Live-In Nanny for Three Doctors

1. Two New Lives For One

Chapter one

Two New Lives For One

Maria

“You can do this, you’re almost finished.”

Chelsea screams in the background as the three men crowd around the head of the bed, two of them holding her hands and another wiping some sweat from her brow.

It’s amazing, to see three large men caring for a single woman during her most vulnerable moment.

I’m almost envious, in a way, that they could all agree to this kind of arrangement.

Their union ceremony wasn’t too long ago and though it was a beautiful thing to witness, I didn’t ask any questions. It felt like prying into something that wasn’t my business. As long as they were all happy with each other, who was I to judge them?

Chelsea lets out one long scream as she bears down on the last push she’ll need to make. The second twin slips out, screaming like a banshee out of hell. Two boys.

She’s definitely going to have her hands full.

“You’ll have to leave the room now, miss. We need to take care of some things in here, and we’ll let you know when she’s all cleaned up.”

“Are you kidding? I’m her best friend,” the other woman in the room declares. Lila, I think her name is.

“Yes, and I’m the head nurse here. So unless you’d like to get thrown out of the building, it might be best for the both of you to leave while I’m still asking nicely.

” The nurse looks at me, wearing a less-than-friendly smile, before gesturing to the door.

I’m not going to argue with her. I’m lucky I even got to be invited in the first place.

Lila huffs and leaves, slinging her purse over her shoulder. I don’t understand why she’s upset. It’s not as if the babies aren’t going to be there when we return.

“Sorry about her. She takes her job very seriously,” the doctor whispers on his way out, probably to fill out some reports. The thick, dark eyebrows are the only scruffs of hair on his face as his head is completely smooth. It’s a striking look and not one I’d expect from a delivery doctor.

“That’s alright,” I reply softly. “Emotions are just high, I guess.”

“It always is when babies are being delivered. I’ve been doing this for a while and I’ll never understand why. Sister?” He nods towards the room door as he closes it behind him.

“Oh, no, just the...” Help? That would sound weird. “I’m just a friend.”

“It’s good to know she has friends like you to help. You have no idea how many women are in here alone, bringing life into the world with no one to provide them with the support they need.”

That sounds like a sad existence. It’s no wonder new mothers always look so exhausted. I don’t think I would be able to take care of my entire life and the needs of a child without losing my mind.

“Well, it’s reassuring to know that there are doctors like you in the world who still care about women’s concerns. Thank you...” I glance at the name on his jacket. “Mister Gutierrez.”

“You’re welcome...” He jokingly looks me over, trying to find a name tag of my own, and fakes disappointment when he finds none.

“Maria Bailey,” I fill in the blank with a soft laugh. “Do you know when Miss Fisher will be ready to go home?”

“I can’t say for sure, honestly. That’s the nurses’ call now, but it should only be a few days, just to make sure everything is going well for the mom and the twins.”

“Thank you.”

He leaves just as quickly as he’d appeared, leaving me in a mostly empty hallway. Lila is already gone, probably to the waiting room at the front of the hospital to blow off some steam. I have no interest in going after her. I don’t even know her that well anyway.

That leaves me with the time to share the good news, so I call Benjamin.

“Hey, sweetie, everything going okay?” His deep, rich voice fills my ears and sends shivers down my spine.

I know he’s about double my age, but ever since we both started working for the Bowmans several years ago, I’ve been drawn to his charm and sophistication.

He carries himself well, which I imagine comes with the territory of being a butler, and exudes a confidence I don’t think I could ever have.

“Everything’s well! Chelsea delivered her twins, both boys. Happy and healthy... Okay, maybe not happy, they’re screaming their little heads off.”

We first got to really know each other that night I’d just lost my cat of twelve years.

I was pretty inconsolable behind closed doors, keeping my emotions wrapped up most of the day until I found some time to cry alone.

Except I hadn’t been as alone as I’d thought.

Benjamin discovered me in the pantry, sobbing behind the shelves of seasonings with my face buried in my hands.

Thankfully, the Bowmans had gone to bed so there was no one else to make the same discovery.

But one kind word led to another, which evolved into comforting embraces. And from there...

Let’s just say we had to stay up late that night to fix all the spice containers we had knocked off the shelves.

We’d kept it to ourselves, however. The Bowmans likely wouldn’t have approved of the relationship given the age difference and I only learned later on that Benjamin had an adult son of his own and a deceased wife.

There was no reason to confess such a relationship when things weren’t going to progress any further.

Benjamin confessed he’d already been married once and couldn’t see himself doing it again.

Not to mention making things more confusing for his son.

I was content with that too, given my young age.

Marriage isn’t something I’d ever seen in my future, not even with Benjamin.

It’s not that I don’t love him with every fiber of my being, but there doesn’t always have to be a ring attached to prove that the love is there.

Plus, if I did start wearing a ring, more people would be asking me questions that I would have no interest in answering. So we have chosen to remain boyfriend and girlfriend ever since.

“Did you want to come over and see them at least? Before we head out to dinner?” I ask. It feels like I’m asking too much for him to come and look at some newborns that he has no connection to, but maybe seeing them would inspire him...

“I don’t see why not, as long as it’s not for too long. We don’t need Miss Fisher’s ‘friends’ putting two cents together and figuring out what we’re up to.”

“Oh, don’t be silly, Ben. You’re overthinking it.”

“Am I? Past experience has told me otherwise,” he chuckles under his breath. He’s right, I suppose; he’s been alive longer than I have, so he has more worldliness about him.

“It’ll just be a few minutes. You don’t even have to say anything. They’ll be none the wiser.”

And so what if they figure it out? Would it be so bad? It’s not as if he’s working for them or risking either of our employment.

Still... if keeping things this way makes him happy...

I can’t believe everything that’s happened in a year.

After the house burned down, I thought that was the end for both of us.

We had nowhere to work and no place to stay; everything that made our lives familiar was gone.

We both managed to find employment in other places, but it was a shame we couldn’t work together anymore.

In a way, it’s been both a blessing and a curse.

We don’t have to pretend like we don’t know each other in front of coworkers, but it means spending less time apart and only seeing each other when we’re not working.

But Chelsea’s union ceremony helped to bring us back together again, to give us a moment to remember that there are still some good things in life worth fighting for.

Seeing Grace being raised by those who know her and care about her is the beautiful icing on top of a cake that took a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to make.

Even with her parents gone, she deserves to be where she is.

“Alright. Maternity ward, right? Can you meet me outside?”

“Sure. Do you know how far away you are?”

“Maybe about twenty minutes? Hard to say with all this early evening traffic.”

“Twenty minutes. Got it. See you then!”

Just as I’m about to hang up the phone, I hear the squealing of tires and the crunch of metal. Not even a yell or a warning about what’s going on. Then everything goes silent.

“Ben? Ben!? Answer me, is everything okay?! Ben!!”