Hey there! I'm Kenzie. This is my first fanfic ever, so please R & R. I made this for the Secret Santa on Tumblr for signedbri.
Hope you like it!
Thank you so much!
Hazel had always loved kids, so the obvious summer job for her was babysitting. Nico insisted that he could pay for the rent of the apartment they were sharing right now by himself, but he was taking extra shifts and extra jobs just to get food on the table. Hazel decided that she would take matters into her own hands, and help out any way that she could while she was off of school. Collage was a lot harder than she thought it would be – and quite more expensive – and she was imminently overwhelmed when she started. She could see how stressed Nico was during the school year, but now he worked extra jobs and took care of Hazel – even when she insisted that she didn't need any help.
She was just getting ready to go out to a babysitting gig when Nico walked in from work. She looked up from her bag where she was double checking to make sure she had all of the essentials – her cell, an extra pair of clothes (who knew if she were going to get down and dirty or not), some board games and a first aid kit packed with anything a kid would need if they got hurt or sick in any way – and smiled up at him.
"How was your day?" She asked, standing up.
"As good as it could get," he shrugged. "You heading out?"
"Uh, yeah," she said looking around her to make sure she got everything once more," I have a babysitting gig at four."
"Oh, okay. What time do you think that you will be home?"
"Hmm. Maybe around seven?"
"Okay, I'll see you then," he walked towards her and kissed her on the cheek and continued to walk past.
Hazel felt horrible for asking this, but she had no other option, "Uh, Nico?"
He turned to her.
"Um. Could you – uh – maybe pick me up after? Frank is taking me there, but he's working the night shift over at the station and I have no other way to get home."
"Of course, be there at seven sharp," he smiled and Hazel let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding in.
"I'll text you the address and I'll see you soon!" She turned back around and opened the door.
After the car ride with Frank, who lived a couple blocks away, she found herself dropped off at a nice two story house that you would hardly expect to find in the middle of Brooklyn. She took in the nicely groomed garden and the swing set peeking out of the back of the house and the toys scatted about the yard and came to the conclusion that the people living here must have been very nice but not very strict with their kid. She sighed – expecting tonight to be difficult – and walked up to the front porch.
She rang the doorbell and when a young woman opened the door, one of her suspicions were proved correct. From what Hazel could see, the house was lavishly decorated and classical music played softly in the background. Then there was the woman herself; a diamond necklace hung from her neck with matching earrings, she was wearing an entirely Burberry outfit and her raven hair was in stunning curls that tumbled down her back. Hazel gave herself an once-over and internally cringed at her overalls and teal shirt.
She looked up and introduced herself as properly as she could, "Hello, ma'am, I'm Hazel."
"Hazel, yes. Hello. Right this way," the young women smiled and ushered Hazel into her home. Hazel smelled cookies, and smiled back at her. "I'm Anita De Luca, but please call me Mrs. De Luca."
"You have a wonderful home, Mrs. De Luca," Hazel smiled at her.
"Thank you, sweetheart. Gaby, there's someone here I want you to meet!" she called for her daughter.
"I'm over here Mommy!" she yelled back.
"She watching a movie right now, and after that do you think you could cook her some pizza? I laid out all of the ingredients on the counter, over there," she pointed down a hallway, "And here's Gaby."
"Hi, Gaby. I'm Hazel!" Hazel bent down and smiled at Gaby, whose eyes were glued to the screen. She was watching Hercules, of all movies.
"Hello, Miss. Hazel," she briefly met Hazel's eyes before looking back to the screen.
"Okay, well, I left my number on the refrigerator if you need anything at all, and we will be back at seven," Mrs. De Luca said.
"Okay, thank you," Hazel smiled.
"Oh, no. Sweet heart, thank you!" She smiled back and went to probably go get her husband and leave to whatever extravagant outing they planned.
"Hey Gaby, what do you want to do tonight?" Hazel asked tentatively.
"Well," she reached over to get the remote and toppled over as she paused the movie, "can we finish this movie, it's my favorite, and then eat and then play outside and then I got this cool new swing set thing in the back that we can try out and then maybe you can read to me?" she asked in one breath.
"That sounds that a fabulous idea," Hazel replied. "Do you wanna help me make the pizza?"
"Yeah!"
"Okay, turn the movie back on and let get our Hurc on!"
After some musical numbers, animated fight scenes and giggles from both Gaby and Hazel, though, curiously, Hazel laughed quite more than Gaby did, Gaby pulled the remote from under the couch where it had mysteriously found itself and paused the movie.
"Pizza time! Pizza time!" Gaby shouted and ran to the kitchen. Hazel laughed as she padded in Gaby's direction.
"Okay, so what do you want on your pizza?" Hazel asked.
"Extra cheese!"
"Okay, I think I can manage that,' joked Hazel.
Hazel greased the pizza pan before opening the pizza dough container and putting the large dough ball in the center of the pan.
"Wait! Miss. Hazel, you forgot to wash your hands!" Gaby pointed out.
"Oh, my. Yes, I did. Thank you for reminding me kiddo," Hazel replied ruffling the child's hair. She walked over to the sink and Gaby followed her, sticking her hands out to touch the water when Hazel turned on the faucet. Hazel lathered Gaby's hands in soap and then her own. They rinsed off the bubbles and went back to the pizza pan after drying off their hands.
Hazel asked Gaby if she wanted to spread out the dough, and Gaby did so – surprisingly without any complaint. She plopped her hand on the little ball and pushed down, making a Gaby's sized indent in the dough. Hazel laughed and offered to help. Together they spread out the dough making a semi-decent circle in the center of the pan.
Hazel opened the can of pizza sauce and poured some sauce onto the mound of dough. Gaby got two spoons and handed one to Hazel. When Gaby put her spoon down on the pile of sauce a little too hard, the sauce splattered up on both Hazel and herself. Both girls shrieked and wiped off their faces with their equally dirty hands.
The girls turned to each other, and Gaby's lip quivered. Hazel grabbed a paper towel next to the sink and whipped off Gaby's face.
"Hey darling, it's okat," Hazel was trying desperately not to laugh, but a small pearl of laughter escaped from her lips. Soon Gaby was laughing right along with her.
After the pizza was made, eaten and cleaned up by the girls, they went outside to the back where Gaby slipped on some shoes that were already sitting there. Hazel stuck her hand back into the house where the mud room was and grabbed Gaby's coat. She handed it to her and she slipped it on. Hazel watched as she ran up the play set and slip down the slide. Hazel took in the extravagant backyard; to the swing set to the slide, the pool to the trampoline.
"Hey, Miss. Hazel, look what I can do!" Hazel turned from her grazing at the backyard to look at Gaby, who was holding a bright green leaf.
"What is it dear?" Hazel asked. Gaby clenched her fist around the leaf and squinted her eyes shut. When she opened her hand, the leaf was dark brown and dead.
"H-how'd you do that?" Hazel asked, extremely curious, and slightly frightened.
"I don't know! But isn't it awesome?" Gaby said, ecstatic about her special talent.
"Uh, okay. But, yeah, dear. That's amazing," Hazel said, putting the experience in the back of her mind to talk to Nico about later.
After some rounds of tag and pushing Gaby on the swing set, it was time to go inside and read to get ready for Gaby's parents to get home. Before Hazel got little Gaby ready for bed, she made a game to play to help get the house cleaned up.
Once the house was cleaned, the dishes were sparkling and put away and jackets were hung up, Gaby and Hazel were sitting on Gaby's bed reading what was apparently one of Gaby's favorite books, Junie B. Jones. They were on the seventh chapter when Gaby's parents got home.
"Gaby! We're home!" Mrs. De Luca called out.
"Mommy!" Gaby yelled back and hopped off of Hazel lap. Hazel closed the book and put it back on the shelf. Hazel grabbed her bag from the corner and quickly texted Nico to make sure he was on his way. "Miss. Hazel! Come here!"
"I'm on my way!" Hazel called back and walked through the hallways to the front door as she pulled the strap of her bag up her shoulder.
"Hazel. Thank you so much for helping us out tonight," Mr. De Luca said.
"No problem. Any time. Thank you so much," Hazel smiled.
"I didn't see a car out there, do you need a ride home?" Mrs. De Luca asked.
"Oh. No thank you, my brother is coming up right now. I actually think he's here now," Hazel said.
"Oh, here's your check dear. We'll be contacting you some time soon," Mrs. De Luca promised Hazel, handing Hazel her check.
"Thank you s-" Hazel was interrupted by a knocking at the door. "Oh! That must be my brother. Thanks!" Hazel opened the door and pulled Nico back out into the night.
"Wait! Hazel!" Nico practically yelled, his face ashen.
"What's wrong?" Hazel asked nervously, as the door closed.
"That was Bianca."