Chapter 2: Hello Brahms
Heather stared in shock for a moment. It was a doll, a porcelain replica of the little boy from the painting. These people were insane… but then who had the boy been in the painting? Maybe they had a son a one point but had lost him and to battle with their grief they created this doll.
If that was the case, Heather didn't want to be rude and insult them, and she really needed this job and the money they were offering. So she gave a warm smile and bent down at eye level with the doll, "Hello Brahms, my name is Heather; I've been looking forward to meeting you. I have a feeling we're going to get along just fine."
She straightened back up and smile at the Heelshires, who gave her sad smiles back.
"I see you've already met Brahms." Malcolm said as he entered the room.
He walked closer to Brahms and shook the doll's hand, "How you doing Brahms?" but didn't bother to wait for a reply, there wouldn't be one, "Now you take it easy on Miss Heather, she's come a long way to meet you."
He straightened back up and faced the Heelshires, "I'll be off then, bills on the table and the rest of Miss Miller's luggage has been put in her room." He looked over at Heather and smiled, "Pleasure to meet you Miss Miller, and I'll see you on my next delivery."
Heather smiled back, "See you then."
"Thank you Malcolm." Mrs. Heelshire said.
"Of course." He replied before leaving.
Once he was gone Heather turned her attention back to the Heelshire as Mrs. Heelshire started to speak, "Well Miss Miller, we might as well get started. I have a lot to go over with you." She then picked up the Brahms doll and looked over at her husband, "If you'll excuse us, daddy, I'm going to show Miss Miller to Brahms room and go over a few things with her."
And with that Mrs. Heelshire led Heather from the room.
"You'll be all alone out here. Do you think you can manage?" Mrs. Heelshire asked as she started to lead her down the hall.
"Yes ma'am, that won't be a problem." Heather assured her.
"Hmm," she nodded and continued up to the third floor, "We've had a number of potential nannies come through already. Brahms rejected them all, though none of them were as young or pretty as you." Mrs. Heelshire complimented.
Heather blushed slightly, "Thank you."
They made it into Brahms' room and she slipped the doll into some pajamas, "You'll wake him at 7 o'clock each morning and you will dress him."
Heather nodded along with her and she diligently watched the woman.
"You find his clean clothes behind you." She said as she slipped him into bed.
Heather reached out and grabbed the clothes and laid them at the bottom of the bed. She then moved towards Brahms. She felt so awkward doing all of this for a doll, but she didn't want to upset the older woman.
She decided to just pretend like she was taking care of a real child, "Brahms its time to wake up!" she slightly louder that her usual tone, and picked the doll up. She set him on the side of the bed and began undressing and redressing him into his new clothes.
Once done, Heather picked the doll up and held him close, just like she had seen Mrs. Heelshire hold him.
"Well Miss Miller, I'm rather impressed you did quite well." Mrs. Heelshire complimented as she took Brahms back and led Heather out of the room and down the hall to the study.
Mrs. Heelshire placed the doll in one of the chairs, "Brahms has three hours of lessons five times every week and I like to start by reading him some poetry. Do you know any Miss Miller?"
Heather nodded, "Oh yes ma'am, I'm an avid reader. My favorite poet would have to be Edgar Allan Poe."
Mrs. Heelshire hummed in agreement, "Yes he was a wonderful poet, dark but enchanting. Though I would prefer you not read his darker works to Brahms, but anything here you can read to him and it must be done in a loud, clear voice."
"Yes, of course." She agreed loud and clear.
"Excellent," Mrs. Heelshire nodded in acceptance, "next is music appreciation."
They heard a small clink, and looked over to see that the Brahms doll had tilted over.
"Oh no Brahms, you must sit up straight, like a good little boy." She straitened the doll back up and turned to face Heather, "Music, Miss Miller, I don't know how Brahms would go on without his music. It's his world. Of course, he likes it rather louder than I prefer, but it gives him so much joy I don't dare take it away from him."
Mrs. Heelshire turned on the vinyl player, and music started blasting through the room. Heather had to fight not to cover her ears.
After a few more seconds, Mrs. Heelshire turned the music off, "Would you like to join us for lunch, Miss Miller?" Heather smiled kindly, "That would be lovely, Thank you."
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Lunch was an awkward affair for Heather with the Brahms doll being seated directly across from her, Heather felt like he was staring at her the whole time. It was during lunch that the Heelshires informed her that they were going away on holiday together, something they hadn't done since Brahms was born and that was the reason for the nanny.
Heather promised that Brahms would be in good hands while they were away, and that seemed to sooth the elderly couple a bit.
Once lunch was over Mrs. Heelshire informed Heather that she would need to keep all leftovers in the freezer, before letting her know that Mr. Heelshire would explain the rest of her duties, and then she picked up the doll and left the kitchen.
The elderly man requested that she follow him outside so he could show her the traps. He opened the back door and ushered her outside into the garden.
"We do our best to keep up the house." He began as he started picking up traps and dumping them into the trash back Heather was holding, "Oh, and by the way, we don't use the fireplaces anymore."
Heather looked at him confused, "Why ever not?"
"Bit of a hazard." He answered giving her a kind smile, "And regrettably, the last tradesman we had, actually, he managed to paint the windows shut."
He chuckled at the thought, removing a huge rat from one of the traps and moving to throw it in the bag, only for its tail to slap against Heather's hand.
She let out a little scream and dropped the bag, darting a couple of steps away. Mr. Heelshire looked at her, shocked, and then he started to laugh heartily, "I'm sorry, my dear, but it's only a dead rat."
Heather blushed, "Sorry, just never been a big fan of rodents." She told him as she reached out to pick the bag back up.
Mr. Heelshire continued to chuckle as they moved along, "Personally, I don't think that all of this is necessary, but Mrs. Heelshire is convinced that the rats will get into the walls. And Brahms, of course, he's never been very fond of animals; he has always been very shy, very timid."
Heather looked up, only to see Mrs. Heelshire staring down at them. Heather lifted her hand and waived at the elderly woman, who hesitantly returned the greeting.
She then went back to refocusing her attention on Mr. Heelshire, "I know how this must look to you, Miss Miller, and to be completely honest I'm not sure how it all came to this. Little by little and then all at once, I suppose."
He looked a little sad and Heather's heart went out the man, "What I'm trying to say, is that whatever it might look like on the outside, our son is here. He's very much with us. Do you understand, Miss Miller?"
Heather nodded, "Yes Sir, I understand." She said compassionately.
The man smiled down at her, "Good, that's very good dear…"
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"Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,
Look upon a little child.
Pity my simplicity.
Suffer me to come to Thee.
God bless Mommy.
God bless Daddy.
God bless Heather.
God bless Me.
Amen."
Heather stood outside the door listening to the couple put the doll to sleep. They spoke quietly to Brahms before Mrs. Heelshire turned to face Heather, "Could you give us a moment alone to speak to Brahms privately?"
Heather smiled at the woman, "Yes ma'am"
The elderly woman smiled sadly at Heather and closed the door. Heather turned around and rested her back on the wall next to his door, waiting. She could hear muffled voices coming from the room, but she wasn't going to bother trying to eavesdrop, though at one point she could have sworn she heard a child's voice.
Before she had more time to dwell on it the door was wrenched open and the Heelshires exited the room, "He wants you, Miss Miller. He's chosen you if you'll have him."
Heather grinned brightly, "I'd love nothing more than to be Brahms' nanny."
She smiled and hugged Heather tightly.