Page 28 of 7+Us Makes Nine

“What kind of monster are you painting me to be to them?” she snarled.

“Get in the car and drive off. I won’t tell you again.”

I guided her around to the driver’s side of her car as Dmitri stood on the porch. He looked helpless. Heartbroken. He longed for him mother. I knew he did. Dmitri always had a special connection with Anya. One I never quite made with him. I helped Anya into her car as tears rolled down her cheeks, then I quickly made my way up to the porch. I scooped Dmitri up into my arms and carried him back into the house, shutting the door behind me before Ivan and Michaela could see what was going on.

“Why does Mommy look so sick?” Dmitri asked into my neck.

I could feel his tears and it broke my heart.

“Because she is sick,” I said. “But I’m trying to help her get better.”

“Is that why we can’t see her? Because we’ll get sick, too?”

My jaw trembled as I walked him over to the couch in the living room.

“I’m not scared you kids will get sick,” I said. “But I am scared that Mommy’s too sick to be the Mommy she can be. But I promise, the second she gets better Mommy will come see you. Okay?”

“I miss Mommy,” he said with a whisper.

I held my son close as I rocked him side to side on the cushions of the couch.

“I know you do,” I said as I kissed the top of his head. “I know.”

Ten

Catherine

After getting breakfast with Emma, I spent the day roaming around San Francisco. Jace had given me the day off to go explore the city and take some time to myself. Not something I expected when I took this job. But I still found some things to do with my spare time. I took in a movie I wanted to see. I got a snack at my favorite bakery. I walked through some shops and picked up some things I needed. Like a new book to read and some toiletries I was running low on. I even bought myself a couple of new outfits. It felt nice, having money to spend on myself. So I pampered myself a little bit. I got a pedicure. Trimmed up my nails. Went and got my hair deep conditioned and had the split ends cut off.

It had been years since I’d treated myself so well, and it felt nice.

The great thing about my room is that it had its own side entrance. I could drive right up to the side of the house, park my car next to the door, and use my own key to unlock it and walk straight into my room. Most people found a door that close to their sleeping area unnerving, but I enjoyed it. It made coming and going from the house easier and made me feel a little more independent as a live-in nanny.

Once the sun began to set, I made my way back to the house. I picked up a bottle of wine to enjoy for the evening, and even bought the special glass that came along with the wine. Maybe I could start collecting wine glasses now that I had the money to do so. Was wine like beer? Beer had different mugs and steins and glassware that came with the brew. Maybe wine was the same way.

The financial freedom I had was mind-boggling to me.

I pulled up to the side of the house and dropped my stuff into my room. Then I grabbed the bottle of wine and made my way into the kitchen. I expected to have to put the kids down for bed before I was able to enjoy it, so that would give the crimson red wine a little while to decanter.

But the house was eerily silent.

“Jace?” I asked. “Are you here?”

“Yep.”

There was something in his voice that made me worry. And the fact that the kids were down before sunset meant something didn’t go well. I left my bottle of wine on the kitchen counter and went in search of the man with the heavy voice. I peeked into all the rooms and even checked the bathroom before I found him sitting in an alcove tucked away in the library downstairs.

He looked exhausted, and the beer he was tossing back was almost empty.

“Long day?” I asked.

“Mhm.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here in time to help you get the kids down,” I said.

“Ah,” he said as he waved his hand in the air. “It’s fine.”

“Getting three kids to bed is quite a feat. Especially those three.”

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