The Nanny

Chapter 4

Tina wasn't ecstatic about her friend moving to a gated residence. She wouldn't be allowed to visit her anymore or come and go as she pleased. Her night shifts would be meaningless without long phone calls to her friend during quiet hours at the hospital, and Queen's social life would be gone forever. Tina wasn't ready for that change to occur. But she kept a straight face as she packed the remainder of Queen's clothes inside boxes.

"Where do you want this?" she asked, holding up a framed photo of the two of them in their senior year of college.

"In here." Queen showed her the peanut stuffed box full of other framed photos and returned to throwing out old makeup that she no longer used. "Am I still seeing you this weekend?"

Tina nodded her head. "Drinks at the bar, flirt with a few cute boys and hopefully take one back home."

"I'll pass on the last part," Queen said, laughing. "Kyrie would not be happy with me bringing strange men into the house while his kids are sleeping."

"You could always come stay with me on weekends if it ever gets to be too much," her friend offered.

Queen hummed to acknowledge what Tina had said, but she didn't follow up. She didn't know how living with Kyrie and his sons would be. She knew it would change her social life, but she wasn't ready to face the facts.

After a few hours had passed and Queen had taped the last box, Tina helped her carry each of the boxes down to the parking lot where a truck would be waiting for them. Queen scanned the lot, but there wasn't one in sight.

"I'm guessing we just stand here then," Tina said, disappointingly sitting on the curb in front of the complex. As she did so, a black pickup truck pulled into the lot and stopped in front of Queen. The tinted windows didn't offer who the driver was, but when the driver side opened, and Kyrie stepped out, Tina gasped. She stood up to greet him with flushed cheeks and extended a hand to him. "Hello, Mr. Emerson, I didn't know you'd be coming today. I'm sure you heard about Q's great friend Tina."

Queen resisted the urge to laugh at her sudden politeness. Not long ago, she was bad mouthing Kyrie, but now she was speaking with only respect.

"Hopefully I'll get to hear more in these coming weeks." Kyrie reluctantly shook her hand and then took the box from Queen's arms. "I came to personally make sure that Queen gets her things home safely."

"Home," Tina said, swooning at the word. "That's so sweet."

Queen grimaced and then began loading up the truck. Although her boxes weren't all heavy, Kyrie took every single one she picked up and piled them up in the back for her. When they finally got to the last box, he swooped in before she could and loaded it up in the truck. Tina watched with amusement, barely lifting a finger as she admired his hard work.

"We have to get going," Kyrie told Tina as he ushered Queen into the front seat. "Thank you for your help, Tina."

"No problem," she said, smirking. "No problem at all, Mr. Emerson."

After a quick goodbye to her friend, Queen buckled herself in and prepared for the drive back to his mansion. They hadn't been alone in the same car together, but it couldn't be worse than standing inches apart, engaging in inappropriate behavior that he must have forgotten all about anyway.

She emitted a quiet sigh and pressed her knees together, focusing on the road ahead.

"Is it too hot in here?" Before she could answer, he turned on the air conditioner and pointed the fan in her direction. "I just want to say thank you for doing this."