The Manny - Whip #4

DAVID

David yawned, his hand absently scratching through his messy hair as he sat up in bed. The faint light filtering through the curtains told him it was late; too late. His eyes fell on the clock on the bedside table, and he groaned. Half past ten. He was late for work again. But even as the thought crossed his mind, he couldn’t muster the energy to care much. With a sigh, he flopped back into the pillows, running a hand over his stubbled face. The weight of exhaustion clung to him; heavier than the blankets he’d just thrown off.

Reluctantly, he dragged himself out of bed, his movements sluggish. The suit Nancy had laid out for him the previous evening hung neatly on the chair by the door. He dressed quickly, the fabric crisp and cool against his skin, and stepped out of the room, making his way downstairs. The house was quiet, save for the faint hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen and the occasional creak of the old wooden floors beneath his feet. But as soon as he reached the ground floor, the silence was shattered.

Shouts of anger and exasperation erupted from the living room, and David rolled his eyes. Here we go again, he thought, bracing himself for the inevitable.

“Mr. Cross! Mr. Cross, I cannot take this anymore!” A blond, middle-aged woman stormed toward him, her face flushed, cheeks puffy, and eyes wide with fury. She looked like she was on the verge of tears, but her voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a knife. “He is impossible! I’m sorry, but I resign!”

David forced a polite smile, though it felt more like a grimace. “Let’s not be too hasty. Why don’t you join me in my office? We can sit and talk about this.” He kept his tone calm, measured, but he already knew it was pointless. Even if he managed to convince her to stay today, she’d likely quit tomorrow, or the day after. They always did.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Cross, but I’ve had enough. I’m an educated woman, with a degree in child development and care, who is used to dealing with naughty children, but that, that over there is not a child!” She jabbed a finger toward the living room, her voice rising to a near shriek. “He’s an antichrist!”

The words hit David like a slap. His polite smile vanished, replaced by a thunderous frown. His bushy brows furrowed, hooding his piercing eyes as he took a step closer to her. The woman instinctively took a step back, her bravado faltering under his glare. “Yes, I think you’re right. That is quite enough,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.

“I... I didn’t...” she stammered, but David cut her off with a sharp wave of his hand.

“I will have your check ready in a moment. Excuse me.” He turned on his heel and strode away, leaving her standing there, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. He started toward his office but hesitated at the last moment, changing direction and heading for the living room instead.

As soon as he stepped inside, his eyes fell on the small figure sitting on the floor beside the coffee table. Leo, his son, was leaning against the foot of the sofa, his knees bent to prop up a thick book. The boy’s eyes scanned the pages rapidly, his expression one of intense focus. David knew Leo would finish the book by tomorrow, and another would take its place, ready to be devoured.

Leo had always been different. David had suspected it long before it became obvious to everyone else. By the age of one, Leo was talking; by two, he could hold conversations like an adult. By four, he was reading and writing, and by five, he was solving first-grade math problems. Now, at ten, Leo was already in middle school, soon to finish the 8th grade. He’d be starting high school just in time for his eleventh birthday. People called him a child genius, a once-in-a-generation mind. But to David, he was just Leo; his son, his little boy.

“Is she gone?” Leo asked, not looking up from his book.

“Yup.” A small, fleeting smile crossed Leo’s face, so quick that if David had blinked, he would’ve missed it. Then the boy’s expression smoothed over, and David sighed, shaking his head in exasperation.

“What did you do this time?” David asked as he walked closer, sinking into one of the armchairs.

“Nothing. I just explained to her why her degree in children’s education and care was only good enough to wipe her ass,” Leo replied, finally looking up. His big, innocent eyes met David’s, and for a moment, David almost believed him. Almost.

David closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. He could already feel a headache brewing, a dull throb at the base of his skull. “Right. So, what are we going to do now?” he asked, his voice weary.

Leo shrugged, his attention already drifting back to his book. “I don’t need a babysitter. I’m old enough to stay home alone.”

“No, you are not,” David said firmly.

Leo’s jaw tensed, but he stayed quiet, hiking his book higher to hide his face.

“Leo, love,” David began, his tone softening, “I know you’re smart. Hell, you’re brilliant. But you’re also still a child. You know everything about everything, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need someone to take care of you, to watch out for you. Since I can’t do that all the time, that means we need help. Please understand.”

Leo peeked over the top of his book, a stubborn glint in his eyes. But after a moment, he nodded. “Fine. But could we get someone fun for a change? They don’t even have to be highly educated since I hardly need them to teach me anything. And maybe a guy? All these women just keep trying to smother me with affection, and it’s really starting to get annoying.”

David smiled, though it was tinged with sadness. The thought that his son couldn’t stand affection from a woman weighed heavily on him. It was all Jessica’s fault; his ex-wife, who couldn’t handle the pressure of raising a brilliant son and had walked away, leaving the two of them alone.

Her departure had hit Leo the hardest. For all his logic and intelligence, Leo was still a child who had loved his mother deeply. Her absence had turned a happy, excitable boy into a withdrawn one, forced to grow up too fast without her love. David had tried to fill the void, setting aside his own hurt to focus on Leo, but he often wondered if he’d been enough.

“Fine. I’ll put an ad out, again,” David said, throwing a mock glare at his son. Leo just smiled, knowing David wasn’t really mad.

“Thanks, Dad,” Leo said, jumping to his feet and coming over to hug him. David’s arms wrapped around his son’s middle, pulling him close. He breathed in the familiar scent of Leo’s shampoo, mixed with the faint tang of ink from the books he was always buried in.

Happy place, David thought. This is my happy place.

MIHAIL

Misha wrinkled his nose as he turned in a slow circle, his eyes scanning the cramped space. The apartment, if it could even be called that, was barely more than a single room with a small bathroom attached. The walls were thin, the paint peeling in places, and the single window let in a faint, dusty light that did little to brighten the space. “I don’t know, Mihail,” Misha said, his voice tinged with concern. “It’s so small.”

Mihail shrugged, his expression calm and unbothered. To him, the tiny apartment felt like a palace compared to the places he’d stayed in the past. He had learned to be grateful for what he had, no matter how little it was. After escaping the hell he’d endured, freedom and survival were all that truly mattered. He was just one person; he didn’t need much space. And with the meager wages he earned from his job at the fast-food place, this was the best he could afford.

“Are you sure about this?” Misha pressed; his brow furrowed as he glanced around the room again. “You can stay longer at my place until something better comes along. Jack and I don’t mind.”

Mihail shook his head firmly. He had been staying with Misha and Jack for the past few weeks, ever since the three of them had been kidnapped and then rescued. But he knew it was time to move on and find his own place. He had decided to stay in town, unwilling to part from Misha again after finally reuniting with him.

Finding a well-paying job, however, had proven difficult. Mihail had only recently finished high school after immigrating to the U.S., and college was out of the question. He could barely afford food, let alone tuition, though he often wished he could pursue further education.

They left the small apartment soon after, Misha heading back to his place while Mihail made his way to work. The job at the fast-food restaurant was mind-numbing, but it was the best he could do for now. And it sure as hell beat the job he’d had before.

As Mihail stood behind the counter, a giggle caught his attention. He turned toward the sound, a small smile spreading across his lips as he saw two children playing in a booth while their parents ate. Mihail adored children. They were innocent and good, untouched by the harshness of the world; unlike him. They were pure and untainted, and he hoped to one day be fortunate enough to have a child of his own.

Children loved unconditionally, without question or hesitation. After the life he’d lived, Mihail yearned for that kind of affection. No one had ever loved him like that; not his parents, who had been monsters, and not even his sister. She had loved him, yes, but not enough to stay. She had chosen to end her life instead of remaining with him.

Mihail knew he was being harsh in his thoughts. His sister had endured her own hell and hadn’t been strong enough to overcome it, as he had. But the small, wounded child inside him, the one who had worshipped the ground she walked on, still felt betrayed and abandoned, even after all these years.

Shaking his head, Mihail looked away from the happy scene, knowing it would only bring him sorrow.

“Hey, Mihail!” Cristy’s voice broke through his thoughts as he walked into the back room to change after his shift.

“Hi,” Mihail replied, sitting on a chair and waiting for her to leave before he changed. He felt too self-conscious to undress in front of anyone. Cristy looked perfectly normal, lovely even, while his body bore the scars of everything he’d endured. His skin was a patchwork of marks that told a story he wasn’t ready to share.

“What do you have there?” Mihail asked, noticing the newspaper in Cristy’s hands.

“Oh, I’m looking for another job,” she said, flipping through the pages. “This one isn’t cutting it, but there’s nothing so far. There’s an ad for a nanny that looks interesting. The money’s probably good, considering the part of town they live in, but for some reason, they’re looking for a male nanny. Weird, right?” Cristy snorted, tossing the newspaper onto the table before standing up. “Right. I’m off. See you tomorrow.”

“Do you mind if I take a look?” Mihail asked, his eyes already scanning the discarded paper. Cristy nodded and left; the door swinging shut behind her. Mihail grabbed the newspaper, his eyes quickly finding the ad Cristy had mentioned. As he read, his eyes lit up with interest.

Maybe, he thought, a spark of hope igniting in his chest. He quickly pulled out his flip phone and typed in the number.