Okay! I am going to be posting my other story ideas and parts of their first chapters. I am posting the first two now and the others won't be posted until at the least Sunday!
Please please please please! Let me know what you think and which ones you like!
Ben is a hotshot lawyer, living in the big city, and he is a single dad. It's difficult for him trying to balance work and his son. He needs help and tries to find a nanny to watch his son, while he is at work.
"Jackson!" Ben yelled as he walked out of his bedroom.
Ben and his son, Jackson, lived in an upscale apartment on the upper west side of New York City. Well, it was more like a penthouse than an apartment. It was a 5 bedroom, and 3 bathroom penthouse on the top floor with its own patio/balcony. Ben was young. Too young to be having the lifestyle that he had, with being a single dad, but he worked harder than anyone to get where he was, with the help of his parents.
"Jackson, buddy," he called again. "We gotta go," he said as he walked into their living room and found his son frustrated, trying to tie his shoes.
Ben smiled as Jackson huffed, but continued to attempt at tying his shoe.
"You need some help there, buddy?" Ben asked, making Jackson look up at his dad.
"Yeah," he sighed as he let his laces fall to the side of his shoes. "I can't do it," he said.
Ben walked over and took a seat in front of Jackson.
"Well, you did a good job so far," as he picked up Jackson's laces. "You just have to make the bunny ears, then loop one through the rabbit hole," he said as he tied Jackson's shoes.
"You're good at everything, dad," he said as he looked at his shoes.
"I'm not good at everything," Ben said as he stood up and held his hand out for Jackson.
"Yes, you are," he said, making Ben laugh. "You're the best dad ever!"
"What about papa?" Ben asked as he helped Jackson put his coat on.
"Papa is the best papa, but he is your dad, not mine," he said, making Ben laugh again.
Ben knelt down and zipped up Jackson's jacket and noticed the pout of his face.
"What's wrong?" Ben asked.
"Why can't I stay with grammy at the library?" Jackson asked.
"I know you don't want to find a new nanny after the others, but grammy can't watch you and do her job at the library, and papa and I have to be at the office," he explained. "Plus school is going to be starting soon, and I am going to need help getting you there and back," he added.
The past nannies that Ben had hired to take care of Jackson had not worked out, and that would be saying it lightly. At first they were great, but as time went on, they got used to the upper west side lifestyle and wouldn't take their job seriously. They would call out for 'being sick' then be seen on social media hanging out with their friends or people they got to know while having the job. It made Ben and his parents frustrated, because they were hired to watch Jackson, not to take advantage of the luxuries of having a wealthy boss.
"But, none of them like me," Jackson said. "They always go away."
Ben never told Jackson why the nannies left, and he now regretted it, because now he thinks they didn't like him.
"No, buddy," Ben said as he pulled Jackson in for a hug. "Dad just didn't like the way they worked. He wants someone who is going to take care of you. I promise, it was not because they didn't like you," he finished as he pulled away.
Jackson nodded his head and put a smile on his face.
"Now, come on. We have to go interview a nanny," He told Jackson as he opened their front door.
Father and son walked down the street to a nearby cafe where his friend Jane worked, and where they were going to meet the girl who was going to interview to be Jackson's nanny. When they got there, there were more people there than usual, making Ben groan a little. He was hoping that it wouldn't be hard to find this girl, but with all of these people it may be harder than he first anticipated. Ben scanned the area trying to find a small table and luckily he was able to spot one in his friend's section of the cafe.
"Jackson, you see auntie Jane over there?" Ben asked as he pointed to Jane. "There is an open table in her section. Go up to her, say hello, give her a big hug and have her sit you at the table okay," he said.
"Okay, dad," Jackson said as he ran toward Jane's section.
Ben watched as Jackson tugged on Jane's apron. She turned around as beamed at Jackson before bending down to give him a big hug. Jane was the owner of the small cafe, but acted and worked like any other employee. She had worked in this cafe when she was in highschool and when the original owners retired; they gifted it to Jane. She always wanted to buy it because she loved the place so much, but knew she wouldn't be able to afford it and go to school at the same time. When she graduated college with her business degree, the owners handed her the keys as a graduation present.
Ben ordered his coffee, a hot chocolate for Jackson, and two muffins.
When he finished and paid, he walked to where Jackson was supposed to be sitting, but he wasn't there. He panicked. He turned to see if he could see Jane, but saw she was cleaning a table, and Jackson wasn't with her.
"Jackson!" he said as he looked all around the cafe.
He looked toward the window and saw Jackson standing next to a table, talking to a woman about his age and a little girl. He sighed in relief and ran toward his son.
"Jackson," he said, making Jackson look up at him. "Don't do that. You can't run off and not tell me where you are going, or auntie Jane after she sat you down," he said as he pulled Jackson in for a hug.
"I'm sorry, dad. I just saw her drawing and wanted to tell her how much I liked it," he said as he pointed to the sketchbook on the table.
"Okay, but you scared me," Ben said as he pulled away and stood up. "I'm sorry," he said as he turned to the woman sitting with the little girl.
He stopped and noticed how pretty she was. She had pale skin, plump pink lips, purple platinum hair, and gorgeous emerald green eyes. She smiled at Ben and shook her head.
"No, it's okay," she said. "He wasn't bothering us."
"Dad, look at her drawing," Jackson said enthusiastically. "It's so pretty."
Ben smiled and looked down at the sketch. He had to admit his son had an eye for art. The drawing was beautiful. It was a drawing of a lake. It had a waterfall in the background and ruins on the outskirts of the water. The colors on the page made it seem as though you could dive into the drawing and be there in person.
"Yeah, it is very pretty," Ben said as he looked back at the woman.
"Thank you," she said with a small smile and blush.
"What about mine?" the little girl said as she held up her little sketchbook up to Ben, making him chuckle.
"Well, let's have a look," he said as he crouched down and took the sketchbook out of her hand.
The page was covered in scribbles, making Ben remember when Jackson was this little and scribbled crazily.
"This is beautiful," Ben said, making the little girl giggle. "Just as pretty as your sister's."
"That's not my sister," the little girl said. "That's my mommy."
Ben looked at the little girl in shock. He didn't expect that they would be mother and daughter. She looked too young to be a mother, but who was he to judge he was 26 years old with a 6-year-old.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I just assumed…" he started.
"It's okay," the woman said. "We get it all the time, but I bet you guys get it too," she said, making Ben nod his head.
"Yeah," he said, and then took Jackson's hand. "I'm sorry again for disturbing you and your time together," he said.
"It's okay," she said as she shook her head again. "We're just waiting here, because I have an interview."
"Oh," Ben said. "You're Mallory Drakos?" he asked.
"Mr, Anderson?" she asked, making him nod and hold his hand out to her. "I am so sorry," she said. "That was not how I thought meeting you was going to go."
Ben shook his head and smiled. "No, it's fine," he said with a smile on his face.
"Here," she said as she stood up. "Have a seat. Melody, please come sit by me," she said as she gestured for Ben and Jackson to sit down.
Melody stood up and walked over to a seat next to her mother. Ben and Jackson sat down as Mal fixed Melody's dress.
"I am sorry that I had to bring my daughter," she said. "Usually my sister would watch her, but she is out of town on business," she apologised.
"No. No," Ben said. "It is completely fine," he said as he turned to Melody. "It's very nice to meet you, Melody," he said, making Melody blush. "Do you mind if I ask your mommy a few questions?" he asked.
Melody nodded her head and went back to her coloring. Jackson started to twiddle with his thumbs until Mal passed him her sketchbook.
"Here," she said. "You can color in my book," she said with a smile.
Jackson smiled brightly at Mal's actions and thanked her. Before Ben could start asking her questions, Jane walked up with a tray in her hand.
"Sorry for interrupting, Ben," she said as she started to put their order on the table. "I have your and Jackson's order, and I'm sorry, miss, you had a hot royal English breakfast tea latte, a hot chocolate and two scones right?" she asked.
"Yes, I was waiting for them to call my name…" Mal started.
"No, no worries," Jane said, cutting her off. "I'll go and grab that for you, and I'll be right back," she said as she placed Jackson's hot chocolate and chocolate chip muffin in front of him.
"Thank you," Mal said with a smile.
"Thank you, auntie Jane," Jackson said as he reached for the muffin.
Ben pulled the plant from Jackson, making him look up at his dad.
"That one is mine," he joked. "Auntie Jane gave you my muffin. Yours is the blueberry," Ben said, making Jackson give him a gross look.
"Blueberries are gross, dad," Jackson said as he pulled the muffin back from his dad and licked the top of it. "But now this is mine," he said.
"Just because you licked it, doesn't mean I won't eat it," Ben said, making Jackson and Mal laugh.
Jane came back and placed Mal's tea latte, Melody's hot chocolate, and their scones.
"Okay, that's it," Jane said. "I won't interrupt you anymore," she said with a smile as she walked away.
"Okay," Ben said as he turned his attention to Mal. "I have a couple, actually more than a couple, of questions. If that's okay with you, Mallory?" he asked.
"I wouldn't be here otherwise," she said, making him laugh. "And please, you can just call me Mal."