I soon find myself wishing the kids would never grow up. All I want is to be a lifelong au pair, and I have curious impulses, like the urge to withhold their food. Frail children physically remain children for longer, though some abuse has also been known to accelerate emotional maturity. My chances of success are slim, but it’s worth a shot. I spend hours daydreaming about accidents that involve the staircase, and about the possibility of one of the siblings becoming paralyzed. Maybe the girl.
