Authors: V.S. Tice
“You are family.” She looked up at me with a heartbreaking expression.
My eyes widened and I couldn’t bring myself to look around at her family’s faces. I knelt down and kissed her forehead.
“Thank you, sweetheart, but you should go. I’ll see you when you get home. Now, go get your Aunt Allison, okay?”
She furrowed her brow and complied unwillingly.
“Okay.” Her words were just above a whisper.
I felt horrible for pushing her to go with them, but they were her family. As I stood up, that familiar pull that made me want to run caressed me. I groaned internally. He was here.
“Sophia?” Dr. Bishop stood a couple feet from me. “Can I speak with you for a moment?”
Nodding, I followed him out of the earshot of the crowd. Stopping abruptly he turned to me. “Did you yell at my sister?”
I bit my lip and scrunched my brow.
Hell, yes, I put that harpy in her place!
“I’m afraid so.”
“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” He looked exacerbated.
“What do you want me to say? That your sister had Victoria on the verge of a mental breakdown before going on stage, and I got angry? Or, do you want me to lie and say I was being irrational and yelled at her for no reason at all?” I crossed my arms over my chest.
He studied me with the same calculation as always, but there was a mixture of emotions splayed across his beautiful face before he resumed his familiar stoic expression.
“I apologize for arguing with your sister,” I spoke quickly and turned to go. He didn’t stop me.
Once in the car, I screamed at the top of my lungs to alleviate my built-up frustration. I let it all out and then slouched into the driver’s seat. After the moment it took to regroup, I started the car and drove back to the house.
I was sitting in the living room of my suite when the front door shut and muffled voices carried up from the foyer.
“Victoria, don’t run,” he said, with the ever-present ice in his tone.
“Sorry, Daddy.” I heard the patter of feet on the stairs. Getting up, I headed out and went to meet her. She ran the other half of the steps when she saw me and nearly knocked me down with a bear hug. She giggled.
“How was dinner?” I asked as she hugged me.
“It was good, but I wish you were there. It would have been more fun with you there.”
“Let’s get you changed for bed.” She followed me to her room.
Heavier footsteps sounded behind me. I kept my course without looking back.
“Okay,” she mumbled. I could see her struggling, trying to extend her arm behind her back to grab the zipper. “I can’t reach,” she groaned.
“I’ll help you.”
I pulled a nightgown out of her dresser and went to Victoria. Mid-stride, my feet hit the brakes when I saw him standing in the doorway. Victoria looked as surprised to see him there as I was.
“I, uh, I wasn’t aware Victoria had invited you to dinner tonight. Not until we had gotten into the car and you were gone. You could have joined us.” He rubbed the back of his head.
“That’s alright. It was a family thing, but thanks.” I began to work on Victoria’s zipper.
“I told you, you are family.” Victoria turned her big eyes on me. I ruffled her curly hair.
“Thank you. I think of you as family too, but still, tonight was for you and your family. We’ll do our own family thing tomorrow, I swear.”
“Nanny Swear?” She grinned from ear-to-ear.
I nodded with a light chuckle. I pulled her dress over her head, but while her arms and head were trapped inside, I tickled her sides.
“Ahh…stop,” she laughed. “Quit it!”
I stopped and finished taking her dress off. Turning to toss it in the hamper, I realized Dr. Bishop was in the way. I snapped my wrist too late and couldn’t get the fabric back in my hand before it hit him in the face.
“I am so sorry,” I spluttered. “I didn’t realize you were still here. I thought you left when I started to undress her. I am so…”
He lifted a hand to silence me.
“It was an accident.” Then, I think for the second time since I’ve met him, his face cracked into a smile although I couldn’t be sure.
Victoria’s giggles filled the room. My attempt to quiet her failed miserably and I too found myself on the floor with her in a giggle fit, holding our stomachs and struggling to catch our breath. For a moment, I thought I heard a masculine chuckle, but when I looked in his direction he was on his way out the door.
The following day was the school play. With Victoria in full costume, we came down the stairs to leave and ran into Dr. Bishop when we reached the bottom.
“You look nice,” he said as if he’d rehearsed it a million times. There was no emotion.
“I’m a snowflake,” she beamed, spinning around to show the full costume.
And then, I witnessed the Grinch’s heart grow three times. He genuinely smiled at her.
“We were just heading to her school play.” Stepping around him, I reached into the coat closet, pulling out Victoria’s first. Once she was wrapped, I reached for mine. Dr. Bishop grabbed it first and held it open for me. I paused briefly, unsure of his behavior, before slipping my arms inside the sleeves and wrapping the coat around me tightly.
“Um…thanks.”
“I figured we would all go over together.” Looking over my shoulder, curiously, he further explained. “One car is easier than two.” He slid his coat on and held the door open.
Swallowing the urge to ask if he’d gotten into the happy pills at the hospital, I stepped outside with Victoria and walked to the car. I considered sliding into the back seat with her, but Dr. Bishop held the passenger door open, making the decision for me.
“Thank you,” I mumbled and got into the car. He closed the door and rounded the car.
The drive over was quiet and uncomfortable. The inability to escape him was really pushing my limits. I think I audibly exhaled a large breath when we finally pulled up to the school and parked. I hopped out quickly and helped Victoria out of the car.
Dr. Bishop’s familiar look of irritation was directed towards me though I wasn’t sure what I had done this time. Grabbing Victoria’s hand, I walked her towards the student drop-off entrance. Her big eyes zeroed on me, full of nerves.
“Sophia…”
“You got this.” I kissed her forehead. “I’ll be right out there in the audience, and if I need to I’ll climb on that stage for you, okay?” I winked and she giggled.
She hugged me and then took the teacher’s hand to go into the room. I got off my knees and twisted around, colliding with Dr. Bishop. My hands were on his chest and his on my waist. Heat radiated from our points of contact – mixed with a combination of his scent, spicy aftershave and fresh linen, my pulse began to quicken. I quickly pushed off of him.
“S-sorry. I didn’t realize you were behind me.” I walked around him and headed toward the auditorium. I spotted some other nannies I’d met at Victoria’s school functions and after school activities and decided to sit with them. Before I could reach them, I was gripped by an arm, pulled back to another row, and pushed in. Stumbling over my feet, Max smiled at me with a wide grin.
“You’re sitting with us,” he chuckled. “Ow!” His shoulders hunched up.
“Don’t scare her!” Larissa peeked around Max. “Sorry,” she mouthed to me.
“It’s okay, but I was going to go and sit with the other nan–”
“Nonsense.” Larissa pushed around Max and took my arm, sitting me down next to her.
“Victoria considers you family so you should sit with us.”
I didn’t know what to say.
Larissa didn’t look as if she had given birth a month ago. She was gorgeous and statuesque. The mandarin collar knee length dress hugged every curve and showed off perfectly waxed and slender legs. The short sleeves of the maroon dress showcased her toned arms. And the embroidered flower in the center of the chest only accentuated her full breasts. There was no doubt in my mind that she could easily put herself in a bikini already. Although her beauty was intimidating, Larissa was so kind to me I didn’t understand how she fit in with this family. As I sat there, I watched her and Max interact. Max wasn’t detached and conservative like his brother, but I got the impression Larissa kept him in line somehow.
Just as I was relaxing into my seat, we all had to stand as Dr. Bishop entered the aisle. When he squeezed in front of me, it felt like he paused. The closeness of his body shocked me. He finally moved down toward his seat, and his parents appeared next to him. I couldn’t help but watch closely. It was all air kisses from his mother, no real physical interaction. His father shook his hand and pulled him in for a manly one-armed hug, but Dr. Bishop seemed stiff. Then Allison arrived. I groaned quietly and put my head in my hand.
“Shhh…it will be fine. Just ignore her like I do,” Larissa leaned in to my ear and whispered.
“You’re allowed to ignore her. You’re her family. I’m just the help.” I took a deep, cleansing breath.
“Did she say that to you?” Larissa looked at me wide eyed.
I shook my head. “No.”
“But she’s made you feel that way, hasn’t she?”
I shrugged. She patted my hand.
“She did the same thing to Amber, but I put a stop to it. Speaking of – Max!”
“Yes, my love?”
“Where is Amber?”
“Ummm…she’s down there with Ella and William.” He looked at her and was met with a scowl. “I’m going, I’m going.” He got up and made his way toward Amber. I watched him pull her up by her arm and motion to our row. She shook her head, but he insisted. After grabbing her things, she followed him to our aisle. When she saw me, her face lit up. Larissa and I stood to let Max through.
“Thank God you’re here too,” she whispered as she sat down next to me.
“Phsh, me? I was about to have a breakdown when Allison arrived. Thank God Max brought you over,” I whispered back, and she giggled quietly.
Allison caught sight of me and glared. She sat in the seat farthest from me, next to her mother. Another Christmas miracle.
When Victoria came out on stage, she put her hand over her eyes trying to look for someone she knew. I stood and waved proudly, taking a seat again when she caught sight of me. I felt eyes on me so I looked around out of the corners of my eyes. On my left, Larissa was smiling largely at me, and she squeezed my arm. On my right, Mrs. Bishop and Allison looked appalled. Dr. Bishop looked confused as he looked to the stage. Only then did he seem to realize Victoria had been looking for someone. He looked back to me quickly before returning his attention to the stage.
“Did I do something wrong?” I whispered to Amber.
“Not in my opinion,” she shrugged, “but I’m sure Mama Bishop doesn’t approve.”
I looked once more in the direction of Mrs. Bishop. She was leaning forward with a flabbergasted look upon her face and her hands jerking around. Dr. Bishop focused on his mother’s discreet tirade instead of on his daughter’s performance.
Just before the play finished, I excused myself so I could go and get Victoria. Amber followed. We collected the kids and headed back toward where the Bishops had congregated.
“Where are our reservations tonight?” Mrs. Bishop looked to her husband.
He was on his phone and held up a finger. Since they were going to dinner, I figured I’d get a cab to take me home. I got my cell phone out.
“You’re coming this time, aren’t you?” Victoria was tugging on my coat.
“Sweetheart, this is for your family, okay? I’ll see you at home, just like last time.” I rubbed her head and continued to scroll through my contacts.
“Please, please, please, Sophia. Please!” Victoria begged.
“Shh…Victoria, you don’t beg.” Mrs. Bishop snapped at her.
“Sophia, don’t be ridiculous. We came in the same car, and Victoria has requested your presence. You’re joining us.” Dr. Bishop’s voice caught me by surprise.