Chapter 19 - The First Name
Six months passed.
The snow melted, and Chicago bloomed into a bright, warm spring.
The mansion was completely different now.
The heavy, dark curtains were open, letting sunlight flood the hallways.
Marcus and the Morettis were distant memories.
Maya had made a full recovery and had moved into her own apartment downtown, though she visited every Sunday for dinner.
I wasn't just the nanny anymore.
I didn't have a title, really.
I managed the house, I helped the boys with their homework, and I slept in the master suite at the end of the hall.
It was a Tuesday afternoon.
I was in the backyard, watching the boys play baseball.
Adrian was sitting next to me on the patio, holding my hand, typing emails on his phone with the other.
Suddenly, a loud crack echoed across the lawn.
Evan hit the ball hard.
It flew straight through the air, past Noah, past Caleb, and smashed directly into the kitchen window.
Glass shattered everywhere.
The yard went completely silent.
All four boys froze, staring at the broken window in absolute horror.
In the old days, they would have panicked.
They would have braced for screaming, or worse.
Adrian slowly put his phone down.
He looked at the broken window, then looked at Evan.
Evan swallowed hard, dropped the bat, and walked slowly over to the patio.
"I'm sorry, Dad," Evan said, keeping his head down.
"It was an accident."
Adrian didn't yell.
He didn't stand up to intimidate his son.
"I know it was, Evan," Adrian said calmly.
"Nobody is hurt. That's what matters."
"But it will come out of your allowance."
Evan's shoulders dropped in massive relief.
He looked up, a genuine smile breaking across his face.
"Thanks, Dad," Evan said.
Then, he turned to me.
"Can we have pizza for dinner tonight, Mom?" Evan asked casually.
The entire world stopped spinning.
Adrian froze.
I stopped breathing.
Evan didn't even realize what he had just said.
He just turned around and ran back to the grass to help Caleb find another baseball.
I put my hand over my mouth, tears instantly blurring my vision.
Adrian looked at me, squeezing my hand tight.
May you like
"Mom," Adrian repeated softly, a massive smile on his face.
"I think he's right."
