Chapter 2
Luke let out a tiny yawn in his bed.
[I'm sleepy. I want to sleep. Can you stay with me?]
I reached out and tucked him in.
"Here's the deal," I said. "A three-day trial. If Luke is still crying nonstop after that, I'll leave without taking a dollar."
"And after three days?" Seth asked.
"After three days, you'll need to pay more," I replied.
Betty almost laughed but held it back.
Seth stared at me for three seconds.
"Deal," he said.
He turned and walked away.
His leather shoes tapped briskly on the floor.
Betty leaned in. "Don't mind his attitude. He's always been like that, especially after Luke's mom left."
She stopped, leaving the rest unsaid.
"What happened to Luke's mom?" I asked.
"She left. Three days after having the baby, she took off and left nothing behind," Betty replied.
I looked down at the sleeping baby.
[I have no mommy. I want my mommy.] Luke's sleepy thoughts drifted through.
Even as he slept, his longing still echoed in fragments.
I tucked the blanket around him.
"Don't worry," I whispered. "I'm right here."
The first night was harder than I expected.
At two in the morning, Luke woke up quietly.
He didn't cry or fuss. He lay there, eyes open, staring silently at the ceiling.
His thought came through. [It's dark. I'm scared of the dark.]
I turned on the nightlight.
He turned his head and saw me, his lips pouting in disappointment.
Luke: [You're not my mom.]
I felt a pang in my chest.
I picked him up, held him close, and patted his back.
Luke: [Hmm, it's warm.]
He gradually calmed down.
But he didn't fall asleep.
Luke: [My tummy hurts a bit again.]
I reached for the warm water bottle.
Suddenly, there was a sound outside the door.
Seth stood in the doorway, without his jacket, his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
He looked like he hadn't slept, either.
"Is he crying again?" Seth asked.
"No, he's awake," I replied.
He walked in and glanced at Luke in my arms.
Luke was clutching my collar with one hand.
"He never lets anyone else hold him like that," Seth said.
"Really?" I replied.
"The last nanny from Loverto tried to hold him, and he cried for forty minutes straight," Seth told me.
"That was probably because her perfume was too strong," I said.
"How do you know?" Seth asked.
"A guess," I replied.
I couldn't tell him it was Luke's thoughts that gave it away.
Seth leaned against the doorframe.
"So where did you pick up all this stuff?" he asked.
"I taught myself," I replied.
"You figured all this out on your own?" he pressed.
"Yeah, a natural talent," I said.
He looked skeptical.
But Luke was nestled quietly in my arms, letting out another yawn.
That said it all.
"Go get some rest, Mr. Turner," I said.
He glanced at me.
Then he turned and walked away.
At four in the morning, Luke did his business.
I checked him, and yep, his tummy was a bit bloated.
Luke: [Feeling better now.]
His thoughts floated quietly to me.
At seven in the morning, the maid, Louisa Ford, came in with breakfast.
She caught sight of Luke sleeping soundly and almost dropped the bowl out of her hands.
"Oh wow, he slept through the night?" Louisa gasped.
"He woke up once," I said.
"That's incredible. The last time he slept more than two hours was when he was a month old," she marveled.
Louisa, in her early forties, had been working for the Turner family for three years.
She gave me a look like I was some miracle worker.
"Hailey, right? You're a gem," she whispered.
She leaned in, lowering her voice. "But watch your back. Not everyone here wants Luke to get better."
I glanced up at her. "What do you mean?"
Louisa just shook her head, refusing to say more.
I didn't pay much attention to it then.
But later, I found out how much those words mattered.
It was the second day of my probation.
At three in the afternoon, a guest arrived at the Turner residence.
She was in her late twenties, wearing flawless makeup, a Chanel suit, and a pair of five-inch red-soled heels, walking in like she owned the place.
She swept straight upstairs the moment she walked in.
"Seth," she called out.
Seth wasn't there.
She took a look around the living room and then spotted me.
To be more exact, her eyes landed on Luke in my arms.
"Swapped out for a new nanny again?" she asked Betty.
Betty nodded. "This one's not bad."
The woman came over and leaned in to check out Luke.
Her strong perfume hit me in the face.
Luke: [Yuck. She smells gross.]
I subtly shifted Luke a little farther away from her.
She caught on right away.
"What are you doing?" she demanded.
"The baby's sensitive to strong perfume," I said.
She narrowed her eyes at me. "Are you seriously lecturing me on how to be around a kid?"
"I'm making sure the baby I'm responsible for is safe," I replied.
Betty stepped in to smooth things over. "Fiona, she's got a point. Luke's got a sensitive nose..."
"Betty, what did you call me?" Fiona cut her off.