Rummage Sale Stories

Passing flowers

Passing flowers
A romance smack down short story

It was entirely too difficult to find a temporary caretaker. Janelle had been reviewing profiles for several days now, and still none jumped out at her. She sighed and closed her tablet. She wanted nothing more than to be able to go out on a jog by herself. Since Jared had outgrown his stroller, it was out of the question. He’d started classes, but between commute time and errands, finding time to go for a run was nearly impossible.

Carefinder.com was her last hope. She’d heard good things from the other mothers in the support group, but she was skeptical. It was hard to put her trust in a stranger, especially where Jared was concerned. Her experiences with preschools and sitters had shaken her faith in those she would trust her son with. Though they’d all claimed to be well versed in handling high maintenance children, only two out of the six had been able to handle him, and even they struggled to meet the demands of her special boy.

It wasn’t that Jared was a problem child, he simply had special needs. Jared was Autistic, though he was on the high functioning end of the spectrum, he had proven to be a challenge to caregivers without a considerable understanding of his sensory issues and limitations. He was a wonderfully sweet, bright and charming child. The thought of leaving him in the care of those who would assume he was being defiant rather than burnt out, or spoiled rather than melting down, scared Jannelle. She needed to find the perfect person.

That perfect person came across her inbox unexpectedly. After finishing dinner, she sat down to watch Jared work on his latest block creation and check her emails. The profile that popped up was strikingly familiar. She knew the name instantly, Eric Feist, her old high school crush. She’d moved a good distance from her home town, so finding him in the same area in her time of need was quite the surprise.

If nothing else, she decided it would be entertaining to see him again, and she clicked his profile.

“Physical therapist with up to date credentials, such as CPR, CNA and experience with children dealing with sensory issues and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Looking for part time or on call jobs.  Please contact for hours of availability.”

The credentials were sound enough, but what struck her was the profile image. His thin face, narrow nose, high cheekbones and dark skin. He was so much as she remembered him and so much unlike her husband. She felt herself flush at the memory of her long-ago crush. He hadn’t changed much.

Her hands hovered above the keyboard. He was the most promising applicant so far, wasn’t he? She couldn’t help but wonder as she touched a cool finger to her flushed cheeks. He was qualified, but she also desired a connection. Was that what drew her? Or was it the fact that she knew him already, knew she could trust him.

That was what she’d been drawn to about Eric after all, he was kind. He had a genuine love of people, a desire to do no harm. If anyone could see the natural talents, gifts and talents of her child, surely it would be Eric.

She took a deep breath and typed up a reply.

Eric,

Thank you so much for the interest in caring for my son. You look to be a great fit for what we’re looking for, would you care to meet up for an interview? We could meet at Benefit Park, where my son enjoys playing or at the coffee shop just up the street from the park.

What is a good time for you? We are free after 3 p.m. pretty much any weekday.

Janelle Pritchard

 

The response popped up in a matter of minutes.

Janelle,