As I finished giving Chloe a tour of the house, my son came home. I introduced them. "Jonathan, this is Chloe. She's going to be our new nanny. When your father and I are away, she's in charge. Do what she says."
He asked, "Your little sister is Lora, right? She kinda looks like you. Not as... grown up, though."
She nodded, "Uh huh. She's one of my three sisters. I think you're in the same grade?"
"Yeah. She's in most of the same classes. That reminds me, I need to do my homework." He ran up the stairs.
I'd known him his whole life, and was sure homework was the last thing on his mind. I told her, "Gerald might be offended if you look too sleazy, and I don't really want my son seeing you like this. It's too distracting. You should wear more conservative clothes, something that doesn't show off your boobs or so much of your legs."
"I don't really have anything like that, except my winter clothes in the attic at home."
I sighed. "Let's go look in my closet. I think I have some things in your size." I knew I had several dresses that would fit her, but they were from ten years and fifteen pounds ago. She dropped her running shorts and tried on half a dozen dresses in my bedroom.
She pointed to a cardboard box of random old things on the closet floor. "What's that? Is that real gold?"
I looked in the box. "Yes, it's a gold-plated cigarette holder. Gerald gave it to me for my 18th birthday, along with that gold-plated lighter. We quit smoking about 15 years ago, when I got pregnant with Jonathan."
She stared at them a little while. I told her, "I guess you can have them, since I don't smoke anymore."
"Really? Thanks!" She put the holder in the corner of her mouth, then held it and waved it around like a wand. "Does this look sexy?"
I smiled. "That's why Gerald gave it to me. Let's get back to finding a dress you like."
Gerald walked in the bedroom as she dropped her current dress to the floor. Chloe was only wearing a black thong and bikini top. She shrieked, "Eeeeeh!" She grabbed the dress and held it in front of her as I tried to explain, "Gerald, we... um... this is our new nanny, Chloe." He turned and walked out quickly.
I followed him and said, "Chloe is from a poor family, and I was giving her some of my old clothes."
His face was a little red and I saw one of his hands was clenched in a fist until he took a deep breath. He paused a moment then turned around. "It's nice you're helping her out. That was quite a surprise."
"Sorry, I should have locked the door."
"It's all right. Do we have plans for dinner? I'm famished." He smelled like soap and his dark hair was damp, he had taken a shower recently. I saw his gym duffel bag in the hall.
"I'll help Chloe make something once she finds a dress she likes. I hope you had a good day?"
"I was sorting old photos of sailing ships in the museum basement most of the day. It was nice. I'll grab a snack and help Jonathan with his homework. Let us know when dinner is ready."