Status: Unfinished
Pine Trees
Aint No Rest For the Wicked
"Oh, dear, please stay for dinner?" Ellie asks as I put away the cleaning supplies.
"I wish I could, Ellie. But I promised Ms. Sinclair I'd babysit Maddox tonight. She has a date tonight."
Ellie waves her hand. "What a ghastly woman. A new man every week."
I giggle, but only because it's very true. Sir Sinclair has only been dead for 5 minutes and his wife has been with almost every man of this small town.
Ms. Sinclair (her first name is Natalie but she insists everyone call her by her last name) is a young woman, only about 29, and is just about what comes to mind when you think gold digger. She's tall and thin, with big breasts and blonde hair. She was only 19 when she married Sir Sinclair, a 58 year old man at the time.
They married before they moved here, building a mansion on the tallest hill that overlooks our small town. Rumors immediately stirred. My favorite being Ms. Sinclair wouldn't get a cent of his money unless she bore him a child. I didn't believe it until it was made public knowledge that Sir Sinclair became ill with lung cancer. Ms. Sinclair announced her pregnancy only a month later.
Sir Sinclair died a week after Maddox was born. Maddox wasn't his only child, he actually had three children from his first marriage. But since the other children left with his ex-wife and were so openly disapproving of his marriage to Natalie, he left them nothing. I’m not really one to follow drama, but they sure live an interesting life…
My father owns a construction company, the one that built their oversized home. He maintained a good relationship with the family even after their home was built, being invited to fancy dinners, parties, and the lot. He brought me to a few barbecues with him throughout the years, and Ms. Sinclair always favored me, even though she’s really only about ten years older than me. I started babysitting Maddox when he was only six months old, and I adore him. He’s a very bright child with a natural curiosity for everything.
I’ve been babysitting him for about a month now. Ms. Sinclair has a date or fancy party to attend every Friday night. We’ve made it a permanent arrangement for me to be there, she’s even given me my own room to sleep in as she usually doesn’t get home until very early the next morning.
“I’ll see you on Monday, Ellie.” I say and kiss the old woman on the cheek before heading outside. I hop on my bike and make my way to the Sinclair Mansion.
It takes me about twenty minutes to reach the bottom of their hill, then I have to get off my bike and walk it the rest of the way up as it is far too steep for me to ride up. I lean my bike up against the side of the garage and walk to the front door. I knock twice before entering as Ms. Sinclair hates having to answer the door.
I walk through the foyer to the fancy living room where Maddox is seated in a bouncer in front of their oversized television watching some lame baby show and Ms. Sinclair is nowhere to be found.
“Hi Maddox.” I cheer as I walk towards the bouncing baby who smiles as I approach. He reaches his arms to me and I gladly pick him up out of the bouncer. “Where’s your mum?” I ask as I poke his chubby belly, earning me a giggle.
“Here I am, love.” Ms. Sinclair sings as she walks into the room, heels clicking on hardwood floor. I resist the urge to let my jaw drop as I take in her outfit for the night: a skimpy black sequined dress and thigh high boots. She wore too much shimmer powder, making her skin look sparkly under the bright lights, and I could smell her perfume from where I stood, fifteen feet away. “Oh hand me that chubby child.” She says, pursing her lips. I hand Maddox to her and she balances him on her hip. “He woke up from his nap about an hour ago, and hasn’t eaten dinner yet. He will also need a bath tonight.”
“Of course,” I say with a smile.
“I left you some extra money on the kitchen counter for food or whatever.” She says, swatting away Maddox’s hand as he reaches for her sparkly diamond earring. “I probably won’t be home until morning.” She says then turns her attention to her son. “I’ll see you tomorrow, baby. Be a good boy.” She says and kisses his forehead, leaving a big pink stain. She hands him back to me.
“Have a great night!?” I offer as she picks up her purse from off the couch and leaves. “And what are you hungry for?” I ask Maddox as I bring him into the kitchen. I sit him down in his high chair and head to the fridge to fetch him some food. I start him with some small avocado chunks while I cook up some carrots. He loves avocados and eats it right up.
I bathe Maddox and dress him in some dinosaur pajamas before lying him down for bed. It’s only about nine o’clock and I’m now aware of my grumbling tummy. I head back into the kitchen and pick up the cash Ms. Sinclair had laid out on the counter, $150. Kind of a lot for a meal for one, but I don’t complain. I pocket the cash and head to the fridge to make myself up a quick sandwich. I eat the sandwich and disappear into the guest room, the room I frequented. I flip on the baby monitor, and lie down, quickly falling asleep to the sound of white noise playing through the monitor.
"I wish I could, Ellie. But I promised Ms. Sinclair I'd babysit Maddox tonight. She has a date tonight."
Ellie waves her hand. "What a ghastly woman. A new man every week."
I giggle, but only because it's very true. Sir Sinclair has only been dead for 5 minutes and his wife has been with almost every man of this small town.
Ms. Sinclair (her first name is Natalie but she insists everyone call her by her last name) is a young woman, only about 29, and is just about what comes to mind when you think gold digger. She's tall and thin, with big breasts and blonde hair. She was only 19 when she married Sir Sinclair, a 58 year old man at the time.
They married before they moved here, building a mansion on the tallest hill that overlooks our small town. Rumors immediately stirred. My favorite being Ms. Sinclair wouldn't get a cent of his money unless she bore him a child. I didn't believe it until it was made public knowledge that Sir Sinclair became ill with lung cancer. Ms. Sinclair announced her pregnancy only a month later.
Sir Sinclair died a week after Maddox was born. Maddox wasn't his only child, he actually had three children from his first marriage. But since the other children left with his ex-wife and were so openly disapproving of his marriage to Natalie, he left them nothing. I’m not really one to follow drama, but they sure live an interesting life…
My father owns a construction company, the one that built their oversized home. He maintained a good relationship with the family even after their home was built, being invited to fancy dinners, parties, and the lot. He brought me to a few barbecues with him throughout the years, and Ms. Sinclair always favored me, even though she’s really only about ten years older than me. I started babysitting Maddox when he was only six months old, and I adore him. He’s a very bright child with a natural curiosity for everything.
I’ve been babysitting him for about a month now. Ms. Sinclair has a date or fancy party to attend every Friday night. We’ve made it a permanent arrangement for me to be there, she’s even given me my own room to sleep in as she usually doesn’t get home until very early the next morning.
“I’ll see you on Monday, Ellie.” I say and kiss the old woman on the cheek before heading outside. I hop on my bike and make my way to the Sinclair Mansion.
It takes me about twenty minutes to reach the bottom of their hill, then I have to get off my bike and walk it the rest of the way up as it is far too steep for me to ride up. I lean my bike up against the side of the garage and walk to the front door. I knock twice before entering as Ms. Sinclair hates having to answer the door.
I walk through the foyer to the fancy living room where Maddox is seated in a bouncer in front of their oversized television watching some lame baby show and Ms. Sinclair is nowhere to be found.
“Hi Maddox.” I cheer as I walk towards the bouncing baby who smiles as I approach. He reaches his arms to me and I gladly pick him up out of the bouncer. “Where’s your mum?” I ask as I poke his chubby belly, earning me a giggle.
“Here I am, love.” Ms. Sinclair sings as she walks into the room, heels clicking on hardwood floor. I resist the urge to let my jaw drop as I take in her outfit for the night: a skimpy black sequined dress and thigh high boots. She wore too much shimmer powder, making her skin look sparkly under the bright lights, and I could smell her perfume from where I stood, fifteen feet away. “Oh hand me that chubby child.” She says, pursing her lips. I hand Maddox to her and she balances him on her hip. “He woke up from his nap about an hour ago, and hasn’t eaten dinner yet. He will also need a bath tonight.”
“Of course,” I say with a smile.
“I left you some extra money on the kitchen counter for food or whatever.” She says, swatting away Maddox’s hand as he reaches for her sparkly diamond earring. “I probably won’t be home until morning.” She says then turns her attention to her son. “I’ll see you tomorrow, baby. Be a good boy.” She says and kisses his forehead, leaving a big pink stain. She hands him back to me.
“Have a great night!?” I offer as she picks up her purse from off the couch and leaves. “And what are you hungry for?” I ask Maddox as I bring him into the kitchen. I sit him down in his high chair and head to the fridge to fetch him some food. I start him with some small avocado chunks while I cook up some carrots. He loves avocados and eats it right up.
* * *
I bathe Maddox and dress him in some dinosaur pajamas before lying him down for bed. It’s only about nine o’clock and I’m now aware of my grumbling tummy. I head back into the kitchen and pick up the cash Ms. Sinclair had laid out on the counter, $150. Kind of a lot for a meal for one, but I don’t complain. I pocket the cash and head to the fridge to make myself up a quick sandwich. I eat the sandwich and disappear into the guest room, the room I frequented. I flip on the baby monitor, and lie down, quickly falling asleep to the sound of white noise playing through the monitor.