The Unfolding ✔

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE.

(Ava's Pov)

"Where will you live now?" 

"My house. It's an apartment I share with my friend, Sasha."

"How will you get there? You might get lost."

"I'll take a bus or walk." My lips curved into an amused smile. "And I won't get lost. My phone has a map on there, it can lead me home."

"You never know..." I heard Mason mumble. I suppressed a laugh.

"Who will play with you, Nanny Ava? You'll be all bored and lonely." Aria asked in a rushed voice. My heart clenched.

"There won't be time for playing. I'll be studying." I answered, unable to stop the smile from slipping onto my lips. "And I have Sasha, she'll be there. I won't be lonely."

It was two o'clock in the afternoon. The children and I had just sat and ate our last lunch together, before they followed me upstairs to watch me pack the remainder of my belongings. I had broke the news to them last night and told them I would be returning back to my old life, but that only led for me to receive a load of curious questions from them all. I was now answering them all, pushing any pain I felt away.

"Anymore questions?" I glanced up from the suitcase at them, all of them frowning back at me. I wished nothing more than for those frowns to curve upwards and into smiles. But I knew getting them to smile would be a long shot with our situation.

"I have one," Aria whispered sadly. 

My heart hurt. "What is it, sweetheart?"

She sighed, sadly peering up at me before she asked me.

"Why are you going, Nanny Ava?"

And there it was, that question I was expecting to hear from either one of them sooner or later. I wasn't surprised to find Aria being the one to finally ask me it. I know they were all wondering the same thing.

A soft sigh left my lips and I made sure to zip up my suitcase properly. I then walked over to where the three frowning children were sat, at the edge of my bed. I sat down in the middle of them and threw my arms around them, giving them that closeness we all needed that moment.

"I'm going because summer is over and that means school is open," I softly told them. "I'm in college and this is my last year. I need to go back and learn new things, just like you do. How else will I know things?"

"But you can still be our nanny and go to school." Aria quietly suggested. "You don't have to leave."

I swallowed, rubbing her arm. "I can't, sweetheart. I'm sorry... And who says I won't be your nanny and won't come to visit you?"

Aria instantly shook her head at me. "You can only be our nanny if you're here to take care of us all day... and you won't come to visit. You'll just forget about us."

A frown crept onto my lips.

"I will not forget about you, sweetheart." I squeezed Mason's shoulder. "Or Mason... or special little Drew."

His green eyes were sadly staring at me, clear tears pricking them. My throat churned at the sight, the sudden realization of me not being able to see these three precious children on a daily basis hitting me. I had to suppress a sudden sob awaiting to leave me.

Swallowing, I pulled them in a little closer to me, placing a kiss on Drew's head. He curled himself into me, resting his head on my chest.

"Is that really why you're going?" Mason lowly asked. A sigh left my lips and I furrowed my brows.