words faded into silence.
Surprise flashed across Ian’s face.
Did the word we’ll sound presumptuous? Ian was her employer. Yes, she would help with Jeremy, but he was the parent. Not her. “What I mean is as his nanny I’ll try to help you and him as much as possible. But you’re his father, and whatever you say is what I’ll do.”
A gleam sparkled in Ian’s eyes. “I want your input. I need it. So I think you’re right—we’re a team. I’m determined, at the very least, to get my family back to the way it was when Aunt Louise was here.”
Annie heard the sincerity in his voice. A team. It might be the closest she’d come to raising children as if she were their mother. The Hansens had been great to work for and had valued her input, but she’d always felt like an employee. As of late, she realized she wanted more, and yet she hadn’t dated much. She was always so busy with her own family or the children she was taking care of.
“I won’t be going into work tomorrow until after we take the kids to school,” Ian said.
“I thought that was something you wanted me to do.”
“You’re right, but I want to go with you so I can introduce you to the teachers. If there’s a problem with one of them at school, sometimes I can go take care of it. But if I’m in surgery, that will be hard. I don’t anticipate trouble with the girls, but there might be with Joshua or Jeremy. I’ve already had to go to school for Jeremy four times this year and once for Joshua when he fell on the playground and hit his head.” He shook his head. “Probably one of many times he’ll have to have stitches.”
“I like the idea of meeting their teachers. I want to find out what kind of homework to expect from them. That way we can get it done before you come home on the days I’m not taking them to lessons. I find if they tackle it after getting a snack when they come home from school they’ll finish quickly so they can play. It cuts down on whining later when they’re more tired.”
“The other nannies didn’t want to help with their homework, which left me doing it late and yes, they usually complained and made the process longer.”
Annie tried to stifle a yawn, but she couldn’t. “I think it’s time I go to bed. Six will be here in—” she glanced at her watch “—nine hours, and I still need to find some of the items I’ll need tomorrow.” She stood and stretched out her hand toward him.
Ian rose, clasping hers and shaking it. “Thank you, Annie.”
“For what?” She slipped her hand from his warm grasp.
“Taking this job. I’m not sure what I would have done. I know you had several offers. What made you accept mine?”
“I prayed about it, and like I said, I love a good challenge.”
“You may regret those words.”
Would she? If she became too invested in the family and Ian remarried, no longer needing her services, she might. She wanted to care but not so much she would get hurt.
“Dad! Dad!” one of the girls shouted.
He hurried into the foyer with Annie right behind him. “Why aren’t you in bed?”
“Something is wrong with Jeremy. Come quick.”
Annie followed right behind Ian as he took the stairs two at a time and rushed down the hallway. He pushed his way between his twin daughters into Jeremy’s bedroom. With a glimpse at the bed, Annie knew what was happening. His head was thrown back, his stiff body shaking: Jeremy was having a seizure.
One of the twins grabbed the other’s hand, tears running down both girls’ faces. “What’s wrong with Jeremy?”
Annie herded them away from the door and closed it behind her. Jeremy was in good hands with his father being a doctor, but right now the twins were scared and upset. Trying to decide what to tell them, Annie drew them away from the room a few yards before the one dressed in a nightgown jerked away.
“What’s wrong?” the child shouted at Annie.
The other girl threw herself at Annie, wrapping her arms around her and clinging to her. “Is he going to die?”
“No, Jeremy will be fine. Your dad is helping him.” Annie forced calmness into her voice to counter the twins’ raising panic. Since Ian had never told her about the seizures, this must be the first one. She’d gone to school with a friend who’d had epilepsy, and Annie had learned to deal with the episodes when they happened. Some of her classmates had steered clear of Becca because of that, but she hadn’t. Becca had needed friends more than ever.
The twin who wore the nightgown pointed toward her brother’s bedroom, her arm quavering as much as Jeremy had been. “No, he’s not. His eyes rolled back.”
The door opened and Ian stood in the entrance, his attention switching back and forth between the girls and Annie. “Your brother will be all right. He had a seizure, which makes him act differently for a short time, but he’s falling asleep now, and you all need to go to bed, too. You have school tomorrow.”
“But, Dad—” the twin wearing the nightgown said.
“Jasmine, this is not the time to argue.”
Annie clasped both girls’ shoulders. “Would it be okay if they peek in and see for themselves that Jeremy is fine now?”
Ian glanced at her, and he nodded. “Quietly. Then to bed.”
Annie walked with them and peered into the bedroom. Jeremy’s eyes were closed and his body was still, relaxed. “See? After a seizure a lot of people are really tired and will sleep.”
Jade slanted a look at Annie. “Will he have another one?”
“I’ll be here if he does,” Ian answered then leaned over and kissed the tops of his daughters’ heads. “Good night. Love you two.”
After the twins hugged their dad, Annie gently guided them toward their end of the hall. When both entered Jade’s room, Annie didn’t say anything to them. Given what they witnessed, they’d probably start the night together.
“Have you two brushed your teeth?”
“Yes,” they said together.
“Do you have your clothes laid out for school tomorrow?”
They looked at each other then at Annie as if she’d grown another head. Jasmine said, “No, why would we do that? I never know what I feel like wearing until I get up.”
Jade glanced at her closet. “Well, actually I do know. The same thing I always do, jeans and a shirt. So I guess I could.”
Jasmine jerked her thumb toward her sister. “She wears boring clothes. I don’t, and my mood makes a difference.”
Jade charged to her closet and yanked down a shirt and tossed it on a chair where a pair of jeans lay. “And that’s why we’re always late.”
Before war was declared, Annie stepped between the twins. “We won’t be late tomorrow. Jasmine, do I need to wake you up fifteen minutes early so you can pick out your clothes?”
“No! I need my beauty sleep.” A serious look descended on Jasmine’s face.
Annie nearly laughed but bit the inside of her mouth to keep from doing it. These twins were polar opposites. Even if they dressed alike, their behavior would give them away eventually. At least Amanda and she were similar in personalities, especially when they were young, which made it easier to change identities.
“Fine. We’ll be leaving on time so you’ll need to be ready. I won’t make the others late because you are.”
Jasmine’s