BABYSITTING.

KYLIE POV.

Mr. Vale and I had spoken to a length before he rushed out to work. From his description of Kim, I could decipher that he didn't know much about her, despite being her father. All I could take out from his description was, she was stubborn and spoilt and because of her unruly behavior, various babysitters had quit the job, unable to contend with her.

I was outside, admiring the house while thinking of the first child I'll be babysitting and how I was going to handle the other babysitter's tyrant.

" Who are you?" A small voice came up behind me.

Turning around, the owner of the voice has been a cute little girl, who wasn't more than the age of eleven. Smiling, I walked up to her and bent to reach her eye level.

" Don't you know who I am?"

" I don't know and you might be a kidnapper." She startled me.

" But I am not." I defended.

" You look like one." She said as she crossed her arms.

" How?" I stood up, arms akimbo.

" To begin with, you're dressed in black." She said as she eyed my dress.

" Not only kidnappers dress in black. Moreover, I'm dressed formally which doesn't introduce me as a kidnapper."

" If you aren't a kidnapper, who are you and what are you doing in our house."

" I'll need you to guess."

" Hmmm." She thought." You could be one of my father's employees."

" You are right I am one of your father's employees but I don't work in his office."

" If you don't work in his office, then where do you work?"

" A smart question. Yes, I don't work in his office as I work here, in your house. As your babysitter." I added.

" What?" She asked shocked. " I thought Dad said no more babysitting?" She thought aloud.

" Only if you behave well."

" Then he must have told you about the previous nannies and their complaints?" She asked sadly.

" Yep."

" And you still agree to babysit me after that. Why?"

" Because I believe and know" I paused as I squatted back." That you are a well-behaved, obedient, lovely, and smart cute girl."

" How do you know when you are just meeting me for the first time."

" I know because I've seen you and your traits by this little conversation with you."

" Treats?" She asked confused.

" Traits." I corrected.

" What are the treats I have? I'm sure there are no treats around."

" They are not treats, it is called traits. Traits are what makes you, you."

" I don't understand what makes me, me."

" Let's take the treats as an example."

" The treats?"

" Yep. What makes the treats what they are, are what they are made up of such that it gives them a special taste."

" So you mean, I have a special behavior?" She asked smiling.

" Yep and it is very wide." I made an illustration by stretching my hands out.

" It's that big?" She asked surprised.

" Yeah and also special." I smiled.

" I think you also have special traits."

" Me?" It was now my turn to be surprised.

" Yeah and I think I like you." She giggled.

" I like you too," I said as I ruffled her soft black wavy hair. " Now let's get you inside so you can get ready for school," I said as I ride to my feet but I noticed her mood changed. " What's wrong?" I asked concerned.

" I don't want to go to school."

" Why?"

" Because..... because. She paused " Don't worry. Like Dad says it is a silly excuse."

" How is it silly? Say it. I'll be willing to hear it and if it's a problem I'll try to find a solution to it."

" You'll find a solution to it?" She asked expectantly.

" Yeah, only if you'll tell me what the problem is." I persisted.

"The other kids make fun of me."

" Make fun of you?" I asked surprised and she nodded her head. " Why?"

" Because they all have their mummies, while I don't."

" Did you tell Daddy about it?"

" Yeah, but he would keep ignoring me." She said sadly.

" He ignores you?" I was shocked at what she was going through at a tender age. Heaving a sigh, I raised her head so she was looking at me and I could see that she was on the verge of tears. " If anyone ever makes fun of you, report to the school authority of your teachers."

" The school won't do anything." She complained.

" Then you'll tell me."

" You'll fight them?"

" Yeah, I'll make sure to beat them to a pulp if they ever make jest of you. Is that alright by you?" She nodded her head before hugging me.

" Thanks a lot, Miss...." She paused as she pulled back trying to remember something. " Oh, I never got your name." She said as she looked up at me.

" Miss. Levine but you can call me Kylie," I said as I wiped a stray tear from her cheeks.

" I'll call you just that and you must already know my name."

" Yeah, you're Miss. Vale."

" I am no Miss, calling me Miss makes me feel old when I'm still eleven. My name is Kim." She declared.

" Okay Kim, let's get you ready," I said as I made my way inside the house.

" Sure." She said as she wrapped her little hand around my hand.

As an orphan, I had learned from childhood that one of the important things a child needed while growing up is having the parents love a child dearly and listen to the child, when they need someone to talk to, apart from their playmates. I have realized from my short meeting with this child, who I had surprisingly won her heart over in a matter of few minutes, that she lacked the love and support and if it continued like that, she could grow resentment towards others around her. At eleven, she is smart beyond her age and it was obvious that she wasn't spoilt to the point of no change. I could also see that she had the hope of living like a normal child with benefits.

After I got her ready for school, we went outside to meet a car already waiting to pick her up.

" Good morning, Davies." She greeted the chauffeur as soon as we entered the vehicle.

" Good morning to you too, Kim. Good morning Miss. Levine." He said as he started the car.

" Good morning, Davies," I responded.

I decided to use the opportunity to know where Kim's school was located, in case of emergencies.

" What's in the box?" She asked as she raised the lunch box, I had packed for her.

" Pancakes with jam, strawberry cakes, pie, and some other treats to make you happy." I smiled as I glanced at her.

" Strawberry cakes?"

" Yeah, don't you like them," I asked disappointed

" Like them? I love strawberry cakes, they are my favorite."

" They are also my favorite and I made it with a lot of love. Make sure not to share my love with others." I joked.

" I won't. I promise." She giggled as she crossed her heart playfully.

After dropping her in school, Davies also dropped me at home before going out. As I lay down in my room, I thought of what Kim had told me before we got to her school. She had poured her mind to me that she doesn't like her father because he isn't often there for her whenever she needed him and she isn't even sure if he is her father. It had been a heart-to-heart discussion so I told her that when she got home by noon we would get back to the topic but I had told her before she left the car that her father loves and care for her no matter what the circumstances were. I began to think, about why she had no mother and many thoughts came to my head: maybe her father had an affair and his liver decided to dump the result of their affair with him, maybe she's adopted but they looked alike or maybe her mother is late. When I realized what I was thinking, I discarded the thought and settled that it was none of my business as it wasn't in my place to have such thoughts especially when the child was finding it hard to be loved by her father.

The day alone in the house was boring as I couldn't find anything to do except sleep and watch a movie on my phone. Soon I began to pray that Kim would arrive soon so we can do interesting things together and my prayers were answered because not long after, she came back home and she kept disturbing me by asking me to teach her how to bake cakes. When I finally gave in and baked the cakes with her, she made me watch a cartoon with her after which she slept off on my lap while watching.