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  “What’s all of this?”

  “Consider it a reference guide.” She pulled it open to the first page. “This is Victoria’s weekly schedule.” I looked it over.

  “Are you serious? She has this kind of schedule?” Without taking my widened eyes from the daunting list, I shook my head.

  “Contact numbers for each activity and directions for horseback riding and ballet – everything else is here in the house.” Miranda pointed out each place on the next page.

  “This is a lot for a six-year old. When does she get to be a kid?”

  She shrugged. “This is how it is for upper class kids.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s crazy.”

  “I’ll say. Geesh. So, Saturday, what exactly does he consider educational and physical activities?”

  “Well, last weekend we went to the museum and to the zoo. I try to make things fun, but I also know Dr. Bishop wants a strict educational regimen.”

  “Why?” I studied her face for a reason. “Why is he so strict with her? She’s only six.”

  She shrugged.

  “I can’t say for sure, but it has something to do with her mother. I told you Victoria’s mother left them unexpectedly–that’s when I was hired on, remember?”

  “Yeah, but what does that have to do with—”

  “I can only assume it’s to keep her busy. Victoria doesn’t really remember her, and Dr. Bishop doesn’t speak of her, at all.” Then she eyed me sternly. “And trust me. You don’t want to ask about her.”

  I nodded with a shrug. It wasn’t my place to pry into his personal life.

  Three hours later we finished, and Benji called with an offer to take us to dinner. Miranda and I piled into her car. Benji brought a co-worker with him.

  “Sophia, it’s good to see you!” Benji pulled me into a large hug.

  “It’s good to see you too.”

  “This is my friend Lucas Gray. We work together. Lucas, this is Miranda’s friend I was telling you about, Sophia Ashwood.”

  Lucas extended his hand, and I took it. His handshake was a little limp, especially compared to Dr. Bishop’s vice-like grip. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “I figured it would be good for you to meet some other people in Seattle, besides just Miranda and me,” Benji warmly explained.

  The night was filled with good, easy going conversation, and Lucas was actually pretty nice. We exchanged numbers to keep in touch before I had to pry Miranda from Benji’s face so we could head back to the house.

  Once Victoria was showered and tucked into bed, Miranda and I shared the large bed…until the alarm screamed us awake at five in the morning. Groaning in unison, we rolled out of bed.

  Victoria’s room was just two doors down from the nanny suite, but first Miranda went downstairs and got Victoria’s things together for school and lunch. Before starting breakfast, she headed back upstairs to get Victoria ready.

  “Come on, Victoria, it’s time to get up.” Miranda nudged her slightly.

  Victoria moaned and covered her head. I had to stifle the humor I found in it.

  “Come on, girl. You want to make a good first impression on Sophia, don’t you?”

  Victoria’s head popped up from under her pillow, her curls full of frizz. She sat up in the middle of her bed and looked at me.

  “Hi,” she smiled, but there was something lingering behind her upturned lips.

  “Good morning,” I sat on the bed next to her. Miranda pulled out a school uniform and placed it on her bed.

  “You need to go get cleaned up and into your uniform, missy.” Rand helped her off the bed.

  Victoria hurried into her bathroom. I could hear the water and the sound of teeth being brushed. I looked around her room and took in the wall of dolls on shelves, the large white desk with a white bookcase next to it, and the large entertainment system. Miranda wasn’t joking when she said there was a lot of ‘stuff.’

  Victoria emerged from the bathroom with a hairbrush and a spray bottle, and Miranda cringed.

  “Here comes the hard part,” she groaned in a hushed voice. Miranda reached for the brush and bottle as Victoria turned around.

  After spraying her head thoroughly, Miranda brushed through her hair and Victoria’s face crinkled in pain. I saw tears form in her eyes.

  “I’m so sorry, Victoria,” Miranda said with a sad look on her face.

  “Oh heck,” I stood and grabbed the brush. I brushed through the tops of her hair where it wasn’t so bad and finger combed the rest of her hair easily. “You got any rubber bands or ties?” I asked without looking at Miranda and started braiding.

  “Here,” I could hear the relief in Miranda’s voice.

  Once we were finished, Victoria got her pajamas off and started to slip on her uniform.

  “Good job. It doesn’t look like she has one knot in her head,” Miranda breathed out in relief.

  “My mother had issues with my crazy thick hair when I was younger. We’ll condition her hair with detangle lotion tonight and then brush it all out.” I shrugged.

  “What about tomorrow morning?” Miranda smirked.

  “We’ll braid her hair before bed. Tomorrow it will be easier to brush when we take the braids out.” I winked at her. “Another mom trick.” I smiled and put the brush on Victoria’s dresser.

  Once Victoria was dressed, we made our way downstairs where Miranda fixed breakfast before we climbed into the car for the drive to school.

  “This is a Lexus,” I choked.

  “The SUV,” Miranda nodded with a slight shrug.

  “This is the car he provides?”

  “Mm-hmm,” she answered and pulled out of the driveway.

  “I’m terrified I’ll wreck it,” I sighed, and Miranda just laughed.

  It wasn’t a long drive to St. John’s Prep School. Black four door SUVs all lined up to the curb. Children in the same standard issue blue and green plaid uniforms slipped out from backseats. It was very reminiscent of a second-rate horror flick involving pod children I’d watched on the Sci-Fi channel once. I shuddered. Climbing from the car, I watched Victoria scurry into the school with some of her classmates.

  There were young women helping young kids out of the cars and into the school. I assumed they were all nannies. I shook my head at the thought of all of these children being raised by non-blood related persons, instead of their biological parents. However, there was one pregnant woman with a wedding band that was too “Jersey Housewife” to be a nanny. After a quick introduction, I learned that at least one mother interacted in the daily life of her child. She was also a friend to the Bishop family. Mrs. Wright assured me I would get to know her nanny eventually.

  We headed back to the house, and Miranda ran me through things I needed to do during the day. I would have a few hours in the afternoon to myself – writing would definitely be possible with this free time.

  The rest of the week went about in the same fashion, with a few minor changes. I took the time to get familiar with my new surroundings.

  Miranda introduced me to Mrs. Baker, the housekeeper. She didn’t live in the house but arrived every morning and left just before dinner most days.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I put my hand out after our introduction.

  “And a pleasure to meet you as well. If you need anything, you just let me know.” She welcomed me warmly and then devoted her attention to Rand. “I’m going to miss you, sweetheart.” She pulled Rand into a large hug.

  “I promise to call and visit as much as I can.” Rand crossed her heart.

  “You better.” Mrs. Baker patted her back and released her.

  We left Mrs. Baker downstairs and spent a couple of hours going over items in the binder. Then we left to pick up Victoria together for the last time. I had one question, which had been eating away at me during the week.

  “Rand, why haven’t we seen Dr. Bishop at all this week? Wouldn’t he want to check in on –”

  “When I said he won’t be much o
f a bother, I meant it. There really isn’t any interaction on his part. He works insane hours and travels a lot. Your main form of communication is the slot I showed you on his study door or the cell phone,” she sighed. “It’s sad, I know, but just think, you’ll be able to handle things without his interruptions.”

  “You knew the way he ignores her would bother me.” I watched as she cringed. “Why did you put the request in at the service for me to replace you?”

  She pulled over to the side of the road and twisted in the driver’s seat to face me.

  “Sophia, you are the most loving, carefree, yet responsible person I’ve ever met. I think Victoria needs someone like you in her life.” She dropped her head and knotted her fingers together in her lap.

  “Miranda…”

  “Sophia, she needs to live like a child once in a while, but I’m just…I’m not the one who can do it now.” She brought her eyes up to my face. “Remember Violet?” I nodded, my heart warmed at the memory of her. “She was so quiet and withdrawn when you first started caring for her at the beginning of the summer, but by the end she was so full of life.” She released a sigh. “I was so jealous of the effect you had on her and wished I could do that for Victoria, but –”

  “Miranda Murphy! You’re damn good with her and you shouldn’t doubt –”

  “I don’t doubt it,” she replied with a small smile. “I just wish I could bring Victoria out of the shell she lives in.”

  Unsure of what I could say next, I stayed silent. I think everything that needed to be said was already spoken.

  That evening, after Victoria’s Spanish lesson, we said goodbye to Miranda. Victoria’s tears continued, and I stayed in bed with her until she’d finally cried herself to sleep. After tucking her in, I picked up her clothes and dropped them in her hamper on the way out of her room.

  “Miss Ashwood?” His hard voice startled me. Dr. Bishop stood just at the top of the stairs.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “I take it Miss Murphy has gotten you up to speed on everything?” He raised his brow line.

  I nodded. “Yes, sir, she has.”

  “Good.” He paused and looked at his watch. “Is she well?”

  I furrowed my brow.

  “Victoria,” he explained. “It’s quite late, is she feeling well?”

  “Oh, um…yes sir, she’s fine, just upset at Rand’s…at Miss Murphy’s departure this evening.” I smiled, but as his eyes bore into mine, my lips faltered. A chill formed in the space between us.

  “I see.” His eyes didn’t leave my face.

  I fidgeted, something I hadn’t done since I was a kid. Needing to get away from the discomfort, I blurted, “Is there anything else?”

  He looked at me for a moment, and his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

  “No, good night.” He stiffened and headed toward his bedroom.

  Once I was in my room, I released a loud nervous breath.

  “Geesh, he’s intense,” I groaned and contemplated splashing lamb’s blood over my bedroom door.

  Chapter Three

  THE FIRST WEEK alone with Victoria was a challenge. I tried to keep to the routine Miranda had set for her, but I wasn’t Miranda. There were certain things I did differently, and Victoria definitely let me know she was not pleased.

  “I don’t get dressed in the bathroom,” she argued when I walked in with her clothes for school. “Miranda always lays them on the bed.” She marched out, stopping next to her bed with her arms crossed over her chest.

  “I know Miranda did things a certain way and you are used to that, but things will be a little different with me, okay?”

  All I got was a shrug as she pulled her clothes on over her head.

  “Alright, well, meet me in the kitchen while I go get –” She spun around with wide eyes.

  “Miranda always walked me to the kitchen.” Her words were a little harsh and demanding.

  I wanted to be sensitive to her situation, knowing she was acting out because of Miranda leaving. However, I wasn’t about to become a doormat for a six-year old.

  “If you would like for me to walk down with you, you can ask me nicely. If not, then I’m going to go start getting breakfast together so you aren’t late for school.” When she didn’t respond, I quietly left for the kitchen.

  I was in the kitchen for about five minutes when she trudged in, clearly unhappy. Biting back my amusement at her attitude, I slid a bowl of cereal in front of her with a banana.

  “Miranda always made me a warm breakfast.” There was a hint of whine in her voice, but mostly it was more of a “Miranda is better than you are” tone.

  Leaning my forearms down to the cool marble countertop, I stared at her until she finally met my gaze.

  “Well, if someone hadn’t argued with my time-saving ideas this morning then we would have had time for a nice warm breakfast, but…” I let my sentence die and focused on loading the dishwasher instead of her pouting. When I turned back around she was still staring at the bowl. “You’re going to be awfully hungry.”

  With a huff and a drop of her shoulders, she leaned over her bowl and picked up the spoon. The moment the bite went into her mouth her face crinkled up.

  “It’s all soggy,” she whined.

  “You shouldn’t have been so stubborn.” The swish of the dishwasher filled the following silence when I pushed the black button.

  That was the last we spoke until I dropped her off at school. When I offered her my hand to help her down from the backseat of the car, she snubbed me and “accidentally” stepped on my toe when she landed. Without looking back, she scurried off toward the school.

  The same daily routine continued throughout my first week as Victoria’s nanny. Getting up for school, disagreeing about breakfast, practicing words or math, being told how Miranda did things, dropping her off at school, and afternoons of homework. Following homework Victoria always had an activity scheduled: piano, ballet, horseback riding, Spanish, and karate lessons. The poor girl really had a whirlwind of a day.

  There wasn’t one moment – morning, noon, or night – during those first few days that Dr. Bishop was present. I didn’t even see him in my “Victoria-free” afternoons when I worked on my writing or visited with Mrs. Baker while making lunch and doing laundry.

  The craziness of her schedule and being without a mother were the main reasons I tried really hard to give her the time she needed to adjust to Miranda’s absence. She was used to her regimented life and the way Miranda had done things. I approached things differently, and she had a difficult time with the change. The situation had become frustrating for both of us, and the tension was growing out of control. Something had to be done, and without her father to discuss the situation with, I was left to resolve it on my own.

  Over ice cream at a local shop we hashed out the constant push and pull. We agreed that I was indeed a different person, which meant I wouldn’t always do things the way Miranda did. However, we also agreed to keep some of her ways in place. During the conversation, I realized this was a “trying not to forget Miranda” deal for her. With one more scoop of ice cream and a verbal promise to make plans with Miranda, I was sure progress had been made.

  The weeks following were much easier. We would lay out Victoria’s clothes on her bed, as Miranda had done with her, and she wouldn’t complain if I put the peanut butter on top of the jelly instead of the other way around.

  After receiving a phone call from Roberto stating he would not be able to make it for Victoria’s Spanish lesson that afternoon due to illness, I made mental plans, hoping our recent truce was still being upheld.

  I was standing at the gate, waiting for them to release the bundles of energy locked up behind those school doors. My excitement so high, I was almost dancing around. I couldn’t wait to tell Victoria my plans for the afternoon.

  “You must be the new Bishop nanny?”

  Pivoting to my left, I looked into beautiful, dark as night eyes set against dark ski
n that was framed with long straight black hair. I would guess she was Hawaiian. Her skin was so striking. Her only facial flaw was a four-inch scar on her chin, but it was so light I couldn’t truly call it a flaw. It was more like character.

  “Yes,” I replied, putting my hand out as I introduced myself. “I’m Sophia.”

  “Hi, my name is Ella. I’m the nanny for the Wrights, Albert and Rebecca. They are good friends with Dr. Bishop.” She definitely noticed how my eyes had been drawn to her scar for a moment. She gave me a knowing but friendly look. “Car accident,” she explained.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude.”

  “It’s no big deal. So, how is it so far?”

  “She had a really rough first week. She was pretty sad about Miranda leaving, but she has started to get used to me. Plus we call Rand at least once a week.”

  “Next time you talk with Miranda, tell her I said hello and she had better not have forgotten about me all ready,” she winked.

  “I will pass along the message.”

  Then the sounds of a tennis shoe stampede filled the air. The daily chaos of bows, hair, skirts, and backpacks everywhere. I spotted my little red head and smiled with a happy sigh.

  “I see Victoria.” I gave a small nod to Ella. “It was nice to meet you. I’m sure we’ll see each other around.”

  “Definitely,” she waved.

  “Come on, girlie.” Victoria’s head popped up at the sound of my voice. “It’s time to go home!”

  She ran toward me. I saw the mischievous gleam in her eye and knew what she was up to immediately. I put my arms out as she jumped up and wrapped her arms around my neck.

  “I got you,” she laughed.

  “Yes, you do.” I carried her to the car. “So, how much homework do you have tonight?”

  She shrugged.

  “Not too much, just some math,” she grumbled. Victoria had trouble with math. We worked on it every day. “I should have it done before Roberto arrives.”