NadechYaya: Eyes on You

02

"Are you seriously going to leave me with that man?"

I cross my arms over my chest as I listen to Uncle Joe's feet shuffling against the floor as he packs his things. The sound of the jingling car keys and closing of the zippers fill the silence. And when I hear the sound of the wheels of his luggage rolling against the hardwood floor, I stretch my arms on either side of me, pressing my palms against the threshold of the door in my attempt to block his way.

"You cannot leave me with him!" I protest.

I hear him chuckle, and by the thump, I figure he sets his luggage back on the floor. I feel him coming closer and I am almost sure he has his hands on his hips with that smug grin over his lips. "Yaya," he calls out. "You will be fine. He seems nice."

"Nice?" I exclaim, "he slung me over his shoulders like I'm a bag of rice."

Uncle Joe chuckles again. "And he's responsible. He knows how to keep you under control. I like him." There is a trace of amusement in his voice and I find myself rolling my eyes, letting out an annoyed groan.

"Whatever, I don't like him. What kind of caregiver is that rude? I don't feel a trace of care in him."

"Well," I notice the change in Uncle Joe's tone, similar to when he's guilty about something. "He's not exactly a caregiver."

"What?" If he's not a caregiver after all, then he has no business here. I don't understand why my uncle would hire someone as unqualified as him. Rude and unqualified, and not to mention impolite. He didn't even at least have the shameless audacity to greet me after manhandling me that way.

"As I've said, nobody wants to work here anymore after you terrorized half of the caregivers in the agency. And mind you, Urassaya, word spreads out pretty fast. So I had to find other options."

"Other options? So where on earth did you find this man?" I exasperate, furrowing my brows.

"A friend suggested him to me. He used to take care of his terminally ill nephew, and he assured me he is pretty good at his job."

"But he's not a caregiver? Come on, if you're going to abandon me with him, at least tell me the dirt about him."

I hear him snicker, and once again I roll my eyes. "First off, I am not abandoning you. I am simply going to work to make sure that the company your parents left you will not burn to the ground." He lets out a breath, one that I hear very clearly. "But okay." I figure he sits on the edge of the bed from the sound of the subtle creak. "Barry is not a caregiver, he's a university student taking up architecture in his third year. He–"

"He's a student?! Seriously?"

"Let me finish," Uncle Joe trails, "to fund his studies, he takes care of people on the side. I heard he's pretty good at it, and I don't know Ya, I think he's great for you. He seems like a good kid."

"Kid," I scoff. "How old is he anyway?"

"20."

"He's only two years older than me? And you expect him to take care of me?" I let out a breath, shaking my head as my frustration floods over my system.

"Yaya," I hear Uncle Joe nearing me, his steps shuffling against the floor. When he holds my shoulders, a sigh leaves my lips, rolling my eyes once more. "Instead of treating him like a caregiver, why don't you consider him as a friend instead?"

I whine, pursing my lips into a pout. "A friend? Seriously?"

"Give him a chance, Ya," this time I can hear the desperation in his voice and I find myself giving in. "He could be good for you."