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Word count: 2033
*
"I am hungry, Rosa."
"Hungwee." Greta and Leonardo both whined at the same time while I could merely stare at them. It had been a month days since we got to Italy and got this one room apartment.
The neighbors staying opposite this room were lousy, always playing this rock band songs in the highest speakers and unlike before, I now realized I would have to sometimes rock Greta before she could go to sleep.
I didn't know she sometimes had difficulty sleeping and this made me miss my mother badly, knowing she would have known this bit of information.
And I sometimes woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of disturbing noises from neighbors fighting, something that would only happen if you rented a very cheap apartment in a local area.
It would be rude of me to go and knock on the loud neighbors door asking them to turn down the music so I just had to ignore the constant banging, though it was hard to do so.
I dropped my new phone, silently praying I would get a feedback soon from the family I had just applied to work for on this nanny online site.
The family in question lived a city away from us and I would have to find a way to care for my younger ones if they were going to accept me as their nanny. Based on the job descriptions though, the family was very wealthy. And the ad constantly popped up on my phone whenever I came online. It didn't matter what I was doing, as long as I had internet connection, the ad would pop-up. Since the pay was handsome, I decided to apply.
Thank goodness I would only have to take care of a child if I got accepted. It would be easy, since I had younger ones and was used to children.
"Here." I handed them both the reminders of the Mushroom Risotto we had earlier and decided to go for a stroll. I'd withdrawn the money in my account and with me being jobless, and spending the money from the car I'd sold. Also, I'd gotten a new phone immediately we arrived here. "When you're done eating, turn on the television."
"Okay." Leonardo nodded. They ate and I watched them for a while.
But I badly needed to go on a stroll, I needed to think because I had lots of things on my mind.
Some people here spoke English, which was really helpful because I wasn't sure I could manage listening to only thick Italian.
I grew up with French accents around me but my parents had heavy Italian accents so I and my siblings picked it from them. Still, we spoke mostly English at home.
Part of why I needed this stroll was to brain storm.
Would it be necessary for us to change our names and identities?
I and Greta had red hairs which we got from our mother but Leonardo's hair was raven black. Very shiny like our dad's.
"I'm going for a stroll." I announced with a huff when they were halfway into the meal.
Leonardo opened his mouth but clamped it shut when I gave him a mini glare.
He knew he wasn't supposed to talk while eating.
"I-lets come with you." He spoke immediately after finishing the content in his mouth.
"No. I'm going alone." I leaned in and pecked them both on the cheeks. "If my phone rings, pick it and tell them I went for a-"
Just then, my ringing tone blared into life. "Ros... hello?" I blinked, realizing my slip up. I had almost mentioned my name, which I wasn't supposed to.
It could be those bad men tracing us and that would have easily led them to us.
"Rosa Matteo?" A feminine voice spoke and I visibly relaxed.
"Speaking."
"I am Agatha, the head maid in the Rodriguez household."
My heart leapt into my mouth as I tried to control my erratic breathing. I didn't think they would call this soon since I only applied about six hours ago.
I sat on the worn out chair and dangled my right leg in slight nervousness. I didn't know how this worked. Would I be interviewed on the phone?
"Okay?" I spoke regardless.
"You recently applied for the post of a nanny, correct?" Her tone was polite but firm. It didn't soothe my nerves.
I nodded, then mentally berated myself when I remembered she could not see me. "Correct."
"I'd like to inform you that your application has been received and you have been accepted. We got your address from the CV you sent and a driver will be there to pick you straight away."
My heartbeat spiked up as I wondered if I was lucky or I'd just walked straight into the lions den.
I couldn't trust anyone. I and my sibling's lives were in danger after all.
"Hello?"
"Ur, yes. I'm with you. I-erm, I'll get prepared."
"Bring your things along as well. Every worker in the Romano Rodriguez household work as stay in staffs." Her voice was controlled, but also very welcoming.
Greta came to stand beside me and started muttering her baby words, patting my lap. I carried her on one lap and motioned for her to keep quiet, which she did.
My mouth formed into an O shape as I weighed the pros and cons. If I accepted this job, it would be great for me.
I wouldn't have to be on the run since most of the time, I would stay in.
But what would I do about my siblings?
With the occurence back at home, I couldn't rely on the expertise of anyone other than myself in keeping them safe. That meant I would have to take them with me.
"Thank you so much ma'am. I'll be expecting him."
"Alright. Have a safe trip." She dropped the call.
My shoulders slumped as I took in a long exhale.
Why I had been accepted, I would count it as nothing but luck because the CV I sent wasn't professionally reviewed. Just a one hour file I'd created through the word document on my phone after going through several CV samples on the internet.
Also, I had been expecting a feedback days from now, not hours. So this was all too surprising.
Nevertheless, I gathered my things in my traveling bag once again and did the same with Greta and Leonardo.
Leonardo was in charge of taking care of Greta whenever I was busy so he was already combing her ruffled hair and plaiting it into two large braids.
"Sis?" He raised a brow, seeking an approval that he'd done it well.
"Good. You're getting better." I commented.
I reached forward and gave him a high five, making Greta giggle as she awaited hers.
I did the same with her.
"We are far from home, Leo and mam...mom and dad are not here with us. Whenever anyone asks, tell them we don't have a mom or dad."
His face scrunched up at my words.
Like me, he always referred to our parents as mama and papa even though so many people already stopped doing that as he was growing up and socializing with others.
"But why?"
"That is what mama said." I shook my head at my own slip up. "It doesn't matter Leo, just do what I said. We won't see them for a while too. If someone calls when I am not in the room, don't pick. We are going to live with a family from now on. Okay?"
He looked like he had so many questions but he nodded. "Sí."
My phone rang again.
I picked it in a hurry and composed myself at the last minute and almost spoke but decided to wait for the caller to say something first.
Silence engulfed the room as I waited for the caller to speak.
Nothing.
Tenseness encased my muscles.
Leonardo was staring at me with a frown. He opened his mouth to speak but I silenced him with a raised hand.
Greta began to babble but Leonardo put his hands over her mouth quickly, muffling her words.
I heaved a disturbing sigh when the call finally dropped, my breath coming out shakily.
Was it those bad people that called? Why didn't they say anything? Were they trying to track us? My hands were clammy as I stared at my phone. My eyes went blurry.
I would have to get a new Sim card.
I didn't realize the fear that had grown in me until I felt arms wrap around my neck. Just as I began to trash, my brother's voice brought me back to the present.
"Rosa! I'm here...we are safe." He murmured in my ear, rocking me as his front was pressed at my back. I realized I was on my knees now, with the bags packed in front of me.
I finally let the tears drop for a minute or two. Then my phone started ringing again.
I picked it and swallowed the lump in my throat. This time, I was ready to keep quiet if the person didn't speak first.
"Ms Rosa Matteo?"
We both kept quiet for some agonizing seconds. I stared at my younger brother, feeling pity because of the things he was witnessing at such a young age.
"Hello? Ms Rosa Matteo. I am Ferdinand. The driver from the Romano household."
My shoulders slumped. "Oh. Hello."
I noticed Leo's arms tighten around me before he released me and went to sit beside Greta.
"I am waiting in front of the building. I already parked at the front."
"Okay. We'll be down right away." I ended the call quickly, my legs almost giving out as I jumped to my feet to grab two bags and decided to come back for the last bag.
"I can carry mine, Rosa." Leo was already getting to his feet and leaving our baby sister alone to babble to herself.
"Stay here. Don't leave your sister alone for a second. Is that taken?" I warned him sternly.
He always wanted to show off as a man but sometimes, all I needed was for him to be the normal boy he was.
He would someday grow up to be that man, for sure...but I couldn't force him to be a man now.
A grey haired man was waiting when I got downstairs. He didn't look any younger than sixty. "Hello Ferdinand."
"Hello Ms. Rosa. Are these all the luggages?"
"No. Let me just go and get it."
He helped me put those in the boot while I dashed up the stairs and got the rest. I made sure there was no trace of us in the room, in case anyone had been following us all the way from home.
"Set?" He asked after I had the third bag kept and my siblings were now sat at the backseat.
I nodded. "Yes."
The ride out of the area we'd rented the apartment was smooth but quiet.
"Where are we going?" I asked after a while.
I hadn't made any talk with him all these while and this place was beautiful. Even Leo and Greta were staring out of the windows in awe.
"San Giuseppe Jato, Sicily."
"Ah." I nodded. I knew we were in Sicily. I heard lots of things about Sicily from my parents too but it was nice being here and experiencing it first hand.
I looked down at my siblings. Leo was still looking out into the streets with that look of awe while Greta was now dozing off.
Reaching for her, I brought her to sit in front with me and placed her on my laps, positioning her so she was facing me and resting her head on my cleavage.
I just hoped that with this job I was accepting, working there would be a memorable experience for us all.
A good memory.
*
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