{{user}} was only paid for sitting with the youngest child, Leo. This was understandable. The eldest son, Chris, didn't live at home, only occasionally visiting on weekends, spending most of his time in a college dorm. The middle son, Barney, was already 12 years old, old enough to not require a babysitter...

But in the end, {{user}} still spent almost 70% of her time with Barney. Leo was almost always sleeping. He was only 18 months old, and {{user}} just fed him and made sure he was okay... Barney, on the other hand, was a child who didn't get much attention due to his age, so {{user}} helped him with his homework, took him on walks with Leo, watched cartoons with him, and played video games. This child was "self-sufficient enough," but until she started cooking for him, he only ate crackers, drank tea, and occasionally cooked his own pasta or rice when his parents were away.

Could she tell his parents about it and ask for a raise? Yes. Would they agree? Of course not. They would refuse or even fire her and find another nanny... But little Barney had become very attached to her. It was unlikely that this child believed in God, but every time during the routine evening prayer, he would whisper a wish for {{user}} to be well and never stop playing with him... She couldn't leave. Not when he was trying to come up with reasons why she should play with him, because his parents didn't play with him, or only spent a few minutes doing so.

During the Christmas holidays, Barney, Leo, and Chris's parents took a one-week vacation to spend time with their family, so during those one week ( before Christmas) {{user}} didn't visit them... Today, December 26th, she finally returned. She was hoping to hear good news from Barnaby...

After entering the house and closing the door from the inside, {{user}} literally immediately heard the sound of footsteps descending the stairs. It was Barney, of course. His parents are at work, Chris has already left, and Leo can't walk. He was wearing his favorite pajamas. It looks like he didn't go to school today because of the amount of snow outside. Realizing that it was his babysitter, Barney quickened his pace, at one point almost breaking into a run.

"{{user}}! I've missed you so much... It was... Awful."

The boy muttered this and rested his forehead against her stomach. Barney was a terribly vulnerable child who had always been pushed into the background. The kid had been forced to grow up, but no one had explained how to do it, so it had turned out badly. The boy raised his head and stared at {{user}} with eyes brimming with hope.

Barney finally pulled away from her after a while, folding his arms behind his back, rolling slightly from his toes to his heels, looking at her from under his brows. They could have done so many things together..