God.
“Here, I made these.”
She shoves a plate of sandwiches and cakes at me. I take it, balancing Star with one arm, and turn, walking back to the playroom.
The door is closed when I get back, and I can’t exactly open it with both of my hands full. I have no doubt they did that on purpose.
I place the plate on the ground and reach for the door when I hear their voices echoing through.
“Can you believe what she’s wearing? Delilah is really evil, but I love it.”
“Oh, god, I know. She probably told her that dress was expensive. She didn’t tell her it was in the bin outside because nobody wants it. It’s so fucking ugly.”
“She must really hate her to put her in that. The best part is she doesn’t even know.”
My face heats as horror fills my body.
Of course Delilah didn’t buy me a nice dress. I was right, nobody in their right mind would wear something this ugly. She did it on purpose, she wasn’t being kind, she was being a low life bitch.
“Can you believe she hired such a poor nanny? It’s gross.”
“I think that biker made her. He probably beats her.”
“Oh, he so would. Disgusting.”
I take a deep, shaky breath, and twist the doorknob, opening the door. I reach down for the plate of food and act as if I didn’t hear anything. I force a smile as they all stare at me, one of them snickering to herself. I place Star down and walk over, stretching out the plate of food. Then, I empty the lot of it on the girl closest. Her perfect white dress is immediately covered in pink frosting and slices of luncheon.
“Oh my god, you bitch!” she shrieks, launching out of her chair.
“Ooops,” I say, acting genuinely shocked. “So sorry, I am so clumsy.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” one of the other girls hisses.
“Please refrain from swearing in front of the babies, I’m sure their moms wouldn’t appreciate it,” I say sweetly.
“You did that on purpose!”
I look shocked. “Me? I would never. I tripped.”
“On what?” she shrieks as she starts trying to frantically rub the icing off her dress.
“Oh, probably this hideous dress.” I smile sweetly.
They all pause and look at me.
I lean in close. “If you think I’m going to let a bunch of stuck-up women like you dictate how I feel about myself, you’re wrong. You might think you’re better than me, but you’re still shoved in this playroom because you’re not good enough to be out there with the big girls. You messed with the wrong girl.”
Eyes widen all around.
“You’re going to pay for this.”
I shrug. “I can’t wait.”
I scoop up Star and pull off her headband, tossing it onto the ground as I walk out of the playroom.
I’m done here.
Fucking done.
“WHAT IN THE ALL-TIME ugly mother fuckin’ dresses is that?”
I’m sitting out in the yard where I came to hide after the drama inside. As yet, Delilah hasn’t come outside so I assume she thinks I’m still in there, or she’s waiting for her friends to go before she comes and tears me a new one.
Hugh is standing behind me, leather jacket on, looking like a god damned edible snack. I’m allowed to think that, because fuck Delilah.
She can eat a dick.
Star is on the grass in front of me, babbling away to herself, the shade of the tree making sure she doesn’t get burned by the sun.
“Your lovely girlfriend got it for me. Turns out, she didn’t do it because she’s a nice person, she did it to make me look like the piece of trash she thinks I am. Those stupid nannies made sure I learned just what I mean to your precious woman.”
“What?” he growls.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It fuckin’ matters, Maggie. Can see you’ve been cryin’, stand up.”
I blink slowly. “What?”
“Stand up.”
“I ...”
“Now.”
Okay then.
I stand, reaching for Star as I do. Hugh reaches over and takes her from my arms, surprising me as he presses his mouth to her cheek, closing his eyes for a second. God damn if that doesn’t make my heart do silly things. When he’s done snuggling his baby, he turns and orders me to follow him.
“Oh, no, Hugh. We’re not ...”
“Move, Maggie.”
Shit.
He walks into the house, his presence so strong it makes me terrified for what’s about to happen.
He walks right up to Delilah and her friends, causing them to pause mid conversation. Delilah flushes as she stands, and the confusion in her face is real. “Ah, Hugh, what are you doing here?”
“I fuckin’ live here, Delilah.”
Her cheeks grow red. She looks to me. “Maggie, why aren’t you in the room with the other nannies?”
“Because she’s a fuckin’ human being who doesn’t deserve to be tossed into a fuckin’ room, and because those bitches in there made her cry.”
Oh, dear.
Delilah acts like she’s confused. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Hugh.”
“You dress her in this hideous fuckin’ dress?”
He jabs a finger toward me.
Delilah’s face reddens. “It’s an expensive dress, Hugh. It was a gift. She looks lovely.”
One of her friends snickers, leaning her perfect hip against the lamp table as she watches the drama unfold.
Hugh turns on her like a god damned hurricane. If you could see fire, it would be roaring out of his ears. “You better sit the fuck down and shut your god damned mouth because you’re not too rich for me to put you out on your ass.”
Her eyes widen and her mouth snaps closed. She sits down.
Delilah gasps. “How dare you speak to Sammi that way. Can we take this outside?”
“No, we’re goin’ to leave it right here. Tell me where you got the dress.”
Delilah shrugs. “From an expensive store in town.”
“Liar,” he growls. “Tell me where you got the dress.”
Her cheeks go red. “I swear, Hugh, I bought it for her. I don’t know what you heard, but I did. I have the receipt. I promise you. I wasn’t trying to be horrible.”
She’s lying.
But she’s good at it.
“You picked the ugliest damned dress you could to make her feel stupid.”
“I didn’t, I swear,” Delilah says, turning to me. “Maggie, I’m so sorry. If you hated it, you should have told me.”
“The other nannies told me you got it from a bin outside the store,” I say, my voice shaky.
“They what?” she gasps, hand to her chest. “Get them out here, now.”
Sammi stands and rushes in to get the nannies. Within minutes, they’re out here.
“Did you tell Maggie that dress was from a bin?” Delilah demands, her act really strong, I’ll give her that. “Remember, if you lie to us, you’ll be without a job.”
They all squirm. “We did, but ... we were just joking.”
God.
The power these women have over everyone they come in contact with.