Page 8 of Leo
“Mondays are my most needed day, some Fridays and Wednesdays, too,” I told Leo my current schedule, a kernel of hope building. I put my half-eaten banana down and picked up my phone to add, “But I work from home, so I’m flexible.”
“While we’re at capacity for full-time care… We just had a little boy move away, and his part-time spot was going to be impossible to fill,” Leo mused out loud. “If you fill out the application online, I can put in a good word for you, though.”
“You’d do that for me?” I asked before my brain remembered not to look a gift horse in the mouth. “I mean, thank you.”
“No problem,” Leo’s smile was evident again. “Let me know when you finish the forms?”
“I can do them tonight,” I assured him. “I’ll text you.”
“Any time. Hope to see you and Dezi at school,” Leo said by way of ending the call.
We said our goodbyes and I texted Leo straight away when I was done with the layers of applications for his school. He sent a thumbs up emoji followed by an article on curbing biting in toddlers.
Leo was helping me with my problems, and the feeling of shared camaraderie had the anxiety of Dezi’s meltdown washing away. I’d always been the patient one, the one with knowledge and authority. But the young nanny had something unique about him.
Finishing off my banana while I read the article he sent, I couldn’t help hoping Dezi got into Leo’s school. Not so I could see him again, but so I had a reason to get his advice. And for Dezi. She needed socialization.
My subconscious said I could use social interaction as well, but I could ignore that thought. Dezi was my priority. I didn’t have time for anything else.
Chapter five
Leo
Late October
Some Fridays, I was excited for the end of the work week, because it meant I got to have a couple days off to unwind and catch up with my sister. I loved my job, but preschoolers were exhausting. This Friday, I knew I wouldn’t see a certain hot dad.
Since Dezi had started at my school, I was sad to learn she really only needed to come a couple days a week. Besides quick chats at drop-off and pick-up, Isaac and I had chatted by text over the two weeks since we talked on the phone.
After reading Dezi’s paperwork, where Isaac listed himself as the only parent with no other emergency contacts, I also saw how he was isolated.
Growing up with a sister ten years older, along with both parents, grandparents I saw whenever we visited Mexico, and countless aunties, uncles, and cousins, I didn’t know how a single parent got by. Who did you call when your child was sick for days and you needed to sleep?
My impression was that Isaac was lonely.
Patty noticed I had a thing for Dezi’s dad, but she refrained from saying anything. Her knowing smirk whenever I walked away from the man said it all. I’d broken the main rule as a gay man and had a crush on a straight guy. Not just any guy, but the dad of my student.
My one argument when my sister, Cam, teased me was that I knew him before Dezi was in my care. She wasn’t nearly as subtle in her teasing as my boss.
“Hermano,” Cam’s voice filtered into my head as if I’d summoned her. Maybe I needed to rest more than I thought.
“Tío Leo,” Nacho called out, and this time I turned to find him walking into my classroom with his mom close behind. She was in one of her pantsuits, dark, curly hair loose around her shoulders. “Look who picked me up!”
“Cam, what are you doing off work so early?” I asked, making my way over to meet them by the office. I looked down at my nephew like he had the answers, “Did something happen with Nacho?”
“No,” Cam shrugged and pulled Nacho in for a hug from behind. “We had a team meeting after lunch and I let everyone go home early to give them a head start on the traffic and their weekends. One of my guys pointed out that I should lead by example. I texted you.”
“You’re in charge,” I pointed out, stepping into the office to grab my jacket, where I’d left my phone. “Didn’t have this on me.”
“Camila,” Patty popped her head around the corner and greeted my sister with a smile. I did all of Nacho’s transportation to and from school, so I was surprised she remembered my sister’s name. “So good to see you again.”
“Hey, Patty,” Cam shook my boss’ hand and I opened my phone to find her text. Sure enough, Cam had messaged thirty minutes before to say she’d see me after school. “I’m relieving Leo so he can take the rest of the weekend off.”
Scoffing, I let the two women chat as I noticed I had a few other missed texts and a call. From Isaac. He started by asking if I could help with something before lunch, before asking if I knew what to do about a rash.
My phone rang in my hand and I saw he was calling again. I decided it would be best to answer and find out what was going on. If I also wanted to hear his voice, no one had to know.
“Hello, Isaac?”