Page 79 of The Nanny is Off Limits

It’s been a week and Margot has barely spoken to me or her father. When she does, it’s only because Isla and SJ are in the room. She’s feigned a headache a few times and has even eaten in her room a few times which is why I’m shocked when one night after Isla and SJ are in bed she comes downstairs and into the living room and sits down on the adjacent loveseat. Rowan isn’t home from work yet so I assume she only wants to talk to me.

“Do you want to watch something?” I ask her, holding the remote toward her.

“You know I was twelve when my parents divorced,” she says and my extended arm lowers slowly. “That weird age when you understand enough on the surface level. I understood what a divorce was and that it meant my parents wouldn’t live together anymore. I couldn’t understand the whys of it all, especially because my parents hid their problems well. They didn’t fight in front of me…” She shrugs. “I didn’t feel the tension, you know? But again, I was twelve. But as I got older, I saw things differently on both sides. But still, I wasn’t that kid who wanted my parents back together. That was SJ. He was only six and he was the one who made that wish when he blew out his birthday candles or put it on his list to Santa Claus when he still believed in him. My mom seemed so much happier, especially when she met Pete…that was her boyfriend. I didn’t like him at first either. He was too…happy all the time.” She scrunches her nose. “It was so annoying, but my mom told me in so many words to get over it because he was sticking around.” She turns her eyes to me. “Are you planning…to stick around?”

“Would you hate it if I did?”

Her eyebrows pinch together and her lips form a firm line. “Don’t ask me that like I have a say in this.”

“No, but I would never want to be the reason for any kind of rift in a relationship. When Sawyer and Isla find out, they are going to look at how you handle this.”

“Isla adores you.”

“Sure, but not more than she adores you, Margot. You’re her only sister and in about two years, she is going to worship the ground you walk on even if she won’t always show it.”

“I won’t hate it. I just worry about you hurting my siblings…or my dad.”

I don’t miss that she doesn’t say anything regarding herself. “I won’t hurt them, Margot, but what about you?”

“I’ll be fine whether you stay or leave.” She shrugs non-committedly before she’s off the loveseat and I hear her footsteps retreating up the stairs.

“So, I was thinking…” Rowan starts as we sit on his patio. He has a fireplace out here as well, so it’s keeping us warm on this colder than normal November night.

“Oh? About what?”

“That you and I need a night alone.”

“I suppose we are due for another date.” I prop my elbow up on the back of the chair and rest my head on it.

“Yes, but how about one that’s overnight?” he says before grabbing my legs and draping them over his lap. I go to respond with a series of questions that he must expect because he continues. “River will come and stay with them.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier for them to just go to his house? How else will we explain both of us not being home if they’re here?”

“I was thinking we should tell SJ and Isla. Margot doesn’t usually stay over at River’s and I don’t want her staying here by herself or force her to make plans.”While she had been grounded for a few days, Rowan lifted her punishment to try and get her to open up, but she didn’t seem to care. She’s been home every day right after cheer practice like she’s still grounded.

I freeze because surely I hadn’t heard him correctly. “You’re ready to tell them?”

“Why not? It’s been a week and I’m not even a hundred percent sure Margot hasn’t told Sawyer.”

“I don’t think she has.”

“I don’t either, but I don’t know how long that grace period is going to last. I assume she’s trying to give us a chance to do it.” He rubs my cheek and gives me a smile. “They’re going to take it better than Margot is.”

I nod, knowing he’s right but still feeling apprehensive about it. “Okay, yeah, you’re right.”

“SJ is probably still awake. Do you want to tell him now and we can tell Isla tomorrow?”

I nod reluctantly because I really am nervous about telling them, but I do want to move forward and I’m tired of sneaking around.

When we get to Sawyer’s room, he’s awake, sitting up in bed, reading a comic book. He lowers it and looks at us over the top of it with wide eyes. “I didn’t do it, whatever it is.”

Rowan chuckles. “You know you give me more gray hairs than your sisters, kid.”

“You wouldn’t have me any other way.” He sets his comic book down whenRowan sits on the edge of his bed and I lean against his desk. He darts his eyes back and forth between us. “What? You guys are freaking me out.”

“SJ, we want to talk to you about something kind of important.”

“Okay…”He raises an eyebrow in that same way Rowan does making him look even more like his twin than usual.

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