disapproving face that I couldn't understand. — Sorry, Mrs. Martina – Nicole said immediately, getting up from the armchair she was sitting in and placing Eloá on her feet on the foor. — You know I don't allow you to put my daughter on your lap! She is no longer a baby and should not be treated as such – she complained almost
shouting – Shouldn't you be doing some activity right now? – She crossed her arms in front of her chest.
looking quite upset. — I was just going over some things with Charlotte and I was going to let her give dinner.
to Eloá – Nicole explained. — Well, you can leave now – she said, pointing to the door. – I'll talk to the girl myself. Nicole nodded, lowering her head and leaving the room, without even saying goodbye to us. — Are you the girl recommended by the nuns? – she addressed me now, making a disgusted face. - Yes ma'am. — The
list with all the schedules is pasted on the board and I want you to follow everything exactly. No doing things.
off the cuff because you “think” it’s the right thing to do – Martina spoke quite rudely, rolling her eyes in annoyance. — Okay. — No “Okay” with me, girl – she scolded me. – You just respond with “yes, ma’am”. “Yes.
ma'am,” I said nervously. There was no way I could lose that job and I listened carefully as she spoke to me, explaining what was on that schedule once again and reinforcing everything I had already heard from the housekeeper and the other nanny. Martina seemed to be a very strict and strict woman, even though she
didn't even look thirty years old, and I felt pressured by the way she spoke and her demands. While she spoke.
to me, little Eloá remained standing, silently waiting for her mother to fnish her explanations and when she did, she looked at her daughter and without even a kiss or any show of affection, she left the room. I sighed with relief and saw that Eloá did the same thing, which brought a smile to my lips, but I didn't comment. That work was very important and I would try to do everything as the owner of the house wanted it to be. I looked.
at the small watch on my wrist, a birthday present from the nuns, and realized it was Eloá's dinner time. I quickly took her to the kitchen, where she ate her meals, and I supervised her while she ate her meal in silence. We went back to her room and I changed her clothes for pajamas, put her on the bed and was about
to pick up one of the books that were on a shelf in the room, when she interrupted my gesture. — My mother.
doesn't want them to read to me. — Does she come read you a story before you go to sleep? “No,” she said. – She says I should sleep alone, as she doesn’t often have time to read to me. —But I can read it to you. – I got
ready. — My mother doesn't want you to read to me – she repeated, lying on her bed, looking quite sad. I also felt sad to see how such a small child, just six years old, seemed so resigned to that, remembering myself in
the orphanage, where it was not possible for us to always have someone to give us special attention, when there were so many children together. . But I couldn't understand how a child who was an only child was treated that way. I said nothing, however, after all, I shouldn't get upset with my boss in any way. I sat in the
armchair watching Eloá and thinking about it until Abigail, the housekeeper, appeared at the bedroom door.
her face serious, calling me to follow her. — Is everything okay with the child? - She asked. — Yes. — You can sleep, but you need to pay attention to the girl – she advised. – Tomorrow Nicole arrives at nine and you can