That’s why the babysitting listing felt like a lifeline. She’d stumbled across it late one night, scrolling through local posts while her homework sat untouched beside her. “Urgent: Babysitter needed. Flexible hours. Please message if interested. — Mark R.” It didn’t sound demanding or complicated, just a dad who really needed someone.
It was the first listing that didn’t feel suspicious or vague. No odd requests. No too-good-to-be-true pay rate. Just a parent who seemed overwhelmed, honest, and grateful for help. She read the message three times before replying, careful, polite, wanting to sound capable even though her heart raced a little.