Before you read this, please read 'Frivolous' by author 'sidouxamer'. It's the best end game story I've seen come out since the mess called iGoodbye aired. When I read her story, this popped into my head… Both of us having been members of the old Cabal, I emailed her immediately and asked her permission to put my spin on her work… Thanks! :pig~

The Nanny

Fred Benson had a lot on his mind as he walked slowly down the 8th floor hallway of Power-Tech Industries. His office was just around the corner… his little used office. He'd been with Power-Tech for eight years, two as an intern while still in school, the last six working his way up the corporate ladder. Recently promoted to Senior Project Manager, he'd thought he was set… until upper management changed things. He leaned against the wall just outside his office door reliving his conversation with his boss not three minutes ago:

…Benson, I'm sorry… and I know your situation, but the Ivory Tower folks want their SPM's in the office. I also understand that this wasn't part of the deal when the position was offered to you. Sorry, but things change… and they just did. The best I can do is for you to telecommute one day a week, that's it. There are no other options…

He shook his head to clear the cobwebs and decided to act on the idea that had popped into his head two minutes previously. He really had no choice. He stepped into his office, smiling at his secretary, and the little red headed girl sitting on her desk.

He picked the little girl up, and gathered her into his arms, telling her it was time to go.

She gave him a peck on the cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck. Fred nodded his thanks to his secretary; who smiled back as he stepped back out into the hallway.

Lacey asked where they were going. He said he wasn't sure.

Sam stood in the middle of what had been her day care center. She'd just finished packing the last box, strapping it with the last bit of tape, and was remembering the last ten years… some things worked, some didn't. The day care center had been a resounding success for the first eight of those ten years. Then her partner, Cat married… and that was the beginning of the end. Cat's husband was transferred out of town… big promotion, with all the trimmings. Cat went with him, of course. Sam bought her out of the partnership easily enough, but trying to run something like this alone… She'd hired a few girls, and ended up firing most. The ones she would have liked to keep found better paying jobs… and the downward spiral continued. The area had been okay, but about six years ago it had gotten kind of bad, not real bad, but there had been a murder a couple blocks away, and business dropped. Sam muddled on, keeping her head above water and able to put some money away. Then something totally unexpected happened. Suddenly the area got… trendy. New shops, a couple night clubs… the bohemian set took the entire area over, cleaned it up and business thrived… until the rents doubled, then tripled, and now…

He pulled out of the parking lot, heading to a place he really didn't want to go… both mentally and physically. Unfortunately, it was the only place he could think of, the only place he knew of… and it was hers. They hadn't spoken at all for years… the only reason he knew she was still there was through their mutual friend, Carly… and that was due to a slip of the tongue on her part. By unspoken agreement, Sam was never discussed with him, and he was never discussed with Sam. And this little bit of information was nearly a year old since he and Carly hadn't spoken in months. Their communication had pretty much dwindled down to birthdays and Christmas cards. Her living on the other side of the continent didn't really help things. He pulled onto the freeway, and Lacey immediately began counting green cars. He'd have to help her once she got past nine.

She sat at the rickety old card table that now served as her desk. She had sold the last of the furniture last week, and was glad to get the little extra money that it had brought in. She did still have her tiny nest egg… and only had that left because she had given up her apartment and moved into the back room of the day care center last year. It wasn't all that bad, there was plumbing… a shower and bathroom, a place for a hot plate, but it sure wasn't her apartment… she'd loved that place, and only given it up in the forlorn hope that the money saved would get the center through the next rough spot… that hadn't worked out very well. She began tracing large black letters with a marking pen on an eighteen inch square piece of white cardboard…

OUT OF…

He hadn't been in this area in some time. Frankly, he'd avoided it like the plague. It had… well; it had just been easier that way. He could see that parking would be a problem. He briefly thought about just turning around and going home… until his daughter called out the eleventh green car. Without help, he mused… and smiled.

She was rummaging around in some of the boxes from the office. She needed some tape to put the sign on the door. She stood back for a moment and looked at her life… all packed up in five medium sized cardboard boxes… she sighed and continued searching, finding the tape in the third box. She heard the front door open, pause, and then close. She wondered, who...

'Hello?' A voice echoed from the empty foyer. 'Back here, can I help you?' She called back. She heard the footsteps, a man and a child, before a tiny red headed cherub walked up to, but not through the threshold. The little girl was holding a red and yellow tiger that was about half as big as she was. Sam knelt down beside her and asked her name. Before the child could answer, Sam noticed the man stop behind the girl…

It was all he could do to stand there. She still looked nice… hell, she looked great… tiny tides of memory ebbed back and forth. This was… wrong. He wanted to leave. But, he had no choice - he spoke her name. She looked up at him, stunned at first, but she recovered quickly enough, even though the recovery came with a noticeable cringe. The little girl put her free hand out and said in her tiny voice, 'Lacey'

Sam smiled at the little girl, shook her hand, and then stood up. "Benson… is she…" while indicating the little girl with a small hand shift. Fred nodded. He said he needed a babysitter.

He was actually very handsome, all dressed up in his grey suit and tie. He looked nervous. She thought about offering to shake his hand… then decided against it. She held up the sign and said he was a bit late. He glanced at the sign, then back at her, obviously crestfallen… and nodded. He asked what happened. She told him a bit, the five cent explanation, shrugged and fell silent.

His face lit up, he had an idea… he asked if she could watch his daughter at her house… just until he could find something. She shook her head and said she didn't have a place after tonight… she would be moving into a motel until she got things sorted out. It kind of hurt her to do this to him. If it was possible, he looked even more despondent now than he had before… his eyes had lit up for a moment when he had the idea… she liked that.

He said he would like to stay and catch up, but he couldn't… he had to find a sitter today, or by the latest, tomorrow.

He picked up his daughter.

She walked him to the foyer, telling him she would give him some leads on daycare, but everyplace she knew of was now full… the few children she had been watching had filled her competition to overflowing. He opened the door, turned back to her, grinned, and left without another word.

Sam watched the door close, curious about his little girl. Was he married? Divorced, or a widower? Carly had never mentioned anything about this… of course, both had asked Carly not to mention anything about each other… she'd known that for years. She turned back around, heading back to her tape and sign in the back room. She hadn't even gotten his phone number… she'd have to call Carly for it. It really wouldn't do any harm to catch up… or maybe she wouldn't.

She had just picked up the sign again when she heard the door open and Freddie call her frantically. She turned and walked back out into the empty, bare room and met him halfway. His eyes were ablaze… he had an idea… she heard him out, and asked him if he was crazy. She said that it was the worst idea he'd ever had… all the time he was shaking his head, no.

He said it would be the answer to both their problems… he said come by this evening around seven. He put Lacey down and reached into his inside coat pocket… pulling out a wallet, he removed a business card and wrote his address and phone number on the back.

"Please Sam…" He nearly begged.

She nodded; he picked up his daughter, gave Sam a sideways hug with his free arm, smiled, and left.

She stared as the door closed again. She must be insane, to even consider this she must be nuts… but she would go by just to sate her curiosity.

Its three minutes after seven when she pulls up in front of the bungalow. She knows Pasadena is full of these, but not like this. This one looks like it's right off the cover of 'Sunset Magazine' circa 1924. The summer sun gives it a glow as the hundred year old palm trees rustle in the breeze. The arched oak door opens silently before she's halfway up the walk… his smile is infectious. She stops on the large front porch and takes it in… white wicker furniture. The entire house was… well, she used to cut out pictures of things she wanted, things that made her happy, and stick the cut outs on her refrigerator. All her catalog cut out furniture was here, in this house.

The room he offered is incredible… the salary was about what she'd made in a good month at her business, but he included room and board along with a small gas allowance for her car. She'd also have Saturday, Sunday and Monday off. "The rules are that they'll be no hanky panky, I've got a boyfriend." She said.

"No hanky panky…" He said smiling. She moved in the next day.

The first morning there, she was roused out of sleep by Fred knocking on her door. He had to get to work and Lacey was up, watching cartoons. In the kitchen, she noticed 'Pop Tart' wrappers in the garbage and an abundance of 'Spaghetti O's' and canned chili in the pantry. When he arrived home that night she sat him down at the kitchen table, and served them pot roast with potatoes and green beans. She explained to him that she liked to cook, and dinner would be served promptly at six thirty, and to please call if he was going to be late. Lacey beamed, telling him she'd helped.

The second morning, he stumbled, half asleep, into the kitchen to make coffee… and would have except that Sam told him breakfast wasn't quite ready, so to go shower and get dressed. Lacey was standing on a stool, busily stirring pancake batter with Sam's help.

Later, on his way out the door for work, he noticed a brown paper bag next to his briefcase. He smiled, and yelled his thanks as he walked out the door. Opening the bag at lunch time, he found a salami sandwich, a small bag of chips and an apple.

Her first Friday there was the 4th of July. Fred had offered her the day off, but she stayed knowing her friend, Tyler, wouldn't be back in town until very late that night. What did amaze her was Fred had gotten Lacey a box of sparklers and helped her wave them about in the backyard that night. She asked about his mother, and mentioned that his mother would have a fit if she knew about the sparklers… his answer was that there was a lot of things his mother didn't know about.

The next morning she packed a small suitcase, in preparation for her time away. Fred told her to have a great weekend, and that he'd see her Tuesday morning. She said she'd be back Monday afternoon, and that she'd make them dinner.

She began doing his laundry during week two. He thanked her, told her she didn't have too… she said it was easier to just toss it in with hers.

She found a local play group with like-aged children, and asked if taking Lacey would be all right. He agreed wholeheartedly, and offered a small increase for her gas money.

He'd never mentioned Lacey's mother… Sam didn't ask.

The weeks flew by with the routine never varying. She took care of Lacey, and frankly ran the house during the week. She would leave Saturday morning and return Monday afternoon. The last Monday in August she returned to find Fred sitting on the back porch, watching Lacey play in the back yard. He was drinking a beer, and offered to get one for her. It was warm, so she nodded her thanks. They sat there, watching the child play, enjoying the cold beverage… not saying a word. Sam wondered what had happened, where the child's mother was. She started to ask, and then decided against it.

She'd always managed to keep a distance, not get attached to the children at the day care… Lacey was different. The girl had slipped a few times while they were alone, and called her 'mommy'. In the past when that had happened at the center, she would kindly correct whatever child had made the mistake… instead she'd told Lacey that it was fine, but it was their little secret. She showed Lacey how to 'tic-a-loc', which of course made their vow to keep the secret even more solemn. She had never said anything about this to Fred, and didn't intend to.

The last Saturday in September had started like all the rest… she got up, showered, got ready, packed her bag for the weekend and left. She smiled as she thought of Tyler… they had an odd, but refreshing relationship. She'd never wanted anything 'permanent'. Something with the day to day grind she'd seen so many others put up with. She and Tyler were perfect for each other. He drove a truck, left town on Monday mornings, drove north to Salem Oregon, spent two days and a night there, and returned here late Friday night or early Saturday morning. No muss, no fuss… they only had the good times. Of course she did have to share… he had another girlfriend in Salem, but still… they had the perfect 'thing' without all the nonsense. She pulled into the trailer park and up to his trailer, parked in her normal spot and got out. He opened the door wearing only a towel… this was it, this was the reason she kept coming back… no strings. He gave her a quick hug and raced to the back of the trailer, to the bedroom, tossing his towel on the way. She admired his physique… he had a killer ass. He was lying on his rumpled bed, stark naked. She chuckled, pulled off her top and dropped it on the floor. He began playing with himself, making crazy faces… they were both laughing now. She reached around and unclasped her bra, and shook it off. He howled like a dog. She laughed and held the bra out to her side and dropped it next to her blouse with some comic / drama flourish thing just as Tyler said: "So, this new guy not man enough for ya, huh? Ya gotta keep on gettin' your Tyler time…" He began chuckling and grinning at his joke.

She covered herself with her hands and stared at him for a moment. She turned around, reached down and grabbed her top and bra. Putting them on as she walked back down the length of the trailer listening to Tyler yelling 'HEY! HEY SAM!' She opened the door, got in her car and drove away. Her phone started to ring… Tyler. She pulled into a parking lot, picked up her phone, pressed a few buttons and blocked his number. She felt humiliated… used… cheap and wondered what Freddie would think about all this. She pulled back onto the street and then onto the freeway, heading home… and then it hit her. She was heading home.

No one was home when she arrived. She didn't think anything of it… in fact, she was pleased. She felt… dirty. She'd basically provided a complete douche bag with a fuck buddy for the last three years, and finally saw him for what he was. She decided to take a shower… a long shower. She had three years of disgust to wash away.

She dressed in old sweats, wore no makeup and pulled her hair back in a messy pony tail. She thought about staying in her room… avoiding the sure-to-be-asked questions when Fred and Lacey returned home… but she wanted to watch television. She did have one in her room, but it was about the size of a hand mirror. She went into the front room, crawled onto the couch and turned on the TV.

Her eyes flickered as she woke. At first she didn't know where… couch? Front room? There was a blanket pulled up over her and the room was gloomy. The TV was off; the only light on was in the kitchen. She saw him through the dining room window, sitting in the dark at a table on the back porch. He had a bottle of something, and a shot glass. She thought about going to her room and going to bed, but grabbed a glass out of the cupboard, pulled the blanket around her shoulders and joined him.

"Trouble in paradise?" he asked when he saw her come outside.

"Lacey asleep?" She asked, ignoring his question while standing in front of him.

"Maybe… well, probably not… it's only eight and she's at Marci's birthday party sleep over, remember?" he answered, turning, so he could look through the window at the clock in the kitchen.

"Oh, yeah… forgot about that. Feel like sharing?" she asked, thinking there were more ways to reply to that than she wanted to deal with right now. Luckily, all he did was nod and pour two fingers of Kessler's 'Smooth as Silk' bourbon into her glass. She took a drink and choked.

"No, sip it…" he admonished.

She nodded.

Neither of them spoke for the next ten minutes.

"You know… the only thing wrong with living here is you can't see a damn thing at night. It's like the stars don't exist or something." he said gesturing toward the night sky.

She looked up and noticed the half-moon; obscured by a few fleeting, tattered clouds. He was right though. It was too bright to see any stars.

He was about half drunk… this was a new situation. "So what's up with you? Why the party?" She asked.

He gave his shot glass a rueful smile, and took another sip.

"You know, Puckett, you really saved my ass… thanks. I know you didn't want to, you know, past history and all, but I really appreciate what you've done. Lacey… well, Lacey thinks a lot of you."

She could feel the whiskey beginning to work… she wasn't much of a drinker. She'd seen enough of that with her mom… she began to wonder what Freddie's ass looked like… what his chest was like… "Hey, no problem. She's a sweetheart, a real treasure..." She mumbled, shifting her gaze, and her thoughts, to safer things.

He nodded.

She looked back over at him and began to wonder about something she'd thought about before… how did this guy end up here? It wasn't that he wasn't successful, he wasn't setting the world on fire, but he was doing okay… no, how did he end up here…

"So… why isn't your happy, up and coming corporate ass married?" she blurted out.

He shrugged. "Nearly was… twice."

She stared at him for a moment. "Oh? What happened?"

He glanced at her, poured himself another glass full, and took a sip. "They were both… convenient. The first one realized that and bailed. I realized it with the second, and did the same thing. No real harm done in either case… we were better off because of it… why be a statistic, you know?"

"No love lost, then…" she said.

He shook his head, "Nope." And then took another sip.

"Is one of them Lacey's mom?" she pressed.

"No… that would have been bad… very, very bad." he replied.

He glanced at her again, and then shifted his gaze back up at the sky. "…very bad…" He mumbled.

"So… what about you? What are you doing here on a Saturday night?" He asked, not looking at her.

She didn't say anything for a moment, then looked at him and said; "I got a wakeup call…"

He nodded, and looked over to her. "Those things happen…" he said, and looked away.

"So Lacey…" Sam prodded.

"She's the best thing to ever happen to me, Sam. No kidding, she really is." he stated.

Sam chuckled; "Well, how did you…?"

"Oh! Oh yeah… on the rebound… her mom worked in marketing. I was writing technical manuals. I kind of knew her… she and her husband… he was a prick, cheated on her, a lot. She got fed up and was in the middle of the divorce. There was this sales meeting, we went out after, had a few drinks… one thing led to another… and nine months, two days and sixteen hours later, I had Lacey. At first, she wanted to get an abortion… I mean there was nothing between us, no feelings whatsoever. Just drunken rebound sex, that's it. She and her soon to be ex didn't have kids, Lacey was her first child. She wanted an abortion and I talked her out of it, and paid her to have the baby… kind of like a surrogate. She needed the money, and I got Lacey."

Sam stared at him; wide eyed… he continued to watch the moon.

He took another sip and refilled his glass.

"Wow…" Sam said, stunned.

"Yeah, wow indeed. Mom and I have hardly talked since. She was all about sullying the Benson name… a bastard out of wedlock… I told her to go fuck herself. I was keeping the kid." he said nodding to himself.

"What about her mom… Lacey's mom. Where's she?" Sam asked.

He shrugged. "Someplace in Florida last I heard. Remarried now… she wants nothing to do with the girl. She told me that herself, and that's okay with me."

He was watching the clouds skitter past the moon… she was staring at him, kind of in awe. She downed what was left in her glass and poured herself another two fingers.

"So… single guys with kids… kind of a chick magnet… no girlfriends?" she asked.

"Who's got time? I have a job and a daughter… not exactly conducive to hunting now is it…" he said, grinning at her.

"Oh, I guess not…" She mumbled.

"Besides, everybody thinks… you know… we're…" he stammered, pointing his finger back and forth between them.

"No… really?" She gushed, laughing.

"Oh hell yes… If I was dog poop I couldn't attract a female fly because of you… but that's okay, really" he said laughing.

"…a female fly… that's funny, Freddie" she chuckled.

They both took sips of their drinks.

"Yeah, we both know I torpedoed that Lusitania years ago" he said looking back up at the sky.

She didn't respond… this conversation was heading in a direction… Well, less than twelve hours ago she had been standing at the end of another mans bed, topless. Yeah, this guy was nothing like the one from this morning, but still. He might not be nudging the conversation around an uncomfortable subject, but she knew that she would. And right now wasn't the time… right now it was time to go to bed… alone.

She stood up and moved quietly to the side of his chair. He looked up at her, and cocked his head to the side, an unspoken question in his eyes. She hesitantly put her hand on his head, and ruffled his hair… this is the first time she'd touched him since he'd hugged her at the day care center… she'd set the rule, and he'd never broken it, making sure they had no physical contact, ever.

She knelt down to eye level with him.

"Were there any survivors on that ship, the Lusitania?" She asked, pulling her hand from his hair, and slowly across his cheek.

"Ah… well yeah… there were. A few… why?" He replied, obviously confused by the question.

"Think about it… night Freddie…" She said while standing and then walking back into the house.

"Night Sam…" he replied to the door as she passed through it.

She stood in the dark, watching him through the window. He'd poured himself another glassful, looked at the glass for a moment, then poured it back into the bottle, and screwed the cap on. With his hands in his lap, he began watching the sky again… watching the tree tops sway in the breeze. He raised his hand to his cheek and held it there for a moment, then glanced over at the door she'd just gone through… she'd left it open.

She smiled as she walked to her room, thinking that 'tomorrow was a brand new day… and she had just changed the rules. Freddie just didn't know it yet, but he would tomorrow.'

Fini

The Nanny

~and~

pigwiz

(for real this time)

=xxx=

I really didn't lie, I am finished writing, but I remembered this one I wrote last December. It was languishing on my computer, so I decided to dust it off and, here it is!