Page 7 of Nanny for the Don

“Alright, ladies, it’s chow time!” I say, flicking off the TV. The girls give me matching pouty faces, clearly bummed thatBlueytime is over, but they’re quick to bounce back at the mention of food.

We head to the kitchen instead of the massive, fancy dining room that looks like it’s straight out of a magazine but never seems to get used. The girls plop down at the little table, legs swinging as they settle in.

The private chef, a tall woman in her late thirties with sleek black hair pulled into a tight ponytail and an air of effortless elegance, greets us with a warm smile.

“Tonight, we have lemon herb chicken with a side of three-cheese mac and cheese, and roasted asparagus,” she announces, her voice smooth and professional. She moves around the kitchen with the grace of someone who’s done this a million times.

Giulia tilts her head up at the chef, her big eyes full of hope. “Can we have nuggets instead?” she asks in the sweetest, most innocent voice.

The chef chuckles softly but shakes her head. “Not tonight, sweetie. Maybe another time.”

The girls sigh, but they don’t protest too much. As we all start to eat, I can feel Ms. M’s gaze on me, still not thrilled about the earlier kitchen chaos.

Thankfully, the girls immediately dive into conversation, their little voices full of excitement.

“Ms. M!” Giulia chirps, her fork waving in the air as she talks. “Did you know we saw a squirrel today? It was soooo fluffy!”

Lucia jumps in, not to be outdone. “And it had a big, bushy tail! It was bigger than my arm!”

Ms. M, still holding onto her stern look, softens a bit. “Oh really? And what was this squirrel doing?”

“It was eating a nut!” Giulia says, her eyes wide with the drama of it all. “And then it ran up the tree so fast, like zoom!” She makes a zooming motion with her hand, nearly knocking over her water glass.

Ms. M catches the glass just in time. “That does sound exciting.”

Lucia nods eagerly. “And then we tried to find more squirrels, but they were all hiding. Do you think they were playing hide-and-seek?”

Ms. M’s expression softens even more. “Maybe they were. Squirrels can be very sneaky like that. Not to mention, it’s winter. Squirrels usually stay hidden during this time of year – you’re lucky you saw even one.”

The girls giggle, clearly pleased with this idea. “Next time, we’ll bring them nuts, so they come out and play with us!” Giulia declares.

By this point, Ms. M is definitely smiling, and I can see the tension from earlier melting away. I can’t help but feel relieved as I watch the girls work their magic.

Maybe I’ll survive today after all.

When dinner’s over, I get the girls to bring their plates to the counter. “Good job, ladies,” I say, giving them a thumbs-up. They beam at me, proud of their small but important contribution.

Ms. M steps in. “The staff will handle the rest of the cleanup,” she says, her tone professional but not unkind..”

“Got it. Thanks,” I say, turning to the girls. “Alright, let’s head upstairs and get ready for bed.”

The girls scamper off, but just as I’m about to follow, Ms. M stops me with a gentle but firm hand on my shoulder. My blood runs cold, and my mind races.

This is it.

Ms. M gives me a steady look. “The safety of the girls and the house isn’t something to take lightly.”

I nod, swallowing hard. “I know. I’m really sorry about what happened. I’ll do better.”

But then she surprises me. “That being said, you did a great job with the girls today. They’re happy, and they had a good day. That counts for a lot.”

Relief floods through me, and I let out a breath. “Thank you, Ms. M. I really appreciate that.”

She gives me a small, approving nod. “Just be aware that Mr. Conti will want to discuss the matter with you.”

My stomach twists a little at the thought, but I nod again. “I understand.”

I head upstairs to join the girls, feeling a lot better than I did just a few minutes ago.

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