The Bad Boy's Nanny

Ch. 29 - A Normal Couple

"Ivy, we didn't mean it!"

"Don't go!"

"You can't leave us!"

"Put that shoe down right now!"

"Ivy! Ivy!" Jonas starts chasing me through the house, trying to take my shoes from me. "Ivy! Give it! Give it!"

I stop in my tracks, Jonas colliding into me due to the short notice. I stumble back a little, but balance myself and Jonas out. "Alright. We all need to calm down."

"You can't leave, Ivy! Who is going to take care of us? Our mom isn't coming home until like a year from now!" Rose cries.

"She'll be home in less than three weeks," I remind. "I called a friend to watch you guys. He'll be starting tomorrow. Your mom is completely onboard with it."

"It better not be Jake Acker. Did you hear what he did to Brianna? Plus, when he babysat us last night, he gave Ethan beans. Beans, Ivy." Jonas gets right in my face. "Beans!"

I pat him on the back to calm him down. "It's okay. I didn't ask Jake to watch you guys. He proved he can't handle it yesterday."

"Well, whoever you picked, they're not good enough and we don't want them. You can't leave," Addison says stubbornly. "I need you to be with me when I go school shopping! You're the only one who knows what I can wear with this dumb boot."

"I need you too, Ivy!" Crystal adds.

I smile softly. "I'll still be around. I'm just not going to be here every single second of the day."

"But I need you to be here every single second of the day," Rose says, hugging my side and flashing those adorable puppy eyes my way.

"Come on, guys." I crouch down to be closer to the height of the twins and Ethan. "I was going to have to leave eventually. With everything going on in my life, it's best for me to take this time now for myself. Can you at least try to understand this?"

They nod slowly.

"You can't just see Elliott though," Crystal says. "That's against the rules. If you come over, we all get to hang out with you in equal increments of time."

"Increments. That's a big word, Crys," Elliott muses as he walks into the family room, ruffling his sister's hair. "Can you spell it?"

Crystal crosses her arms over her chest. "Can you keep a girlfriend?"

"Okay, Jesus," he mumbles. "This isn't my fault. If you want someone to blame, look in the mirror."

"Hey," I hit Elliott's arm with the back of my hand. "This isn't anyone's fault."

"Except your mom's," Jonas says.

I point at him and nod my head. "Yes, exactly. She's the one to blame here. I'll leave her phone number on the ledge for you guys to prank call her fifteen times a day."

"Uh, Ivy, Ethan's unpacking your suitcase," Addison informs.

I whip my head around to see the little boy throwing my clothes around the room. "Ethan! Stop!" I run over to him and pick him off the ground and into my arms. "What are you doing?"

"I don't want you to leave me!" he says in a whine, kicking his feet. "Stay!"

I frown, my heart tightening. "I promise I'll come visit all the time. I'll see each of you in equal increments of time."