A Newer Job?

He was giving her a tour of the facility and introducing her to some of the regular members. As they walked, Aurora couldn't help but notice how fit and muscular Carl was. She felt a little intimidated but also impressed.

"First, let's start with the weightlifting section," he said, leading her towards a section filled with weights and machines.

"Here, we have all kinds of equipment for strength training. We have dumbbells, barbells, and weight machines. We also have a squat rack and a bench press. Are you familiar with these?"

Charlotte nodded.

Charlotte was impressed by the variety of machines and appreciated the attention to detail. She had been to other gyms where the equipment was outdated and poorly maintained.

"We have a lot of serious lifters here, so make sure you know what you're doing before you jump in."

Charlotte nodded again, taking note of the different equipment and trying to memorize where everything was. As they continued the tour, Carl pointed out the different classes they offered and introduced her to some of the other trainers.

They moved on to the cardio section. There were treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes lined up in rows.

"This is where you can work on your cardio," Carl said.

"We have different machines to suit your needs, and we can adjust them to your fitness level."

"So, Charlotte," Carl said, turning to her with a smile.

"What kind of fitness experience do you have?"

Charlotte hesitated, feeling a little self-conscious.

"Honestly, I don't have a ton of experience," she admitted.

"I've always been interested in fitness and health, but I've never worked in a gym before."

Carl nodded, not seeming surprised.

"That's okay," he said.

"We all have to start somewhere. Just make sure you're willing to learn and work hard, and you'll do great here."

Charlotte felt a little more at ease, grateful for Carl's encouragement.

They continued the tour, and Carl showed her the locker rooms, the pool, and the sauna.

In a few minutes, Charlotte was now feeling quite confident after Carl's tour and instructions at the gym. She had decided to test the treadmill on her own, and she started to run. The machine hummed underneath her feet, and the air was thick with the sound of heavy breathing and the clanging of weights. The rhythmic sound of her footsteps echoed throughout the gym.

As she increased the speed, Charlotte's foot suddenly slipped off the treadmill, and she lost her balance. She flailed for a moment, trying to grab onto something to regain her footing, but it was too late. She was about to hit the ground when suddenly she was caught by a pair of strong arms.

“Whoa there,” he said, still holding her.

Her heart was beating fast, and her breaths came in short gasps as she tried to catch her breath. Charlotte was startled for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.

She looked up and saw the man who had saved her.

Charlotte took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She looked up at him, grateful for his timely intervention.

But his piercing green eyes were looking down at her with something other than concern.

"Mate," he muttered.

'What?' Charlotte quizzed in her head.

She felt a bit confused and taken aback by the use of the word. It wasn't something she was used to hearing, but she quickly replied with a quiet "Thanks" and scurried off to another part of the gym, feeling a bit embarrassed.

****

Charlotte was walking home from the office, enjoying the cool evening breeze when something suddenly hit the top of her head. Startled, she turned around to see what had landed on her, only to find a rolled-up piece of paper lying at her feet. She picked it up and glanced in the direction it had come from.

She looked in the direction the paper came from, noticing a small boy standing a few meters away, giggling uncontrollably. The boy's eyes met Charlotte's, and he quickly hid his face behind his hands, trying to stifle his laughter.

Charlotte couldn't help but smile at the sight of the little boy's mischievous behavior. She watched as he continued to peek at her, his eyes shining with mischief.

Charlotte walked over to where he was and crouched down to his level, gently taking hold of his arm.

"Hey there, you shouldn't throw things at people," she said with a kind smile.

The boy looked up at her, his eyes wide with surprise, but he didn't pull away from her touch.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice soft and apologetic.

Charlotte nodded, "It's okay, just be more careful next time, okay?"

The boy nodded in agreement, still looking up at her with a mix of curiosity and awe.

"Is that your mom over there?" Charlotte asked, gesturing towards the woman who was hurrying over to them.

As the woman quickly made her way towards Charlotte and her son, her hair bounced up and down with each determined step she took. The strands seemed to dance in the wind as she moved, and some of them whipped across her face, causing her to brush them aside with an annoyed expression.

The boy nodded again, and Charlotte stood up to greet the woman.

Charlotte looked up to see the woman approaching her with a sheepish smile on her face. The woman stopped in front of Charlotte and cleared her throat.

"I'm so sorry about that," the woman said, clearly embarrassed.

"He can be a little troublemaker at times," the woman said again, looking apologetic.

Charlotte smiled kindly at her. "It's alright. No harm done," she replied,

The woman then reached out and grabbed her son's hand, her grip firm yet gentle. "Come on, let's go," she said to the boy, her tone stern.

Charlotte could barely hear the woman scolding her son as they walked away,

She watched as the woman and her son walked away, leaving her standing alone on the sidewalk.

Turning her attention back to the crumpled piece of paper in her hand; curiosity piqued, she began to slowly unfold the scrunched up paper that had been thrown at her, peeling away each creased layer.

Finally, the paper was fully opened, and Charlotte's eyes scanned the hastily scrawled message. "Nanny needed urgently," it read in bold letters at the top of the page. Underneath was a phone number and a name - "Sammie Paige."

Charlotte's mind raced as she tried to process what she had just read. Was this a legitimate job opportunity? Should she call the number? Was she even qualified to be a nanny?

Her curiosity got the best of her, and she quickly stuffed the paper into her bag. She knew that she would have to think more about this later, but for now, she couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement at the possibility of a new adventure and a new source of income.

*****

Trent returned home exhausted and visibly frustrated.

He walked into the living room, His steps heavy and slow as he made his way towards the couch. With a deep sigh, he slumped onto the cushions and leaned his head back, closing his eyes.

He stayed that way for a few moments, catching his breath and trying to relax. Then, he reached up to his neck and pulled his tie down with a frustrated groan.

He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and ran his hands through his hair, trying to unknot the tension that had built up throughout the day.

The living room was quiet, except for the sound of Trent's heavy breathing. He was clearly exhausted and it showed on his face. He looked up at the ceiling, trying to clear his mind and relax his body.

As he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he heard footsteps and looked up to see Sam rushing down the stairs.

Sam bowed his head and greeted him respectfully.

"Welcome back, sir," Sam said, bowing and greeting him.

Trent mumbled a response, looking completely exhausted. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes for a moment, as if taking a brief respite.

After a few moments, Trent sat up straight and asked,

"So, did anyone show up for the job?"

Sam shook his head in disappointment.

"No, sir. None, and those who showed up refused the job at the last minute for some reason."

Trent let out a deep sigh, rubbed his temples, then looked up the stairs leading to the bedrooms.

"Did the kids go to bed already?" he asked, his voice tinged with exhaustion.

"Yes, sir," Sam replied with a nod. "They both went to bed about an hour ago."

"Good," Trent said as he made his way up the stairs.

"I'll just check on them before I retire for the night."

As he walked down the hallway, Trent could hear the sound of gentle snoring coming from the first room. He opened the door slightly and peered inside, relieved to see his baby daughter, Sky, fast asleep in her bed.

Trent tiptoed over to the bed and placed a gentle hand on her forehead, checking her temperature. The little girl stirred but did not wake up, so Trent pulled the blanket up to her chin and leaned in to give her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

He then made his way to his Ella's room and pushed open the door, seeing her small form curled up under the covers.

He watched her from the door, his hand clutching the knob tightly as he held back a pang of pain.

"She looks so much like her," he mumbled.