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Adonis closed the book he held and climbed up on the bed. “Is Nefeli going to die?” he curled up against her side.
She smoothed his hair and snuggled him close. “No, sweetie. Nefeli is going to be fine. We gave her some medicine to help her fever go down and calm her rash.”
“Mama died,” he said.
Rose’s heart broke on his behalf. “I know. But Nefeli doesn’t have what your mama did. Nefeli got a virus or had an allergic reaction.” The three of them, she, Stavros, and Mr. P, hadn’t been able to determine which one was the case. “The medicine is working, and she’ll be her energetic self very soon.”
“By breakfast?”
Rose shook her head and smiled. “Not that soon. Maybe tomorrow.”
“I’m hungry.” Adonis turned pleading eyes on her.
“Well, then, we better feed you. Can you give me fifteen minutes to get ready?”
His shoulders slumped, but he nodded.
“I’ll make you crepes,” she enticed him.
He grinned. “Can I play on the tablet?”
“Yes.”
He grabbed the device from its charger on the nightstand and began a spelling game.
Rose scooped up some clothes and slipped into the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, she emerged fresh faced, with damp hair. The shower had done wonders to help lift her brain fog.
She held out a hand to Adonis. “Come. You can help wash the strawberries.”
He threw down the tablet and took her hand, tugging her toward the mini kitchen.
With the crepe batter made and the strawberries washed, Rose commenced making crepes.
Adonis watched eagerly, bouncing on his toes. “I got to sleep in the big bed,” he said.
“Yes, you did.”
When she and Stavros arrived from their truncated date, Mr. P had already moved Adonis to his room so he wouldn’t be disturbed all night by their ministrations to Nefeli.
They dosed Nefeli with ibuprofen and Benadryl. As they waited for Nefeli’s fever to go down, both men had alternated between pacing and holding Nefeli’s hand and debating whether to call in a doctor or take her to emergency care.
She’d overheard Mr. P say to Stavros, “Cases like this are why we normally employ a nanny with a nursing background.”
Rose was stung by his words but saw the merit of having a nanny with medical experience—another reason why she shouldn’t stay longer than originally agreed. Her heart shriveled at the thought of leaving Stavros and the children.
To prove she wasn’t useless, Rose had given Nefeli a lukewarm oatmeal bath, which helped ease the itching and the temperature.
“If she hits forty degrees, and we can’t bring it down with the ibuprofen, then it will be time to take her to emergency care,” she told the men.
They stopped chatting and stared at her.
“How do you know that?” Stavros asked.
“I may not have my own children to care for yet, but this isn’t my first nannying job. We go through basic first-aid training and are required to take refresher courses annually.” She crossed arms over her chest. “Or did you not notice that in the information on the website? Wouldn’t that be one of the reasons you chose my sister’s company?”
Stavros had a guilty look on his face while Mr. P said, “You’re right. That was one of the reasons we chose Marie’s company. I’m afraid in all the worry over Nefeli, we forgot that detail.” He gave a pointed look at Stavros.
Rose thought that a strange exchange. Thankfully their care over Nefeli was a success, and halfway through the night, Rose was dismissed to get some sleep since she’d have Adonis to tend in the morning.