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Ian’s touch on her skin riveted her attention to his hand for a few seconds before he released his hold. Her heartbeat kicked up a notch. In her previous nanny positions she usually dealt with the mothers, but since Ian was a single parent she would be working with just him. She’d never thought that would be a problem—until now.
“It’s part of my job,” she murmured then continued toward Joshua’s room next to Jeremy’s.
When Annie climbed the stairs to her apartment, she stopped on the landing and rotated toward the yard. She saw a few lights off in the distance. The cool spring air with a hint of honeysuckle from the bushes below caressed her skin. The sky twinkled with stars—thousands scattered everywhere.
Her first unofficial evening had gone okay. It reinforced she’d made the right decision to work for Ian McGregor, instead of one of the other five offers she’d received. The family needed her, even more so because Ian was a single parent. Her only concern was the man she worked for: he was attractive, intelligent and caring, all traits she at one time had dreamed of in her future husband. Now, though, she thought of herself as a modern-day Mary Poppins, going where needed then moving on before her heart became too engaged. No sense getting attached.
* * *
Annie kept an eye on the kitchen clock while she scrambled the eggs, expecting the kids and Ian any second. When she glanced at the doorway, she spied Joshua dressed in the clothes they’d picked out together this morning. Other than his tennis shoes on the wrong feet, he appeared ready to go to school.
“Good morning, Joshua. Are you hungry?”
He nodded and plodded to the table, evidently not a morning person. He usually talked a lot, but earlier when she’d gotten him up, he’d said only a handful of words by the time she’d left him to dress.
As she turned off the burner, Ian and Jeremy entered the room. Neither looked happy. “Good morning, Jeremy, Ian.” She set a platter of toast in the center of the table, then milk and orange juice. “Did you see Jade and Jasmine?”
Ian poured some coffee and settled into the chair at one end. “They were both supposed to be coming right away.”
“I’m here,” Jade announced from the entrance. She looked ready for school. “But Jasmine is still in the bathroom. She’s decided to put her hair in a ponytail.”
“I’ll go help her.” Annie placed the eggs next to the toast then started for the hallway.
“I tried. As usual, she didn’t want my help.” Jade plopped into the chair across from Jeremy.
Annie hurried up the stairs and poked her head into the doorway of the girls’ bathroom.
Jasmine yanked the rubber band from her hair. “Ouch!” She stomped her foot and glared at herself in the mirror. “I can’t do this.”
“I can.” Annie moved toward the child.
Jasmine whirled around, her lips pinched together. “No one can pull it as tight as I want.”
“Okay. Breakfast is ready. We leave for school in half an hour.”
“I can’t be ready by then.”
“That’s your choice. You know what happens when you aren’t ready.” She’d informed Jasmine when the girls woke up. Annie left, preparing herself for the next hour and the battle to come.
When she returned to the kitchen, everyone watched her as she made her way to the table.
“Where’s Jasmine?” Ian asked, finishing up his last bite of eggs.
“She doesn’t need my help, so I reminded her of the time we’re leaving for school.” Annie sat at the other end of the table. “Which, Joshua and Jade, is in thirty minutes. Seven forty-five.”
“I can’t tell time,” Joshua said as he stuffed a fourth of his toast into his mouth.
“I’ll tell you. And you’re ready except for brushing your teeth and changing your shoes.”
“Why?”
“Dork, your shoes are on the wrong feet.”
“Jeremy, that word is unacceptable.” Ian carried his dishes to the sink.
“Well, he is one.” Ian’s eldest took his nearly full plate over to the counter then stormed from the kitchen.
“I’m not a dork. I like my shoes like this.”
“It’s not good for your feet. Here, I’ll help you.” Annie slid from her chair and knelt next to Joshua.
Once she fixed the problem, Joshua jumped up and raced toward the hallway. “I’m gonna be first ready.”
“No, you’re not.” Jade quickly followed.
The sound of their pounding feet going up the stairs filled the house.
Ian came up behind Annie to help clear the dishes. “Ah, quiet. I’ve learned to cherish these moments. Is Jasmine going to be ready?”
“I don’t know. She had her dress on but no shoes, not to mention she hasn’t eaten breakfast.”
“I’ll be leaving right after you. I don’t know how long we’ll be at the doctor. He’ll probably run some tests.”
“How was Jeremy when he woke up this morning?” Annie hated seeing the concern and weariness on Ian’s face. She hated seeing what Jeremy was going through.
“Grumpy, which isn’t unusual, but when we talked about the seizure, I saw fear in his eyes. He rarely shows that. I tried to explain about what a seizure was, and he wouldn’t listen.”
“Denial. That’s understandable. When Becca, my friend at school, had seizures she fought it. Finally she learned to accept the situation. Being less stressed helped Becca lessen the symptoms.” Although she didn’t have epilepsy, Annie had been in her share of denial while recovering from her third-degree burns. And she’d been angry at the world, too.
“Do you think Jeremy knew something was going on?” she asked. “My friend had petit mal seizures for a while before she had her first grand mal. I’d find her staring off into space, but she just said she was thinking.”
Ian frowned. “It’s possible. He’s spent a lot of time in his room lately. I’d try talking with him, but he would just say his brother and sisters bothered him. I can remember going through a stage like that when I was a kid, so I thought it was that.”
“It might be.”
“It could explain some of what’s been going on.”
Annie caught sight of the clock. It wouldn’t do for the nanny to be late with the kids the first day on her job. Jasmine would never let her forget it if she didn’t leave on time. “I’ve got to go. I might have to get up earlier tomorrow instead of Jasmine.”
“I don’t know if I’ll be taking Jeremy to school today or not. It’ll depend on what happens at the doctor. I’ll keep you informed of what happens.”
“Don’t worry about the others. I’ll take care of them.” Annie went to the intercom and announced, “Time to go to school, everyone.”
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