The Nanny

Chapter 17

As Queen rocked the three year old boy to sleep, only one thing crossed her mind — dinner. Immanuel had invited her to join him when he dropped by the house earlier in the day to visit the boys, but she hadn't told Kyrie of her plans. She didn't need to, considering he didn't control every aspect of her life. Even though she'd be leaving after her shift, he was always too curious about her whereabouts and how she was getting there. There would be one too many red flags if she didn't ask Norris to take her, and asking Norris would result in telling on herself. She couldn't win, and she couldn't think of a better plan.

"Mommy," Colt whimpered into the woman's chest. He looked up at her with wide eyes and pouted his lips. "I still feel cold."

She frowned. Usually she didn't condone catering to every want and need of the child, but Colt had been complaining about a headache all day. She couldn't stand seeing him in pain, so she tried soothing him as his brother slept in his own bed. "Should I get you another blanket?"

He shook his head.

"What will help?"

He pointed to his forehead and stared back at her expectantly. When she didn't respond, he said, "Kisses, please."

She smiled and pressed her lips to his skin. He was burning up but the rest of his body was cold. "Should I get another blanket now?"

When he nodded, she walked over to his bed to grab his blanket and wrapped it around him. He shivered, despite being covered in three covers, and she held him tighter, releasing off her own body heat. "I miss Daddy," he told her. "Is he gonna come home soon?"

"Any minute now," she confirmed, checking the time on her phone. It was ten minutes to six, which meant he would be walking through the front door soon.

"I want Daddy to come home," he said, yawning.

On cue, footsteps pitter-pattered down the hall and stopped just outside of the boys' bedroom. Queen looked up to find Kyrie in the doorway, watching over his sleeping son and then moving his gaze to the woman on the floor with Colt.

"He's burning up," she told him. When he picked up his son, she was finally able to get up. "I'd monitor his fever throughout the night and make sure he gets plenty of fluids."

"I'll get him to bed." He kissed the top of Queen's head and breathed a deep sigh of relief when she didn't back away or recoil. "In these next few days, you're going to hear things. Just remember that I love you."

She sighed. She wasn't used to hearing him say that, nor did she believe him. "I'll see you later tonight."

"Where are you going?"

At the same time Kyrie had asked his question, Colt said, "Mommy, don't go. I want you to stay with me."

Ignoring Kyrie, she kissed the little boy's burning forehead and ruefully smiled. She didn't want to leave him behind, but she had an important meeting to attend to. "I will be home soon. Be good for Daddy."

"I love you," he whispered meekly to her as she walked over to the door.

She tore into her lip and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply the air in the room. She couldn't bring herself to say it back. She couldn't understand why. Perhaps she felt guilty that they thought of her as their mother without knowing the one who birthed them. Or perhaps she had trouble telling any Emerson member that she loved them, too.