THE NANNY

ng, I never regretted that decision. Whenever my mom pressured on how I got such amount of money enough

I'd used some of my surrogacy money for my ed

g grades, a testament to my

way of humbling eve

n our tiny apartment, scanning job postings, tailoring cover letters, and refreshing my email inbox obsessively. The fe

sive," they'd say, "but we've de

same direction, and

, you g

that I'd get there someday

I'd worked so hard, made so many sacrifices, and yet I still felt

rried but never held. I wondered if they were safe, happy, and loved. I wondered if G

faced. But it hadn't been enough to erase the struggles that came after-My account containing the rest of the money was used for fraudulent transactions and a

ted to the point where she couldn't work. I was her primary support, and eve

writing, even waitressing again, though I'd sworn I'd never

ingered in my mind: Wh

inally pay off? When would I stop feeling like I was always one step

another rejection email glowing on the screen, I knew

r unsuccessful job search. My routine has become second nature by now: wake up early, scan online job boards

d to a coffee shop window. It was bright and bold, standing

th Competitive Pay. Experience Prefer

brief months I spent as a surrogate, where I wasn't even allowed to bond with my child. But then I paused, staring at

pire. The smell of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the sound of quie

ition," I said, trying to keep

ard with an address and

my old wrist watch -a birthday present from my mom on my 23rd birthday been las

ils on the card was exactly what I'd had in mind-The Thompson's empire -I was going to see my daughter again, fate was indeed calling on me, my past was ab

u only see in magazines or on TV. A tall, uniformed man greeted me at the gate,

n as composed as ever. She was a middle aged woma

said, exten

d while I took her h

care for a young girl. She's five years old, intelligent, cur

e years old.I was aware it was the stag

ore often than I cared to admit. Was this some kind of coincidence, or was fate pulling me back in

espite the storm inside me. "I'd li

while some didn't but none has lasted any longer than a week with Laura, Can you do this? Laura's d

view with Gerald and will get back

n't shake the feeling that my past was about to col

feeling these days. The possibility of being accepted for the nanny position-especially o

tails as though doing so would make them more real. This was the best opportunit