The Baby Monitor

  She was a mean person. Evie Gardner reminded herself with a bit more force than necessary. Really. She was an awfully, unapologetic, no-nonsense mean individual. But sometimes, she just pretended to be nice and kind and tolerant and stupid. And that's why she'd been unofficially elected the the all-time nanny to every one of her acquaintance who had kids.
  Her Friday and Saturday  - infact, let's face it - Her entire weekends weren't hers anymore, because she had one or two or three children to babysit. To battle with, to feed, to burp, to put to bed. It was a wonder they didn't ask her to help carry their pregnancy and go through their labor and deliver babies weighing 12 pounds.
  And that was because she wasn't showing her true self. She hadn't shown it since the day she was born. Instead, she passed across as a manipulatable - if such words exist -, wimpy push-over. She'd allowed everyone, her mum, her twin sister, her younger brothers, her friends, her boss, everyone, to take advantage of her. Well, taking advantage might be a bit harsh, but that was what they deserved for ruining her weekends and stifling any possibility whatsoever of her having a life of her own.
  Why, did she have a 'I'm the perfect baby watcher' stamped on her forehead? Or did she speak baby language better than anyone? Better than their parents? Well, that was going to stop now. Today. She was twenty five years old and she damn well had a life to live. She wasn't taking care of any ones kid anymore.  Even though the anger she was trying to conjure hadn't reached the required decibel, Evie was immensely pleased with her resolve.
    It was Friday, 6:35 a.m and she expected the calls to roll in anytime now. That was just how terrible they were, she'd have hardly woken and there ll already be five kids waiting for her to pick them up after school. With a renewed resolve, she got out of bed and in her coffee deprived state dragged herself to the bathroom.
    Thirty minutes later, two toasts and five cups of coffee burning a hole in her stomach, she stepped out of her apartment and took the stairs down to the lobby.
  "Ah, Ms. Gardner,"
    She turned around and saw Mr. Noel, the doorman in his usual configuration of white pants, blue shirt and black hat hurrying towards her. He was limping, which was unusual and he was holding a small pink note in his hand. With a little lurch in her stomach she recognized it and considered turning around and running out of the building before Mr. Noel caught up with her.
  But of course, she waited. And even smiled at the wobbling man.
    "What happened to your leg?"
    He frowned down at the leg. "Hit the blasted foot on the stairs. Been aching like a hater since morning."
    Good, it wasn't anything serious. Not that she was concerned, she hurriedly told herself, one just had to keep appearances. Now, concerning the pink paper...
    "Your sister was here about twenty minutes ago," He handed it over. "She said she had to run."
    Leslie, always had to run. She lived by running. Breathed it. Ate it. She ran out of everybody at the expense of the latter. Good old, Leslie. Evie smiled at the man as if he was handing her deeds to a million dollar house in the Hamptons, thanked him and wished his foot a fast recovery then headed out.
  She got a taxi, quickly and unexpectedly, and as it fought it's way through the dense morning traffic, Evie opened the note.

    Little sis, (Evie rolled her eyes, Leslie was only older than her by fifteen minutes)
    Can you help pick up Enzo and Aaron from school? Got a filled, filled day today. You're the best.
  P.S Enzo doesn't like fruit loops again, he swore against them two days ago.
  P.P.S You guys can get started on their homework, I'll be too busy tomorrow too.
  P.P.P.S, lol. Nolan would come with their sleep over bags.
    Love you always.

    No. The mean Evie thought. No, no, no. No sleep over today. She was just going to pick up her cell and call Leslie and put her straight. Right now.
  In the taxi? Why not wait till you get to work? Another voice, the stupid, wimpy one said.
  Okay, when she got to work. That would be the first thing she did.

  At exactly nine-fifteen, she was at her table helping her office partner, Fiona. run a check on debtors overdue a month. Fiona was on an important, long distance call. It wasn't as if Evie couldn't disagree to the extra work, but, the call was to Australia. To Fiona's Australian boyfriend, surely matters of the heart should be given importance, right? Amidst her musings, her own cell rang, it was Jade. Her high school best friend.
  Wary, Evie picked it up.
    "Hi, Jade,"
    "Evie, I'm so glad you picked on first ring. I've been so scared you wouldn't be around your phone. Look, I need you to stay with Casey tonight. She -"
  "Uhm, Jade, I can't -"
  "I totally forgot tonight was I and Devs date night. I'll have called you earlier -"
  Agitated, Evie tried to force some steel into her voice.  "Jade, I really can't, I'll be busy -"
    But either Jade didn't hear, or she chose not to hear, she rolled on. "I'm so sorry for infringing on you like this. I'll give my left tits to have given you a heads up. Sorry. I'll bring her after school so I can prepared." She paused. "Evie? Are you there?"
    Evie rubbed her eyes wearily. "I'm here,"
      "Good, so what do you say?
NO! I'm not taking care of Casey, or Enzo or Aaron or Susan or anybody! I'm going to sleep, on my bed. Alone. And I'll eat fruit loops, till I puke. Then I'll wake at 12 p.m tomorrow and then eat more fruit loops and watch grisly murder movies and then -
"Evie!"
Jade's voice, sharp and irritated cut through her fantasy.
"Okay, Jade." She heard herself say. "Bring her over. Pack an overnight bag too, so we'll have a party. Aaron and Enzo are coming over too."
"Great! You're amazing!" And then the line went off.
Stupid, spineless wimp! Mean voice spat from her corner.
Why didn't you yank me by the scruff of my neck when I was agreeing? Push-over, replied.
"Well," Evie sighed resignedly. " Next weekend, I'll totally put my foot down."