Page 31 of Working For A Billionaire

"Well, I have suggested it. However, she doesn't like the idea very much."

Anderson laughs. "Who does at first? But they can be a great help. Babies are a lot of work. Too much work for one person or even two people. When they say it takes a village to raise a child, they sure do mean a village."

"I agree."

"Gabby already found a nanny and she is wonderful."

"Really?" I raise an eyebrow. He is a man I’d take such a recommendation from.

"Yes, she is. They both seem happy together. I think it's a good fit."

"Good," I say with a nod.

"The most important thing to remember when hiring a nanny is that they must get along with the mother or it will never work."

The rest of our meeting runs smoothly as we trade stories about surviving pregnancy. For the first time, I am thankful to have someone to confide in. It has made things easier for me.

"Well, I better get back to work. Thanks for letting me stop by. Call me if you need anything. I'll check in later," Anderson says as he stands to leave.

"Thanks," I say to him as he exits my office.

After he is gone, I start going through the papers on my desk. I am not really paying attention to them as I stare out the window waiting for Mrs. Thatcher to leave. When she finally announces she is going home, I finish up and pack up my things.

When I get home in the evening, I sit down with Riley on the couch. As we flip through channels, I try to find the right words to bring up the topic of having a nanny again. After a few minutes of silence, I decide to just say whatever comes into my head.

"Have you thought about whether or not you want to work after Anthony is born?" I ask, watching her carefully as she makes a small noise that might just be a sigh of frustration.

"I have," she says, without much confidence in her voice. "I am still thinking about it."

"I understand. It's probably a good thing to wait until you feel ready."

"I feel like I would be quitting on myself if I didn't give it a try."

"Quitting on yourself? Do you really believe that?"

"Sometimes I do," she admits. "I think about all the things I could be doing to make us money and sometimes I feel like I'm just wasting time."

"Riley, we have more than enough money. This isn't about money."

"What do you mean?"

"Money isn't everything. We have plenty of it, but even if we were broke, it wouldn't matter. As long as we are happy, that is all that matters. What would make you happy? What would you regret more: staying home to raise the kids or going back to work?"

"I don't know," she says. "It's a big decision."

"I am sure it is. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. At first, I hated the idea of following in my father's footsteps and then it became all I wanted."

"What changed?"

"My dad. He started showing interest in my career path. He was always so proud of my accomplishments even when I failed. I guess he knew how much I cared about succeeding and he encouraged me to keep trying. It was important to him that I took over the company one day. Eventually, I realized I loved playing the game. Maybe more than I should have, because I forgot about how important people are."

"Losing him must've been hard. I can understand why you would choose to focus on your work."

I can feel the sadness creeping in, threatening to take over again, but I push it down. "It helped for a while. It kept my mind busy and left me no time to get close to anyone. It worked pretty well for a long time."

"And then?"

"Then I met you. You gave me a reason to live again. You showed me that love mattered, family was important, and friends were precious. I have never felt so alive since I met you."

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