Hey, it's Nurse Cali! [COMPLETED]

Chapter 2

As I peered out the window, lost in my own world, I spotted this girl in red rushing towards her car. She paused, giving herself a final check in the car window, making sure she's the epitome of perfection. She shot me another farewell before hopping into her car, muttering, "I'll be back in the evening." I couldn't help but shake my head. Ah, the wonders of the human race never cease to amaze me. I didn't wait for her to leave. Instead, I went back to the sofa and sat there, feeling utterly bored. The thought of her being so serious about her plan was just too much for me.

It's the weekend, and here I am, supposed to be relishing my first stress-free Saturday, but instead, I'm babysitting my nephew, Bambi. Not that I mind, though. I've looked after Bambi before when Jana was busy with work but today feels different. Jana doesn't have work either, and she's supposed to be home. But, where is she? Oh wait, there she is—off on a date! And guess what? It's with someone she met online. Can you believe it? And yes, this was the favor Jana asked of me — babysit Bambi while she's out exploring her online romance.

Jana had never been on a date before, so the idea of her meeting someone, especially someone she'd only just met online, caught me off guard. While I usually don't pry into my best friend's personal life, I couldn't help but wonder about the guy she was seeing. She just shared their plans for a movie and dinner date, leaving me to spend the entire day with Bambi. Other than that, I know nothing else.

Bambi was watching cartoons on TV, but he seemed bored like me. Should we go somewhere? Bambi turned to me, his eyes pleading as he asked, "Auntie, can we go somewhere fun?" How could I resist that look in his eyes?  Perhaps it could even serve as a distraction to the both of us.

"I was thinking the same. Get ready, we're going to the aquarium," I replied. Bambi's face lit up with excitement. In no time, he was dressed in his cutest jumper. "Ready to go?" I asked.

"Yes, Auntie!" he said eagerly.

I grabbed my bag and led Bambi outside. I made sure to lock the door behind us. Since Jana had her car, I decided to book a carpool ride to the aquarium. If Jana was on a date today, then I was on one too—with Bambi.

As we waited for the carpool to arrive, I stole a glance at Bambi, my mind filled with questions. What if he found out? How would he react? Would he be okay with it? With a sigh, I pushed aside my worry, choosing to trust that Jana knew what she was doing.

The carpool arrived right on time, and we reached the aquarium in less than an hour. There were quite a few people around, but it wasn't too crowded.

I bought tickets to enter the place and see some attractions. Bambi is always fascinated by sea creatures, and I could tell he was really excited as we approached the entrance.

As we got closer to the entrance, the collector stopped us and asked, "Tickets for you and your son?" he asked, peering over his glasses. His assumption caught me off guard. Do I look like someone's mom? I gave him a puzzled look, and he quickly corrected himself, "Oh, your brother?" he said, sounding uncertain. Good guess but still wrong. I glanced at Bambi, who stood by my side.

Before I could even respond, Bambi jumped in, blurting out, "No, no, she's my auntie!"

The man feigned shock — what a phony.  I've always wondered how someone could fake a reaction. Was it a talent or merely a transparent act of deception?

"Alright, I'm sorry." Hastily, he dispensed our tickets and slipped wristbands onto our arms. "Enjoy your visit," he said, lacking any enthusiasm.

He was rude so I didn't bother thanking him. I can read and see through people. I can easily discern between sincerity and pretense. Unfortunately, he seemed to fall into the latter category. Now, I can't help but wonder if life was difficult for him. Perhaps if he smiled more often, he wouldn't upset people as much. Needless to say, it was quite an unexpected start to our trip to the aquarium.