The Nanny- Bangchan

CHAPTER 18

A few days passed and Aera was feeling good about her decision to back off from Chan. He was trying to make it work between Jihye  and she seemed to be making a conscious effort to spend more time with the family. Felix was making frequent trips between there and Sydney, obviously concerned with what was going on with his best friend. And Minhee   didn't say anything else to Aera about Chan. She didn't feel good about what was happening, about being away from Chan, but she felt a bit of peace knowing she wasn't adding to the drama of his life anymore.

But unfortunately as she went into the kitchen that morning to feed her caffeine addiction, Aera had the pleasure of walking right into one of Chan and Jihye 's fights.

"I don't want to go to Brisbane, Chan. You convince me every year to drop everything and spend the summers at here Merlbourne. I don't want to be forced to go to Brisbane too," Jihye  snapped angrily at her husband.

"Forced? We haven't seen my parents and my siblings since Christmas, Jihye . The kids miss their grandparents, uncle and aunt," Chan argued, pleading with his wife. He sounded so submissive and it made Aera cringe.

"Chan, there's nothing to do there. It's in the middle of nowhere and I can barely get cell phone reception," Jihye  complained selfishly.

"Brisbane is not that far away , Jihye," Chan growled, obviously upset.

"And what do you suggest? That we ask Minhee and Aera to just pack up and come with us?" Jihye  questioned, looking at Chan incredulously. Aera froze in apprehension. Go to Brisbane with them?

"Yeah, why not?" Chan asked evenly.

"Oh! Aera! You can settle a dispute we're having," Jihye  proposed, spotting Aera out of the corner of her eye, waving her over.

"Uh..." Aera stammered, slowly walking toward them.

"Jihye , this is between us," Chan growled through gritted teeth, his back to Aera.

"No, no. Aera, how inconvenienced would you be if we just packed up and flew all the way to Brisbane? I mean, that's crazy, right? It's like halfway around the city. And the cell service... ugh," Jihye  rambled on. And even though Aera couldn't see his face, she noticed Chan was pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration because of his wife.

Aera's insides tightened with reluctance – about going with them to Brisbane – and annoyance – because of how disrespectful and rude Jihye  was to her husband.

"Uh..." Aera was at a loss for words. A moment later, Chan finally turned to look at Aera, his expression apologetic.

"Aera, you don't have to be a part of this. We're done discussing this... for now, Jihye ," Chan stated sharply, turning back to Jihye .

"I'm not going to Brisbane, Chan," Jihye  huffed, folding her arms across her chest.

"Fine, whatever. Nothing I want ever matters to you," he growled, throwing up his arms in defeat. Aera felt incredibly uncomfortable standing there with the two of them.

"Chan, I am committed to this family, okay. I have been cutting down on my work – for you. I have been spending time with the kids – for you. And now you're trying to get me to fly off to the middle of nowhere. I'm sorry, no," Jihye  argued, putting her foot down.

"Aren't mothers supposed to want to spend time with their kids?" Aera blurted before she got a chance to stop herself. Both Chan and Jihye 's heads snapped in her direction.

"Excuse me?" Jihye  asked, furrowing her eyebrows at Aera.

"You said you're spending time with the kids for Chan. Aren't you supposed to do it for you and the kids? To build a stronger bond between you and your kids? I mean, that's the point of having children, right? To want to be a mother? Want to raise them? I've spent countless hours with Jaehyun and Areum, and I couldn't imagine – if I were you – I couldn't imagine not wanting to be in their lives. They are amazing kids. And I just feel like you're missing out on that, Mrs. Bang, and you don't even realize it. And you're missing out on your marriage because you're never here – because you're always upstairs on the phone. I don't understand it," Aera ranted without a filter.