12. Chapter 12
LUNA
Little Mei wouldn’t stop talking about them yesterday, so I found myself craving them more and more until I reached the kitchen.
I fixed a plate of fresh American-style pancakes with strawberries and blueberries as the garnish and a choice of either Nutella or Canadian maple syrup, which I found in the cupboard as a drizzle.
I think part of me was hoping that the smell of pancakes would entice my boss to come down from his second Den and eat with us, but when that didn’t work, I plated a selection of everything out on a tray and carried it upstairs, then made Theo carry the tray into his bedroom since I wasn’t allowed in there.
I heard a muffled version of what his sleepy voice must sound like, and I couldn’t wait to tell Macy that the name Surly Bastard couldn’t have been a more perfect match for him.
When Theo came back out and closed the door without the tray, we headed back downstairs for another training session on Mario Kart.
Bless this little boy’s heart; he really was determined to learn how to drift. We’ve been practising it every day after we got through his homework. But after a while, he needed a change of pace, so we had a heated morning workout dancing along to Who Runs The World on Just Dance.
I took a few seconds to bring air back into my lungs, then I headed upstairs to get ready. I had to get to Gran’s for 1 pm, so I could help her cook Sunday dinner. I’m hoping she’s in a good mood because I’m really craving a good old Jamaican-style dinner tonight.
Once I got ready to leave, Theo had locked his body around my right leg and begged me not to go. It was safe to say that after only a week of being his new nanny, he’d become very attached to me, which I secretly loved but also hated, knowing how sad he looked now that I was trying to leave.
He wasn’t happy that I was gone before he woke up yesterday, and now, I was leaving again.
It kind of reminded me of how a puppy has no sense of time, so they hate when you’re gone and love when you come back.
I was trying to change into my shoes when Oliver made his way down the stairs and paused three steps from the bottom to look at Theo attached to my leg.
“Theo, what are you doing?” he asks, surprised, but his surly facial expression meant otherwise.
“I don’t want Luna to go; I want to go with Luna,” he protests, looking up at me with his bottom lip quivering. Expressing the hope that I’d give in and take him with me, even though he was still in his PJs.
“Theo, honey, we talked about this, remember? You’re going to spend another whole day with Oliver, and then you’ll have me all to yourself tomorrow after school.
” I reminded him with a small smile, but it was useless the moment he shook his head.
I sighed, unsure what to do, and Oliver and I made eye contact.
He then made his way down the rest of the stairs and over to us as he peeled Theo away from my legs.
I hoped he didn’t hear the increase in my heart rate as the back of his knuckles brushed against my bare legs.
I knew I should’ve worn jeans instead of the pale blue buttoned shirt and a white knee-length skirt.
Theo did his best to fight back, leaving little red finger marks on my legs that would be hidden by my skirt and fade by the time I reached Gran’s house.
Eventually, Oliver freed me from his grip and held Theo in his arms like a baby.
A sight that only made me giggle, picturing him as a papa bear holding his cub.
“Now be good for Oliver, okay? And I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said to Theo, who had his arms tightly clutched to his chest, combined with his grumpy facial expression, making him identical to his dad.
He made no advance to respond to me, but I did catch the small smile that slipped when I pushed myself on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek and Oliver and I stared at each other awkwardly.
“See you tomorrow,” I said to Oliver, taking a step back and picking up my tote bag and using the shoehorn I’d brought with me when I moved to help me slip into my shoes.
I then opened the door, feeling the gaze of the Walter boys burning into my back as I turned around, looking at them once more and offering a “Have a good day, you two.” Then left them both standing there in the doorway.
****
Whether it’s because she was in a good mood or for other reasons, I’m trying my very hardest not to think about it. Gran greets me with the biggest smile on her face when I show up at her place about forty-five minutes later.
She hounds me about using my key, but I didn’t want to take my chances on walking in on something that would lead me to bleaching my eyes out. Not long after, we hug enough to express how much we’ve missed each other after being apart for a week.
Gran and I did some catching up whilst she agreed to make Ackee and Saltfish for dinner. My week-long craving is singing her praises, as I missed her cooking and needed a nostalgic dish to take me back to the good old days.
The rice is just about done, and Gran is frying the last batch of fried dumplings when LJ and Macy arrive for dinner at 5 pm sharp.
LJ heads for the kitchen to help Gran dish out the food after he removes his coat and shoes, then puts on his house slippers, while I help Macy out of her shoes, then the two of us head over to set the table for dinner.
“Tell me everything.” Macy beams, clutching my arm for dear life.
Wanting to know every juicy detail, I had to offer even though she had already been given a summary every night before we both went to bed.
But I didn’t care if I had to repeat myself because I was loving my new job and I loved talking to my sister-in-law, so it was a win-win for me.
“HE’S PAYING YOU HOW MUCH?” Macy and Gran scream in unison, about ten to twenty minutes after we started eating. I made sure to let LJ and then Gran go first when they spoke about what they did this week, and I tried to let Macy go next, but this week, she was the eager beaver craving gossip.
“You know, baby, Granny could use a new exercise machine,” Gran suggests, elbowing my rib as a hint of what to do with my new paycheck.
“You mean after she takes out the person who got her the job?” Macy chimes in, nudging my leg under the table.
I nod along because I actually have no issue granting both those wishes. It was about time I was able to pay back those who have been taking care of me all these years with my fancy new job. I was finally able to do that.
“He doesn’t treat you badly, does he? He’s not as selfish and rude as he is when he’s working, is he?” LJ blurts, taking a sip of his pineapple KA. Of course, he was the only one at the table to ask the important questions.
“No, I mean yeah, he’s as grumpy as hell, but to be completely honest with you, we barely see each other.” I shrug, watching the tension in my brother’s shoulders fizzle out a touch.
“What do you mean you don’t see him?” Gran asks, finding it odd that I live in a house with someone I don’t see. A completely foreign subject when you come from a family like ours, where we never went a day without seeing each other when we all lived under the same roof.
“Well, he works a lot, doesn’t he? That’s why my main focus is taking care of Theo.
I only really see Oliver very briefly in the mornings and once again in the evening before he goes back into his office to work until it’s time to put Theo to bed, but by then I’m cleaning up after dinner, and he goes straight back to his office again.
” I slowly explain, watching all three of my family members hang onto my every word.
“See, that’s the part I don’t get. You say he goes straight into his office after he comes home?” Macy says, needing to hear things one more time to help put the pieces together.
“Yeah.” I nod. “He comes in from work, sometimes says hi, and goes right there until Theo is ready for bed, to which he reads Theo his bedtime story, then goes straight back in there until I don’t know how long,” I reply.
“But he’s still in there when I come down to fetch water at like 3 am,” I add.
“And that’s the part that doesn’t make sense.” Macy mumbles, breaking the minute silence we all fall into. Throwing her arms in the air, then settles them back on her stomach.
“Well, he is apparently the best Corporate lawyer there is, worldwide, and he got that new promotion, so it would make sense that he works overtime, right?” I mention, turning to see LJ and Gran agree with me, but Macy shakes her head.
“No, Lulu. You don’t get it; Oliver leaves the office every day at six, which does what?
Get him home at 6:30 pm?” I slowly nod, hiding my shock at the fact that this is the first time I’ve ever heard her refer to him as Oliver.
Usually it’s Boss or Surly Bastard, and sometimes if he’s really riled him up, it’s Surly Bear.
“Well, even before he got the promotion, he was usually gone the moment it hit 4 pm. And yes, he is the best in the business; however, he’s also known for being efficient, and he never lets any of his cases run past that home time,” Macy states, leaving us all confused again.
“I mean, I know now that he obviously does that to get home to Theo and not hook up with women until the sun comes up, but the point is. Oliver’s work is done the moment he leaves the office; anything left over is usually left for Nigel, or it’s paralegal work for my team and me to deal with.
” She continues to explain, but I still feel like I’m missing something.
“So, what are you saying?” I ask, hoping she won’t leave it any longer for me to figure out and just tell me.
“I’m saying there’s no reason for him to still be working, I’ve had a few conversations with Nigel so I know for a fact Oliver never takes work home with him, so something dodgy is clearly going on otherwise he wouldn’t be spending so much time in that room or have a reason why he doesn’t want you in it and keeps it locked. ” She explains, scratching her belly.