Chapter 2
After that birthday party, I started keeping an eye on Grace, like a spy living under the same roof.
I paid attention to the look in her eyes when she talked, the way she moved around doing chores, and even how she walked.
But everything seemed normal.
She was still the perfect nanny. Gentle, hardworking, and quiet.
She was even more patient with Anna than I was.
Sometimes, I even wondered if I was being a little obsessive.
Grace was someone who gave her all to our family, and here I was, secretly doubting her.
That was plain ungrateful of me.
But that nagging sense of weirdness was like a tiny thorn pricking at my heart.
It didn't really hurt, but I could never shake off the feeling.
I tried talking to David about it. "David, I can't shake the feeling that something's off with Grace."
"What's off? Is the food bad? Or is the floor dirty?" David didn't even look up from the financial news on TV.
"It's not that. It's her mask. I just find it really strange."
David finally tore his eyes away from the TV.
He looked at me with a helpless look in his eyes. "Claire, are you stressed out from work lately?
"It's just a mask, and you're letting it get under your skin.
"Honestly, hiring a good nanny these days is nearly impossible.
"Someone like Grace? She's one in a million.
"Don't get all paranoid and scare her off."
I had to admit that he wasn't wrong.
Before Grace showed up, we'd already gone through three nannies.
One of them had sticky fingers.
Another acted nice when we were around, but was nasty to Anna when we weren't looking.
And the third? Her cooking couldn't be worse.
Grace was a total lifesaver.
With her around, I could finally have peace of mind and throw myself into my career.
Maybe I was just being paranoid.
I decided to test her more directly.
Over the weekend, I made a special trip to the mall. I bought an expensive imported anti-mite spray and a small air purifier.
I handed them to Grace. "Grace, you really work hard.
"A friend told me these are great for rhinitis and allergies.
"If you use them in your room, they should make things a lot better for you.
"So you won't have to wear your mask around the house anymore."
I watched her closely, searching her eyes for any clue.
First, there was a flash of surprise, and then real gratitude.
"Thank you, Mrs. Lane. You're always so good to me," Grace said.
She took the stuff. "Don't worry, I'll use them."
*****
That night, I paid special attention to Grace's room.
The air purifier's soft hum was easy to hear.
But the next morning, when she stepped out of her room, that same white mask was still firmly in place.
My heart sank.
This wasn't just about rhinitis anymore.
She wasn't afraid of cooking fumes or dust mites.
What she was really afraid of was taking off her mask.
She was keeping her face hidden.
Why? A thousand wild guesses raced through my mind.
Was she disfigured?
Did she have a horrible scar?
Or was she hiding from someone?
The thought of secretly putting a camera in Grace's room even crossed my mind, but it vanished as quickly as it came.
That would be illegal, and it'd be a total violation of her privacy.
I couldn't do that.
*****
Once, Anna came down with the flu and spiked a high fever.
That night, David and I took turns holding her.
Her little face was flushed red, and she kept babbling nonsense.
Grace stayed up all night, too.
She was constantly bringing us water, getting medicine, and wiping Anna down with warm water.
She was even calmer and more attentive than we were.
By dawn, Anna's fever finally subsided.
I slumped against the headboard, completely wiped out.
Grace brought over a steaming bowl of soup. "Mrs. Lane, have some. It'll warm your stomach."
I saw the bloodshot veins in her eyes.
Her mask hid her face, but it couldn't cover up the tiredness and concern shining in her eyes.
At that moment, my guilt overwhelmed me.
I let my own paranoia cloud my judgment about someone so decent.
Grace had been nothing but amazing to Anna, so why was I still suspicious?
Maybe she really had some secret she couldn't share.
Like a past she'd rather not talk about, or a face she didn't want to show anyone.
As long as she was genuine with our family, and as long as she truly cared about Anna, nothing else mattered.
I took the soup and said sincerely, "Grace, thank you. We couldn't have made it without you."
She smiled, her eyes curving like crescent moons. "It's the least I can do."
After that, I deliberately tried not to think about the mask anymore.
I kept telling myself to trust Grace.