Yuri. I’ll have to rearrange my Tuesday bridge meetings and my book club, so don’t assume I’m a twenty-four-hour nanny service. If you want me to change my life round, you have to make it worth my while. I won’t be taken for granted. I’ve raised my three children already, thank you very much. I’m doing you a favour here so don’t begrudge me a few euro to help you out.’
I decided to jump in before I got the nobody-appreciates-me speech, which was an old favourite. ‘OK, fine. I appreciate your help and I’m not taking you for granted and I don’t mind paying you. I’m delighted you’ll be looking after Yuri. He adores you and you’re brilliant with him.’
‘Yes, well, I was always good with children. I never had any help with you three, I raised you alone while your father was working and studying. It’s important for a child to have its mother around for the first few years.’
‘I know, Mum, but I’m only leaving Yuri for a few hours a day and the extra money will come in handy, especially after the adoption costing twenty thousand euro,’ I said, playing my ace. Mum had been appalled: she thought it was disgraceful – as did I – that people who wanted to give orphaned children from other countries a good home should be charged any money, never mind an astronomical sum. I also thought it might make her back down on her daily rate.
‘It’s despicable that they charge to much. When I told my bridge-club girls they couldn’t believe it. Shocked they were. You’d think the Russians would be paying you to give their little babies good homes. Anyway, when do I start my new job?’
‘Monday, if that’s OK.’
‘That’s fine. It gives me a few days to sort things out. And I’d like to be paid weekly, in cash.’
The next day Jess called to say that her mother-and-baby group was meeting at Sonia’s house the following morning, and did I want to come? I decided to go along. I thought they might give me good tips on childcare options and what was best for young babies – crèches or one-on-one child-minders? I couldn’t rely on Mum to look after Yuri long-term: it wasn’t fair on her and, considering her rate, it was no bargain for me either. It’d be helpful to get some information from other mothers.
Sonia lived in a mansion with electric gates that swished back to reveal a long, pebbled driveway full of silver jeeps – I had never seen such a variety before. You’d have thought we lived in the Kalahari desert, not the capital city of Ireland. Rangers living in safari parks would have considered those monstrous lumps of steel too big for their needs. I parked my small second-hand car in the corner of the driveway and took a deep breath. ‘OK, Yuri, I’m not sure that this is such a great idea but, as they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained. And it’ll be nice for you to hang out with people your own size for an hour or two.’
Yuri’s serious little face stared up at me as he listened intently to me rambling on. He looked good enough to eat in his little denim dungarees and stripy blue top. I picked him up and hugged him. ‘If we don’t like it, we can always leave,’ I whispered, as I kissed his cheek.
We climbed up the big stone steps to the front door and rang the enormous bell. A Filipina woman ushered us into a large, sunny living room that was softly decorated in cream and beige. Sitting on the cream sofas and chairs were five women, all dressed as if they were going out for a night on the town. Sonia, in a pair of brown leather trousers and beige halter-neck top – it was January, for God’s sake – waved at me to sit down. Jess shuffled up on the couch and I plonked myself down beside her, wishing I hadn’t worn jeans and a jumper. Jess was in her best wraparound dress and high heels. ‘I thought you said casual coffee morning,’ I muttered, under my breath.
‘The others always dress up so I feel I have to.’ She shrugged.
‘Welcome, Emma. You know
I decided to jump in before I got the nobody-appreciates-me speech, which was an old favourite. ‘OK, fine. I appreciate your help and I’m not taking you for granted and I don’t mind paying you. I’m delighted you’ll be looking after Yuri. He adores you and you’re brilliant with him.’
‘Yes, well, I was always good with children. I never had any help with you three, I raised you alone while your father was working and studying. It’s important for a child to have its mother around for the first few years.’
‘I know, Mum, but I’m only leaving Yuri for a few hours a day and the extra money will come in handy, especially after the adoption costing twenty thousand euro,’ I said, playing my ace. Mum had been appalled: she thought it was disgraceful – as did I – that people who wanted to give orphaned children from other countries a good home should be charged any money, never mind an astronomical sum. I also thought it might make her back down on her daily rate.
‘It’s despicable that they charge to much. When I told my bridge-club girls they couldn’t believe it. Shocked they were. You’d think the Russians would be paying you to give their little babies good homes. Anyway, when do I start my new job?’
‘Monday, if that’s OK.’
‘That’s fine. It gives me a few days to sort things out. And I’d like to be paid weekly, in cash.’
The next day Jess called to say that her mother-and-baby group was meeting at Sonia’s house the following morning, and did I want to come? I decided to go along. I thought they might give me good tips on childcare options and what was best for young babies – crèches or one-on-one child-minders? I couldn’t rely on Mum to look after Yuri long-term: it wasn’t fair on her and, considering her rate, it was no bargain for me either. It’d be helpful to get some information from other mothers.
Sonia lived in a mansion with electric gates that swished back to reveal a long, pebbled driveway full of silver jeeps – I had never seen such a variety before. You’d have thought we lived in the Kalahari desert, not the capital city of Ireland. Rangers living in safari parks would have considered those monstrous lumps of steel too big for their needs. I parked my small second-hand car in the corner of the driveway and took a deep breath. ‘OK, Yuri, I’m not sure that this is such a great idea but, as they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained. And it’ll be nice for you to hang out with people your own size for an hour or two.’
Yuri’s serious little face stared up at me as he listened intently to me rambling on. He looked good enough to eat in his little denim dungarees and stripy blue top. I picked him up and hugged him. ‘If we don’t like it, we can always leave,’ I whispered, as I kissed his cheek.
We climbed up the big stone steps to the front door and rang the enormous bell. A Filipina woman ushered us into a large, sunny living room that was softly decorated in cream and beige. Sitting on the cream sofas and chairs were five women, all dressed as if they were going out for a night on the town. Sonia, in a pair of brown leather trousers and beige halter-neck top – it was January, for God’s sake – waved at me to sit down. Jess shuffled up on the couch and I plonked myself down beside her, wishing I hadn’t worn jeans and a jumper. Jess was in her best wraparound dress and high heels. ‘I thought you said casual coffee morning,’ I muttered, under my breath.
‘The others always dress up so I feel I have to.’ She shrugged.
‘Welcome, Emma. You know
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