Chapter 31
Maya
The Hartwells are mad. Justifiably so.
But for one blissful moment, both hugged their daughter like they’d never before held something so precious. And then that precious treasure opened her mouth. Her story was noticeably different from the one she told Serena and thankfully devoid of many incriminating details on my part.
The story remained the same when she repeated it to the police, who have been milling about since the Hartwells returned.
Mrs. Hartwell keeps eyeing me. I know she is ready to send me packing but doesn’t want to do so in front of Bella.
“Thank you for explaining everything, Mr. Hawthorne,” Mrs. Hartwell says. She’s been almost as enchanted with the man as her daughter. It has left Mr. Hartwell bristling and standing protective of his family; maybe there’s hope for them yet.
“No problem. If you ever need anything, please call,” he says. I’m convinced Liam could charm a snake, as evidenced by the fact he convinced Mr. Hartwell of his wrongdoing by buying the painting illegally.
Mr. Hartwell apologized profusely, embarrassed to be caught in his crime, and promised Serena he’d work with local FBI agents to stop further black market deals.
Liam and his wife left before I could stop them. I should have. But I couldn’t, not with the police and the Hartwells hovering around. When Soren didn’t leave with them, Mrs. Hartwell was confused.
“And who is that?” she asks me, referring to the man who stood in the corner with his arms folded and not necessarily a scowl, but a grim expression, the entire time.
“He’s, uh…” I’m not sure what to say.
“Oh, that’s Maya’s friend. He saved our lives like a hundred times,” Bella offers.
Mrs. Hartwell’s eyes flick to mine. “Maya’s, huh?”
Bella’s face pinches as she realizes her mistake. I didn’t know she knew my real name, but with all her eavesdropping on the security system, she’s probably known from the very beginning. She opens her mouth, possibly to defend me, but I don’t want her to lie. I lift my hand to stop her.
“My identity was stolen, and I couldn’t get a job with my tainted name,” I say quickly. “But that’s no excuse.”
Mrs. Hartwell’s lips pinch in displeasure, and she motions for me to follow her.
She leads me to the slime-covered conservatory, which is blessedly empty of police officers, then turns on me.
This is it. The end. I thought about quitting this job the first time Bella pranked me…
and pretty much every time since. But I got to know that little girl, and she became important to me. Leaving her is going to hurt.
“I think you know you’re fired, right?” Mrs. Hartwell says with a terse expression.
“Yes.” My voice is small, defeated, and the guilt weighs heavily on my shoulders. But there’s also relief in having the lie I’ve carried around for almost a year set free.
“The only reason I’m not having you arrested is because you kept my baby safe. And for some odd reason, she loves you.”
I duck my head in shame. “She’s a great kid.”
“She is.” Some of the anger disappears from her voice.
“I know I don’t owe you an explanation, but I’m going to be better.
I’m going to work from home and take more days off…
” She falls onto the edge of a chair, dropping her head to her hands.
She’s silent for so long I almost consider it a dismissal.
But then she looks up at me, tears brimming in her eyes. “Have I failed her?”
I think of that wise saying: no one fails who keeps trying. Unfortunately, she hasn’t been trying much lately.
“No,” I say. “But she needs more than what money can buy for her. She needs rules and discipline.”
Mrs. Hartwell’s eyes narrow, and I stumble on. I’m already fired, so what could it hurt?
“What she really needs is your time. Put your phone down and talk to her. Play with her.”
She twists her wedding ring and swallows. “She’s kind of scary to play with.”
A laugh escapes me. “I know. But she’s incredibly smart and gifted and hilarious.”
She sighs. “I’ve missed so much.”
“Don’t miss any more. Show her you want to know her, that she’s the most important thing in the world to you.”
She nods softly, then takes a deep breath and pushes to her feet. “While I wish none of this happened, I suppose it’s been the wake-up call I needed.”
“I wish I could have prevented it,” I say, guilty about my part in this mess.
“You tried your best and protected Bella. I suppose… if you need a reference, you may list me.”
That means more than she knows. I literally have nothing right now. Nowhere to go. Nothing left to my name. Both the real one and fake one. I’ll need all the help I can get. “Thank you.”
“All right,” she says, snapping out of her reverie. “Clean out your room. Your final check will be in the mail.”
I nod and turn away. As I head up the stairs, I hear her excusing Soren with a slightly less polite tone.
I hurry up the stairs before I can see the pity in his eyes.
My room is just how I left it—about as sparse as my ransacked room in my apartment.
My phone sits on top of my bed. Soren must have put it there.
I power it on, ignoring the endless pinging of messages from my devil roommate as I pack my bag with three pairs of clothes and underwear.
My bathroom bag, my extra shoes, socks, and fuzzy blanket.
At least I’ll have something when I get home.
I slip on my shoes and look at myself in the mirror above the dresser. So this is it. This is how I end. With exactly what I started with.
“Hey.” Bella appears in the door, and I’m reminded I have more than I started with. Much more.
“Hey.” A tear slips down my cheek, and a matching one appears on Bella’s cheek. She rushes forward, plastering herself to my front, wrapping her tiny arms around my waist.
“Don’t leave me,” she whispers.
My heart breaks. Actually shatters right in two. “I don’t have a choice.”
“I know.” She sighs. “You’re a ‘bad example to my impressionable mind.’”
I laugh at her impression of Mrs. Hartwell.
“It’s like she’s never met me before.”
“She just wants the best for you,” I say.
She pouts her bottom lip. “I won’t be nice to any other nanny.”
“Oh, you were being nice to me with the tarantula in my bed, huh?”
“Classic.” She giggles.
I squeeze her tight, one last time. “You’re going to be marvelous, Bella. You are smart and creative. You’re going to accomplish every dream and live big and unafraid. Okay?”
She shrugs, unaffected by the worries of the future as only a nine-year-old can be. “I’m going to miss you.”
She mutters the words so softly I almost miss them.
“Excuse me.” I clap a hand to my chest dramatically. “What did you just say? Did you just express emotion? For me?” I nudge her side, and she rolls her eyes.
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” She skirts around the dresser, walking her fingers down the side, to the crack in the far side, and tipping out the rolled-up paper. “Don’t forget this.” She looks at me, with big, all-knowing eyes.
A weight settles in my stomach. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
“It’s okay.” She picks up my hand and puts the rolled-up paper on top.
I swallow. I don’t know what to say. I don’t want to do it, but I don’t have another choice. “How…?” I can’t finish the sentence.
Bella’s lips twist. “I see everything, remember? Also, I heard you on the phone with your friend Katie last week.”
“She’s not my friend.”
“Phew,” Bella says dramatically. “She’s awful.”
“She’s… yeah.” That about sums it up.
“I hope you get your job back.”
Me too. I just wish there were another way.
“Anyway,” Bella lifts a shoulder. “When I heard you on the phone, I knew you’d be here and figured you were better than my parents.”
Wait.
Her quick change of topic takes me off guard. She chose to spend the holiday with me? Even after everything she did to me, every prank played, every lie I told her.
“You knew my name wasn’t Penny all along, didn’t you?”
“Of course. You’re not a Penny,” she says by way of explanation. “Don’t worry, the rest of your secrets are safe with me.” She zips her lips and locks them up tight.
I want to doubt her simply because she’s a child, but she’s quite the impressive little sidekick, and I’ll never doubt her for a moment.
“I’m glad I got to know you.” I risk another hug, but she pulls away with a smirk. “Off you go, soldier.”
I salute her. “Yes, ma’am. Thanks for the battle preparation.”
“Life is hard. You’re gonna need it.” And then she’s gone.