The Twins

Steven and Jennifer Geldard were twins and from the time they were born they were inseparable. As babies they’d express their displeasure with loud wails of anguish if not in proximity. This was a huge worry to those responsible for their life in the vulnerable baby period and placing them together while they slept was dangerous as Steven with his baby jerking arm movements would inevitably throw off his blankets regardless of the fact, he’d been tucked in securely with arms well within the blanket enclosure. His father, coming to know this thought Steven would end up taking the place of Houdini who was famous for getting out of locked containers to escape, Jennifer was of a more placid nature and content unless taken away from the presence of her twin. There seemed to be some unusual communication system between them from birth where neither one would react if the other twin were not nearby.

One of the big issues to face for politician in waiting Jock Geldard as their father was his wife Carol died giving birth to the twins. The marriage between Jock Geldard and Carol Meyers had been one of political convenience.

Jock was a talented Harvard graduate who initially interned with Meyers and Golding, a top corporate law firm specializing in representing prominent industrialists who sought a lobbyist to influence those responsible for making laws scheduled to favor or disfavor their corporate interests. He was now one of their rising stars and a valued lawyer. This law firm was recognized as the one to retain for solving difficult legislative problems affecting corporate profits.

The senior partner Rudolph Meyers very quickly sized Jock up as one with a bright future as early as his internship. Even as an intern he was personable and had negotiating skills far beyond his experience as a young man. Rudy Meyers saw an opportunity to ensure his daughter Carol’s future was assured after he’d passed on and manipulated Jock and his daughter into a marriage arrangement of convenience.

At their level of society, it was all about mutual benefits to be gained and both Jock and Carol sensed those benefits quickly knowing that was what Rudy Meyers saw as good for both and he as an astute manipulator they looked on as a mentor rather than a father figure. Love didn’t come into the picture at all. Jock wanted a fast track up the ladder through the Meyers firm with his eyes firmly set on a political career. Carol saw the arrangement as a chance to maintain her status in the socialite set after her father had passed on. Rudy had the contacts to promote a political career and saw Jock as a valuable plant within the political system.

Jock’s father and mother had been at loggerheads all through his childhood and it was not surprising to him when they divorced as he commenced his Harvard studies. Both were career people so Jock’s memories of someone who cared were mostly centered around the woman employed to care for his needs as he grew up. When he became of age his parents settled with her and Jock remembered feeling sadness as he saw her pack her things and depart to look for other employment. He felt a sense of great loss but steeled himself against emotion.

So, when the doctor came out of surgery to report Carol had died during the caesarian operation extracting the twins after an exhausting normal delivery attempt failed over hours bordering on dangerous for mother and babies before deciding on a caesarian. Jock registered no emotion as the news was delivered.

The doctor was surprised at this reaction. The children were placed under care in hospital to check them thoroughly before releasing them to home care, Jock sought advice from the doctor who was a friend as to where he could hire professional help to nurture his children and see they had a good start in life. These were his heirs, and he knew he’d have to find a way to see they were given all proper care to try and substitute for their mother’s departure.

The children had been through the mother’s pregnancy and felt each movement of their mother understanding the vibrations of her voice in conversations even though their brains were only just beginning to develop, while they were still safely inside her sensing these outside influences. That attachment was now established. Jock didn’t understand this at the time but knew babies needed constant attention and care.

With the doctor’s help a suitable nurse trained and experienced in midwifery was found willing to work for Jock full time temporarily as a favor to the doctor she worked with. Her willingness to work for Jock was reinforced by the salary and benefits promised and a continuation of the lifestyle she was accustomed to. Better than the wages she received at this hospital, she noted.

So, Andrea Martinez moved into a luxurious room hastily refurbished and attached to a spacious nursery. Jock had made sure this was quickly completed to connect two rooms in their large mansion previously owned by the Meyers but now in Jock’s name. It had been a wedding gift.

When Andrea finally bought the twins home Jock, father-in-law Rudy with his wife Elsbeth at his side watched as Andrea fussed over the children moving them in while ordering the observers around her and demanding changes, she felt would suit the children’s better needs in English. Then pouring out a torrent of affection on the twins in Spanish holding them with love and affection in the way of Latino women.

Having these babies in her arms aroused her motherly instincts and she began to put them on her breasts hoping milk would flow in response though she knew this would be an unusual event though possible. She’d heard in her nursing studies of this phenonium and wished for this to happen so fervently she thought she could activate this by concentration. But she also remembered sadly from studies in maternity at the university milk produced outside pregnancy was not ideal for the child and sadly disengaged each child reaching for formulars prepared in advance.

The nursery was set up with all the things necessary to facilitate producing formula milk when required without access to a main kitchen and her own room was set up like a luxury motel room. The babies already used to this formula method used by the hospital more than satisfied them as they greedily consumed each bottle provided.

Jock and his in-laws had been shocked at this public display as Andrea attempted to nurse the twins not being used to the Latino culture and hastily excused themselves. Andrea scarcely noticed their departure. These were her babies now and she’d jealously guard them and protect them from anyone who intruded in her new world.

That evening while Jock was working on some legal cases in his home office Andrea appeared at his desk and stood waiting for him to look up. Jock was angry to have this private time disturbed. Even his wife Carol knew this was not welcome as she understood he was making her lots of spending money doing his evening work and so left him alone.

In that it was a marriage of convenience Jock and Carol sat down before the engagement was announced to put their list of demands for the marriage and after arguments back and forth, put their agreement in writing along with the prenuptial agreement which was all part of that overall list of agreed expectations neatly outlined in legal documents. Their marriage was a contractual arrangement.

His arrangements with Carol worked well, and this woman Andrea was out of line in his thinking as an employee not seeming aware of her position in the house. He shouted at her. She was paid to provide the services he demanded and was in no position to intrude where she was not wanted.

She calmly told him she was employed to look after the needs of these babies, and she took the job seriously. Her visit and future visits would be built around the time these babies were sleeping and if he didn’t like that then she’d vacate the home immediately and go back to her parent’s home.

“Then go!” He shouted angrily.

She smiled and said OK, she’d pack and leave immediately. Then she turned and headed for her room.

Jock sat there in shock as it dawned on him what he’d just done. He waited thinking and realized none of the servants in the home, those who were on call at his whim had the training to take over this woman’s professional nursing role. The doctor had carefully selected her as the best he could recommend, and the twins needed someone with specialist training in this early stage of their introduction to the world.

He got up slowly and headed down the corridor toward the section at the back of the mansion where the nurse and children’s nursery were located. He watched peeping around the corner for a half hour and satisfied she’d thought better of her foolishness turned to return to the office. Tomorrow she’d have to apologize for her intrusion. There was the noise of a slammed door, and he hastily went back to see what was happening. He was shocked to see Andrea struggling with a suitcase and turning to go to the elevator and downstairs to exit the building. At that precise moment there was an additional sound of two babies crying.

Andrea paused for a few minutes to look back toward the door then used a handkerchief to dry the tears trickling down her cheek. She now despised this gringo and wanted to leave, but the sound of crying children was tugging at her maternal instincts and her training. She’d had them to her breast as a mother would do to her baby and at that moment a bonding had taken place. But the gringo had said go so go she would. She recovered and proceeded to pull her luggage into the elevator.

Jock ran after her and caught up as she was pressing the button to go down the elevator. He grabbed at the suitcase and Andrea spun around to confront him. A torrent of Spanish was directed at him which he knew was not complementary though he didn’t understand the language and she wrenched the suitcase out of his hands as the door to the elevator opened. She moved in tugging her suitcase with Jock attached and pressed the button marked G.

“Andrea, I want you to stay and will pay more than agreed to when you were employed if you do.”

Andrea looked at him with disdain.

“I’d not stay because of your money only because of the children and you’d have to apologize to me and agree I can contact you in the interests of the children any time I choose if they have a need. I don’t like your superior attitude, so we’ll not be friends, but I do have a love for your children. Now if you mean you want me to stay then apologize to me here or I’m out that front door and you can keep your money.  Me entiendes.”

Jock understood the intent but not the statement. Hard as it was for him, he capitulated in the interests of the twins until he could find someone to replace her. He’d have the last word on this, but the problem was what to do with the children in this immediate situation.

“I apologize! If you feel the children need my attention, then please contact me without restrictions. However, I need to be undisturbed when working at home for the office as it’s very important for me to give that work full attention so only when it’s important should you come into that office.”

Andrea nodded.

“Entiendo.”

As they were now on ground level the doorman hastened to take the luggage off Andrea, but she pressed the button for the floor she needed to return to, and the door closed in the face of the surprised doorman who’d noted Jock was also in the elevator with her. This would make a good story to share with the rest of the mansion service personnel.

She strode to the door of her room and left her suitcase to go check on the crying babies in the nursery attached followed by Jock who she ignored. Then she picked up Steven who’d thrown off his blanket with his pumping arms as he cried. Andrea whispered to him in Spanish and Steven immediately calmed down. She handed him to Jock carefully making sure he was holding the child securely and properly.

“Talk to your son.”

She picked up Jennifer who’d stirred at the sound of her brother crying and began to sing a Spanish lullaby softly rocking side to side as she sang, and the little girl snuggled in contentedly. She looked at Jock, who was standing rigid not knowing what to do and Andrea indicated he should gently rock his son as she was doing which he did mechanically feeling uncomfortable about this unintended visit. He’d hired this woman to look after his children not to have him working in a nursery sharing her work. His legal work was more important.

Andrea stopped singing and studied Jock then burst into laughter at this man’s discomfort handling a child. He was infuriated with this woman even more but held his peace and determined to get rid of her as soon as another more appropriate person offered their services. Next time it would be someone who had an English orientation not some import into the country who didn’t understand the importance of giving respectful service to someone of a superior status. He’d not be in this mess if Carol hadn’t died. It was all her fault!

Andrea placed the now sleeping Jennifer in her cot and secured her with her blanket. She then returned to Jock and gently eased Steven out of his arms. Jock caught the fragrance of her body and wondered what perfume she used. He liked her smell, and his anger began to subside. Perhaps she’d fit in when she learned how things operated in this home. He’d have a talk with his house manager Ms. Grenaches who had supervision of all but this woman.  But on second thoughts after tonight he’d not take the risk of putting Ms. Grenaches as supervisor over Andrea as the old lady would take no cheek off anybody in their employ, but she could pass on the protocols and understandings that had been established when Carol was the queen of the home. He knew Andrea would be more than a match for the fearless Ms. Grenaches and shelved the idea.

Andrea waved Jock out of her room and went to unpack her bag and place everything back where it had been before. Tomorrow, she’ll see him before he goes from his supper in the dining room to the home office and tell him of her plans. Children should know their parents and Jock needed to spend time handling them, so they’d know him as a father as they grew up. She’d start him by learning the evening bath routine and how to change their diapers. She smiled as she thought of his expected reaction, but she’d continue to press him into being a normal father. She was confident now after the evening confrontation that he’d be likely to humor her rather than fire her at least for the present and it would be fun to see this gringo get his necessary makeover.

As expected, Jock reacted with strong words when Andrea cornered him on the way to his office the next evening and outlined her demands. She stood fearlessly and Jock shook his head in resignation, not believing he let her get away with it. He strode to the office angrily saying he had important work to do, and she should get on with the job she was paid to do. Outside his door he paused to look back and then motioned the woman standing confident in the corridor into his office. Better not to make a scene in the corridor in case the servants were snooping around as usual.

He explained how important this homework was and how important it was for her to look after the children she was being paid to do and leave him to get on with this important office work. She nodded in agreement. Then spoke.

“Very important for children to know their parents too. Ms. Carol is not here to be their mother, so importantly the father is known to them as they grow. I love those babies but you are the father so you must be there to show them love too.”

Jock was taken back in surprise at this idea of love. Providing all their needs was all that mattered, they didn’t want parents to get into their space as they learned to cope in this unforgiving world growing up. His parents were not around to do that when he was a child, and he had to fight to survive and that gave him ambition to always be in command of every situation as this world only understood the principal survival of the fittest.

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