Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Kina slowly inhales then exhales. Another interview for a nanny today. She's about ready to call it quits and accept the fact good help's almost impossible to come by. Still, it's too late to cancel this one, she thinks with a forced smile, opening the door. "Hello, welcome. Please, come in."

The tanned woman enters the hallway, hanging her rain coat on the old rack by the door. Her aura's like a warm blanket on a cold, winter night. She flashes a bright smile. "Thank you." The woman turns to Kina, a worried expression now on her face. "You seem tired. Have you interviewed a lot of nannies?"

"You're number thirty."

"My goodness, Alex did say you're having trouble. Where would you like to start?"

"Follow me." Kina walks to the small hallway on the left that hides the office.

"Beautiful." Wish I had one of these.

Kina smiles, gesturing to the cherry red chairs by the small fire place. "One of the reasons we bought this place." She likes when people are open enough to read, this way she can tell truth from lie no matter how good of an actor they are. Like Mrs. Cordy, for instance. Her aura was dark and murky. When asked if she'd ever hit the kids, her mouth said "no" but her mind said "absolutely". That wasn't someone Alex suggested either. The old woman just happened to come across an ad in the paper Thomas put in.

The current interviewee sits across from her interviewer and asks, "How many children do you have?"

"Five, though often times we watch my nephews."

"How old are they all?"

Kina smiles then says teasingly, "I should be the one to ask the questions here."

The woman lightly blushes before handing over a file. "My apologies. I'm just a little excited. You see, I've been a nanny for over ten years."

Kina looks over the folder. "You came prepared, Annabelle Swanson."

"Of course, how else can I convince an employer to accept me?"

"What happened to your last job?" Kina pours them tea that's on the table between them.

"The youngest turned thirteen. They thought it was time to let me go. All on good terms."

"How long did you work for them?"

"Fifteen years. Five years as a babysitter then ten as an official nanny. It was a big family." She adds a little cream and sugar to her beverage before sipping it.

Kina crosses her ankles as she reads it over. "It's okay that I call them?"

"Yes, of course."

"You're thirty?"

"Yes, ma'am, seems to be my lucky number."

Kina slightly smiles. "Only five years my senior."

"And you have five children?"

"Thomas and I married young."

"How old are the children?"

"The triplets will be 4 in October, Connor's 6 next month and Steve just turned 8."

Annabelle's face lights with curiosity. "Triplets?"

"Yes. Zoey, Cloey and Nikki." Kina sets the file aside, sipping her own tea.

"Where are they all?"

"With my husband and Alex."

"What are the hours you're looking for?"

"Seven in the morning until eight at night Monday to Thursday. Then seven in the morning to noon Friday. You'll be able to have the weekends and Holidays off unless otherwise requested. If you need a time off, just let us know at least two weeks in advanced."

"That sounds reasonable. Do you offer a room?"

"You want to be a live in?"

"If it's no trouble. My old job had me there 5 days a week as a live-in."

Kina nods, finishing her own cup. "We have a spare room you could use. As soon as I talk to Thomas, I'll give you a call."

Annabelle sets down her cup, stands up and stretches. "Thank you. I hope to hear from you soon."

Kina walks her back to the door. "I'll call you."

* * *

Zoey does not like Anna. She hasn't from the start, two weeks ago. Even though Mommy told her to try, it don't work. Mommy should be taking me to Jazzy, not Anna.

"I no wanna go!" She steps back from the nanny. "Not with you!"

"C'mon Zoey. You don't wanna be late, do you?" Anna tries to slip the jacket on.

"Don' touch me!" Zoey slaps the nanny hard across her face.

"I'll go get your mother." Anna walks out of the room.

"Good!"

Zoey sticks out her tongue at Nikki. "What?"

Her sister stares at her with a sad face. Be nice.

Zoey opens her mouth to speak but Cloey, who's in the playroom, interrupts, "Zozo just mean."

"Am not! Anna don't need be here."

"Zoey," Mommy walks in, hand on her hip. "She's here because I asked her to be. You know this. Now get your coat on."

"I wan' Mommy to take me."

She squats to her level. "Mommy can't today. It's time for Mommy to teach class."

"Do later!"

"If I could, I would but it isn't fair to my students. Now be good or no ice cream for you."

"Ice cream?"

"Yes, ice cream."

"Okay," Zoey let's them get her jacket and shoes on. She's good with getting in the car and doesn't argue or yell the whole ride there.

Zoey loves how big the house is. The door could truly fit a giant in!

There's seashells that hang from the arch shape door. A treasure chest sits on the porch, open with shiny gold pieces inside. Some pearly necklaces rest on the edge of it.

Jazz changed it. Nikki looks over at Zoey.

"Yeah, she did."

Anna opens the door for them.

Zoey points to a painting on the cream colored wall. "Look!" The mermaid sits on a rock combing her long, curly hair.

There's fishies too! Nikki gestures to the dancing lights shapes like fish that cover the floor.

"Wow! Jazzy likes ocean."

Me too! 'Cept pirates, their mean. Like Hook.

"Hook ain't that mean. He silly!"

Anna finally speaks, a concerned look on her face. "Who are you talking to?"

"Sissy. Duh."

Zoey does not like Anna. She tried but still don't. Mommy should take us to Jazzie, not her.

"I no wanna go!" She steps back. "Not with you!"

Anna tries to slip the jacket on. "C'mon Zoey. You don't wanna be late, do you?"

"Don' touch me!" Zoey slaps her hard across the face.

The nanny's eyes widen as she gasps. "Zoey!"

She stares the woman down. "Don'. Touch. Me."

Annabelle stands up. "I'll go get your mother."

"Good!"

She walks straight back to the office. Zoey looks at Nikki then sticks out her tongue.

Nikki shakes her head. Be nice.

Zoey goes to say something but Cloey calls from the playroom. "Zozo just mean."

"Am not! Anna don't need be here. She not Mommy."

Mommy walks in, hand on her hip, wearing an angry face and, in a tone to match, says. "She's here because I asked her to be. You know this. Now get your coat on."

"I wan' Mommy to take me."

"How many times do I have to tell you? Mommy has kids to teach."

"Do later!"

"If I could, I would but it isn't fair to them. Now be good or no ice cream for you."

"Ice cream?"

"Yes, ice cream."

"Okay," Zoey pouts but let's them get her jacket and shoes on. She is good getting in the car and quiet on the drive there.

The big house has seashells hanging from the huge arch shaped door the size of a giant! A treasure chest sits on the porch, open. Painted shiny gold pieces dangle from inside.

Jazz changed it. Nikki looks over at Zoey.

Zoey shivers from the chilly air. "Yeah, she did."

Anna opens the door. Zoey points in front of her. "Look!" The redheaded mermaid combs her hair on a rock.

There's fishies too! Nikki gestures to the fish swimming along the walls.

"Wow! Jazzie likes ocean."

Me too! 'Cept pirates, their mean. Like Hook.

"Hook ain't that mean. He silly!"

Anna gives her a look of concern. "Who are you talking to?"

"Sissy. Duh."

"She didn't say anything."

"She did. In her head. Don' you know?"

Anna quietly watches the two for a moment. "Like telepathy?"

Before Zoey can answer, Jazmine comes into the room. She speaks with a woman, hugs her then turns to Zoey and Nikki.

"Who wants to talk first?"

"Me! Me!" Zoey runs over to her. "I wanna tell you about dis lady." She glances over her shoulder to Anna.

"Alright." She walks Zoey into a room on the right side. "How do you like the decorations?"

"The mermaid moves!"

"Yes. I wasn't sure if it would look good."

"I like it."

Jazmine pulls out a board game called Sweetland. "Good. So how have you been?"

Zoey sits on a little bean chair. "No good."

"Why?"

"Anna try to be Mommy. I no like."

"How does she do that?" Jazzie sets the game up, letting Zoey pick the red one.

"She gives us bath, dress us... Mommy make us food, but she need to give bath and dress us and wake us up."

"Where does your mom go?"

"She's in her room." Zoey draws a card. "Two purple." She moves the red gingerbread.

"What does she do in there?" Jazzie moves her own green piece.

"She say 'I teach kids'. But she no need dat."

"If she likes it, she should be able to do it."

"Then she can wif me," Zoey huffs, moving her piece again. "Two green."

Jazzie's smile makes Zoey angry and she reaches for the board. The counselor gently touches her hand. "No throwing things. Tell me what's wrong using your words."

"It not funny. Mommy no like us."

Jazzie frowns. "Did she say this?"

"Mommy no have to."

"Have you told her how you feel?"

"No. Mommy has Anna there. She don' want to be Mommy. She want Anna to."

"So you don't like her because she watches you while your mom works? Does she watch you all the time?"

"No... Only when Daddy work and brothers at school."

Jazzie continues the board game, moving the green piece in front of Zoey's red. "Then why not let her take care of you?"

"She not Mommy."

"Okay, well, I want you to tell your mommy how you feel, okay?"

"Tell me about the fishies!" She don't wanna talk about the nanny anymore.

They finish up their meeting mostly in silence. When it's Nikki's turn, she plays Pac- Man. Mommy takes them to get ice cream and, besides it getting everywhere, Zoey decides to be good. They go home and it's bath time. She tugs on Mommy's sleeve. "You give bath. Your room?"

"What do you say?"

"Please, Mommy, please?"

"Okay." She hands Anna two pajamas, leads Zoey into her bathroom and lets her put in the bubbles.

Zoey doesn't take time to strip. Mommy looks at her, eye brow raised. "The bath isn't done yet."

"I ready." She gets in with the warm water running.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, baby?"

"Do you like me?"

"What?"

"Do you like me?"

She puts some rubber ducks in the bath. "Of course I do."

"Then why hide?"

"I don't."

"You do a lot, Mommy."

"Again, I teach kids English."

Zoey squirts her with a duck. "English?"

Kina laughs a little, squirting her back. "Uh huh. People who live in other places don't know how to speak like us. So they hire people to teach them."

"Oh, but Mommy like me?"

"Zoey, I love you." She leans over kissing her forehead.

"Mommy, I don't want Anna to be Mommy."

"She isn't. She's more like... an auntie."

"Auntie?"

"If Mommy or Daddy had a sister."

Zoey's eyes widen. "Do mommy have sister?"

Kina tenses at the distant memory. "I used to, but we don't talk anymore."

"Why?"

"I don't know where she is."

"Mommy, watch this!" Zoey dunks the toy boat into the water, getting it everywhere.

Kina shakes her head. "You'll get the floor wet if you keep splashing."

"She didn't say anything."

"She did. In her head. Don' you know?"

Anna quietly watches the two for a moment. "Like telepathy?"

Before Zoey can answer, Jazmine comes into the room. She says bye to the woman and boy that came out with her and turns to the girls.

"Who wants to talk first?"

"Me! Me!" Zoey runs over to her. "I wanna tell you about dis lady." She rolls her eyes and pints to Anna with her thumb.

"Alright." Jazzie lets Zoey lead them into the children's room in the right hallway. "How do you like the decorations?"

"The mermaid out there moves!"

"Yes. I wasn't sure if it would look good."

"I like it." Zoey hums happily.

Jazzie pulls out a board game called Sweetland. "Good. So how have you been?"

Zoey sits on a little bean chair in front of the small white, hard, kids table. "No good."

"Why?"

"Belle try to be Mommy. I don' like it."

"How does she do that?" Jazzie sets the game up, letting Zoey pick the red one.

"She gives us baths, dress us, make breakfas' and lunch. Sometime dinner, too when Mommy don' come out. Mommy do it if I yell or throw things at Anna but she look at me mad. Then she say "Zoey Maddeline Heart, stop being mean to Miss Annabelle.' But I got to. She gotta go."

"You should be nicer to her. Where does your mom go when she's not with you?"

"She's in the office room." Zoey draws a card. "Two purple." She moves the red gingerbread.

"What does she do in there?" Jazzie moves her own green piece one yellow.

"She says she teach class. But she no need dat. She can teach me. Like the ABC's she did."

"If she likes it, she should be able to do it."

"Two green." Zoey huffs, moving her piece again. "No, she need to be with me and Sissy and Sis and when brother's and Daddy are home."

Zoey don't like the smile Jazzie has and goes to throw her gingerbread but Jazzie's gentle hand lowers it back on the board.

Jazzie's voice is kind. "No throwing things. Tell me what's wrong using your words."

"I don' like her not being there and I don' like you smiling. It not funny at all. Mommy don' like us."

Jazzie frowns. "Did she say this?"

Zoey shakes her head. "Mommy no have to."

"Have you told her how you feel?"

"No. It hard to when Mommy don' spend 'lone time wif me."

"So you don't like Miss Annabelle because she watches you and helps your mommy with caring for you kids? Is your mother always in her office room?"

"No... Only when Daddy work and brothers are at school."

Jazzie continues the board game, moving the green piece in front of Zoey's red. "Then why not let Anna help take care of you?"

"She not Mommy."

"Okay," Jazzie nods and sets her piece back one."I want you to tell your mom how you feel."

Zoey doesn't want to talk about this anymore and yells with excitement. "Tell me about the fishies!"

Zoey wins the game before the meeting ends.

By the time they get home after ice cream, the girls are a mess and it's bath time and Zoey wants Mommy to wash her.

She tugs on Mommy's sleeve after she gets the pull ups and jammies out. "You give bath in your room?"

"What do you say?" Mommy asks nicely.

"Please, Mommy, please?"

"Okay." She hands Annabelle the jammies for Cloey and Nikki and follows Zoey into her bathroom.

Zoey doesn't hesitate to throw her clothes off and dump bubble bath under the faucet.

Mommy looks at her, eye brow raised. "The bath isn't done yet."

"I ready." She gets in while the warm water runs and fills the tub.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, baby?"

"Do you like me?"

"What?"

"Do you like me?"

Mommy puts rubber ducks in the bath and Zoey's favorite toy boat and the squid. "Of course I do."

"Then why do you hide?"

"I don't."

"You do. When Daddy at work and brothers at school."

"That's not me hiding." Mommy shuts the water off when it gets half way. "I spend a few hours teaching kids how to speak English."

Zoey squirts her with a duck. "English?"

Mommy laughs a little, squirting her back. "Uh huh. People who live in other places don't know how to speak like us. So they hire people to teach them."

"Oh, but Mommy like me?"

"Zoey, I love you." She leans over kissing the her head.

"Mommy, I don't want Anna to be new Mommy."

"She isn't. She's more like... an auntie."

"Auntie?" Zoey tilts her head at this, not sure what that means.

"Like if Mommy or Daddy had a sister."

Zoey's eyes widen. "Do mommy have sister?"

Kina pauses her washing for a moment. "I used to, but we don't talk anymore."

"Why?"

She blinks back the tears brought on by the memories. "I don't know where she is."

"Mommy, watch this!" Zoey dunks the boat, splashing water.

"You'll get the floor wet if you keep splashing."

Thomas leans in the doorway. "Don't make Mommy take you out now."

Kina him over. "You're late, Tom..."

His smile doesn't reach his tired eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Daddy!" Zoey jumps out of the tub, making an even bigger mess.

He chuckles, picks her up and hugs her. "Hey, Princess Trouble. You all washed up?"

"No, Mommy told me story!"

"Yeah?" He glances at Kina. "I'll finish up here. You take a break, yeah? And tell Annabelle I'm sorry. Let her know she can come late Monday."

She nods and stands. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, just some trouble with staffing. Nothing to worry about, love. Go on, now. I got Zoey."

"Fine," Kina kisses the top of her daughter's head. "We'll talk later then."

Kina leaves the bathroom to check on the other children. Cloey and Nikki are still in the other bath tub, playing with the mermaid dolls. Kina watches them with love. Those two get along so well.

Nikki spots her. Mommy, what doing? Come wash?

"Tom came home." She sits on the floor by Annabelle. "You can go on out. I'll get these two ready for bed."

"It's alright." The nanny turns to her. "I can finish this up. You look tired."

"A little, but it's past your time off."

"That's okay. I'll finish washing them up."

Kina pours a little water on Nikki's head. "If you're sure... I'll check on the boys then. Connor's being a little too quiet." She gives a firm nod, kisses the girls on their head then exits to her son's room.

Connor has a small building made of legos in his hand. He holds it up, speaking to the air. "This is gonna be my magic shop. Cause one day, I'll be a famous magician!" He sets it next to a castle. "And I'll have a castle to live in too. With me and Nikki and Zoey and Cloey and Steve... Well, all the family. Plus Ginger and Jorjie."

"Connor?" Kina sits on his bed and leans forward, her brows furrow with concern. "Who are you talking to?"

He blushes deep. "I uh- was just telling- um... I was talking to Connie."

"Connie?"

"Yeah. She uh- she's my friend. And is there when I gots nobody to play with."

"What's she look like?"

"Me!" His face reddens even more. "But... a girl me."

Kina bites her lip, swallowing the lump in her throat. She sees the image in his head. Does he know? "Well, are you and Connie hungry?"

Connor stares at the spot next to him. "You want some dinner?" He smiles brightly with a nod. "Yes, please. Are sissy's done with their bath?"

"Almost."

In the midst of cooking dinner, Kina hears Zoey playfully scream from the hall upstairs. The other two girls already finished with their bath a half hour ago. It's not surprising, however, since Zoey hates leaving the tub.

The three year old runs into the kitchen in just a pull-up. "Mommy!"

Thomas runs behind her. "Zoey, pajamas, now."

"No!" She hides behind Kina who picks her up.

"Jammie time, missy."

Zoey's deep ocean blue eyes widen. "Trai'or!"

Despite herself, Kina laughs at her daughter. This is one of those moments when she should scold her but doesn't want to. Instead, while Thomas works on putting Zoey's feet in the onzie, she holds her tight. "Be a good girl, little princess or you will not watch a movie tonight."

Zoey wiggles as Thomas gets her feet in. "I no want jammie!"

He smiles though his face says he's not in the mood. God damn this child's getting on my nerves.

Kina shakes her head, bites her tongue and sets Zoey down. She gets her arms in then quickly zips up the pajamas. "Dinner's almost done, go to the playroom."

"Okay, Mommy." She runs off.

Kina turns away from Thomas. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," He pulls her into a hug and kisses her. "Are you okay?"

"Mhm." She gives him a dismissive wave. "I have to finish dinner. Go watch TV or something."

"I can help if you-"

"No."

He winces a bit as if she's hit him. "Alright, if that's what you wish."

"Go on."

He leaves her to it, his aura now a melancholic field.

After dinner's done and the children are in bed, Kina goes to the room in the front where Annabelle stays. She knocks on the door lightly. "May I come in?"

"Just a moment!" The nanny calls out.

"Okay," Kina waits there only a few moments before the door opens.

"Is something the matter?"

She hands the woman some cash. "Thank you for staying up with us."

"Not a problem. What's this?"

"Extra for the trouble."

"It wasn't any trouble at all. I'm used to the unexpected. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask, okay?"

Kina nods. "I will not. Thank you."

Annabelle squeezes her arm. "It's what I'm here for. Go on and get to bed."

She gives a small smile and heads back to her room. It's now almost 10 p. m.

Tom lays face down in the bed, exhaustion pours from his aura. Kina sits by him and rubs his back. "You okay?"

"Mhm." Let me sleep.

"That tired, huh?"

"Just a bit." He yawns. "We can still talk though like you wanted." Since you won't be quiet.

"And have you fall asleep on me?"

So annoying... is the last thought before he passes out.

Kina covers him up, her chest tightening. She kisses his head before she goes to the couch, pulls out the bed there and curls up. She lets the pain take over, the tears spill until she finally falls asleep.