The Luck Charm Chapter 3

“Is this Anna?”

     “Yes, this is,” Anna said as she cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder.

     It was Monday morning and she was juggling between running errands and trying to make breakfast for her and Grant. The phone rang while she was frying eggs.

     “Anna, this is Rebecca, the recruiter over at Hershels.”

     “Oh, hi Rebecca. How are you?”

     “I’m fine. Have I caught you at a bad time?”

     She flipped the eggs and switched the phone to the other side. “No. What can I do for you?”

     “I called because you had sent a resume a few weeks ago for a nursing position and I may have found you a position that is perfect for you.”

     Anna’s head jerked up, her attention was full on. She straightened. “You have? Oh, that’s great! What is it?”

     “It’s a live in position, which isn’t what you were looking for in the first place, but the pay is way above what you were making.”

     “A live in position?”

     “Yes, this person is asking that the nurse live in because he sometimes has to travel away from home and would prefer his grandmother to be in safe hands. He’s willing to pay for travel fees and anything else that needs to be settled before this person could move in. Let me say, this family is a very rich family that will pay you for what you are worth.”

     Anna sighed deeply. “But a live in position isn’t what I’m looking for.”

     “I know that, but it would be unwise to not consider this. With your background and experience, it would be perfect for you. Plus the benefits are wonderful and the pay is almost twice what you made before.”

     “Really?”

     “Yes. He’s also willing to lend you a car to drive while taking care of his grandma. Really, this man is offering the perfect work package. I mean, if I was a nurse, I’d take the job.”

     “Can you send me more information on it? I’ll look it over and get back to you.”

    

     “You should take it,” Grant said.

     Anna sighed and looked over the paperwork Rebecca sent her. She was stuck on a decision. The pay was more than she’d ever made in her life and the hours were so flexible. All it required was for her to live in the home of the person she was taking care of. This person J. Thao was asking the nurse to be a woman who was willing to help at all hours, be determined to make a difference in his grandmother’s life, be responsible, and to take her job seriously. The background he’d provided for the person to qualify for, she more than met them. In fact, she was over qualified.

     “I don’t know. I’m worried about moving out. It’s not that far from here, but still…you’d be alone,” she said.

     Grant laughed. “What am I? Four? Come on, Anna, I’ll be just fine. I promise I’ll be good. Besides, I’ve decided that I’m going to go back to work.”

     She smiled. “That’s great to hear. You think I should take the offer?”

     “Yes.”

    

     Anna stared at the huge mansion in front of her and inside her heart dropped. Damn, what kind of person lived in a home like this? Was he even human? The front of the house was white stucco with two large white lions on the front steps. There was a black car parked in the driveway and a few other cars in the garage to the side. She stared at the huge house, no, mansion, and she sighed deeply. Gathering up her courage she pulled on her black blazer and walked ahead. When she reached the front of the house, the door opened and a woman dressed in a white blouse and a yellow skirt came out. She was in her mid-forties and had black hair and soft brown eyes.

     “Are you Miss Anna Lee?” she asked.

     “Yes, I am.”

     “Please come in. Mrs. Thao is waiting for you.”

     Anna followed her inside and gasped silently at how beautiful the artwork of the house was. There was a large staircase that led up the stairs to the second level. The living room was off to the left with white couches, a Persian rug, a see through fireplace, and pictures of the family. She noticed that there was a piano in the den across the hall.

     “This way, please,” the woman said.

     Anna followed her through the dining hall which had a long table with a white cloth and a red table runner down the middle. Vintage candle holders and antique cups decorated the top along with gold trimmed napkins folded neatly. She shook her head, amazed at how rich this family was. She was led to a smaller room with two white couches and a table in the middle.

     “If you’ll have a seat, I’ll go get Mrs. Thao.”

     “Thank you.”

     Anna sat down and took a deep breath. The house smelled as if it had been built yesterday. The walls were painted white with small cream swirls and held large oil paintings of landscapes. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat and wondered if she’d made the right choice to come. She had never in her life been to a place like this before. But before she could make a run for the door, the woman entered with an elderly lady on her arm. This woman, although of age, was beautiful in her gold pantsuit and perfectly brushed hair. She was even wearing a tint of red on her lips and her wrists held gold bangles. Anna stood up and smiled as she reached her.

     “Anna?” the older woman asked.   

     She extended her hand. “Yes, I am Anna, Anna Lee. I’m so glad to meet you, Mrs. Thao.”

     She shook her finger at her. “No, no, no, dear. Call me Rose. No one calls me Mrs. Thao except those who want to become my enemies.”

     Anna blushed. “Oh.”

     She smiled and gestured for her to sit. “Judy, go bring some tea and snacks for us. Please sit down.”

     Anna sat down and the woman sat in the other chair across from her. “You have a beautiful home, Mrs--, uh, Rose.”

     Rose smiled. “Thank you, Anna. I hope you don’t mind if call you Anna?”

     “No, of course not.”

     She smiled again and leaned back in her chair. “My grandson was supposed to be here today, but unfortunately, he has some business to take care of. So I’ll be interviewing you for the position. I hope you don’t mind, seeing as how you’ll be taking care of me.”

     Shaking her head, Anna replied, “No, it’s my pleasure.”

     “Good. I’ve had the chance to go over your resume and you have an excellent background in nursing. You are quite impressive, really, and so young. Tell me, why did you move back here?”

     “My mother died recently of cancer and I came back to help out my father.”

     Rose’s face broke in sadness. “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. How is your father doing now?”

     “He’s getting along as well as can be expected. It’s going to take some time, but I have high hopes for him.”

     “Good that you are optimistic. I like people like you, who see the glass half full. You also understand that this position is a live in position?”

     She nodded. “Yes, I do.”

     “Will your father have a problem with you moving out?”

     “No, he supports me in what I do.”

     “Good to hear that. So…tell me about yourself. Why did you become a nurse?”

     Anna smiled. “I love taking care of people. It’s a passion of mine. I think that everyone was born on earth for a purpose. And I think mine was to make a difference in people’s lives. When someone is sick, dying, or having a bad day, I like to think that I was able to shed some light into their lives.”

     “You’re very smart and very determined for being so young. Have you ever seen someone die before?”

     Anna sighed deeply thinking of the event 12 years ago. She nodded. “Yes, I have. It’s not a pretty sight, but it’s part of life. We all are born and in the end, we all have to leave. But if we make a difference while we’re alive, we leave behind a legacy that can be carried on.”

     Rose smiled, amused and impressed. “I like you. Now let me tell you a bit about this position. As I said before, it is a live in position. You’ll mainly be taking care of me. I have high blood pressure and I had a hip replaced six months ago. It’s a bit difficult for me to get around at times and if my bones are really weak, I can’t walk at times due to my arthritis. I also have sleeping problems and I have to take medication to help me sleep at night. Lately I have found that I am getting weaker and out of breath easily. My grandson travels from time to time for our family business. He wants someone here to be able to take care of me while he’s away or at the office. You’ll be required to take a few hours of the day to check my vital signs and make sure I take the necessary pills. But you’ll be paid for 24 hours.”

     Anna nodded. “I have no problem with that.”

     “Do you have any questions for me?”

     “Who is your doctor?”

     “If hired, you’ll receive my medical chart with everything you need to know.”

     “I guess that pretty much answers everything.”

     “I have a few more people on the list to interview before I can make a final decision. But I’ll be sure to let you know by the end of the week.”

     Anna stood up. “Thank you very much for your time.”

     “You’re welcome; please don’t mind that I do not walk you to the door.”

     “No, it’s alright. I can find my way out.”

 

     “I think I found someone,” Rose said that evening as they sat down for dinner. The evening was quiet as usual with just the two of them. Jedidiah had returned home earlier than usual and they were dining together, something they rarely did because when he would come home, she’d be asleep or too tired to join him.

He looked up with inquisitive eyes. “You found who?”

“I put in an ad to hire a nurse for me and I found a good woman for the job. She came here today, actually, and I sat down with her. We spoke for a bit. She’s honest, determined, and has a good clean record.”

Jedidiah took a drink of his wine. “Why wasn’t I informed of this? I thought you said I was to handle it.”

“Right, but you weren’t handling it. So I took matters into my own hands. Besides, if she is going to take care of me, shouldn’t I have the right to interview her? She’s lovely. You’ll like her.”

“What’s her name?”

“Anna Lee.”

Jedidiah coughed and the wine burned his throat. He stood up and placed his hands on either side of his plate. “What?”

Rose smiled. “Her name is Anna Lee.”

“Anna Lee? What does she look like?”

“Are you afraid I’ll hire someone ugly? Don’t worry, Jedidiah, she’s quite the looker.”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s not that. The woman who Hans and I had trouble with the night he died was named Anna Lee.”

Rose thought for a moment until it entered her mind and she suddenly remembered why he was so upset. She pushed her plate away, her appetite gone. She stared at him, his hands almost in fists in front of him.

“Jedidiah, we’ve talked about this before. It wasn’t her fault your brother died. If you don’t learn how to forgive and move on, you’ll be miserable your entire life. Even if it is her, I will hire her.”

“No, you will not. She’s a murderer!”

“And who did she kill? She didn’t kill your brother. What she did kill was your pride when she didn’t bow down to you. Get over it, Jedidiah. I’m going to hire her and if you should object, I will take your name out of the will and when I die, you’ll be left with nothing.”

His jaw dropped open. “Are you…threatening me?”

“You damn right I am! I’ve had enough of your hatred toward this girl. She’s done nothing wrong and you hate her because you’re looking for someone to blame. If you’re looking for someone to blame, blame God for putting your brother in the truck driver’s way.”

“But-“

“One more word and I’ll never talk to you again.”

He sighed and left the table. She shook her head, angry as she slowly got up and walked to sit down on the couch. It had been a long battle trying to get Jedidiah to forgive. She knew all about the girl named Anna Lee. She knew that inside Jedidiah had a deep hatred for her because he felt if it hadn’t been for her, Hans would still be alive. But because she’d been reckless in her driving, they had stopped and Hans had died. Rose also knew that if she didn’t do something about it, Jedidiah would live his life in hatred and would never learn to move on. She couldn’t allow that to happen. She wasn’t sure if this Anna Lee was the same one from that night, but she was willing to bet it was. Fate seemed to be on her side and she was going to go with it.

Rose turned to the photo of Hans and Jedidiah together and smiled. “Hans, please work your magic and help your brother heal.”

 

“This sounds like a dream come true,” Xee said as she helped Anna place the box inside her car.

“It is amazing, this place. I was stunned silent. This place is amazing and the pay is excellent. It has never been about the money, but to know that someone appreciates you for what you are worth is even better,” Anna said.

Xee slammed the trunk shut and put her arm around Anna’s shoulder. “You’re really getting ahead in this world. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you. And thank you for helping me pack today.”

“No problem, kiddo. I have to get going now, but I’ll drop by to visit once you get settled.”

“Sure.”

 

Anna parked the car in the driveway and got out of the car to the front door. There was a black car parked near the front door and she looked at it. She was always afraid of black cars. It reminded her of that night. Pushing that thought out of her mind, she walked to the front door and knocked. She turned around and stared at the roses in the front. They were so beautiful. She had just stepped down when the door opened. She froze and turned around to greet whoever had opened the door when she came face to face with a man from her past. Standing before her was Jedidiah, the one man who she couldn’t get over. She opened her mouth and lost her footing on the step. She began to fall backward and he reached out to grab her wrist, pulling her toward him. When their bodies were pressed against each other, she felt her throat go dry. Of all the people in the world, what was he doing here? She suddenly remembered she was in his arms and she struggled out.

     “What are you doing here?” she asked.

     He smiled. “I live here. What are you doing here?”

     The frown deepened and she connected the dots. “J. Thao? That was you? Rose is your grandma?”

     “Surprised?” he asked.

     “I’m leaving. You can tell your grandmother I am resigning.”

     She turned to walk away when he walked down the steps and grabbed her arm. She snatched it free and he shook his head, looking her up and down.

     “You haven’t changed one bit, have you, little girl? You still think the whole world is all about you. If you’re leaving, you’re telling my grandmother yourself. I’m not going to do your dirty work for you. Around here, we take responsibility for our actions, unlike some people.”

     She stepped forward. “What does that mean?”

     He dusted his black sleeves and looked at her. “It means you’re still an irresponsible person, making others take the blame for your fall. I was afraid the Anna Lee my grandmother had hired was you. Do you honestly think I’m going to trust my grandmother’s life in your hands? I’ll be more than happy to send you off. You’re not wanted here.”

     She smiled. “Don’t worry about anything. If this is your house, I’d rather leave than stay. I’d hate to be the one who actually carry around a set of balls.”

     He gave her a shove. “You better watch your mouth. As far as I know, the only ones who have steel balls here is me. Yours are made of plastic that I intend to set on fire.”

     “Anna!”

     They both turned to the doorway to find Rose coming out with Judy holding her arm. Jedidiah turned and hurried to assist his grandmother down the steps. Anna swallowed down the need to slap Jedidiah. Why? Of all the people in the world? Why did it have to be him?

     “You’re here,” Rose said as she reached her. “I’ve been waiting for you. Come on in.”

     Anna grabbed her arm. “I’m so sorry, Rose. But I’ve had a change of mind. I don’t think I can take the job.”

     Rose’s face broke into concern. “Why not?”

     She lifted her eyes to Jedidiah and then back to Rose’s. “I’m…it’s a long story, but you’ll understand one day.”

     Rose sighed and tapped her arm. “If this is about you and Jedidiah’s history together, I know all about it and I don’t care. I don’t blame you for Hans’ death in any way.”

     “Grandma!” Jedidiah cried.

     Rose turned to him. “You be quiet.” She turned back to Anna. “I want you as my nurse. If you refuse to be my nurse, then I’ll refuse to take my medicine. It’s as simple as that.”

     “What? But you have to take your medicine,” Anna cried.

     Rose shrugged as if it was very simple. “Then be my nurse. And if Jedidiah has an issue with it, I’ll cut him out of my will.”

     “Grandma, you don’t know what you’re saying. She’s not someone I trust with you.”

     “But I trust her and because I have 75 years of data while you only have 34, I believe that I am better at judging people than you are my dear grandson.”