be tired of dealing with Lisa." she would say in a soft, understanding tone. "I'm not the type of boss who demands you to do extra hours, so please go now."
Weeks went by and I was deeply enjoying my job. Lisa was adorable in her own way and I believed she enjoyed my company too even though she would seldom say a word. Mrs Harris would always be home at 5pm and not even 5 minutes later I would be catching the bus back home. I never ever found odd that I had not met Lisa's father yet. I always assumed that by the time I arrived, he had already left to work and by the time he was home I had already left too. Until one day, as I was already half way home...
"Oh, gosh, I forgot my phone."
I asked the bus driver to stop immediately. I didn't know what time the next bus back would be, so I decided to walk back. It was probably just after 6pm when I knocked on the door. A very different Mrs Harris opened.
"What are you doing back here?" she snapped at me. "I told you to go."
I was puzzled and couldn't reply straight away. Where was the friendly, affable Mrs Harris?
Mrs Harris was punctual too and every day she was indeed home by 5pm. She would immediately tell me tog o.
"You must be tired of dealing with Lisa." she would say in a soft, understanding tone. "I'm not the type of boss who demands you to do extra hours, so please go now."
Weeks went by and I was deeply enjoying my job. Lisa was adorable in her own way and I believed she enjoyed my company too even though she would seldom say a word. Mrs Harris would always be home at 5pm and not even 5 minutes later I would be catching the bus back home. I never ever found odd that I had not met Lisa's father yet. I always assumed that by the time I arrived, he had already left to work and by the time he was home I had already left too. Until one day, as I was already half way home...
"Oh, gosh, I forgot my phone."
I asked the bus driver to stop immediately. I didn't know what time the next bus back would be, so I decided to walk back. It was probably just after 6pm when I knocked on the door. A very different Mrs Harris opened.
"What are you doing back here?" she snapped at me. "I told you to go."
I was puzzled and couldn't reply straight away. Where was the friendly, affable Mrs Harris?
"I'm so sorry, mam." I managed to mumble when I recovered part of my composure. "I forgot my phone and..."
"What's going on, honey? Who's there?" a masculine voice came from the living room.
"Stay there." Mrs Harris told him. And she shut the door on my face.
Now I was angry. How incredibly rude was this? She came back a couple of minutes later.
"Where did you leave your phone?"
Lisa had started crying in the meantime. An urge to go console her grew within me but I resisted.
"I don't know. It can be anywhere. May I please go in and look for it?"
Air came out noitily from her nose, it reminded me of a bull ready to attack. I guess she had no choice. Funny enough, Mr Harris was now nowhere to be heard nor seen.
"Go look for it and be quick. You just interrupted our dinner."
I mumbled an apology and walked in. Anger was still making my heart beat quicker and definitely blurring my thoughts. I started looking for the phone but no luck.
"Mrs Harris, may I ask that you call it, please? If I hear the ring I'll find it quicker."
She didn't say a word but went grab her phone. Mine rang from Lisa's bedroom, where she was still crying. Mrs Harris grew pale but as she said No, I darted upstairs, resolute to get my phone and get our of there asap. When I opened the door I had the shock of my life. The moment my eyes set on Mr Harris, my body bent forward as if I had been punched on my stomach. Nausea filled my already spinning head too. Lisa was on his lap as he was trying to calm her down, but that wasn't the reason of my distress.
"My gosh...." I stuttered, still bent forward.
He was a photocopy of Mrs Harris. The same face features, eye and hair colour, everything. He was staring back at me like a child caught doing something wrong.
"Do you have your bloody phone now?" I heard Mrs Harris hiss behind me.
I didn't but looked for it with my eyes. It was on the bedside table. I quickly grabbed it and prepared to leave. I loved Lisa to bits but I never again wanted to go back. This was why I had never met Mr Harris. This was why Mrs Harris always rushed me away the moment she arrived. This was why no experience was required. So that I wouldn't recognise that Lisa's mental and physical issues derived from two twins who had had a child together."
Enjoyed this story? Check a few more I have written:
Fluffy, the Spiteful Cat
Behold the Brave New World
"What's going on, honey? Who's there?" a masculine voice came from the living room.
"Stay there." Mrs Harris told him. And she shut the door on my face.
Now I was angry. How incredibly rude was this? She came back a couple of minutes later.
"Where did you leave your phone?"
Lisa had started crying in the meantime. An urge to go console her grew within me but I resisted.
"I don't know. It can be anywhere. May I please go in and look for it?"
Air came out noitily from her nose, it reminded me of a bull ready to attack. I guess she had no choice. Funny enough, Mr Harris was now nowhere to be heard nor seen.
"Go look for it and be quick. You just interrupted our dinner."
I mumbled an apology and walked in. Anger was still making my heart beat quicker and definitely blurring my thoughts. I started looking for the phone but no luck.
"Mrs Harris, may I ask that you call it, please? If I hear the ring I'll find it quicker."
She didn't say a word but went grab her phone. Mine rang from Lisa's bedroom, where she was still crying. Mrs Harris grew pale but as she said No, I darted upstairs, resolute to get my phone and get our of there asap. When I opened the door I had the shock of my life. The moment my eyes set on Mr Harris, my body bent forward as if I had been punched on my stomach. Nausea filled my already spinning head too. Lisa was on his lap as he was trying to calm her down, but that wasn't the reason of my distress.
"My gosh...." I stuttered, still bent forward.
He was a photocopy of Mrs Harris. The same face features, eye and hair colour, everything. He was staring back at me like a child caught doing something wrong.
"Do you have your bloody phone now?" I heard Mrs Harris hiss behind me.
I didn't but looked for it with my eyes. It was on the bedside table. I quickly grabbed it and prepared to leave. I loved Lisa to bits but I never again wanted to go back. This was why I had never met Mr Harris. This was why Mrs Harris always rushed me away the moment she arrived. This was why no experience was required. So that I wouldn't recognise that Lisa's mental and physical issues derived from two twins who had had a child together."
Enjoyed this story? Check a few more I have written:
Fluffy, the Spiteful Cat
Behold the Brave New World
Magic Mirror on the Wall
Or my Werewolf Stories, which I post every Full Moon:
Officer Brooks' Creepy Blue Eyes
Or my Werewolf Stories, which I post every Full Moon:
Officer Brooks' Creepy Blue Eyes
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