Jenny's Heart

Chapter 8

A squeal escaped Isabella's lips as the door opened to reveal their new room. Jenny, with a small smile on her face, watched the little girl rush up to the bed and jumped on top of it, landing like a starfish on the covers. Her giggles were clearly heard as she sank into the mattress.

"This is so nice, Aunt Jenny!" Isabella smiled, her cheeks bunching like a chipmunk's as she slowly sat up to look at her aunt.

Jenny hummed in agreement as she carried in their two suitcases and placed them beside the bed. Once she had opened them, she started unpacking the items into a few piles on the duvet.

Although Jenny wasn't fond of the unorthodox character coming from a five-year-old, she allowed her niece's happiness to keep that thought at bay. If Isabella was happy, she was happy. That was all that mattered to her. That and her niece staying safe.

"I can help," Isabella offered as she moved off the bed and to her aunt's side. 

Jenny smiled her appreciation and passed the young girl articles of clothing that she then proceeded to place in the wardrobe. Within two minutes, they were done.

"What's this?" Isabella asked. 

Jenny glanced up from her crouched position on the floor where she was busy placing the suitcases under the bed. She noticed Isabella holding a thick pile of paper and remembered she still needed to speak to Nathan.

"That's my contract for this job," she replied as she lifted herself to her feet.

"Can I read it?" Isabella asked, and Jenny's eyebrows raised.

"You can, but I'm sure you'll be bored within a second," she said and held out her hand in a gesture for Isabella to give the contract to her.

The little girl nodded her head as she placed it in her aunt's outstretched hand. "Probably," she said and looked around their new room. 

She had never seen such a nice bedroom in real-life before. The only places she ever saw something like this was in magazines.

"How about you go and unpack the rest of our things in the bathroom?" Jenny suggested as she gestured to the towels and toothbrushes still lying on the bed. "I just need to talk to Mr Walker for a moment."

"Okay," Isabella said as she grabbed the toiletries and walked to the bathroom.

Jenny gripped the contract in her hands and left the room. However, as soon as Isabella was out of sight, an unsettling feeling came over her. She didn't like leaving Isabella alone in unfamiliar places. She backed up a few paces and peered into the room.

"Isabella?" she called.

"Yeah?" was the response from the open bathroom door.

"Come to me when you've finished, alright?" 

"Okay."

Satisfied, but still a little uneasy, Jenny made her way down the stairs and through the dining-room to the living-room, only to find it empty. She went to the kitchen, but the only person she saw was Alfredo glancing through a recipe book.

"Alfredo?" she called as in a soft voice, hoping not to disturb him too greatly.

The chef's dark eyes glanced upwards and a smile came to his face as he straightened his posture. "Miss Jenny, what can I do for you?" he asked. 

Not long after they had arrived, she had returned the container that he had given her, and it seemed to triple his respect for her. Apparently, not many people brought his containers back to him - something that always made him agitated.