The Dream World Collective

192. Potential

"Is this Summer?"

Summer clutched the phone to her shoulder while steaming a metal pitcher of milk at the screaming espresso machine.

"Yes. Hi."

"I'm calling about your ad?"

"Ad?" Summer dumped the steamed milk into a tall cup of espresso, deftly holding back the foam. "Oh, ad! Yes." She snatched at the cup lids, slid the cup onto the counter, covered the mouthpiece on her phone and shouted, "Maxima latte for Joey!"

"Would you be free to come over for an interview?" the voice in her ear asked in the meantime.

"Um, yes. Sure." Summer glanced at the door to the back room, already feeling the tingle of Steve's disapproval, ready to drop her phone onto the tiles at the first sign of a patent-leather toe. "Would a little later this afternoon work? I'll be free at noon."

The girl at the register shouted another order. Summer ignored it and grabbed a napkin to scribble down the name and address the woman gave her.

"Great. See you then." She slapped her phone shut and started another double-shot brewing. "What was that order, Lacey?"

By the time her shift ended her shoulders ached from tension and adrenaline and too much caffeine. She'd forgotten that part. CafeNow was very generous with free drinks for employees, like a crack dealer to prospective buyers. There were two types of long-time CafeNow employees: those who never took their free drinks and those whose hearts never stopped racing.

The address was only a few blocks from home. After a quick shower Summer walked over and knocked on the door, fruitlessly imagining the sorts of children that might live there. The woman who answered was dressed like an executive: well-tailored skirt and jacket, a modest string of pearls, sleek brown hair in a business-like bob.

"Summer? I'm Eileen." She gave a brisk handshake. "Good to meet you."

They sat at the kitchen table and Eileen poured matching mugs of coffee. Summer decided it would be impolitic to turn it down and disconsolately turned to the sugar bowl, which turned out to be full of artificially fluffy sweetener. She stretched her lips and crinkled her eyes into what felt like a fairly convincing smile.

"So," Eileen asked. "How much experience do you have nannying?"

"I've worked with three families for a total of five years, all in part-time positions."

"And what age range are you comfortable with?"

"I've watched newborn twins, a ten-year-old with three little sisters, and a couple of girls who were two and four when I started." Eileen looked late thirties, and Summer guessed she'd been slow to marry and slow to have kids. "But I especially love working with elementary schoolers."

"What are your views on discipline?"

"I do my best to stay consistent with the parents. But when it's up to me I tend to believe that kids need a chance to explore and be kids. I try to be minimalist with rules and compassionate when I have to correct the kids."

Eileen nodded approvingly.

"I've had Maddie and Caden at an after-school program at the elementary school, but we've had a few difficulties with the staff. They just haven't been very responsive to Caden's potential, and I don't think Maddie's getting the kind of attention she deserves."

After some more conversation, Eileen led Summer on a short tour of the house, describing the children's routines and activities on the way.

"This looks very promising," she concluded as Summer put her shoes on back at the front door. "I'll check your references and give you a call in a day or two."

"Sounds great!"

"One other thing. My work schedule can be a little...irregular. Most days you'll just be picking them up from school and watching them for a few hours until I get home, but there may be days I'll need you to stay late or come over in the morning to take them to school on short notice, possibly even some overnight stays if you're comfortable with that. I'll pay extra when that happens, of course."

"No problem at all,"Summer replied breezily, already quitting CafeNow again in her mind. "I'm about as free as anyone can get."