Nkechi was a mostly-broke university student who did small jobs for menial pay, which included babysitting. Hopefully, today she’ll be landing one of those jobs.
She straightened her casual outfit when she got to the door. Briefly, Nkechi wondered if she was dressed too informally for the occasion, standing at the doorway in her sneakers, jeans, and a t-shirt.
As the door opened, Nkechi realized she should have dressed better. Standing before her was Tomi, a statuesque and sophisticated-looking woman. This lady had a commanding demeanour which was unmistakable.
By contrast, Nkechi was petite and looked as meek as she was.
“Right on time,” Tomi smiled.
“Come in, I have coffee and some food waiting.”
Pleasantries were exchanged. Nkechi removed her shoes after entering the home, and then Tomi closed the door and gave a brief tour of the first floor. It had the luxurious feel of a Lagos mansion. Big, but not too spacious. Clean, but not neat-freak clean.
Paintings and sculptures were liberally displayed, which suggested a certain level of worldliness.
Inside the living room, food was waiting on the table. There was also a non-disclosure agreement sitting in the center of the table with a pen on top. Nkechi had already been told that she’ll be signing one of these before discussing the terms of the job. Tomi was a well-known lawyer.
“Have a look,” Tomi said, gesturing to the document.
“If you sign it, we can talk about the details. Sorry, but I’m big on privacy.”
“I get it.”
Nkechi was an English undergrad, but even so, all the Latin-sounding legal jargon was out of her depth. She made her way through the one-page document then signed it. It seemed a little excessive for a babysitting job, but she understood.
“Excellent,” Tomi said. “Have a seat. I’ll pour you some juice, and we’ll discuss the nature of the job.”
Nkechi could hardly relax as she sat. This woman was intimidating and every bit the high-powered solicitor. Nonetheless, she tried to appear as confident as possible inside the woman’s home. The juice was served and so were the pastries on small china plates.
“This looks great ma,” Nkechi smiled, feeling uneasy that this gorgeous, well-respected woman was serving her food.
Tomi sat right next to her. “So, I hear you’re a diligent worker. You come highly recommended.”
“I try my best. I was raised to be a hard worker.”
“Wonderful to hear. Tell me about yourself.”
Tomi took a sip of juice and stared intently at Nkechi. This felt more like a job interview for obtaining national security clearance, and Nkechi could feel herself getting nervous.
“Well,” Nkechi said.
“I’m a first-year university student. I study English and I write for the school journalism blog. I do these kinds of jobs during holidays because it gives me a chance to be helpful, stay busy, and make some extra cash. But, I also like to learn a little about myself and other people through my holiday jobs. Basically I’m wired to constantly work”
“That sounds a lot like me. I’m a workaholic by nature.”
“With a career like yours, I’m sure you are.”
Tomi smiled. “Now, about myself. I’m married and have three young children. Hence, my need for someone like you.”
“That number doesn’t scare me off. I’m the ultimate multitasker.”
“Perfect. The reason I need your help is that a few weeks ago I was named the temporary head of a unit at the judiciary ministry. For political reasons, I’ll be stuck in that job for the foreseeable future until they can find someone else. That means I won’t be taking vacations with my family anytime soon. Most likely my schedule would free up at the end of the month.”
“I’m accustomed to dealing with busy parents, so I understand what you expect of me.”
“Wonderful. Now onto the details of the job,” Tomi said professionally. “First off, I want you to know that I can be very strict and that I have a dominant personality. This can be off-putting to some, so I wanted to get that out there right off the bat. Secondly, the hours you’ll be working will vary depending on my schedule. Sometimes I work at night, and so does my husband. We’ll definitely need you for babysitting duties for the month.”
Nkechi nodded. “Got it. I can keep an open schedule in the evenings for the next few months.”
“Excellent,” Tomi noted.
“And thirdly, most importantly, I like to assign duties that are rather unusual for someone in a babysitting role.”
There was a serious tone in the woman’s voice, and Nkechi hung on every word.
“I’m open to that.”
Tomi took another sip of coffee. “Since our kids are on holiday, my husband took them to see their grandparents for the week. Normally I would have joined them, but with the temporary promotion, I’ll be stuck in court.”
“Oh, that’s fine.”
“It’s a sacrifice for the job. I love the work that I do.”
Nkechi nodded. “I totally respect that. Someone has to do it.”
“Exactly, and while I’m home alone for the week, my breasts will need to be stimulated to maintain their natural milk production.”
It felt like a bombshell, and Nkechi was caught off guard. In all her years of babysitting, she had never been asked to do something focused solely on a woman’s lactating breasts. But, judging by the size and location of the house, Tomi was most likely going to pay good money for this unexpected request.
Nkechi sat upright. “I think I’m up to the task. I’m not exactly nervous about this, but I don’t have any experience with it either. Can you give me more details so I can decide?”
“I told you. Stimulate my breasts to make sure I produce adequate milk at all times.”
Tomi grinned as she spoke. Her fingers stroked the cup lightly, which distracted Nkechi for a moment
Nkechi swallowed loudly after she almost choked on her juice. “Oh, so you don’t use breast pumps?”
“No, I hate the feeling of a breast pump. It’s too mechanical for me.”
“I understand.”
“And there’s something else, too.”
“Yes?” Nkechi asked hesitantly.
“This is the part where our confidentiality agreement becomes critical. My husband and I are very open-minded. And, I am very dominant. I would like to hire you to nurse from my breasts.”
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