Page 7 of The Lake Escape


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Izzy’s mouth crested into a shy smile. “Nice to meet you both,” she said, extending her hand.

The hot girlfriend and the alluring nanny. Julia had heard this story before, and it seldom ended well.

Chapter 4

Izzy

It’s amazing how two children could turn an hour-long drive from Burlington to Lake Timmeny into an eternity. We’ve arrived at the lake, but I’m not sure if my hearing will ever return to normal. If there’s one thing five-year-old twins are not, it’s quiet.

I couldn’t wait for that car ride to be over.

At first it seemed like a good idea. David had offered to pick me up, and we arranged to meet at a Starbucks near the bus station where my mom dropped me off for my fictitious ride to my internship. Fiona, his girlfriend, wanted her car, so she was driving separately. I wasn’t too worried about being alone with a stranger, since his kids would be with us, but for obvious reasons I couldn’t have him come get me at home. I made my lack of transportation sound like a benefit: “It’ll be a good opportunity to get to know the children,” I explained during our phone call.

I waited for David curbside, coffee in hand. He was punctual, which made a good first impression. I liked his smile, too—friendly and relaxed. He was attractive for an older guy, with his dark complexion and a touch of gray flecking his hair, but he went heavy on the cologne. His skin had the outdoorsy glow of an active person. Parenting didn’t seem to fluster him in the least. There wasn’t a strand of his thick dark hair out of place, and I didn’t notice any food stains—the marker of a harried parent—on his blue polo or dark gray shorts. This was a man in control of his life (and children). Or so I believed.

“Brody, Becca, it’s so nice to meet you both,” I said, shaking their tiny hands before getting settled into my seat. “I’m Izzy, and I’m going to be your nanny during vacation.”

Brody stuck his tongue out at me.

“I don’t want a babysitter,” he declared with a pouty face that matched his voice.

David corrected the behavior gently. “Brody, we don’t speak that way, it’s not polite. Izzy’s here to help you both have fun and we’re going to treat her with kindness.”

I was pleased that David had my back.

“I DON’T WANT A BABYSITTER!” Brody screamed before tossing a plastic container of Goldfish all over the immaculate carpeting of David’s Mercedes.

“THOSE WEREMYGOLDFISH!” yelled Becca, to which Brody declared loudly that he didn’t care and he wasn’t a baby and he didn’t need a nanny. Thick hot tears streaked down his plump, ruddy face.

Oh. My. Good. Lord.

I had no idea that two precious creatures, with angelic faces, soft brown eyes, and matching hair—an adorable ponytail on one, sweet bangs on the other—could be so impossibly loud. If David’s car came equipped with an eject button, I might have deployed it. Instead, I plastered on a tense smile and assured my new boss that I had the skill and expertise to win them over.

I almost believed myself.

“This is going to be theworstestvacation ever,” whined Brody.

“Worst vacation,” corrected David tersely. “And it will be if you don’t start behaving.”

In the rearview mirror, I could see Brody attempting to turn me into stone with his stare. A minute later Becca screamed at the top of her lungs: “DADDY, HE STOLE MY STUFFIE!!!”

“Did not,” insisted Brody, who didn’t seem to care that he held the evidence (a fluffy stuffed tiger) in his lap. And this went on until David was forced to pull over, issuing a string of warnings that I could tell had zero chance of being effective.

He used all the threats I remembered from my childhood.

You’re both going to be in big, big trouble.

I’m turning this car around this instant if you don’t start behaving.

And…

When we get to the lake, you’ll go straight to your rooms.

Becca screamed, “That’s not fair!”Brody chimed in, echoing her protest against this grave injustice.

I was left thinking:What have I gotten myself into?I entered into this arrangement fully aware I didn’t love children, but could it be that I actuallyloathethem? Either way, I wasn’t going to sit passively, lamenting my plight while my eardrums burst.

Thankfully my survival instincts took over. I recalled a useful tidbit from a blog I had sourced about dealing with recalcitrant children.