Page 17 of Everything For Love

“When is she coming home?”

“I don’t know, kiddo.”

“Can I call her?”

I shake my head. “You can, but you’ll have to leave her a message. Chances she has cell service where she is are slim.”

“Daddy,” she whines.

“Not much I can do about it, but it’s something you have to get used to,” I tell her. “There are going to be days when your mom doesn’t come home until after you’re asleep, or not at all. Tomorrow, we’re going to go visit a service that’ll help us find a nanny for you.”

“I don’t want a nanny.”

“Then you have you to come back to Beaumont with me, Amelie. You can’t stay here by yourself and you’re not going to go live in some remote village. It’s not safe.”

“How come you don’t stay here. You can be a doctor here, can’t you?”

“I can, but I need to go back to Mack. He’s with Noah’s parents right now until I get you settled, then I’m going back. I’ll come back and see you in about six weeks, but Mack won’t come until after he’s done with baseball.”

“That’s forever.”

“I’m sure it does seem like a long time for you.” It’s going to feel like an eternity for me.

Amelie lays on me, with her back pressed to my chest. She’s a wiggle worm and pushing on all my sensitive organs.

I tap her side. “Come on, let’s go find some dinner.”

“Can we have rice and beans?”

I nod. “Yeah, I’m sure we can find some rice and beans.”

We lock up the house, climb into my rental, and head out to find dinner. All the while, I’m hoping she realizes life isn’t going to be that great here.

6

New Year’s came and went, as did every nanny Aubrey and I interviewed. Well, I did most of the interviewing because she was busy, but nonetheless, we are still without someone to care for Amelie when Aubrey is away—which is way more than she said it would be. Not that I can do anything about that since she wants to live her life—a life with our impressionable daughter at her side.

Thankfully, Mack understands why I have had to delay my trip back to Beaumont. Not that he cares much at the moment. Not with Liam stepping in and filling the void I left. I’m trying not to be jealous, but it I can’t lie, it hurts to know how easily adjusted my son is. Or maybe he’s only telling me things are okay, so I don’t worry. I miss him, but the worrying is at a minimum. I know he’s in safe, capable hands, and Liam and Josie are treating him like their own. Josie even sends daily videos, even though I talk to Mack every morning before he goes to school.

Still, it’s not enough and I want to get back. Preferably with my daughter but Aubrey fails to see that Amelie being in Johannesburg isn’t what’s best for her. And it’s honestly not best for Aubrey. I’ll be happy when she wakes up and sees the damage she’s doing to Amelie.

After dropping Amelie off at school, I head to another meeting at yet another agency in hopes of hiring a caretaker. This will be my third agency. The first person we hired worked for two days, and on the day I was set to leave, she quit. The job was too hard. We hired another from the first agency but they didn’t show up. It’s pretty much the same bullshit from the next agency.

“Mr. Ashford?”

I stand when my name’s called and follow the woman through the open door and down the hall. She points to a chair inside a small cubicle and introduces herself as Sar Newell. Sar types on her computer, asks what Aubrey and I do for work, and then asks me what we’re looking for.

“Someone dependable, who drives. They don’t need a car as we’ll provide one. We’d prefer them to live in the home, but elsewhere is fine as long as their time is flexible. My wife is a nurse with Doctors Without Borders and currently working in Tshwane. There will be times when she doesn’t return and whoever we hire will need to stay the night.”

“And what do you do for work?”

“I’m a pediatrician, but I live in the U.S. I’ll be returning home as soon as possible.”

“You’re not a doctor here?”

“No, at one time I was, but I live in the States.”

She frowns and continues to type. “I have three women who suit your needs.”

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