The Nanny Affair. Nani Khabako

room is the first left, after the staircase,” Odwa said.

      Sam nodded and quickly left.

      “Is something the matter?” Odwa asked when she was out of earshot.

      “Get rid of her,” Vusi hissed. “She won’t do.”

      He got up and started pacing around his office while Odwa took his time pouring himself a cup of tea from the tray on the desk.

      “Who said you could have my tea?! You work for me, remember?”

      Odwa shook his shoulders and sipped from the cup.

      “What’s wrong, boss? What bit you in the bum?”

      “Get rid of her!” Vusi barked.

      “I can’t do that, and you know it. That’s not how it works,” Odwa protested. He was intrigued by the young nanny and the unexpected – and welcome – effect she obviously had on his boss.

      “If I tell you to get rid of her, you do! Or else you’re fired, Odwa.”

      “I’d like to see you try. It’s not my fault she’s beautiful.”

      “What the hell are you talking about?”

      “I saw the way you looked at her, boss. Had there been time and opportunity, you would’ve –”

      “Oh, shut up, you old fart!”

      The driver burst into laughter.

      Vusi was fuming. “She was supposed to be a matronly mouse from some backwater in KwaZulu-Natal. You were meant to pluck her from a mud hut, not the pages of Cosmo!”

      “Huh-uh!” Odwa exclaimed, slapping the palms of his hands together. “You yourself discussed everything with Ntuli, and he told you all about his daughter.”

      “Oh, please. All fathers think their daughters are epic beauties; of course I took no notice of his proclamations. Besides, have you seen the man? Who would’ve thought he’d produce something like that!” Vusi said, pointing in the direction of Sam’s room.

      “Well, that’s your problem, not mine.”

      “I can’t believe you allowed such an oversight. On top of all my problems, I now have to deal with a femme fatale prancing around in my house and teaching my children whatever immoral nonsense she picked up in her butt-flaunting days.”

      “Come on, boss, you’re not being fair.”

      “Well, I suppose I can’t just fire her. She’d no doubt take me to the CCMA . . . I’ll give her a chance to fire herself by being dismal at her job. It shouldn’t be long.”

      “Can I go now?” Odwa said with a sigh, placing his empty teacup on the table.

      “Yes. All the way back to whatever slum I rescued you from, and don’t bother to come here again. You’ve been no help to me.”

      “Lord! You must really find her attractive,” Odwa said, grinning widely as he fled his employer.

      Sam ran into the children as she left her new room. Ani bumped into her first – literally – as he was looking behind him to make sure his sister didn’t catch up with him.

      “Hello, monkey,” she said to the Afro that protruded from the head buried in her full skirts.

      Ani giggled and slowly lifted his head to give her an impish look.

      “You pweety.”

      “Ah, thanks, hotstuff. You not too bad yourself,” Sam said awkwardly. She knew you were supposed to talk to children in a specific manner, but she wasn’t sure how.

      She took a few seconds to admire the child, who looked like a prettier version of his father. Behind Ani a little girl appeared. The child was absolutely beautiful, but Sam could see nothing of her father in her. She supposed she took after her mother. The man had really made gorgeous children.

      “Hi, you must be Lili. And you, mister, must be Ani?”

      “Yep. Who are you?” asked the girl.

      “I’m Sam. Your new nanny.”

      “Dad won’t like you,” Lili said.

      Sam was only briefly surprised by the statement. There was something oddly wise and mature about the child which both intrigued and worried her. The little girl looked about six years old.

      Sam was distracted by Ani tugging at her skirt, wanting to be lifted up. She obliged a bit awkwardly, having not held a child in her arms in quite a while.

      “Will you guys show me where the kitchen is?” Sam asked. “I’m starving.”

      “Sure,” Lili said, though she didn’t look too happy about it.

      “I like your hair,” Ani announced as he pulled it.

      “Well, you can’t like it that much if you’re pulling it,” Sam said, and the little boy grinned.

      “So, Lili,” Sam asked the little girl, who was wandering ahead of them, “why did you say your daddy won’t like me?”

      “He doesn’t like pretty girls – except for me, of course.”

      Sam was beginning to wonder about her boss, the Greek god dipped in chocolate. Why was he so uptight, why did he give everyone such a hard time? And why did he have a problem with women?

      A while later Sam found herself being peppered with questions by Lili. Vusi quietly observed from the doorway, finding himself mesmerised by the ease with which the Barbie doll handled the children. They were eating while she told them stories about her world travels.

      Vusi was amazed at Ani, who willingly munched on vegetables. He was clearly besotted. Thank God for his more level-headed sister, who was studying the nanny before forming an opinion.

      “Hey, bugs. Mavis is waiting for you upstairs. It’s bath time,” Vusi interrupted the conversation.

      He was met with no resistance. The children each planted a kiss on his cheek before scurrying upstairs to their bathroom.

      “They’re sweet kids,” Sam said.

      Vusi could find no insincerity in the way she’d said that, so he left it at that. There was an uncomfortable silence, then he ventured, “Why are you here?”

      The question had been bugging him since he’d seen her that afternoon. What woman with her looks would settle for being a nanny? Even now, dressed in an unflattering matronly outfit, she looked every bit the stunner she’d been earlier in a voluminous gypsy skirt, ankle boots and a rock star top.

      “I work here.”

      Despite her friendly tone, he detected a hint of defiance. He could tell this woman would not be easily intimidated.

      “I meant, why are you working as a nanny?”

      “Why shouldn’t I?” she flung back.

      “You’re beautiful,” he said as quickly as she’d replied.

      “So? Can’t nannies be beautiful?”

      “Cut the crap, Samkelo, you know very well what I mean. A woman like you, if she were inclined to work, could aim for something much more glamorous, and if not, she’d have no problem finding a man to take care of her.”

      Sam just looked at him as if he were daft.

      “Or is that why you’re here?” Vusi continued while circling her like a predator would its prey. As if that way, he could see through the lies he believed she was telling.

      She showed no signs of being offended by what he had said. “You’re a very rich man, Mr Khumalo. I hadn’t realised how rich until I got here.”

      “And now that you know?”

      “As