The Hudsons

The sun was blazing hot, and her feet hurt from the flats she wore. They were too tight, and it felt like each of her toes were resting on one another with no breathing space.

She worked as a nanny for a rich couple and also worked as a waitress in an expensive restaurant in Lexington Avenue. Both places were at least an hour drive from Rudolph.

Her phone was ringing endlessly inside her pockets, but she didn't dare pick. She was late already and she was afraid that her boss might be mad.

As soon as she crossed the road, she dipped her hands into her bag to pick the call. Of course, it was her boss. She put it back in her bag and walked on.

Her hurting feet slowed down her walking pace, but she managed it till she got to Broadway's estate where her boss lived. She stopped to peel her shoes off her feet so she could run. A car honked from behind her and she waddled over to a corner to get away from the road.

The car stopped by, and Fallon hoped it wasn't an admirer who wanted her number. She was too late to get in the mood. Angry strides resounded ahead and Fallon stood up straight.

"What do you think you're doing standing by the road like that? There's a pavewalk for pedestrians. I could have hit you without stopping to check." 

Fallon clicked her tongue. Sweat trickled down her nose and onto her upper jaw. She held out both shoes and strutted past him. She did well to avoid his face. Most good-looking men in New York were rude and cocky.

"Hey bitch. I'm talking to you!" He yelled. 

Fallon didn't turn an inch. She only relaxed when she was safe inside the Hudson's compound. She stood on her toes to press the doorbell.

A car honked behind her and she pursed her lips. There the car was! Had he followed her into the Hudson's compound?

The gate slid open and Fallon made to pass through, but the angry black Mercedes blocked her from doing so. Next he jumped out of the car.

"Do you work here or something? We don't normally entertain college girls in our house." He looked younger than Leroy. He oozed pomposity and bumptiousness.

"I work here, and I'm not a college student." Fallon told him calmly after she caught a streak of family resemblance in him. He looked like Mr. Hudson.

Few feet away from them the door swung open, revealing Mrs Hudson whose granddaughter was perched on her hips.

"Pray tell, why should you keep her waiting? There are thousands of girls out there you can stop and harrass as you like." Her voice was tinier than usual. More from stress and fatigue.

"Carlos!" She yelled loudly when ge didn't say anything. Carlos glanced down at Fallon's barefoot and small shoes that she was holding out. 

Fallon rolled her eyes and squeezed herself past his car. She ran up to the short stairway to relieve Mrs. Hudson of the fat baby on her waist. She weighed only half of Danika, Fallon's baby.

"You're late today. Did my son bother you?" Fallon nodded in response as she followed her into the house. Her son. The rude dude was her son. Rich families and breeding spoilt kids….

"What?" Mrs. Hudson asked, slowing down to raise her long robe so she could climb the stairs without falling. Fallon hoisted the baby on her right hip. She didn't realize she had voiced out her thoughts aloud.

"No, it was nothing." 

Mrs. Hudson had an alumni meeting that evening, and she wanted Fallon to stay a little longer.

"I have a night shift to tend to. I'll lose my job at the restaurant if I'm later than expected." Fallon explained.

"I'll increase your pay if you start working here full time."

"I'll get back to you tomorrow. How is that, ma?" Mrs. Hudson waved her hand dismissively.

"Oh dear, don't overthink it. Carlos will do the rest if you can't handle the baby." 

Fallon crossed her legs at the mention of Carlos. She had only spent a few minutes with him, but she was wise enough to note that Carlos did not look like a kiddies type of person. 

"I'll be back tonight. Just in time for your night shift." 

"Okay." Fallon was on Mrs. Hudson's good side, and she would do anything to remain on that side of hers till whenever.

Fallon drew the baby closer to herself as Mrs. Hudson went on her way. Baby Leila was six months old. Her mother was somewhere in Atlanta schooling. Fallon wished she had a family that would help her out with Danika so she would further her education.

Fallon must have slept for an hour plus, because it was past noon. Fallon's hands reached for her sides but there was no Leila beside her on the couch. She sprang up with so much energy, like a panther ready to pounce.

And there was Carlos on the other side of the living room playing with Leila in her walker.

"Loopdido." Carlos blurted out. He was so engrossed in the play with his niece. He turned abruptly to check Fallon.

"Oh. She crawled over you to the ground. I didn't want to interrupt your beauty sleep-"  His cheesy statement reminded her of his rudeness earlier in the afternoon.

Her breasts were heavy, and if it weren't for her loss of privacy, she would have felt her breasts to check if she was leaking milk again. 

His eyes roamed around her body as she rose from the sofa. They lingered on her chest area and Fallon felt her cheeks heating up. Why was he checking her out? He had talked to her with so much disdain back in the afternoon.

He cleared his throat and looked away. He drew Leila's walker to himself.

"I think it'll be better if you changed your top. It looks like you're lactating." Fallon wished the living room would collapse on her. Anything at all to shield her from the embarrassment.

"I, I'm sorry. I didn't think.."  She stopped herself. She owed him no apology. 

"Are you lactating?" He asked plainly. Fallon drew her brows together. 

"Uh, no." She went back to the couch to sit. Her knees were starting to wobble. She had never discussed Danika with anyone other than Mrs. Hudson. 

"I'll be leaving soon. You could take over from here and be of help." His snarky tone confused her, but all the same, she went over to Leila who began to cry as soon as she felt Fallon taking her away from her uncle.

Fallon had only spent one month with the Hudsons. And she had never heard of Carlos. His eyes drifted down to her chest again and Fallon cradled Leila, shielding her breasts from Carlos' view. He raised his hands in mock surrender and left the living room. 

Fallon let out a sigh. She had come this close to being discovered. It wasn't a bad thing anyway, but she recently discovered that most guys didn't like the sight of lactating ladies.