Chapter 1: The Job
"Are you here for the interview?" the tall, dark haired man with piercing green eyes asked as he opened the door, one hand behind his back.
"Hmm… yeah…" Jane nodded, already rolling her eyes at the penguin man in front of her. She watched with a hint of amusement in her face as he, with the same serious expression, moved slightly aside to let her in.
"Dr. Isles will be down in a moment. You can wait in the office," the butler told Jane as he guided her through what seemed to be a very luxurious, very expensive and undoubtedly, a tastefully decorated living room. Jane couldn't be more out of her element and she mentally cursed herself for even applying for a job like this. She was sure she would never make it past the interview and even if she did, she doubted she would last two days working for a spoiled, rich family.
"Mmm, mm…" the butler cleared his throat. Jane quickly composed herself. She had been looking around herself, unashamedly inspecting her surroundings and hadn't noticed when the butler opened the door past the couches, at the end of the living room. He was holding it open and looking rather anxious that Jane didn't seem to be paying attention and therefore was breaking the pattern of his well-practiced routine. The brunette sped up her pace and walked through the door.
"Thanks man," she muttered as she passed the stiff butler, making him cringe.
The moment Jane stepped inside the office she was instantly busy looking around and trying to understand how some people could live like this, knowing others lived inside card box tents. Jane was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she completely missed the slight annoyance in the butler's face.
"Do you wish to have something to drink while you wait?"
"Uh… what?" Jane asked after a moment unsure if the man had said anything.
"Do you wish to have something to drink while you wait?" he repeated in the same stoic tone.
"If they ask you, always pick tea to drink. It's fancier," her mother had told her excitedly as she tried, unsuccessfully to fix Jane's white collared shirt.
"Uhm… tea, thanks," she replied after a long pause.
"Of course, ma'am. It will only be a moment." Jane rolled her eyes, biting her tongue. She couldn't afford to lose the job without even attempting to get it, and having a go at the butler's neck for calling her a 'granny' wasn't the right way to avoid that scenario.
When the thin man left to get the tea she had asked for, Jane completely lost her boundaries and decided to check the room more closely. The chess table on one corner, in front of one of the windows had been flirting for her attention and so, when the opportunity presented itself, Jane didn't dare missing it. She walked to the table and didn't hesitate to get her hands all over it.
"This things is awesome," she let out as she admired the pieces .
"They are all handmade and very expensive." Jane let one of the pieces in her hand fall to the floor and scurried to pick it up before standing stiffly, mirroring the man by the door. "Please put it down," he begged politely, but still managing to sound like he was threating Jane to shoot her pointblank in the head.
After clumsily putting the piece back in its place she accepted the cup of tea and tried to pretend it wasn't awkward at all that the butler wouldn't look away from her even though he wasn't saying anything and didn't look like he was going to. She contorted a smile at him, swinging her head at the same time as if she was just greeting someone at a distance.
"Awkward…" she muttered, bringing the cup to her lips and swallowing some of the tea.
"Do you like the tea?"
"Oh god, no! It's awful! It's supposed to be fancy though, right?" she laughed, trying to make the man loosen up, but it was as if Jane was talking to a wall. No reaction.
After a couple more minutes the door finally opened and both Jane and the butler stood up straighter as an elegantly dressed woman entered the room. She looked impeccable in every aspect.
"Thank you Anthony," she said sharply, as she made her way to the desk without looking up from the papers she had in her hands. That must have been the butler's cue to leave because Jane noticed his slight bow as he walked out without turning his back to the woman. She hadn't been there for long and she was already irritated at the way people acted in that house. No way in hell she would be bowing to anyone. "What's your name?" she heard the petite blonde woman asking her, lifting her eyes from the papers for the first time and studying Jane's face.
"Rizzoli. Jane…"
"You have a wonderful résumé Miss Rizzoli," the woman said, taking a seat and motioning for Jane to do the same.
Miss Rizzoli. Jane had to contain herself not to crack a joke on the woman. Somehow she was sure she wouldn't appreciate. This one she wouldn't conquer with her sense of humor that was for sure.
"What made you apply for this particular position?"
"I need the money," Jane told her bluntly. She could tell the woman hadn't been expecting that answer as she noticed her pursing her lips and looking at her with a look of surprise. Jane cursed mentally. She was sure she had just ruined her chance.
"Miss Rizzoli, are you aware that the security element of your job description is a secondary priority?"
"Sure. Like I said… I need the money."
"Do you like children, Miss Rizzoli?"
"Sure I do," Jane smiled. She was a big kid at heart herself and she enjoyed the purity in children. She wasn't lying. She liked children. Who didn't? They were okay.
"Do you have any experience with children?" the woman asked calmly, studying Jane.
"I have a nephew… I'm quite good with him if that's enough for you."
"Very well then. As you must know already, I'm quite concerned in finding someone rather quickly. Your résumé is extraordinary and I'm positive my children will be safe with you. I am willing to have you on trial for a month. That should give you enough time to get settled and establish a dynamic with the children. I'll be able to better evaluate your adequacy for the position then, and will be able to give you a definitive answer."
Jane nodded. "Thank you, Dr. Isles." She wasn't ecstatic, but she wasn't lying… she needed the money to get her and her ma's life back on track and so she was thankful for a job where she'd probably be covered in spit all the time and where she still would have a reason to use a gun if needed. Most importantly, she was thankful that this job would pay her monthly the amount she was making yearly at BPD.
The woman didn't reply. Instead she pushed a button and seconds later the butler walked in the room.
"Anthony, this is Miss Rizzoli the children's new nanny and personal bodyguard. Please escort her to her room and introduce her to the children."
"Of course Dr. Isles." Anthony opened the door and motioned for Jane to pass. He then excused himself, closed the door and walked ahead of their new nanny. "It's 4.30pm the children are in the study room until 6.00pm. I'm going to show you your room and then take you to them so you can help them with their homework. They must be bathed and ready for dinner at the dining room at 7.00pm sharp whether Dr. Isles is home or not. Bed time is at 8.30pm for the little one and at 9.00pm for the twins. They must be out of their beds in the morning at 06.30 am during the week, 08.00am on weekends. Breakfast is served at 07.00 or 08.30 depending if it's weekend or not. The twins have to be at school by 08:00, as classes start at 08:15, and must be picked up at 3.00pm sharp. They get home, eat something and must be in the study room at 4.30pm. The little one too. During the weekend they are allowed half an hour of TV from 09.00am to 09.30am and must then do their homework and study until 11.00am. They then have one hour of free time until lunch which is served exactly at noon. From 01.00pm to 02.00pm it's reading time. From 02:00pm to 03:00pm they see the therapist on Saturdays and the swimming coach on Sundays. At 03:00pm they have other half hour of TV time. At 04:00 the kitchen has their snacks ready and by 04:30 they must attend their study session," the butler told her casually.
Jane was dumbfounded. "Is she raising cyborgs?" she mocked.
The butler gave her yet another annoyed look and finally opened the door where they had been stationed while he recited Jane the instructions. "Dr. Isles has personally sketched their schedules and it must be followed by the second as not to disrupt their routines. If they fail to do anything planned on their schedule, unless there is a strong, valid excuse, Dr. Isles has to be informed and there will be consequences for the children."
"Does she hit them or something?" Jane frowned.
"Dr. Isles doesn't believe in hitting the children, but they will have benefits taken away from them."
"What benefits? They have none. It's a bunch of 4 and 6 year olds who do nothing but study!"
"The children must exercise their minds from a young age, Miss Rizzoli."
"When do they spend time with Dr. Isles?" Jane asked all of a sudden, still not noticing the door to her luxurious room had been opened.
"Dr. Isles meets with the children every two weeks to hear all about what's going on in their lives and takes and concede benefits at that time," Anthony explained.
Jane finally entered her room and looked in amazement around her.
"I could get used to this," she said as she threw herself to the bed. "So wait…" Jane lifted herself with her elbows and looked at the man, still by the door, where he seemed to linger most of the time. "She meets with them like it's a business? What about quality time? Playing and stuff…"
"Dr. Isles is a very busy woman, Miss Rizzoli. She works very hard at the hospital to provide everything for the children. They have everything they want and need."
"Yeah… except a mother." Jane rolled her eyes. "What about their dad?" she asked, falling on her back once more and moaning appreciatively at her million dollar mattress.
The butler cleared his throat in obvious discomfort. "Mr. Isles died a couple years ago. I advise you against mentioning him in this house," he said with a tone of finality.
"Yeah… this family is not weird at all," Jane chuckled.
"Are you ready to meet the children?" the man asked, checking his pocket watch.
"Sure… What are the names again?" Jane pushed herself out of her huge, comfortable bed and tried to suppress a yawn.
"The little one is Charlotte, and she's the one you're going to have to pay special attention to. The twins are Christian and Oliver."
Jane nodded, suddenly nervous about meeting them and slowing down her step in order to prolong her time to prepare for them.
"Wait… special attention? Why?" she asked as yet another door was opened for her.