When opportunity knocks, find out right away whether it's really a good opportunity for you.
Five
“What exactly would I have to do?” I needed to know from the start. I didn't want to begin with the intention of becoming Diva's nanny, only to end up being treated like a slave and ordered to do this and that. I might still be young, but hopefully I wasn't stupid. Working as Diva's nanny seemed like the answer to my prayers. I assumed I could live there, so good-bye, fussy landlady! I was also hoping I'd get fed. Farewell to worrying about what I was going to eat tomorrow and every day after that!
“Your responsibilities would revolve around Diva. I work from home, but sometimes I go to the studio, take on certain students at home, perform concerts, record, or travel abroad. You might come along from time to time, because I want Diva close to me. Oh, and you'll be living at my house, of course.”
I fell silent. That was what I'd been hoping for, but hearing him lay it out like this suddenly made me think twice. Living with a man…?
“There’s a housekeeper who lives there too, along with her husband, my driver. A gardener comes twice a week. I also have a personal assistant. And two students. So don't worry. There are plenty of people in the house, in case that's what you're concerned about.”
Ah, maybe he’d noticed my hesitation earlier. A point in Zio's favor.
“But does that mean I have to take care of Diva twenty-four seven?” I started thinking about the logistics. What if I wanted to go out by myself? Would I have to stay by her side all the time? If she got sick, would I be the one taking her to the doctor too? Was Diva already in school? Would I have to handle everything she needed for that as well? I hadn't even started, and I already had so much to worry about.
“No. I’m her father, so we’ll take turns.”
Whew, I let out a relieved breath.
“My in-law also lives in Bali, and at least once a week, she invites Diva to spend the night. You’ll be free then. Go out. Take another part-time job. Do whatever you want. The important thing is that Diva remains your top priority.”
Wow, that sounded pretty good to me. I nodded enthusiastically.
“Your job is to take care of Diva, accompany her to the beach if she wants to go, and shop for the things she needs. Cook for her, feed her, bathe her. Things like that. Diva isn't in school yet. Next year, when she starts kindergarten, you'll take her to and from school and stay with her there. But that's later.”
Next year. That meant Zio trusted me enough to assume I’d still be taking care of Diva next year. A tiny part of me felt flattered. The rest was scared to death. Taking care of a child wasn't a joke. Could I handle it?
“You’ll work six days a week. From noon until late afternoon, while Diva is napping, you can rest. You can go out too, if you want. There’s a motorcycle at the house you can use. Oh, you have a driver’s license, right?”
“But…” I wanted to protest. This was all suddenly sounding too good to be true. Zio was talking casually, as if everything were already a done deal. I wanted a moment to step back and process it all. Zio didn't give me time to think. He immediately barraged me with more.
“Is this salary enough?” Zio named a figure worth twice Bali's minimum wage.
Not bad. I raised an eyebrow. I was still hesitant.
“Okay. How about this much? And of course, food and transportation money will be added whenever you take Diva out. Free food and drinks. If I don't have anything going on, you can ask me to drive you anywhere, as long as you tell me ahead of time.”
Three times Bali's minimum wage. Was I brave enough to take the risk? If I worked out there, based on my calculations, I might be able to earn that much in a month. But not always. I should have just accepted Zio's offer, but… I wanted to try my luck and negotiate.
“Could you add a little more? And… every year, if Diva still wants me to take care of her, will there be a salary adjustment?” I took the plunge. Hey, I might as well ask. Besides, when I thought about it, the workload was pretty demanding.
“Consider it done. Think of it as a monthly bonus.” Zio added another one and a half million rupiah.
Wow, was it really that easy? Zio might have a money-printing press in his house. He said it so casually. To him, maybe what he was offering me was pocket change. If I asked for more, I’d obviously be greedy. This was already beyond my expectations, even though the job wasn't anything like what I'd expected to do after graduation.
“Hmm,” I said again, suddenly unsure. “Why not try looking for a nanny through some foundation or something? Someone more qualified. With the salary Zio is offering, plenty of people would be willing to take care of Diva.”
“You said you read a lot, right? You can learn as you go. Besides, Diva took to you right away.”
“But I…”
“Do you want this job or not?”
On my lap, Diva belched after eating her fill, then stretched. She seemed sleepy. She hugged me. “Mom, Mom,” she mumbled.
“Okay. On top of that, I’ll teach you to play the piano in my spare time.”
I stared at Fama… no, Zio. Though the world knew him as Fama, to me, he was Zio. This was the offer that tempted me most: the chance to learn piano from the maestro himself.
“Deal,” I replied. “When can I start?”