Sunny
“Daddy, when are you coming home?”
Hailey’s voice trembled with longing.
“Just one night, peanut,” Liam reassured her. “Then I’ll be right back. I promise.”
He had been called on short notice by the CEO of the Kansas City Coyotes to help secure a sponsorship deal with a major soft drinks brand.
The team’s management believed that Liam’s presence could provide the star power needed to finalize negotiations taking place in South Dakota, which meant he would have to stay overnight.
This unexpected turn of events offered both Sunny and Liam a chance to catch their breath after their tense conversation the day before. However, Liam was on edge; it was the first night he had spent away from the kids since Kate’s passing, and the girls were feeling their father’s absence.
Hailey let out a soft whimper. Sunny glanced at her, concern etched across her face, while Maddie seemed to be handling the situation better.
“Hey, Sunny tells me she’s planned a movie night,” Liam coaxed. “That sounds like so much fun. You won’t even notice I’m gone.”
Hailey managed a reluctant smile at that.
As the massive TV in the den crackled to life, casting a fuzzy blue glow over the room, Sunny leaned closer to the phone.
“All under control, Mr Anderson,” she said, keeping her tone light. “We’re starting with Frozen, then Wish, if anyone is still awake by then!”
A grunt came from the other end. “You’ve got this handled?”
His concern was palpable.
Sunny rolled her eyes internally but quickly reminded herself that this was his first night away from his children since losing his wife.
“Like a well-oiled machine!” she replied cheerfully. “You don’t need to worry about anything.”
Her gaze swept over the chaotic scene: toys and clothes scattered everywhere, Maddie shoveling fistfuls of popcorn into her mouth before the movie had even started — most of it ending up on the floor — and Hailey frantically jabbing at the remote control, trying to start the first movie.
“Easy-squeezy,” she said, using a phrase the girls loved.
Liam paused for a moment on the other end of the line. “Well, if you need me, you know how to reach me.”
“Yep, understood,” Sunny replied.
After another lengthy pause, Liam said, “Goodnight, girls!”
“Night, Daddy!” they both chorused.
Liam hung up.
Goodnight to you too, Sunny thought, but soon redirected her focus to the task at hand.
The next few hours flew by in a flurry of coaxing a squirming child into pajamas, dishing out snacks, engaging in silly singalongs, and struggling to play a battered DVD. By the time the closing credits of Wish rolled, Hailey was nestled on Sunny’s lap, strands of popcorn tangled in her wild curls.
As the TV faded into static, both girls were unusually quiet, lost in thought. Sunny gently rubbed Hailey’s back and then reached over to do the same for Maddie. An air of sadness hung around them.
“Want to talk about it, loves?” Sunny asked softly.
Maddie shrugged one slender shoulders, nervously toying with the ends of her hair.
“It’s just… I miss when Mom did movie nights. She always made them so much fun.”
“With naughty snacks and showtune singalongs!” Hailey chimed in, a small wistful smile forming on her lips.
Biting her own lip, Sunny pulled them in for a group hug.
“Tell me more about your mom. What was she like?”
That question opened the floodgates.
Maddie animatedly recounted stories of Kate’s signature nacho spreads, while Hailey chimed in with imitations of her dancing and yoga poses. That was just the beginning. Their faces lit up with each cherished memory they shared, filling the room with renewed energy.
As the giggles began to fade, Sunny brushed the last wisps of hair from their bright eyes.
“She sounds like an incredible woman. I’m so glad you had those wonderful times with her.”
“I wish you could’ve met her,” Maddie said, a hint of longing in her voice. “You would’ve been friends. She knew how to make everything fun, like you.”
Maddie’s innocent sincerity, reflected in her wide eyes, caused Sunny’s heart to ache. Gazing down at the two motherless girls, a wave of familiar sorrow washed over her, a poignant echo of the untimely loss of her own father.
“You know, I never got to meet your incredible mom in person,” she murmured, holding them close. “But I feel like I know her through both of you. In a way, she lives on through you two, and I know she would have been so proud of her girls.”
The words hung in the air as the three of them basked in the moment, enveloped in their warm embrace. It seemed that their physical closeness momentarily filled the vast emptiness left in each of their hearts.
Sunny remained in the living room after the girls had finally settled down. She listened intently for any sound that might signal a nightmare or a troubled heart. After reminiscing about their mother and being away from their dad, the girls were particularly sensitive.
No sooner had she sprawled on the couch with a tattered paperback than she heard the familiar pitter-patter of little feet in the hallway.
Maddie slipped into the dimly lit room, her eyes wide and brimming with tears.
“I had a bad dream,” she whispered, her lower lip trembling. “Dad wasn’t there, and I couldn’t find anyone…”
“Oh, sweetheart.” Sunny set her book aside and wrapped the child in her arms “I’m right here, honey. Your dad will be home soon. I bet he’s missing you like crazy.”
Maddie nodded, but her shaky breaths and tense little body told a different story. She was in pain. For so long, she had been the strong one, the big sister putting on a brave face, but the cracks were beginning to show.
As she rubbed soothing circles on Maddie’s back, Sunny had an idea.
Like her spontaneous cartwheel in the dining room days earlier, it was a bit unconventional.
But she reasoned that nannies needed to be resourceful; it was part of the job.
With a wink, Sunny gently extracted herself from Maddie’s grasp.
“I’ll be back in a moment. Are you okay on your own for a minute?” she asked.
Maddie nodded solemnly.
Sunny tiptoed down the hallway toward Liam’s bedroom, suddenly overcome with doubt.
This was a bold move. But thinking of Maddie’s tears, she decided to throw caution to the wind.
Besides, she would only be a moment. She opened the door and scanned the room: a huge bed, framed photos, messy piles of clothes, and there it was — a rumpled lump of faded fabric on the floor by the bed.
It had to be the Kansas City Coyotes T-shirt he always wore around the house.
Sunny crept over and picked it up, unsure why she felt the need to tiptoe.
Probably guilt. She shouldn’t really be in Liam’s private space, but needs must. She paused for a moment, burying her nose in the fabric and inhaling the comforting blend of crisp detergent and something warm — something earthy, something unmistakably Liam.
It felt reassuring, solid, stable. She swooned slightly, unable to help it. Her body was betraying her.
Get a grip, woman, she scolded herself. This isn’t high school.
She rushed back to Maddie, plopping down on the couch and spreading the giant T-shirt over herself like a blanket. She tugged the little girl close, swaddling her in the soft, oversized fabric, heavy with comforting scents — comfort for both of them, if she was being honest.
“What’s this?” Maddie mumbled against her, inhaling deeply.
“Just a little piece of your dad to borrow until he’s back,” Sunny said soothingly. “So you don’t feel so alone.”
Already, Maddie’s sniffles were subsiding, her body melting deeper into Sunny’s protective embrace and the fabric of her dad’s T-shirt. She buried her nose in the folds and sighed, a tide of peace enveloping her at last.
For several long, quiet moments, they simply breathed together, Maddie slowly succumbing to slumber while Sunny cradled her close.
Sunny gently stroked the garment, trying not to dwell on any forbidden thoughts as she inhaled Liam’s masculine essence.
A flicker of longing stirred in her midsection, only to be banished by a stern reprimand. She was here for the girls, full stop.
Don’t be stupid. Give your head a shake, woman.
When morning light finally streamed through the bay windows, Maddie lay heavily on Sunny’s chest, drooling slightly onto her T-shirt.
Despite the stiffness in her muscles, Sunny couldn’t suppress the goofy smile on her face as she admired the peacefulness of the sleeping child.
Little by little, these girls were welcoming her, allowing her to be a soothing presence for their wounds.
Just then, Hailey trotted sleepily into the living room as the front door swung open. Moments later, Liam lumbered in, a duffel bag slung over one shoulder, running a weary hand over his stubbled jaw. He frowned at the scene before him.
“Well, isn’t this… cozy?” he remarked, taking in the three of them.
Sunny stiffened. Was this another reprimand? Another accusation that she wasn’t up to the task? That she was ‘wet behind the ears’?
Noticing her concerned expression, Liam’s face softened.
“Sorry for leaving you in the lurch,” he said. “Looks like I had no reason to worry.”
Sunny let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
Then two shrieks shattered the quiet as Hailey and the now wide-awake Maddie launched themselves off the couch and across the room in a blur. Sunny watched with a satisfied grin as they dog-piled their father, rushing to fill him in on every tiny detail he’d missed while he was gone.
As the chaos showed no signs of abating, Liam raised his hands in surrender, a big smile finally appearing as he drank in his daughters.
“Alright, alright! Let’s move this reunion to the kitchen before the neighbors call the cops on us.”
As the girls filtered into the kitchen amidst a fresh wave of squeals and giggles, Liam lingered back. Sunny pretended not to notice him watching her.
She started to follow the girls but was stopped by Liam’s gentle hand on her forearm.
“Seriously,” he said, fixing her with his iridescent blue eyes. “Looks like you had everything under control. Thanks for stepping up. Being alone with the girls wasn’t part of the deal.”
“No biggie,” Sunny replied breezily. “Life happens, and I understand your work isn’t a typical nine to five.”
His hand remained on her arm, and Sunny found she didn’t mind at all.
“Look, we might have started off on the wrong foot,” Liam said, appearing somewhat uncomfortable. “I just want you to know that I… I…” He struggled to find the right words. “…appreciate you, and I know the girls think the world of you.”
Sunny offered him a reassuring smile.
“As I was saying, Mr Anderson…”
“Liam,” he interrupted. “Please, just call me Liam.”
“Okay, Liam,” Sunny replied. “The girls are happy, and the house is still standing.”
She gestured around the room to emphasize her point, noticing how his eyes followed the movement of her body beneath her thin nightshirt.
He flushed when their eyes met again.
“Right,” Liam muttered quickly, clearing his throat and withdrawing his hand from her arm. “Well then, I suppose I’ll let you carry on.”
She could see him visibly cringe at his own choice of words; he really was out of his depth with this new situation.
“That would be my pleasure,” she replied, heading toward the kitchen with a renewed spring in her step.