WANTED: Nanny for three year old boy...
I applied for the position on May 3rd, 1986.
A butler escorted me through the Metropolis mansion. As he led me along several halls, he explained the family would be traveling through Europe over the summer. The position would be for a four month term, with a possible indefinite extension.
I waited in a parlor for half an hour as four other applicants filtered in and out of the room. All were beautiful young things, obviously dressed to impress their potential employer.
I walked into the sitting room when my name was called. The couple sat on a sofa. I took the seat across from them, and the interview began.
Lionel was an imposing man, not so much physically as socially. He remained in firm control of the interview. His wife was lovely, poised, and only rarely interrupted to have an item clarified.
Lionel and Lillian stood to thank me for my interest in the position. I glanced around the room before shaking his hand.
Gathering my courage, I asked "May I see him?"
Lillian smiled. Lionel blinked. "See who?" he asked.
"The boy - your son," I replied, hoping my voice didn't betray my nervousness. They might have had a perfectly viable reason for not having the child present. My mind flitted through possibilities.
Lillian rested her hand on my arm. "You're hired," she said softly. She linked her arm through mine, and led me to a set of doors at the opposite end of the room. "We've been interviewing for, what -" she glanced back at her husband, "- two weeks now?" He nodded,and she continued. "You're the first to ask to be introduced to Alexander."
Double doors swung wide into a nursery. A woman sat on the floor, reading aloud, but I couldn't see the child.
"Thank you, Rachel. That will be all." The woman nodded, and began to rise as a red haired tornado dashed around her.
"Mommy!" the little boy squealed, and wrapped his arms around Lillian's legs.
"Careful, Lex," Lionel admonished quietly from the doorway.
The boy took a step back, and watched his mother as she knelt beside him. "Alexander, I'd like you to meet Pamela. She's going to keep you company on our trip."
I crouched in front of him. "Hello," I said.
"Hello," he replied without hesitation, and held his hand out. "My name is Alexander Luthor."
Smiling, I shook his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Alexander."
He tightened his grip on my hand, and tugged. "C'mon. Read to me."
Lillian and I laughed. Lionel cleared his throat and said "Pamela needs to go to her home, so she can get her belongings and move in."
Alexander rolled his eyes. "David can." He pulled me again, blue eyes pleading. "Read for me."
I glanced back and noted Lionel's frown. I gently pulled the boy closer. "Did Rachel stop reading at a good part?"
He nodded frantically. "C'mon!"
"How's this... I'll finish the book, but then I'll have to leave so I can pack my things to move in."
He thought about it for a moment. "Okay, hurry!"
Alexander hugged me before I left the house. "Miss you," he said solemnly.
I ran my hand over his brilliant red hair. "Not for long, sweetheart. I'll be back tomorrow."
"Promise?"
I nodded.
"And the day after?"
I nodded again with a smile.
"Okay. Goodnight." He kissed my cheek and ran back down the hall.
I lost my heart.
A butler escorted me through the Metropolis mansion. As he led me along several halls, he explained the family would be traveling through Europe over the summer. The position would be for a four month term, with a possible indefinite extension.
I waited in a parlor for half an hour as four other applicants filtered in and out of the room. All were beautiful young things, obviously dressed to impress their potential employer.
I walked into the sitting room when my name was called. The couple sat on a sofa. I took the seat across from them, and the interview began.
Lionel was an imposing man, not so much physically as socially. He remained in firm control of the interview. His wife was lovely, poised, and only rarely interrupted to have an item clarified.
Lionel and Lillian stood to thank me for my interest in the position. I glanced around the room before shaking his hand.
Gathering my courage, I asked "May I see him?"
Lillian smiled. Lionel blinked. "See who?" he asked.
"The boy - your son," I replied, hoping my voice didn't betray my nervousness. They might have had a perfectly viable reason for not having the child present. My mind flitted through possibilities.
Lillian rested her hand on my arm. "You're hired," she said softly. She linked her arm through mine, and led me to a set of doors at the opposite end of the room. "We've been interviewing for, what -" she glanced back at her husband, "- two weeks now?" He nodded,and she continued. "You're the first to ask to be introduced to Alexander."
Double doors swung wide into a nursery. A woman sat on the floor, reading aloud, but I couldn't see the child.
"Thank you, Rachel. That will be all." The woman nodded, and began to rise as a red haired tornado dashed around her.
"Mommy!" the little boy squealed, and wrapped his arms around Lillian's legs.
"Careful, Lex," Lionel admonished quietly from the doorway.
The boy took a step back, and watched his mother as she knelt beside him. "Alexander, I'd like you to meet Pamela. She's going to keep you company on our trip."
I crouched in front of him. "Hello," I said.
"Hello," he replied without hesitation, and held his hand out. "My name is Alexander Luthor."
Smiling, I shook his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Alexander."
He tightened his grip on my hand, and tugged. "C'mon. Read to me."
Lillian and I laughed. Lionel cleared his throat and said "Pamela needs to go to her home, so she can get her belongings and move in."
Alexander rolled his eyes. "David can." He pulled me again, blue eyes pleading. "Read for me."
I glanced back and noted Lionel's frown. I gently pulled the boy closer. "Did Rachel stop reading at a good part?"
He nodded frantically. "C'mon!"
"How's this... I'll finish the book, but then I'll have to leave so I can pack my things to move in."
He thought about it for a moment. "Okay, hurry!"
Alexander hugged me before I left the house. "Miss you," he said solemnly.
I ran my hand over his brilliant red hair. "Not for long, sweetheart. I'll be back tomorrow."
"Promise?"
I nodded.
"And the day after?"
I nodded again with a smile.
"Okay. Goodnight." He kissed my cheek and ran back down the hall.
I lost my heart.