"Mary… Ms. Watson…" Jim said back a bit hesitant and on the backfoot.
"Please Jim, this will be good for you, at least hear him out…" Jim looked at Mary, then Adam and then Mary again and sighed deeply.
"Well I guess I can at least be a good host. Come in… I'll hear you out." He said with a soft frown and then opened the door for the two of them. The interior looked like a mess, but not the kind of mess he expected, it looked like the man had 7 kids over and they had been throwing their toys all over the place without regard for his space. The two of them were led over to a small couch that had a bunch of colorful blankets and pillows on it as well as a few stuffed animals. The coffee table in front of them was covered in magazines and even had a baby bottle on it with some milk inside.
"I apologize for the mess, the kids are always energetic." Jim said with a scratch to the back of his head.
"I don't mind. I'm a scaver, I've been in far worse." Adam smiled. Jim nodded to Adam.
"Now, what was this about needing a caretaker?" He asked before looking at Adam. "I am not a nanny, I have no interest in being bought by some rich prick who doesn't have the time to raise their own child." He said sternly, as if he had to say this already to someone else.
"Mr. Baxter here is actually running a settlement as I understand it, and is in need of a caretaker for the orphans in his home."
"Oh…" Jim said, far softer now, looking more understanding and vulnerable than before. He then sighed and looked at Adam. "Alright, I'll hear you out, if you have a pitch for me."
"Well to be honest I was originally going to ask Mary to come but she brought me here." Adam laughed softly. "However she is right. I have recently begun to repopulate the Vault I came from. We took in refugees from all over but most recently some of the ones from War's camp. However we also recently took in a number of kids. No, babies, from the cult when we forced them out of Chicago. Most of them have been adopted but it would help to have a dedicated caretaker and teacher for when they grow a bit older. If you come at Mary's recommendation I think that's a glowing introduction." Jim paused and seemed to study Adam for a moment before he sighed and then looked down at the table, picking up the milk bottle that was sitting there and holding it in his hand.
"I've heard a lot of things about you, Mr. Baxter. Some good, some bad. I just need to know what you plan to do with the kids in that vault of yours?"
"Plan to do with them?" Adam asked back, confused. "I don't really have any plans, that's why I'm looking for a caretaker. Cause I don't know the first thing about raising kids." Adam chuckled, answering naively.
"What I mean is I know you are a clone, sir." He said with a serious tone, cutting through Adam's amicable tone with an icy stare. "I want to know if you are planning to experiment on the children in any way. Harm them, or do other such things to them. I will not be a party to anything that would hurt the children." Adam looked at him confused for a moment before he sighed and got serious too.
"I'm not sure what you heard about me but yes, I am a clone. But that does not mean I have any ill intentions with kids. I just want them to be raised in a safe and caring environment so they can grow up a bit easier. For that I want to ensure good enrichment, which means finding a teacher capable of helping the kids as they develop. I am not interested in any experiments or anything of the like." Jim remained silent for a moment and then began to open his mouth to respond before a young boy, about seven, wandered into the room.
"Dad, Maple told me that Deathclaws only eat boys! Go tell her that isn't true!" The young boy begged. However before Jim could respond another voice, a young girl yelled from the other room.
"That isn't true! I told him that deathclaws only eat bad boys. Like him!" She said, poking her head out from the doorway and sticking her tongue out at him. After she finished speaking a baby could be heard crying from the other room, likely startled by the sudden shouting.
Jim just sighed.
"I'm sorry, hold on, I have to help the children." He said as he stood up, lifted the boy up and carried him as he disappeared into the back room to handle the children's messes.
"Hes a bit all over the place, I know." Mary giggled once Jim was out of the room. "But he's a sweet man. He has a number of kids he has rescued from the streets and the only reason he's not working for the school is due to his past record." She said sadly.
"His past record?" Adam asked back.
"It's… not my place to say, but trust me when I say I would not be recommending someone ill suited. He is just a bit… extreme. But he really is a good guy and I think he would do well for you. I think it will give him a chance to teach again like he used to."
"Sorry about that." Jim said as he came back in the room, assumedly having settled the kids considering that the baby was no longer crying.
"Don't worry, kids are a handful." Adam chuckled. "That's why I'm looking for someone right now." Jim sighed.
"This Vault of yours, what is it like?"
"Its a fully enclosed underground space, as you would guess. But its clean, safe, populated, we have a cafeteria and food for anyone who needs it, and if you move in you can be given any room you want. If you have a lot of kids we can get you one of the luxury suites, which are the biggest rooms."
"And my kids can come along?" He asked skeptically.
"I would never ask a father to leave his kids behind." Jim remained silent for a little bit longer before he looked at Mary.
"Ms. Watson, I appreciate you bringing this man here and recommending me, however, and I hate to be rude, but do you mind leaving us? I want to have a talk with him, man to man." He said seriously. Mary seemed surprised but acquiesced.
"I uh… understand." She said as she stood up and dusted off her skirt. "I'll leave you two alone then." She then smiled at Adam. "It was great seeing you again. Stay safe… okay?" She said with a tender tone as she gently placed a hand on Adam's shoulder before then turning to leave the room. Leaving the two men, alone, to talk business.