The morning sun filtered through the kitchen window, casting a soft light on the breakfast table where Lily's half-finished cereal bowl sat. I wiped Max's sticky hands as he giggled, completely unaware of the frustration building up inside me.

My phone buzzed on the counter, and I didn't even need to look to know what it was. I felt a familiar sinking feeling hit my stomach. With a sigh, I picked up the phone.

The screen flashed a message from Megan, the babysitter I had hired just yesterday.

"I'm sorry, but I won't be able to continue working with your family. Thank you for the opportunity."

My chest tightened as I read the words again, trying to make sense of them. Megan had been great, just like the others—kind, responsible, and so enthusiastic when I'd interviewed her. What had changed in just a day?

I leaned against the counter, staring blankly at the message. A faint clatter from the living room snapped me back to reality. Lily was busy with her toy, her little brow furrowed in concentration, while Max toddled around, laughing at his own tiny steps. They were fine, happy, even. So why did every babysitter leave after just a day or two?

I deleted Megan's message and glanced at the clock. Julie would be here soon for our usual coffee catch-up. Maybe talking to her would help me make sense of this mess. As I tidied up the kitchen, I couldn’t shake the nagging thought creeping into my mind.

Was I doing something wrong? Was it the kids? Or was there something I just wasn’t seeing?

When Julie arrived, I greeted her with a hug, trying to hide my frustration with a smile. But as soon as we sat down with our coffees, it all came spilling out.

"I don’t get it, Julie," I said, setting my cup down harder than I meant to. "This is the third babysitter who's quit after just one day. They all seemed so happy when I hired them, but then they just... leave. No explanations. Nothing."

Julie sipped her coffee, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "That’s really strange, Sarah. You're not asking too much, are you?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so. The kids are well-behaved, and I'm paying well. I just don't get it."

Julie leaned back, tapping her fingers lightly on her cup. "Do you think it could be... something else?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

She hesitated, then spoke carefully. "I mean, maybe it's not the job that’s making them leave. Maybe it's something—or someone—else in the house."

Her words hit me like a splash of cold water. I hadn't even thought of that. My mind immediately went to Dave, but I quickly brushed the thought aside. No, that couldn't be it. He'd been supportive of my decision to go back to work, or at least, he'd said he was.

Still, Julie’s suggestion planted a seed of doubt. I tried to shake it off as we finished our coffee, but the thought stuck with me, gnawing at me long after she left.

I was exhausted from hiring new babysitters, only for them to quit after just one day. At first, I chalked it up to bad luck. But after the third one left, it started to feel more like a pattern. The kids wouldn't tell me much—Lily's five, and Max is two, so what can I expect?