Chapter 1
Stefan
I looked up at Sam and Julia standing on the balcony of their bedroom and gave a small wave.
“I’m hungry, Dad.”
“Me too, baby girl. I think we’re done with this sandcastle. What do you think?”
She stood up from the sand and with a swift kick of her foot, she knocked it down.
“I don’t like it.” She turned and headed back to our house.
Sighing, I stood up, dusted the sand off me and followed her.
It had been three weeks since Nanny Kate left, and my not-so-sweet anymore nine-year-old daughter hasn’t handled it very well. The new nanny I hired last week had a few choice words for me one night when I arrived home from work. She told me my child was unbearable, misbehaved, and in need of a good reform school. Before I could toss her ass out of my home, she quit.
Back to square one.
Lily was a good girl. I’d go as far to say she had abandonment issues, which was understandable. Her mother dropped her off at my house when she was three and never returned to pick her up. Now, Nanny Kate had become ill and had no choice but to move to Maryland for medical treatment. But I would be damned if I’d let my daughter’s issues control her life like mine did.
“What say you, brother and little niece,” Simon spoke as he walked through the door.
“Hi, Uncle Simon,” Lily said in a somber voice as she looked at him.
“Hey.” I gave him a nod. “Grilled cheese?” I held up the bag of bread I took from the pantry.”
“Sure, bro. Just don’t burn it.” He went over and tickled Lily and she pushed his hand away.
“Stop, Uncle Simon.”
“Yes, ma’am.” His brows furrowed when he looked at me.
“Hey, Lily? Why don’t you go clean up your room and I’ll call you when your grilled cheese is ready?”
“I don’t want to clean up my room!”
“Do you want me to have your Uncle Sam come over here?”
She stuck her tongue out at me as she walked out of the kitchen.
“Bro, what the fuck? Are you going to let her get away with that?”
“She’s hurting right now, Simon.”
“I know she is, but she can’t behave like that. Any prospects for a new nanny yet?”
“I haven’t looked since I fired that wretched woman.”
“You mean since that wretched woman quit?” His lips formed a smirk.
“No.” I pointed at him with the spatula I held in my hand. “I fired her.”
He let out a chuckle. “If you say so.”
I took the grilled cheese sandwiches off the griddle and called Lily to come and eat.
“Did you clean up your room?” I asked.
“Sure, Dad.”
“Thank you, baby girl.” I kissed the top of her head as I set her grilled cheese in front of her.
“You burnt it.” She scowled.
“No. I didn’t. Now eat your lunch.”
“Yes. You did!” she yelled as she picked up her sandwich and threw it across the table.
“That’s it!” I yelled. “Get to your room and don’t come out until I tell you to!”
She got up from her chair and stomped all the way to her room. Then the slamming of the door happened.
I sat down at the table and ran my hands through my hair.
“I don’t know what to do, Simon.”
“Therapy, bro. You need to get her some help to cope with this situation.”
“Like I already told Sam, I’m not sending my kid to a shrink. She’ll be fine.”
“Then you’re just going to have to deal with it. Thanks for the grilled cheese. I have to get back to the station. I’m here if you need me. We all are.” He patted my back before leaving.
After I cleaned up from lunch, I opened the door to Lily’s room and stepped inside.
“Go away. You’re mean!”
“Come on, baby girl. You don’t mean that.” I sat down on the edge of the bed. “Listen, Lily, I know you’re upset about Nanny Kate. I am too.”
“I miss her, Dad.”
“I know you do. So do I. Come here.” I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into me. We’ll get through this, but I need you to help me out. Deal?”
“Okay.” She nodded.
I pressed my lips against the top of her head.
“Thank you, Lily.”
Three Days Later
I was sitting in Sam’s office on a conference call when my phone rang. Pulling it from my pocket, I let out a sigh.
“I have to take this,” I mouthed as I held my phone up.
He gave me a nod and I walked out of his office.
“Hello.”
“Mr. Kind, this is Anna Lucas, Lily’s teacher.”
“Hi, Miss Lucas.”
“When you come to pick Lily up from school, I need to speak with you.”
“Okay. What’s this about?”
“We’ll talk when you get here. Just come right to the classroom.”
“I’ll do that. Thank you.”
When I walked back into Sam’s office, he had already ended the conference call.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
“That was Lily’s teacher. She said she needs to speak with me when I pick Lily up from school.”
“I thought Julia was picking her up today?”
“Shit. That’s right. I’m going to have to. Can you give her a call for me and tell her?”
“Yeah. I will. Simon told me what happened the other day with the grilled cheese. I really think—”
“Sam.” I put my hand up. “I don’t want to hear it. She’ll be fine. I had a talk with her.”
“She’s a kid. She’s going to say anything to get you to shut up. Just like we used to do with our parents.”
“She’s just going through a tough time.”
“And so are you.” His brow raised.
“Man,” I shook my head, “how did Mom and Dad do it with the four of us?”
“I have no clue. We weren’t perfect angels either.”
I let out a sigh. “I need to catch up on some paperwork before I have to leave. I’ll talk to you later.”
Chapter 2
Stefan
After parking my car, I stood outside with the other parents and waited for the bell to ring before going inside.
“Hey, Stefan.” Maddie’s mom flirtatiously smiled like she always did.
“Hey, Reece. How are you?”
“I’m great.”
“Hi, Stefan.” Dylan’s mom grinned as she walked over.
Before I knew it, I had five moms standing around me with smiles on their faces.
It didn’t bother me at first because I didn’t pick Lily up that much when Nanny Kate was around. But now that I picked her up every day, it was annoying.
The school bell rang and as the children exited through the main door, I made my way inside and down to Lily’s classroom.
“Mr. Kind, thank you for coming in.” She smiled. “I sent Lily to the art room while we talk.”