I woke up today a bit late,because I stayed awake longer than usual yesterday night to work. After finishing my normal routine I went downstairs and headed to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. Today's Sunday and by checking the hour I assumed that Katherine,the nanny,had already arrived and Claire is,probably,showing her around.
"Good morning." I said once I reached the kitchen to Claire and the nanny.
"Good morning,Angy." Claire said.
"Good morning." the young nanny replied.
"Angy this is Katherine Anderson,the nanny and Katherine this is Angelica Morr my best friend who I told you about." Claire introduced.
"Nice to meet you Ms Morr." Katherine held out her hand which I shook.
"Same here Katherine." I smiled.
"You can call me Kathy."
"Well Kathy,this is pretty much everything you should know. You'll meet Adam once he wakes up,which is anytime now." Claire said.
"Can't wait to meet him." Kathy smiled brightly. She's quite cheerful.
"Well if you excuse me,I'll have to get ready since I'll go back to work tomorrow. I have a lot of things to catch up on to," Claire said. "I'll see you later."
My friend left the kitchen and I was left alone with the nanny. Katherine looked young and very happy. She had orange hair,light brown eyes,and freckles spread around her eyes and nose.
"You can go and unpack your things if you want,I can show you where your room is if you don't know." I offered.
"No it's okay,Ms Houston already showed me around." she smiled.
"Okay then,call me if you need anything."
Kathy nodded and took her stuff that were placed on the kitchen counter. After being left alone,I went to make myself the coffee. I drank it in the living room as I watched the news on TV. When I was done,Adam came down stairs.
"Hey buddy." I smiled.
"Morning,Angy."
"Somebody wants to meet you." I informed.
"Who?"
"Hold on,I'll go get mommy first."
I went to Claire's office,knocked on her door,and then told her that her son's awake. She got up and headed to the living room as I followed her,and then she called the nanny.
"Adam honey," she spoke gently to her son. "The hospital has been calling me a lot lately because they want me to go back to work. And since I can't leave you alone I decided to hire someone so they can look after you when I'm not around."
"Who?"
"Well,she's a nanny and she's very sweet. I'm sure you'll love her."
"What's a nanny?"
"A nanny is someone who takes care of and looks after you when I'm not around to do so."
"You hired me a new mommy? But I don't want a new mommy! I want you!"
"She won't be your mommy."
"But she acts like one."
"Adam,even if she acts like one and plays the role like one,she can never ever replace your mom. She only helps your mom to take care of you. But no one on Earth can replace a mother because God gave you one mother who loves you very much." I said.
"If you love me,why do you want to leave me with someone else?" he turned to Claire.
"I'm not leaving you with anyone,I'll never leave you. She'll only spend time with you while I work." Claire answered.
"Can't I go with you to work? I'll promise to be good."
"I'm sorry,baby,but you can't."
Adam looked at the ground sadly.
"Listen,I know you don't like this but you have to understand that I have to work so I can bring you all the pretty things you want."
"I don't want the pretty things if you're not around to use them with me."
"I will use them with you."
"No,you're just going to leave me alone like back then!"
"Back then was different."
"It's the same thing!" Adam began to cry.
"Adam,listen to me."
"I don't want to listen! I want a family not a nanny! If you want to hire a parent,then hire me a dad!"
"Adam I'm not hiring a parent!"
"Yes you are! You're hiring someone to do your job! At least the nanny would love me!"
"And who told you that I don't love you?!"
"If you love me,you'd stay with me not leave me alone and go work!"
"I'm working for you!"
"I didn't ask you to!" he shouted and then ran upstairs.
I looked at Claire who was quiet with no expression on her face.
"Claire?" I said softly.
"I'm okay." she replied quietly.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah,I just need to go out for a while." she headed to the front door.
"Where are you going?" I followed her.
"Ang,I just need some fresh air. I'll come back when I'm feeling better." she took her car keys and purse and then left.
I sighed and went to the living room.
Someone cleared their throat. I turned around and saw Kathy standing not knowing what to do or say.
"I'm sorry for what happened." she said quietly.
"It's not your fault,don't apologise."
"I don't mean to sound rude but why did Adam behave that way?" Kathy sat on the couch beside me.
"Adam is very attached to Claire."
"I've noticed."
"Yeah it's just that when Adam was born Claire didn't have a lot of financial support and she was still in college. She had to raise him all by herself until we moved in together in Los Angeles. Things got a little better but not by that much. We both had to work a lot,and move from one apartment to another. Sometimes we had to leave Adam alone all day long because we were working so we could be able to put him in school and pay the rent. Claire and I used to come back exhausted so we weren't able to be with him a lot." I started having flashbacks as I spoke. It was like hell,back then. Tiring long nights,running after people to get hired,living in bad apartments and bad streets. Everything was so hard.
"Claire missed out most of Adam's childhood and which adds up,the absence of his father. Sure Adam,never talked about this,but it effected him. He was always trying to catch his mother's attention back then. It was for this year and half when things got better. Claire is trying to make it up for Adam and catch up on his childhood. And Adam grew very attached to her and he started mentioning his father even more."
"And where is his father?"
"We don't like to talk about this subject a lot. It's better if you don't ask."
"Sorry."
"It's okay."
"But Adam is only seven."
"Adam may be young but he is very mature for his age. Trust me,children notice these things and get effected by them. Don't underestimate them."
Kathy nodded her head slowly as if to take in what she just heard.
"Don't tire your head with our problems,we're only asking you to take care of Adam."
"And I will,I promise I'll try to do everything I can to keep him happy."
"And that's what is needed. You can go now,if you want."
"Okay."
Kathy went upstairs. All day,my mind was thinking about Claire. I wonder where did she go? I stayed in my office all day long trying to keep myself busy with work but I was soon done and then returned to my endless thoughts.
3:07 pm. The clock read and Claire still hadn't come back. Adam hadn't came out of his room every since the fight so I went upstairs to his room to check on him. I knocked on his door but no answer came. I entered after a while and looked around but I didn't see him. I approached his bed and saw Adam under the sheets.
"Adam?" I whispered.
"Go away." he mumbled.
"We have to talk about what happened."
"I don't want to talk about what happened."
"I want to."
"Please,Ang just go away."
"I told you already,that I won't."
Adam looked at me and sat up straight.
"I know that we weren't able to be around before and that there were these times we've neglacted you,but we never ever stopped thinking about or stopped loving you for a mere second,especially your mom. She loves you Adam."
"Then why is she always leaving?"
"If she didn't work she wouldn't be able to get you food to eat or keep you in school or bring you toys to play with."
"But I want her."
"And she wants you that's why she's working. You won't understand how things work but when you grow up you will realize that everything she had done was for you. Hiring a nanny doesn't mean she doesn't love you. Claire wants to spend all day with you but she can't,and you should understand that."
Adam stayed silent.
"Do you think she's mad at me?" he asked.
"She couldn't even if she wanted to."
He didn't speak.
"Are you hungry?" I asked.
"No."
"You still haven't eaten anything. Come on,I'll make you lunch."
We went downstairs and I prepared spaghetti so Adam can eat. He ate his plate in silence as I watched him.
"Are you ready to meet the nanny now?" I asked.
After thinking for a while,Adam nodded his head.
I called Katherine. She entered the kitchen and looked at Adam.
"Hello,Adam." she smiled at him.
Adam just stared at her.
"Adam this is Katherine,your nanny." I introduced.
"Hello Katherine." he greeted quietly.
"You can call me Kathy."
Adam continued to stare at her.
"Well,Kathy there's spaghetti if you're hungry." I said.
"Thank you Ms Morr."
"Call me if you need anything."
I went to my office and decided to call Dylan.
The phone rang twice before he picked it up.
"Hello,angel." he said sounding happy.
Hearing his voice made me feel a little better.
"Hey Dylan."
"What's wrong?"
"Claire and Adam had a fight because of the nanny thing which lead Claire to leave."
"Where did she go?"
"I don't know,she said she'll return when she feels better. She had never done this before."
"Do you want me to come over?"
"You don't have to,if you don't want."
"I'll be right over." he said and then hung up.
Half an hour later,Dylan was outside,knocking on the door. I greeted him and we went to the living room to sit.
"I'm so worried about her,she had never done this before." I said.
"She needs a break from everything,Angela."
"Yeah but Claire has gone out for hours. She hasn't even called,yet."
"I'm sure she'll come back later in the evening,she'll come back for Adam."
"I hope you're right."
"Come on stop worrying,Claire is an adult and she can take care of herself." he said and then kissed my forehead.
"Yeah I know."
"Where's Adam,anyways?"
"He's upstairs. I introduced him to the Kathy."
"The new nanny?"
"Yup."
"And how did things go?"
"Okay,I talked to him and all and he accepted it."
"That's good." Dylan knows what Claire and I had gone through before becoming rich and how we had to neglact at certain times Adam,to work,and the chronical apartment moving. He practically knows everything about my selected family except how Claire got pregnant with Adam.
"Do you want to drink or eat anything?" I asked.
"No,I'm fine."
Adam came downstairs after sometime.
"Angy,is mom home yet?" the little boy asked.
"No,but she'll come back soon." I replied.
"Oh okay." he said disappointed.
"Hey Adam." Dylan greeted.
"Hello Dylan."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine."
I looked at Adam "fine" is clearly not what he's feeling now. It is ironic how we use this word when we are at our weakest or saddest as if to hide our emotions and feelings behind this tiny word. Fine,these days,holds several meanings beyond it's own;I'm not okay or nothing is going as I've planned or that I'm really tired of everything and I need a break. If we don't feel fine at all then why do we say this word? Maybe because it's easier to just say that we're doing okay than to explain why aren't we fine.
"You know? It's quite a hot day today,don't you think?" Dylan asked Adam.
"Yeah I guess." Adam replied unintrested in a weather conversation.
"Well on hot days like this,the best thing to do so you can cool down a bit is by eating some icecream."
"Yeah,icecream will be great now. Don't you think so Adam?" I said playing along in attempt to lighten up Adam's mood a little bit.
"Yeah it would be good. I think I'll go upstairs to my room,now." he said and then quietly walked the stairs.
I sighed as I watched him leave. Claire I really hope you are planning to come back anytime soon.
"He's really attached to his mother." Dylan commented.
"More than you think."