Page 16 of Falling for the Nanny

While Lily was in school, I went back to the house–I was still having a hard time thinking of it as home–and tried to figure out the school’s website, which I now had access to. It was where I could check all of Lily’s classes, assignments, and grades. Mrs. Barnes had told me that Lily did a good job staying on top of her work herself, but that she always made sure to know what due dates were coming up so she could help her.

Clicking through the ParentVue portal on the site, I couldn’t believe I was looking at the workload of a second grader. I couldn’t really remember that far back, but I was pretty sure the word polynomial wasn’t involved in my math homework.

After I picked her up on Tuesday, we went straight to ballet lessons. She carried a pink backpack to remind her that had her leotard, tights, and shoes tucked into the pocket. After ballet, we came home and sat at the kitchen table so she could spread her homework folders out across it while I made her afternoon snack.

“This is a lot of work, kid,” I said when I was done. It was hard to find a place to set the plate with the array of multi-colored folders spread out from one end to the other.

“It’s crunch time,” Lily explained absently, scratching her nose and flipping open the red folder first.

I choked on my laugh. “What did you say?”

“Crunch time,” Lily said again, flicking me a curious glance. “You know, when you’re really busy because a deadline is coming up?”

“I know what it is; I’ve just never thought of the end of second grade as a crunch time.” I came around the table to sit beside her, curious as to what she had to crunch in this red folder. I was disappointed to see it was math, and that polynomials were indeed involved. “Uh, did Mrs. Barnes usually help you with your homework, Lil?”

“Just English, social studies, and science–my dad helps with math.” Lily grinned at me as if she knew why I was asking.

I opened the orange folder and was relieved to see English work that looked appropriately rudimentary. Same with social studies and science, though I’d need some of the homework help tutorials from the website for the science. “Are you some kind of math prodigy, kid?” I elbowed her. “I’m pretty sure I was still added two plus two at your age.”

“Flintrose isn’t your average school.”

The sound of David’s voice at the entrance to the kitchen startled me, but Lily had clearly heard him coming. She already had a graded test in her hand and was turning it around to show him proudly. Through the paper, I could see a dark 98% - Great job, Lily! written across the top.

David though, only frowned. He took the paper from her and found the problem that she’d missed. “Lily, you missed these two points because you forgot to do part of the problem, not because you didn’t know how.”

“I know,” she said, her face suddenly aggrieved instead of proud.

Indignation rose in my chest. “But you still did a great job.” I pointed to the dark purple words as if I needed proof.

“On 98% of them,” David said dismissively. He gave me a hard, quelling look, but I refused to be quelled.

“On math I didn’t get to until like junior high,” I said, staring hard back at him. I hated the way Lily’s face had gone from proudly expectant to disappointed. And worse, it wasn’t disappointment in his reaction, which was insane, but in herself.

“Like I said, Flintrose isn’t your average school, and Lily isn’t your average student.”

“I’m going to go change,” Lily said, sliding out from her seat.

David and I stayed in the kitchen, locked into a battle of wills.

“Lily might not be your average student, but she’s still only seven.”

“I know how old my daughter is, Catherine.”

“Then why do you expect her to act like she’s twice her age, David?” It was the first time I’d used his first name. It didn’t feel entirely comfortable, but I refused to aggravate the power dynamic between us further by calling him Mr. King.

His dark green eyes flickered, and his mouth tightened. I was glad we had the table between us. Not because I was scared of him, but because there was a tension building in the room and having something solid between us kept me from going toe-to-toe with him. And I was smart enough to know that was a good thing.

Even if I had gone to an average school.

“I hired you to take care of my daughter the way I tell you to take care of her, not question the way I raise her,” David said. His voice was a silken warning that told me clearly to back off.

I squared my shoulders and lifted my chin, wishing I had stood up when Lily did. He was so tall and so imposing, especially since I was still seated at the table behind the array of folders. “You hired me to take care of Lily like she was my own. I wouldn’t let someone make my daughter feel bad about missing two points when she’s being tested on math way above her grade level.”

David shook his head sharply. “No, Catherine. I hired you to take care of her as if she was my own. Don’t get confused about what’s mine and what isn’t in this house. It’s all mine.

I opened my mouth to argue, but he wasn’t done.

“Everything. Including you.”

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