.

The day finished on a good note, so I slept better than usual. I was well-rested as I went about my regular morning at work.

When I got to my lunch spot on the rooftop, the blue-eyed man was already there. His eyes flickered away when he saw me. He tried to put off the cigarette he held between his fingers.

I looked at the cigarette that was now crushed against the hard surface of the roof. He scratched the back of his neck, the tips of his ears a bit pink. It was kind of cute. I would have smiled if it wasn't for my huge dislike for cigarettes.

It wasn't my business whether he smoked or not. It really wasn't. But...I sighed as I sat facing him. 'You smoke?' I wrote.

He looked at the words on the paper. He leaned back on his arms.

"Just a bad habit I couldn't break from my college days," he said. He looked really bothered.

His expression sparked an emotion close to affection in me.

'I read this somewhere: you don't break a bad habit, you replace it with a good one.'

I held up the notebook with a smile. He read it before his eyes looked at me, then his lips twitched up as a soft expression took over his features.

"So I have to find a good habit then," he said, and I nodded.

I put the notebook down to eat because I was starving. My turkey sandwich tasted better than I expected.

"Can you teach me how to sign?" he said as he opened his salad. Crab salad. The smell was heavenly.

'Why?' I wrote on the notebook lying beside me with one hand as I bit into my sandwich, then turned the notebook his way.

He just shrugged. "It's easier for you to sign. Isn't it?"

I slowly nodded. It was true, signing was much easier than having to write. Sometimes, even I gave up communicating some things because it's bothersome to write too much, and the other party would have to wait.

But it was my only means of communication with those around me since none of them knew sign language. Well, with the exception of Jim, whose knowledge of ASL was very limited.

But learning sign language wouldn't be simple for a person as busy as he was. I mean, he arrived to work before everyone else.

'You don't have to learn it if it's just because of me,' I wrote. 'I don't mind writing.'

He read then shook his head. "It's a good thing to learn, anyway".

A frown tugged down my brows. Maybe it was bothersome to have to wait for me to write a reply each time. But no, it didn't feel that way at all. Besides, he could've just not come if he found my company bothersome. No, he actually wanted to learn sign language to communicate easier with me. It was heartwarming.

I finished my sandwich in record time as he took his last forkful of his salad.

"Alright, let's begin," he said, rubbing his hands together with an excited smile that drew a grin on my lips.

'Okay, so you know absolutely nothing about ASL?' I wrote.

"Nope," he said before he held up his hand. "Wait, I know this one." He brought his palm up so his fingers touched his chin before swinging his stretched palm down.

It was the sign of thank you.

'You remember?' I wrote.

"So I got it right?" he asked.

I nodded, signing 'yes'.

"That means yes?"

I nodded again. He tried to do it as I signed it again for him.

'It's like nodding with your fist,' I wrote. 'That's how you can remember it.'

"Right," he said, repeating the sign again.

He was a quick learner. By the time our lunch hour approached its end, we had shared his dessert again, two mini lemon pies. He learned how to sign yes, no, thank you, please, sorry, and bullshit, because he just had to know a curse word, which ended up cracking him up because my face was red as I begrudgingly taught him how to sign it.

But I liked it the way he threw his head back and laughed. I found myself wishing I could hear the sound of his laughter. I liked to imagine his voice would be a deep one, with a hint of husk to it. A voice I would never get tired of listening to.

It was time for me to go when he took a small book from behind him and handed it to me. It was a book for learning Russian.

"You said you stopped learning because you didn't have time, you can read the book on your way to work. It's yours."

I looked with wide eyes between him and the book, then smiled widely and signed 'thank you.'

He smiled back at me before frowning. "How do you say you're welcome?"

I chuckled silently as I wrote. 'There isn't an actual sign for 'you're welcome' that is used when responding to someone thanking you. Usually, you just sign 'thank you' back to the person, or maybe sign 'it's no problem' or 'it's fine'.'

He nodded, and after teaching him how to sign 'it's fine', I thanked him again then left for my work, holding to the book close to my heart.

For a long time, I didn't have much time to go to the library and get a book.

I wondered how I could pay him back. Sure, he had said not to worry about it and insisted that it was payment for teaching him ASL, but still. Teaching him how to sign was actually as much for my benefit as it was for his, if not more.

I walked with a spring in my step to the stairs. I was excited because of the new book. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed learning, but I was also excited because tomorrow was Saturday, and I would finally get to sleep late.

Yay!

Well, not so much when I had to go out looking for another job for the weekends...

I still had some unpaid bills for this month. Since I monthly put a good sum of my earnings into a college fund for Jim, the meager amount that was left barely covered our needs.

Still, I allowed myself to sleep until nine o'clock, which was plenty for me. I hoped today would be a good one. I had struggled with finding a weekend part time job for quite some time now. All the ones available usually involved waitering, which was out of the question for me. And even when there was something I was confident I could do, the employers always looked at me skeptically after I told them about my deafness, I had no idea how many times I had heard, or rather read, 'just leave us your number and we'll call you back'.

I never bothered to correct them and tell them that they couldn't call me because, well, because I was deaf. I knew the look in their eyes that said "Why should I bother hiring her?"

I didn't blame them. Why bother with me when there were probably plenty of people who wanted the job and who could communicate easily.

After pulling on a long-sleeved black shirt and jeans, I threw on a cardigan, slid on my sneakers and walked out of the door. Despite the cold, it was rather sunny outside. Perfect weather for people who had planned a weekend out. I took the subway to a much busier place than my shabby neighbourhood.

Stores were already open. People walked in and out of stores. Girls with shopping bags, guys stealing glances at them. Kids basically dragging their half-asleep parents down the streets.

I walked alongside the shop windows, allowing myself some to do some window shopping. The last time I had bought new clothes seemed like ages ago. Before the accident. Afterwards, I had to make do with hand me downs when I lived in my old town. When I moved to the city, I discovered the joy of flea markets, where you could find everything you need without emptying your pockets.

I stopped in front of a large shop window and stared in awe at the item displayed. It was a wedding dress. The dress in the window was one fit for a princess. A pearly white gown with a sweetheart neckline. White and silver stones shimmered on the bodice. A full skirt of tulle stretched around it like a fluffy cloud. It was breathtaking. I doubted anyone would look bad wearing this dress.

Well, it's out of the question for me anyway. I thought, recalling the burned skin on my body. Not that I could afford it.

I wrenched my gaze from the stunning dress, just in time to see two little kids running out of the wedding dress store. A girl and a boy, with mops of blonde hair, who looked like twins. They stopped on the sidewalk, looking over their shoulder for a second. Then they held each other's hands and walked ahead.

I would have gushed at how cute they were in their matching parka jackets if not for the fact that they were heading straight to the road. They couldn't be older than two. They wiggled their way to the road, the busy crowd not even glancing at them as they weaved around them.

My feet moved on their own. My hesitant steps turned into a full-on sprint when they were at the very edge of the sidewalk.

I caught them in time, my hands clamping on their shoulders and pulling them back right before they stepped down to the road.

Phew! that was close...

The kids turned to look at me. I was right, they were twins. The boy's blonde wavy bangs tickled his large green eyes. The girl's pigtails bounced up when they turned around to look at me. Their blonde hair was mixed with light shades of brown, and their skin was a light tanned shade. They were absolutely adorable.

Here's the thing about babies. They scared the crap out of me. It happened after I lost my hearing. I didn't know how to communicate with them since I couldn't hear what they said, and I obviously couldn't read their lips because baby talk just didn't make sense...

Okaaay. I crouched down in front of them. Their green eyes never left mine. Maybe I should take them back to the store? That's where they walked out of. I held my hands towards them, thinking they probably wouldn't take a stranger's hand. I was wrong.

They did take my hands, quite willingly and quite fast. My brows raised in surprise as the little kids blinked up at me with large, trusting eyes. I turned around, holding their hands tightly in mine and walked up to the store. They were still looking up at me with wide eyes.

I was almost at the door of the store when I spotted a woman, probably in her early thirties, inside the store looking around wildly. Her mouth was moving fast as her panicked eyes searched around the place.

That must be the mom.

I pushed the glass door open with my shoulder, not letting go of the twins' hands, who still held calmly onto me.

The eyes of the woman turned to me, along with everyone else in the store. The woman, with green eyes and light brown hair that confirmed my theory, rushed towards us, her mouth uttering things I couldn't catch, I thought I could read something like 'oh my god' repeatedly and 'you little devils', but I wasn't sure.

I let go of the kids as the woman approached. She hugged them, squeezing the air out of them. I retreated quietly as another woman joined the happy gathering. I didn't get far, though, because the mother snapped her gaze to me, and next thing I knew, I was being hugged too.

Oookay...

I was sure she was saying something because I could feel her chin moving over my shoulder, but all I could do was pat her back awkwardly. The other woman, younger with pitch-black hair and bright blue eyes held onto the twins. The two children were still staring at me with wide eyes.

Do I have something on my face?

The woman thankfully pulled back after a few minutes. Her hands were still on my shoulders. I could see her lips now.

"Thank you so much! You have no idea how worried I was, I ..." I lost her after that because she kept looking at me then over her shoulders to the twins. She let go of me completely, so I just smiled at her and waved my hands no, trying to convey that it was no problem.

She said something else, then looked at the black-haired woman, who replied. It was all going too fast for me. I felt disoriented, not knowing where to look and what was happening. So I just turned on my heels and tried to walk out of the place.

Keyword: tried.

Two pairs of tiny hands held onto my legs. My hand froze in its attempts to pull the door open.

Identical green eyes looked up at me. I tried prying their hands off gently, but they just held onto my hands instead of my legs.

I looked behind me for some help, but the women looked like they had witnessed a miracle. Their stunned eyes bouncing between me and the twins.

The woman started speaking again, this time it was worse because she had her hand on her mouth in an expression of shock.

Alright, enough.

I somehow managed to shake the twins' hands off. They held onto my legs again. I pulled out my trusted notebook from my bag.

'Excuse me, but I'm deaf. Could you speak more clearly so I can read your lips?' I held up the notebook towards the woman, and the black-haired lady was standing next to her. They both frowned, reading what I had written. Their eyes widened when they finally realized the situation.

So that was how, several minutes later, I found myself sitting on a cream-colored couch in a luxurious wedding dress shop, surrounded on either side by a baby, while their mother and her friend sat across from me.

"I'm sorry about that," the black-haired lady said with a smile, then pointed at the mother with her thumb. "She tends to lose it when she's nervous."

'It's okay.'

"So you can read lips?" the mother asked again, and I nodded right as the little girl on my left climbed into my lap. The little boy looked at her, then frowned and tried climbing on my lap too, pushing her off.

I spaced my legs so I could put each one of them on a thigh. They happily settled down, then looked up at me. I smiled down at them. The girl grinned back and the little boy just looked at me with wide eyes, his little pink lips slightly ajar.

My eyes snapped up to the women who were staring almost in disbelief.

"Sorry," the black-haired lady said when she noticed my questioning frown, then shook her head. "They don't like strangers usually. Actually, they don't like anyone."

They looked quite friendly to me.

The mother who just recovered from her shock stared at me, her eyes filled with equal parts desperation and hope. I felt like I was about to get into something way over my head.

"Oh my God! I finally found you!" she said. I doubted my lip-reading skills for a second. "Can you be a babysitter for them? Just for the weekend! I'll pay you anything you want! Anything..."

Then I lost her again because she had her hand over her mouth, her eyes almost tearing up.

I looked at the black-haired lady for help. She seemed less prone to dramatics. She smiled.

"What she's trying to say is, she had been looking for a babysitter for as long as I can remember, and anyone she hired either quit because the twins were too difficult, or the twins simply didn't like them.

"So she's asking if you're willing to be a babysitter, just for the weekend since you must be busy on weekdays."

I slowly nodded, then looked at the mother who nodded eagerly agreeing with her friend's interpretation. Then she looked at me in a sheepish manner.

"Are you busy on weekdays?"

I somehow managed to write around the twins. 'You don't even know me. I could be a bad person, for all you know.'

She looked amused. "I'm going to run a background check if you accept my offer. So that's something else to consider," she said.

I bit my lip in thought. I liked the twins, I really did, but the idea of being responsible for two children, not even one, when I couldn't hear if they cried or asked for something just frightened me.

'I'm sorry, I don't think I'm the right person for this. Being alone with children is a bad idea for me. I can't hear them, so I won't be able to tell if something is wrong with them. I just can't. I'm sorry.'

Her smile turned into a disappointed frown as she read what I had written. She thought silently about something for a few seconds.

"What about if someone's with you?" she said. "All you have to do is stay with them, but there would be someone around at all times. You won't have to be alone with them."

'Then why hire me if there was someone around all the time?'

She smiled when she read what I wrote. "That someone will probably be one of us or a maid. What I actually need is someone who can be with them all the time, since they can't just sit by without having someone's attention on them. It also helps that you can keep them in line without even trying."

I thought some more, taking in the desperate look of the woman. I was in need of a job, and the only reason I didn't like being around children was because I was afraid for them. But if someone was always present, it could be possible, right?

I really, really needed the extra money.

The mother must have seen the hesitation in my eyes because she scooted forward until she was sitting on the edge of the couch.

"I'll pay you anything you want. Anything, just name the price."

I quickly shook my head. 'It's not that. I'm just scared for them. I don't want something to happen to them because of me.'

"I'll make sure someone is always around," she added eagerly. "I promise you'll never be alone with them."

I looked down at the twins. They looked up at me at the same time and grinned widely, their matching green eyes sparkling in childlike innocence. The boy reached out with a pudgy finger and poked my cheek. Poke. Poke. Poke.

Why not? I thought, let's give it a shot.

'Okay,' I wrote, and before I could hold up the notebook, the mother beamed, clapping her hands. She all but bounced in her seat. By the way her friend cringed, she must be squealing.

"Thank you! You're a lifesaver! Are you sure you're busy on weekdays?" the mom added, making me smile.

'Yes, I'm working,' I replied, then figured that since I would be looking after her children, she had the right to know what kind of person I was.

'Irene Hooper, 22, work as a cleaning staff.' I held up the notebook so she and her friend could read.

They both smiled and nodded, no look of judgement in their eyes. They introduced themselves.

"I'm Lydia. I own the shop," she said, waving her hand around to gesture at the shop we were sitting in.

"And I'm Juliana. I'm a café manager." The mom held her hand out. I shook her hand before checking if I got their names correct.

'Lydia and Julianna?'

They both nodded, smiling, then Julianna pointed to the twins. "That's Eli and Emma."

'Eli and Emma.' I checked again, and she nodded, waves of excitement rolling off her body.

"So, are you busy today? Oh of course, silly me, you must have plans, when are you free so we could discuss the details?"

'I'm free today, I was actually out looking for a weekend job.'

"Oh! That's perfect! We actually have a little dinner today and I really need someone to look after the twins. Will you be available at night, too? I'll make sure to drive you home afterwards," Julianna said, and I nodded. My head hurt from constantly having to follow her lips' movement and her body language. She really spoke a lot.

"Oh, Great!" she said in an excited smile. "Perfect".

It turned out Julianna was just picking up Lydia before they both headed for Julianna's café. So after we left Lydia's shop in the hands of two women working for her, we headed to Julianna's café.

Lydia drove us in her car. I sat between the twins, almost in disbelief at how things turned out. The events of the morning played in my mind and I was amazed at how fate worked.