Nkechi was a mostly-broke university student who did small jobs for menial pay, which included babysitting. Hopefully, today she\u2019ll be landing one of those jobs.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
By contrast, Nkechi was petite and looked as meek as she was.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight on time,\u201d Tomi smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome in, I have coffee and some food waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Paintings and sculptures were liberally displayed, which suggested a certain level of worldliness.<\/p>\n
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\u2019ll be signing one of these before discussing the terms of the job. Tomi was a well-known lawyer.<\/p>\n
\u201cHave a look,\u201d Tomi said, gesturing to the document.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you sign it, we can talk about the details. Sorry, but I\u2019m big on privacy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI get it.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cExcellent,\u201d Tomi said. \u201cHave a seat. I\u2019ll pour you some juice, and we\u2019ll discuss the nature of the job.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u2019s home. The juice was served and so were the pastries on small china plates.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis looks great ma,\u201d Nkechi smiled, feeling uneasy that this gorgeous, well-respected woman was serving her food.<\/p>\n
Tomi sat right next to her. \u201cSo, I hear you\u2019re a diligent worker. You come highly recommended.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI try my best. I was raised to be a hard worker.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWonderful to hear. Tell me about yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u201d Nkechi said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m 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\u2019m wired to constantly work\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat sounds a lot like me. I\u2019m a workaholic by nature.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith a career like yours, I\u2019m sure you are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tomi smiled. \u201cNow, about myself. I\u2019m married and have three young children. Hence, my need for someone like you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat number doesn\u2019t scare me off. I\u2019m the ultimate multitasker.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPerfect. 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\u2019ll be stuck in that job for the foreseeable future until they can find someone else. That means I won\u2019t be taking vacations with my family anytime soon. Most likely my schedule would free up at the end of the month.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m accustomed to dealing with busy parents, so I understand what you expect of me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWonderful. Now onto the details of the job,\u201d Tomi said professionally. \u201cFirst 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\u2019ll be working will vary depending on my schedule. Sometimes I work at night, and so does my husband. We\u2019ll definitely need you for babysitting duties for the month.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nkechi nodded. \u201cGot it. I can keep an open schedule in the evenings for the next few months.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExcellent,\u201d Tomi noted.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd thirdly, most importantly, I like to assign duties that are rather unusual for someone in a babysitting role.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was a serious tone in the woman\u2019s voice, and Nkechi hung on every word.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m open to that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tomi took another sip of coffee. \u201cSince 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\u2019ll be stuck in court.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, that\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a sacrifice for the job. I love the work that I do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nkechi nodded. \u201cI totally respect that. Someone has to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly, and while I\u2019m home alone for the week, my breasts will need to be stimulated to maintain their natural milk production.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Nkechi sat upright. \u201cI think I\u2019m up to the task. I\u2019m not exactly nervous about this, but I don\u2019t have any experience with it either. Can you give me more details so I can decide?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you. Stimulate my breasts to make sure I produce adequate milk at all times.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tomi grinned as she spoke. Her fingers stroked the cup lightly, which distracted Nkechi for a moment<\/p>\n
Nkechi swallowed loudly after she almost choked on her juice. \u201cOh, so you don\u2019t use breast pumps?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I hate the feeling of a breast pump. It\u2019s too mechanical for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd there\u2019s something else, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes?\u201d Nkechi asked hesitantly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis 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.\u201d<\/p>\n