Nanny: Aubrey Returns

Part 2: History

"Aubrey?" Darcy got nanny's attention. The oldest Styles' daughter asked if she could start calling her something else besides nanny. It didn't seem appropriate due to her age and how Aubrey felt more like family. Aubrey didn't object to the change.

"Yes?" She was currently folding some laundry.

"My mum, Selena, will be here soon to pick up Marie. She'll have her weekdays. I'm sure papa told you, already. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't awkward or anything."

By the voice of concern Darcy expressed, Aubrey looked at her. Was there a reason she should be worried? Had something happened in the weeks she's been here? Surely, Aubrey didn't do anything. She hasn't been here when Selena came for Marie except today would be the first.

Aubrey left the laundry, knowing this was a topic of discussion to be held now. It shouldn't be ignored. Darcy needed to get this off her chest.

"I'm aware your mum is coming over for Marie. But is there a reason you're concerned?" Aubrey didn't understand why Darcy was concerned. Her and Selena never had any problems before. But then again they hardly held a conversation when she came to visit the children.

Aubrey only held brief conversations with Harry and Selena in those ten years she was gone. Mostly about the kids or when she'd visit them. Whenever she visited she would stay out of the couple's way and stayed in a hotel. The children practically living with her those days. Aubrey respected Selena and therefore tried avoiding contact with Harry. It felt like it was the right thing to do at the time. Selena would've done the same if the situation was reversed.

"I don't know. Okay, maybe it's weird for her to see you here. Last time you spoke properly was thanksgiving ten years ago. I don't want both of you to be weirded out. Mum told me about you and papa. You kinda had a thing and that's why you left." Darcy tried to shrug it off as if it was nothing. It was clear it bothered Darcy or else she wouldn't be saying anything.

"You're dad and I? He's not the reason I left. I thought was in love with someone else. And I left thinking it was the best. Not because of your dad or you kids. I made my choice and I was happy with it." Aubrey didn't regret her decision. After all, it wasn't for nothing. Everything happens for a reason.

"Then why didn't you marry the doctor? Ashton, right?" Darcy couldn't help but be curious. She was just the same old Darcy. Always filled with questions that never ceased her curiosity.

"I didn't marry Ashton because he and I didn't have the same vision for our future. He wanted to travel the world which was fine but I wanted to have kids. He said eventually which for him it meant he would think about it. That's not what I wanted. And I thought we had gotten over a bigger hurdle than that. It didn't work out.

"That's why I didn't marry him. We wanted to but in the end, I guess, we didn't want to settle for half a life. I didn't want to think maybe one day we'd have a kid. He didn't want to stop his traveling. And I know one day he'll change his mind. Maybe he already did but I couldn't afford to think like that. There were other factors." Aubrey sighed. She tried not to get choked up.

"Your first child?" Aubrey nodded. Darcy felt horrible reminding her of it.

"Losing a child is never easy. But that's what changed everything. It hurt because he didn't want one until we lost ours. It happens." Nanny began folding up the clothes again. It still pained her when she thought of the miscarriage.

"You're having a baby now. You're close, Aubrey. I know it doesn't make it better but you got to be happy." There was nothing Darcy could say to make it better.

"It was a struggle. A miracle. Out of the seven years we were married, I think, we tried for four years. And we were about to give up and then it happened." Aubrey smiled.

She had somehow defied the odds. After her miscarriage she had been told it would be hard to get pregnant and if she did carry that it could possibly end in miscarriage. Michael had taken such good care of her. Going above and beyond to make sure they would have a child by the end of nine months.

Now, he wouldn't get to meet his son. How he was happy when the doctor said it was a boy. He hugged the doctor and kissed Aubrey about a million times that day.

It took only one night, one moment for her husband to get killed. Michael was too kind. A man is behind prison bars for life because he shot her husband along with two others.

"Thinking about it?" Aubrey nodded. Darcy side hugged her.

After some time Aubrey began to fold the clothes. Darcy by her side helping her. They were silent but one questioned remained in Darcy's head. Aubrey tried to think of the good things she had. Listing them would remind her why she still was here.

"Do you think if you stayed, that you would be with papa?" Darcy dared ask.

"What?" She wasn't sure if she heard right. It seemed like she was always distracted or confused.

"Do you think you would be with papa, if you stayed? Yes or no?" Darcy needed to know. She always had the feeling that they should've been together. That both, her papa and Aubrey, would've suffered less.

"Maybe." Aubrey looked down. "It think we'd settle for each other. We had normalcy. Not based on love. If I'm telling you the truth, I don't think we would've lasted as long as he did with Selena."

"She was great. There was times I could see where you'd be better. Mum tried her best. That's all you can ask for."

"They loved each other. Just because they aren't together doesn't mean that they didn't. They were strong enough to see it wasn't working out and doing what was best for all of you." Aubrey could see that Darcy was affected by the separation. "One thing I learned, that you can be any age and be affected by the actions of others but it doesn't mean it had to do anything with us. Right now, you may not understand but one day you will."

"Is it some bullshit adult advice?" Darcy half smiled. No energy for sarcasm.

"You can take it as bullshit advice. I said the same thing at your age. I didn't believe what I didn't want and what I believed in turned out to be superficial. Slowly we start opening our eyes."

"Then I suggest you open your eyes. Mum left papa because he realized too late that he let you go." Darcy kissed Aubrey's forehead leaving her alone to finish folding the laundry once the doorbell rung.

Once again she would find herself in a roller coaster of emotions. One she wasn't ready for. Why couldn't things be simple for once?

"Aubrey? Thank, God! Have you seen Marie's favorite teddy?" Harry asked.

"It's in the drying machine." Aubrey smiled as if she didn't know anything.

"You're an angel." Harry sighed contently. He pressed his lips on her forehead. She felt his hands which held her head for that quick second it took to kiss her forehead. "It's like you never left." He complimented as he walked over to the laundry room.

Aubrey didn't say anything. She only hummed in agreement. A history was beginning to repeat itself, she thought. Where there's history, there's bound to be a repetition. History always has that tendency to repeat itself. Just look at a history book.

{a/n}
January 8, 2017

Second part up. I think it's going to be a little more than the four parts I thought it would take to end this story.

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