Chapter 2 #2
Not just the job, but the life. Being part of a family, doing the school runs, the homework help, the cooking, the housework.
And the kids! Their friendship drama, their hopes and dreams, their jokes and their heartbreaks.
I'm not just their nanny; I am part of the fabric of their daily lives.
In a way, I'm hooked into providing the childhood I never got to live.
When that placement ended, I took another one. And another. About halfway through my second placement, Rupert, an eight-year-old, started calling me "manny" as a joke. It stuck.
I went deep in the manny game. And I'm killing it.
The Jarvises are my third placement. My longest. Six years and counting. This house is my home. These kids are my kids.
We're close. I love them.
Raelia reaches for another cookie, and I raise an eyebrow.
"How many have you had?"
She counts on her fingers. "Three."
"Well, you'd better have one more to make it even."
Both girls shout, "EVEN!" and throw their hands in the air.
I cheer with them, laughing as Raelia grabs her fourth cookie with glee.
After tea, I send the girls upstairs to wash their hands and faces before dinner. I clean up the kitchen, wiping down the table and putting away the teacups. The casserole I prepped this morning is already in the oven, filling the house with the smell of cheese and chicken and comfort.
I check the timer. Thirty minutes till dinner.
The front door opens, and I hear Derryn and Sharnia's voices in the foyer.
"Hey!" I call out, pulling the casserole from the oven and setting it on the counter. "Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes."
Sharnia appears in the doorway. Her purple scales are duller than usual, and there are shadows under her blue eyes.
"How was work?" I ask.
"Work," she says with a tired smile.
Derryn follows her in, loosening his tie. His dark-green scales look almost gray in the kitchen light.
They both look… sad.
I frown, but I don't say anything. Instead, I start pulling plates from the cabinet.
"Hey, Noah." Derryn's voice is measured and careful. "Can we talk after dinner? You're welcome to stay here with us."
I pause, the stack of plates in my hands. Something about his tone worries me. I don't usually join the family for dinner, leaving them to enjoy being together and retreating to the nice little apartment above the garage that is part of my salary. Nice perk.
"Sure," I say easily. "I've got no plans."
I never do. I don't really have a romantic life since last year, when I ended things with Bella. No one waiting for me. Tonight it's just me and whatever Netflix show I'm binging this week.
"Great." Derryn doesn't offer any further explanation.
A certain sense of dread settles in my stomach, but dinner is full of laughter and storytelling, just like always. Reginald complains about his coach. Amethyst tells us about the book she's reading. Raelia talks nonstop about dolphins.
But I can feel the tension radiating from Derryn and Sharnia. They keep glancing at each other, having some kind of silent conversation with their eyes. After dinner, the kids head upstairs to get ready for bed. The house quiets.
Derryn pours three glasses of whiskey and hands me one. We sit at the kitchen table, and my nervousness grows.
They're avoiding eye contact.
Shit. Is it something I did?
I feel guilt rising in my chest, even though I don't know what I've done. Did I push Reginald too hard about that missing homework last week? Did I overstep with Raelia's tutoring?
Derryn finally speaks.
"We have some bittersweet news."
I look up from my glass, waiting. That ball of dread grows in my chest and I brace myself.
He threads his fingers with Sharnia's and gives me the weakest smile I've ever seen on a dragon.
"I got the job in Singapore."
My stomach drops. It's like someone just punched me in the gut.
"That's great! Congratulations, man." I recover quickly, forcing a smile. "I know you really wanted it."
I did know. He'd mentioned the application months ago, and when I didn't hear anything more about it, I assumed it hadn't worked out.
"How long do I have to get ready?" I ask practically.
Because of course I'm going with them. This is my career. I already agreed to go when Derryn first mentioned the possibility. My loyalty won't let me imagine abandoning them.
Derryn looks back down at his glass. My dread intensifies.
"We aren't going to take you with us."
The air is knocked out of me.
"Oh."
It's all I can manage.
"I won't be working, and I'll be able to stay home with the kids like I've always wanted." Sharnia rushes to explain. "Noah, you're an amazing nanny. This isn't about you. It's about what's best for our family."
I reach over and take her hand, instinctively soothing her even as my heart is pounding.
"I understand," I say quietly. "This is great for you, Sharnia. Really."
She starts crying.
"I'm really glad you understand." Derryn squeezes her hand. "We're giving you six months' severance to help tide you over. And we'll give you the best recommendations you've ever seen."
"Thank you. I appreciate that." I'm genuinely grateful. This is more than generous of them. "When are you moving?"
"End of the month."
Oh. Now, this is faster than I expected.
"Wow." I lean back in my chair. "Damn."
"I know." Derryn grimaces. "The company took forever to decide, and now they want us there as soon as possible."
I look at them both, at these people who've become my family, who've trusted me with their children, who've made me feel like I belong.
I love this family. I'm grateful for their generosity.
But I'm also terrified.
Sharnia wipes at her eyes, then studies my face with that perceptive gaze of hers. "What will you do? Will you look for another nanny position?"
The question catches me off guard. I take a sip of whiskey to buy myself time, feeling the burn as it slides down my throat.
"I don't know," I admit. "Maybe it's time for a change. I've been putting off my original plan for eight years now."
Derryn's brow ridges lift. "Original plan?"
"Teaching." The word feels strange in my mouth, like something I'd forgotten I was allowed to want. "I have a master's in English Literature. I always meant to teach, but life just happened differently."
Sharnia's eyes light up, her scales brightening with sudden interest. "Noah, why didn't you ever mention this?"
I shrug. "It never came up. And honestly, I love being a nanny. I wasn't sure I wanted to give it up."
"But now?" she presses.
"Now, maybe it’s time." I turn my glass in my hands, watching the amber liquid catch the light.
"I can take the time off to look for a teaching position.
I have my grandfather's house in my hometown where I can go back to.
I've kept it exactly as he left it. I guess I couldn't bring myself to change anything after he passed.
I have someone to check on it every week, but it's been sitting empty for four years now.
Maybe it's time someone actually lived there again. "
Sharnia and Derryn exchange one of their silent looks. Then Sharnia leans forward, her purple scales catching the kitchen light.
"Noah, do you remember me mentioning my college roommate? Aurelia Varrin?"
I frown, trying to place the name. "The one who sends you those fancy Christmas cards with the wax seals?"
Sharnia laughs. "That's her. She's the headmistress of Drakesmere Academy now."
My heart stutters. Drakesmere Academy. Even I've heard of it. It’s one of the most prestigious private schools in New York City. The kind of place that educates the children of diplomats, celebrities, and old-money families. The kind of place that has a waiting list longer than most novels.
"I could reach out to her," Sharnia continues. "Put in a good word. With your qualifications and experience, you'd be a strong candidate."
I stare at her, momentarily speechless. "Sharnia, that's incredibly generous, but Drakesmere? That's way out of my league."
"Nonsense." She waves a clawed hand dismissively. "You have a master's degree, eight years of experience working with children, and the best reference letter I've ever written. Which you'll have by the end of the week. Aurelia would be lucky to have you."
"She's right," Derryn adds. "You're selling yourself short, Noah."
I want to believe them. God, I want to believe them. But Drakesmere Academy? The tuition alone is more than most people's annual salary. The idea of me teaching there feels like a fantasy, like imagining myself winning the lottery.
Still, I'm not stupid enough to turn down an opportunity like this, no matter how unlikely.
"If you're willing to reach out, I'd be incredibly grateful," I say carefully. "But please don't be offended if nothing comes of it. Places like Drakesmere probably have a hundred applicants for every position."
Sharnia's smile turns sly. "You'd be surprised what a personal recommendation can do. I'll email Aurelia tonight."
"Thank you. Really." I mean it with every fiber of my being. "Even if it's a long shot, I appreciate you thinking of me."
"It's the least I can do," Sharnia says softly. "After everything you've done for our family."
The conversation shifts after that, moving to logistics and timelines and all the practical details of their move. But a small spark of hope has lodged itself in my chest, warm and fragile.
Drakesmere Academy. It's a fantasy. A pipe dream.
But stranger things have happened.
At least I have somewhere to go while I figure things out. Going back home after a long detour, so to speak. The irony isn't lost on me.
And I realize, with a sinking feeling, that I've been so invested in other people's families that I never took the time to build my own.