The Nanny ✓

Demola's POV.

"You're listening to radio Lagos, Nigeria and this is Benjamin Stone. Stay with us for more-" I tune down the volume of the radio after listening to the early morning news and let out a yawn.

Randomly, I stare out the window at the mango tree outside and then look up at the brightness of the clouds. It's going to be a sunny day.

Walking to the bathroom, I grab my brush and do a quick justice to my mouth and face.

My nostrils flare up as I take a sharp breath in and run my hands slowly over my jaws, tracing the light stubbles there.

It keeps growing and Oli won't stop complaining about it pricking her chubby cheeks when I go in for a peck. I'll have to shave while showering.

I exit the room and walk to Oli, my daughter's room to wake her and prepare her for the busy day.

"Baby girl, wakey wakey. It's time for school."

I tap her lightly but she grumbles in disapproval. "Hmm."

"Wake up princess. Time to get you to school, little momma." I pat her more softly on the back and take in the sight of her neatly tidied room. Just like me, her room is always tidied. And surprisingly, she tidies it herself. We usually do the tidying together but, I've gotten back from work to find her doing it herself more than once.

"Ahhn." She whines like the spoilt brat she is and her mouth displays her lack of front tooth, the space where her incisors should be, giving way to the road further into her small mouth. Her round face splits into two as she carries out another round of whining.

"Rise and shine." I sing.

I roll my eyes at her antics when she grumbles again and make a mental note to either buy her an alarm that would scream into her ears every working day or get her a nanny soon.

"I don't want to go to school daddy."

"But you have to."

"I don't feel like." She cuddles into the duvet and holds my hand to prevent me from pulling the cover off her.

"Why is that?"

"My body is hot." She sighs dramatically.

I fly into panic mode.

My hands move frantically over to her head, one behind her head and the other on her forehead to feel her temperature.

It is normal.

I do an eye roll.

"No. Your body isn't hot baby girl and you're going to school today, whether you like it or not." I say sharply.

"But my body is-"

"No more complains princess. What do I tell you all the time?"

She heaves another dramatic sigh and sits up. "You said I'm a princess."

She makes a face while saying this, as if she has repeated a thousand times already.

"Is it that I said it or you are?"

"I am a princess." She says in fake enthusiasm while I cradle her head in my hands softly and pray with her like we do every morning.

When I am through, she replies with Amen and a sigh.

"You are a princess right?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"Princesses don't whine." Her shy smile displays her dimple, a beautiful trait which she got from her mom.

"What whines then?"

"Dogs and cats do."

"That's my baby girl. Now let's get you into shower."

We walk into the bathroom and I brush her available teeth.

"What are we having for breakfast daddy?" She questions me while making funny faces at the wide mirror.

I pull off her gown, hang it behind the door and get down to bathing her.

"Toast and tea."

"Yay." She squeals dramatically and pumps her tiny fists in the air.

My heart swell with pride as I stare at her for a while, scrubbing her two legs and ankles. This is a product from the love making session I had with my wife. I've watched her grow from infant into such a bubbly cute girl.

That's just so divine.

Pride swells within me each time I remind myself that Oli is a part of me.

"And for dinner?" She blinks with wide eyes.

"Porridge."

Her eyes light up some more (if that's even possible) at the mention of porridge, her best meal for dinner.

"That would only be if you remain a good girl. And no fighting in school too."

"As, always daddy." She says with puppy dog eyes.

The same eyes that had looked dangerous when she screamed at the girl with the blue bow in kindergarten for talking bad about her mommy. If I didn't witness the scene, I probably wouldn't have believed it.

Obviously the other kid didn't realise Oli's mommy was no more and despite saying sorry, she couldn't get off the impending wrath as my daughter pulled at her hair repeatedly.

Signing at the memory, I shake my head. "Give daddy a hug."

Her mouth opens slowly as she stares at me as if I have officially lost it.

"I am foamy, daddy."

"Uh," I throw my head back in a soft laughter. "That's true. Wrinkly wrinkly foamy." I wrinkle my nose playfully.

She imitates me and we both laugh before we conclude the bathing session and prepare her for the day.

One hour and a good forty minutes later, I am driving into her school compound and thanking goodness I can finally escape her endless chattering.

"Love you daddy." She calls after alighting the car.

"Love you Angel." I call back and watch her run into her school block with other children around.

I have to get her a house help soon. She is becoming a handful and the neighbours are becoming more demanding by the day.

Especially the landlady next door.

Asking for money for Oli's Fruity Jolly Juice, new provisions and all that every week.

She isn't that young enough to not report to me when Mrs Coleman keeps her things and ask for money for a new one or when she makes Oli a watery tea to share with her grandchildren; then report to me that Oli took the Jolly Juice!

I need to get a nanny soon.

The earlier, the better.