#sbl03w18

Brandon: I have never pushed myself on a woman. My mother just required-

Delilah: Your mother wanted you to do that?

Brandon: Family interests are very important to her. She told me I need to make sure whoever we hired wasn’t in this position just for what they could get out of it. That the nanny wasn’t going to try seduce us

Delilah: *rolls eyes* That was really the best way you could think to test me on it?

Brandon: I am jetlagged and have had maybe ten hours sleep in the last two days, my brain isn’t at its sharpest currently. I really couldn’t think of another way. But please, stay, keep the job. I need a woman to look after my son who will call him on his bullshit if he tries anything. I swear, I’ll never lay a hand on you again. Please, come meet my son

Brandon... he was tricky to read. In many ways his behaviour mimicked that of one of the rich James seemed so prejudiced against. But perhaps I had overreacted? Perhaps with family as rich as his they were used to women trying to get an advantage through him? I wasn’t sure. And I hated confrontation. What I was sure of was I needed a job that let me cook. And one that let me look after a kid as well was a bonus. If I could steer him to not grow up as entitled as his father, surely the kid needed me.

Delilah: Fine. I mean I can’t exactly unsign the papers anyway. Where’s the nursery?

CW: Harassment Summary will post at end of day

CW: Death Mention

Jennifer: My bedroom furniture is scheduled for delivery around two pm. Did Brandon say when yours will get here

Delilah: No but I hope he clears me with your mother so we can order the tank sooner rather than later. I uh- I kind of have a pet lobster

Jennifer: *smiles* That's adorable sweet thing. What are they called?

Out in the hall Brandon was finishing up on the phone.

Brandon: No, your instincts were right. There’s fierceness in her. She won’t let anything happen to Isaac

Katlyn: Just remember, her mother is a famous do gooder, that whole family are

Brandon: Don’t worry. Nguyen will make sure she doesn’t go in my home office. There’s no reason she should ever suspect our businesses are less than legitimate

Katlyn: Make sure your sister sticks to the cover story for her job. She’s an unreliable flirt and I don’t want her landing us in hot water

Brandon: Why send her to live here if you’re worried she’ll give things away?

Katlyn: The best place to keep an eye on her is under my thumb

Brandon left the room and Jennifer moved closer, holding up her hand and putting a finger to her mouth as she listened. In the hall you could hear the sound of Brandon’s phone dialling, and the click when it connected. Jennifer moved closer to me and spoke quietly.

Jennifer: Shit Delilah. I am so so sorry about that. He just can’t know we’re actually close

Delilah: *whispers in confusion* We’re close?

Despite being lost I couldn’t help but smile. She did remember me!

Jennifer: You know what I mean princess. He can’t know that I already know you

Maybe being out of touch with reality just ran in the family alongside thick haired infants?

Jennifer: If mother finds out she will fire you. I know you need a job right now, and I need to be here right now, so we’re just going to have to fake some ignorance

Delilah: Easy enough for me, I have no idea what’s happening

Jennifer: Remember how I told you I had a phase with clubs? It was more like a long term relationship. My brother and mother think I practically bleed irresponsibility but I want to change that. I want to grow up, to be a better version of myself. So I asked mother for a job and she gave me one but is making me move out of my suite at The Regent

Delilah: I don’t see how that means we have to pretend we didn’t talk last night

Jennifer: Because I only talked to her this morning. She’s insisting I have a month with no contact with anyone that used to be in my life. Mother is fickle, she would lump you in that category and get another nanny without a second thought if she knew you were already in my contacts

CW: Death mention

CW: Harassment Summary will post at end of day

Brandon: Miss Delarosa, this is my younger sister Jennifer

Delilah: *awkwardly* Hi again

Brandon: You already know each other?

I wasn’t sure what to say, but it turns out I didn’t need to speak.

Jennifer: I saw her briefly at the fundraiser last night. It’s Deborah right?

Delilah: Umm, no

Jennifer: That’s fine, I don’t need to know your name

Brandon: Jennifer is there a reason you’re here?

Jennifer: Yes. I talked to mother. I’m going to be moving in

Brandon: *scoffs* Here? With me and Isaac?

Jennifer: Yes. She thought it would be good for the family image for us to be united

Brandon: Since when do you care about family image?

Jennifer: I’m trying to grow up

She looked at me again then. I searched desperately for some sign that she was joking about not really remembering me, but maybe last night with me had been the joke? The recognition wasn’t on her face any more so I looked at the floor instead.