Rachael walked up the stone flagged path, knocked on the oak door and waited under the tiled canopy. It was a small red brick cottage on the outskirts of the village. She looked back at the drift of snowdrops already in flower at the bottom corner of the garden against the white picket fence. There was a smell of wood smoke and she could see her breath in the sharp February air.
"Olivia's just making tea," Jess explained, opening the door and quickly ushering her into the front room. The others were already seated in the worn armchairs around the log fire on the brick hearth. It was a cosy room with a low beamed ceiling and thick lined curtains in a bold floral pattern. A large tabby cat was curled up in the inglenook regarding everyone with suspicious yellow eyes.
"Oh good. We're all here," Olivia said returning with a tray piled high with teapot, milk jug, cups and saucers. She had pale skin and her curly chestnut hair cascaded in ringlets over a white crocheted smock. She tugged her skinny denim jeans up to be able to sit down. There was a couple of minutes of small talk while waiting for the tea to brew. Ethan and Amelia were both asleep upstairs and her partner Paul was refereeing at the youth club. She had persuaded him to call in at the pub afterwards so they wouldn't be disturbed. Olivia handed round a tub of assorted biscuits and poured the tea before settling back in her armchair and checking she had all their attention.
___
It was Isabelle, from my class at college, who told me that the Spears family were looking for a babysitter. They had recently moved in to a house at the top of her street. She couldn't do it herself because she was already sitting for another couple on Fridays but she thought the money would be useful to me.
"How much do you get?" I asked.
"Usually, twenty-five pounds for a three hour sit."
"Wow, that's more than twice as much as my allowance and I've got to clean around the house to get that." I knew it wasn't as much as the other girls got but, being the eldest of four, I realise now that it was all my parents could afford. I hoped they would let me to take the job.
I was surprised Mum was so cool about it. "Sure, that sounds like a good idea. You should be taking more responsibility at your age. How will you get back? I wouldn't be happy with you walking back after dark."
"I'll ask," I assured her. "I'll meet them with Isabelle after school tomorrow."
"You'll have to wait at my house," Isabelle said. "I don't think either of them get back from work until six, but we can do our homework together." In the event, we spent the whole time in her room, chatting and texting our friends. Homework could always be done later.
At six we walked up to the top of her road. "They live there." Isabelle pointed to a detached house on the left just as a silver saloon pulled onto the drive. When we turned in, a woman in a China blue belted blazer and fitted trousers was just stepping out of the car. She was slim with straight black hair which fell over her shoulders. Opening the rear door, she reached inside to lift an infant car seat out. It had a hood that was pulled up so we couldn't see inside, but I guessed from the care she was taking, the baby was asleep.
"Hi Mrs Spears," Isabelle called.
She looked round. "Hello Isabelle," she whispered. "Liam's just nodded off."
"Oh, sorry," Isabelle apologised in a stage whisper. "Could we have a look at him?"
"Of course." She gently swung the seat around. "Liam's pink face was surrounded by soft white blankets. He was a picture of peaceful bliss.
"He's beautiful," I murmured.
"This is my friend, Olivia," Isabelle introduced me in hushed tones. "She'd be able to baby-sit for you on Friday evenings."
"Oh wonderful," Mrs Spears said. "Look, come inside while I put Liam in his cot."
She unlocked the front door and waved us through to the lounge while she took the baby upstairs. We stood just inside the room decorated in rose and ivory. It was dominated by a huge television screen which faced a long cream sofa. In front of it, a Persian rug lay across the pale oak flooring.
"I'm dying for a cuppa," she declared, coming back downstairs. "Would either of you like a drink?" We both shook our heads. "Well, just take a seat then." She disappeared to put the kettle on. The pillow-back sofa was so wide our legs stuck out if we sat back, so we perched on the front. I'm not sure why, but we whispered our conversation while she busied herself in the kitchen. When she came back in, she put her mug on a coaster on the side table and pulled over a matching chair.
"So, you're Olivia," she started, "and you are in Isabelle's class?" I nodded.
She smiled. "Have you ever looked after little ones?"
"I babysat my cousin when she was eighteen months."
"Ah, good. Where do you live?"
"On the Lindley Estate."
"So, if we want you at seven, would you need picking up?"
"No, I could walk here, or I could stay at Isabelle's after school."
"That would be really convenient. We can take you home afterwards, of course," she assured me. "How much do you charge?"
The question took me by surprise. "Well," I mumbled, "I haven't been paid before."
"Yes, it's new to us as well," she smiled. "How much do you get, Isabelle?"
"Twenty-five pounds for three hours, a bit more if its longer," she stated.
"Would you be happy with that, Olivia?"
I nodded enthusiastically.
Just at that moment, the front door opened and Mr Spears came in.
He was a tall broad man with dark curly hair shaven at the back and sides. He was also wearing an office suit; grey check with a paisley pattern tie.
"Hi dear, this is Olivia who is going to babysit for us."
"Oh, great. We'll be able to go out again," he grinned.
"I'll just take her home and have a quick word with her mum. Liam's asleep upstairs. I'll be half an hour or so. Could you put dinner on?"
"Sure," he agreed.
Isabelle said that she would go home for her tea now, so I got into the front seat with my backpack on my knees. We chatted about my family as I directed her to my house. She parked on the pavement of the narrow street and I walked her round to the kitchen door. Mum stopped cooking when we entered and I introduced her. I think she was just wanting to check that mum was happy with the arrangement and to give her some reassurance of where I would be. We all exchanged phone numbers and it was agreed that I would start the following Friday.
I was quite excited when the day arrived. I'd arranged to have tea with Isabelle before we both went out babysitting. I knocked at the door just before seven o'clock. Mrs Spears opened it in a bit of a fluster.
"Nick is running late tonight. He's only just getting changed," she explained, leading me into the kitchen. "Liam's asleep, so you shouldn't have any problems there. He's in the small bedroom directly in front of you at the top of the stairs"
She showed me the bottles of baby milk to warm if he did wake up and checked I had her mobile number if I couldn't get him back to sleep. She had laid out some biscuits and fruit juice on the worktop. "You can use the dining table if you need to do some homework or there's the television in the lounge. I nodded.
Footsteps started to descend the stairs. "At last," she muttered, checking her watch. Mr Spears ambled into the room. "Right, we're going to the cinema so we should be back before ten," she said, immediately turning him around and pushing him out of the door.
"Have a nice time," I called after them. I closed the door and stood at the bottom of the stairs. I decided to sneak upstairs to have a peek at Liam. I turned the landing light out before opening his door and then waited for my eyes to adapt to the darkness. There was just enough illumination coming though the curtains to make out his face. I leant over the cot and held my breath to hear his soft breathing. He was pink and warm and smelt of milk.
Back downstairs, I did some homework for about an hour and then went through to watch TV. The huge screen seemed to fill the whole room when it lit up. It was like being at the cinema myself. I had almost nodded off when I heard their car arrive back on the drive. Mrs Spears rushed in. "Has he been, okay?" she asked anxiously.
"He's slept right through," I assured her.
"Oh, great," she sighed, clearly relieved. "I shouldn't have worried." She rummaged in her handbag for her purse and handed me twenty-five pounds. "Thanks ever so much. Nick will run you home. Are you all right for next week?"
"Yes. Thank you," I replied, looking at the notes and thinking that was the first money I had ever earned.
The baby sitting continued in the same routine throughout the autumn months. Liam only woke up once and I was able to settle him down again very quickly. Normally Mr Spears would run me home, in which case, after a few pleasantries, we would drive in silence. But sometimes, if he'd had a drink, she would take me back. She was much more garrulous and would keep up a constant patter for the whole journey. It was on one of these occasions, just after Christmas, when she asked me about boyfriends.
"No, not at the moment," I said. "I've had a couple, but nothing serious."
"What about girlfriends?" she asked flippantly.
