Chapter 14 #2
We don’t say much of anything after that; thankfully, Theo carries most of the conversation, and we respond accordingly.
I did notice the slight tensing in Luna’s shoulders when Theo mentioned his teacher.
It seems I’m not the only one who doesn’t like him, but I just put it aside for now and quietly eat my pizza.
Once Dinner is finished, Luna wipes Theo’s mouth clean with the wet wipes on the table for that exact purpose when I ask Theo to go up and pick out his PJs for tonight. He accepts the challenge and darts upstairs like he gained a golden star from Mario Kart.
“Luna,” I say once we’re alone, causing her to almost drop the plates she had in her hand.
“I didn’t mean to make the pizza look like you; it just happened, then Theo pointed out that it looked familiar, an-” She rambles as if I was only giving her a minute to plead her case and stops when a small chuckle slips out of me before I could stop it.
She looks at me wide-eyed and frozen in shock. Then I clear my throat, pretending she hadn’t just seen me laugh for the first time.
“I’m not bothered about that; in fact, I’m quite impressed. I’ve never seen someone put such artistic value in food before. But that’s beside the point.” I reveal while standing, as she watches me rise to my normal height.
“I will do Theo’s nighttime routine today.
In return, once you’ve finished cleaning, could you spare some time before you retire to bed?
There is something I’d like to go over with you.
” I explain; all I seem to get is an unsure nod as a response, but I’ll take it and head upstairs to get Theo ready for bed.
Once he’s rid of the homemade pizza mess, his teeth are all nice and clean. Theo and I sit and talk about the upcoming weekend and settle on his bed to read Grumpy Mr Panda, one of his favourites, before he falls asleep against my thigh.
He must have had a long day for him to pass out as he did, and I must say the fact he seems so comfortable around Luna is starting to look like a good thing since he wasn’t too upset to find out I’d be going away for the next two days, so long, as long as I still promised to say goodnight to him.
My nerves are still going haywire about leaving Theo alone with someone I barely know for the whole weekend, but after witnessing a reaction I thought was going to be bad, I do feel at ease. I neatly tuck him in and leave the room.
I know he won’t be awake when I leave in the morning, so I turn back to look at him one last time, then close the door.
When I come downstairs, I check to see that the kitchen and dining room are both spotless before I walk into the living room to see Luna scribbling in that mysterious green book of hers.
She mumbles something to herself, but by the time I try to see if I can catch what she’s writing down, she notices me and closes the book.
I do well to pretend I wasn’t trying to snoop and walk into the room.
I take a seat on the opposite side of the sofa as she turns her body towards me, tucking her legs underneath her.
“Did Theo go down okay?” she asks with a small smile. I know I should be commending her for asking, but shamefully, all I can think about is if she’d ask me if I’d go down on her, which, yes, I’d love to, but yet again, no.
This is not the right time to be thinking about it right now.
There might not be a child present, but let’s keep this PG, shall we? Or keep it all at bay until I can retire to my own space to sit with my new disturbing thoughts, Oliver.
“Yes, out like a light,” I reply. She nods in response.
An awkward moment of silence sneaks its way into the room, and I’ve suddenly forgotten what we were both doing here, thanks to the fruity aroma that’s been living in this room for the past ten minutes or so.
It’s affecting my common sense. It takes avoiding eye contact and clearing my throat to bring me back to earth.
“Right, well. Luna, the thing I want to talk to you about…you’ve read your contract by now, right?” I ask as she straightens her back.
“Yes,” although her tone couldn’t have been more opposite, so I settled for looking at her with a brow raised. “I mean maybe,” she corrects herself, slightly more confidently, but the way her lips roll between her teeth gives me the true answer.
“But I have read through the simplified version Nigel sent over; I’m guessing this has something to do with this weekend?
” She asks, catching me by surprise. I hadn’t made the contract that hard to read, but no doubt she probably asked Nigel a hundred and one questions that helped avoid her having to read the contract herself, and she seemed somewhat aware this talk was happening, so that makes things easier for me.
“Yes, I’d like to go over a few things.” I start, waiting for her to nod before I continue.
“As you may already know, every other week or month, depending on what’s going on at the time, I have international cases to attend to. Which is one of the reasons why I was in urgent need of a live-in Nanny.” Luna listens, although we both know most of this already.
“As it’s stated in your contract, I will need you to take care of Theo for the next two days.
I am aware you have prior engagements during the weekends and will allow you to take Theo along with you if you choose, so long as our prior agreement still stays intact.
” I refer to the fact that I don’t want Theo put on any social media, and she sticks to keeping him around a small group of people.
Luna nods to show she understands what I mean. Although I’m not entirely sure she does, and will probably double-check this once she goes to bed.
“During my business trips, you will have full access to my personal number if there are any emergencies, and Nigel will be staying behind in case you need him as well.”
“You have the black card I gave to you if there is anything Theo needs, and you will be paid double your wages for your services.” I watch her eyes grow big at the mention of an increase in her pay, but it doesn’t bother me as I can see she does seem to care a lot for Theo more than the money, which gives me hope that this weekend will go off without a hitch.
“I also want to implement that on weekends, Theo’s bedtime can be extended an hour, should travelling back home be a minor issue. Please use the card to order an Uber or taxi service if you are coming back later than planned because I’d prefer Theo not be out on the streets late at night.”
“Got it. Don’t worry, Oliver, I understand you must be nervous about this, but I love Theo, and I won’t let anything bad happen to him whilst you’re away. We’ll be fine.” She reassures me. I’m not sure if I can take her word for it, but I’ll try.
“Very well, if you don’t have any other questions, then we’re done here.
” I nod, I stand and wait to see if she has anything else to say, but after she just nods but doesn’t seem to be moving any time soon, I take it upon myself to head into my office for some last-minute paperwork, so I won’t have to do it during my flight tomorrow morning.
However, every so often, I’m distracted by why Luna is yet again camped out in the living room, jotting away in her little book and acting very weird.
I have no idea what is going through her head, what she’s keeping hidden in that book or why she has the sudden need to use the living room as her sound booth whilst she snores the night away.
Thankfully, she’s asleep as quickly as she has been these last few days, so without getting much done, I cover her back up like last time and head to my bedroom to catch at least four hours of sleep before I have to leave for my flight.
Her odd behaviour recently has put me on edge, but it’s like she said: she deeply cares for Theo, so he’ll be fine with her for two days, right?