Baby Drama II: A Billionaire Accidental Baby Romance
Chapter 1
Stella
I stepped off the elevator and into the Park Avenue penthouse, which I visited daily, five days a week, Monday through Friday, with an occasional Saturday.
“Thank God you’re here,” Mrs. Kensington said as she strolled by me in her designer suit and Louboutin heels. “Austin is out of control this morning, and Jenna won’t get out of bed.”
“Morning, Stella.” Mr. Kensington smiled, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
“Morning, Mr. Kensington.” I set my purse down. “Austin, come here.” I knelt and held out my arms.
He ran to me like he always did, giving me a big hug. I broke our embrace and gripped his shoulders.
“Go upstairs, get ready for school, and I’ll make you eggs in a basket.” I smiled.
“Promise?” he asked.
“I promise. Go on.” I turned him toward the stairs.
“I’ve yelled at him a thousand times to get ready, but he won’t listen,” Mrs. Kensington said, throwing her protein powder into the blender.
“When you yell at him, he perceives it as threatening and makes him feel unsafe. When he feels unsafe, he isn’t going to listen.”
“She’s right, Nadine,” Mr. Kensington said, leaning against the marble counter, sipping his coffee.
“Oh, be quiet, Brandon. How would you know? It’s not like you spend any time with the children.”
“I’ll go get Jenna out of bed.” I left the kitchen and walked upstairs.
Approaching her room, I opened the door, sat on the edge of her bed, and tickled her.
She giggled, trying to push my hands away.
“It’s time to get up, sleepyhead.” I kissed her forehead, and she felt very warm. “Hey, are you feeling okay?”
She slowly shook her head. “My head hurts, and I have a sore throat.”
“I’ll be right back.” I stood up from the bed, went into the bathroom, and grabbed the thermometer from the medicine cabinet. “Open up.” I smiled, sticking the thermometer under her tongue.
I pulled it from her mouth when the beeping sound went off. Looking at it, she had a fever of 102.
“You stay right where you are and get some rest. No school for you today.”
“Stella, I’m ready.” Austin stood in the doorway. “I want my eggs in a basket.”
I stood from the bed and followed Austin downstairs.
“Mrs. Kensington, Jenna has a fever of 102. That’s why she wouldn’t get out of bed. She told me she has a headache and a sore throat.”
“Great.” She threw her hands up. “Call the pediatrician and take her in. I have to go. I have a meeting.”
“I’ll take Austin to school,” Mr. Kensington spoke.
Mrs. Kensington kissed Austin’s head and stepped onto the elevator. Mr. Kensington looked at me and shook his head.
“I guess I don’t get a kiss this morning.” A smirk crossed his lips.
My lips formed a small smile as I reached into the cabinet and took the children’s Tylenol down. I poured the appropriate dose into the medicine cup and handed it to Mr. Kensington.
“Can you please go give this to Jenna? I need to make Austin’s breakfast so you can get him to school.”
“Of course.” He smiled, taking the cup from my hand, his fingers brushing against mine.
“I want eggs in a basket. I want eggs in a basket,” Austin loudly voiced as he slammed the fork on the island.
“We do not slam our forks on the counter,” I spoke softly as I took it away from him. Grabbing the iPad, I brought up a math app and set it on the island in front of him. “Practice your math while I’m making your breakfast.”
“I hate math!” he shouted.
“Math isn’t my favorite either, but you have to learn it. Go on. Show me how smart you are.” I smiled.
“Jenna took her medicine like a champion.” Mr. Kensington walked into the kitchen. “You do know how much we value you, right?” He walked over to where I stood, making Austin’s eggs.
“I know.” I smiled.
He placed his hand on my back, and I swallowed hard. He’d been doing that a lot lately, making me uncomfortable.
I had been working as a nanny for the Kensington’s for two years and had grown to love the children very much. Austin was eight, and Jenna was six. Becoming a nanny wasn’t what I had planned when I moved to New York City, but it was all I could find at the time. I loved children and had been babysitting since I was twelve. I also worked in several daycare centers over the years while going to college and earning my degree.
“Eat up, son. We have to go.” Mr. Kensington glanced at his watch.
“I’m going to call the doctor’s office and see if I can bring Jenna in,” I said as I walked out of the kitchen.
Luckily, there was an opening at noon.
“Come on, buddy. We have to go.” Mr. Kensington patted Austin’s head.
“I’m taking Jenna to the doctor at noon.” I handed Austin his backpack.
“I’ll have my driver pick you up and take you,” Mr. Kensington spoke.
“You have a good day at school. I’ll see you later.” I kissed Austin’s forehead.
“Bye, Stella!” He waved as he and Mr. Kensington stepped onto the elevator.
Picking up my phone, I sent a text to Mrs. Kensington.
“Jenna has a doctor’s appointment at noon.”
“Good. I’m going to need you to stay later than usual tonight. I have a meeting and don’t know how long it’s going to take. I’m sure my husband will be working late as well.”
“That’s not a problem.”
“I knew it wouldn’t be. Since you’re home with Jenna all day, I need you to do the children’s laundry. Gloria is off the next few days visiting her mother.”
“I’ll make sure it gets done.”
I waited for a simple ‘thank you’ but never received one.
Nadine Kensington wasn’t a warm and fuzzy woman. She was demanding, worked long hours at the law firm, and didn’t have a maternal bone in her body. Why she even had children was beyond me. I suspected it was for show and status. The Kensington’s were very well respected in the upper-class community, and they needed to maintain the image of the perfect family of four.
When I took the kids to the park after school, I sat on a bench and talked with the other nannies. We’d all become friends, and they would share stories—or, should I say, gossip—about the wealthy families they worked for. When they’d ask me questions about Mr. and Mrs. Kensington, I’d come up with something that made them look good. Gossip wasn’t my thing, and I was staying out of it.