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“Charlotte, I understand what you’re saying, and I don’t disagree in theory, but we have the perfect nanny for Storm. What if she isn’t into having two charges in the day?”
“Well, we were talking about having a daycare on-site at the office. That would be the perfect time to do it. Then, when I went back to work after the baby, we could have them close but still well protected.”
“And still, what about Finley? She’s family, and we need to make her part of the conversation. If our energetic little man is all she wants to handle, then we need to find another person to add to the mix, and frankly, I’m not ready for that round of interviews again. Finley came to us on a prayer, and I don’t know if you can make that happen twice,” said a doubtful Jac.
Sharlee sighed. “But Finley would be there with us to decide on the right fit. She would be working with the extra person as much as us.” Jac didn’t answer, and Sharlee sighed. “I suppose we can wait a little bit longer to decide, but the time is coming to an end faster than we think.”
“No, we could have five years apart. Get Storm into kindergarten before adding our second.”
“We could, I suppose. I just wish we could make the baby a girl. That would work so much better. Another boy, well, closer would work.”
“Let’s table it until things have calmed down a bit.”
“I’m not sure that will ever happen, but okay, for a little longer.” Sharlee looked up as Finley came around the corner. “You missed an indecisive conversation that we have decided to table for now.”
Finley smiled. “I got the gist of it. And to respond to whether I will stay on for two or not, the answer is yes. But I want to renegotiate my contract before that happens.” She reached for a plate to put her breakfast on.
Jac nodded. “I’d expect nothing less. Well, ladies and my little gentleman, I need to do some cardio and then head to work. Anything special on the agenda today?”
Sharlee recited some of the work she meant to tackle, and then he turned toward Finley.
“Storm and I will go over to the front gardens next door and play for a bit before we go for a swim at home. Levi is off today, so he is going to meet us there later. The rest is yet to be seen.”
“Remember to activate your Keep Safe program on your phone,” said Sharlee. “I’m glad I was able to modify the program to be active and on standby.”
Finley grabbed up Storm from his second breakfast. “I always do.”
Sharlee nodded as Jac walked off. “I know. I am just always a little worried for you both, especially when things are hopping like now.”
Finley stared at Sharlee for a few moments. “You do know that I can kick ass from any position, right?”
“Yep, but you will have Storm, and that complicates things.”
“I have everything under control.” Finley gave a final smile and carried her charge upstairs for a change. They were headed for warm breezes and sunshine.
Scooping up the baby backpack for outdoor fun, the two were soon heading for explorations. The day was beautiful, and the weather was perfect. It would get hotter in the afternoon, but for this morning, there wasn’t anything to hinder a fun adventure in the gardens. As Finley grabbed the stroller and was opening it up at the exit, her cell rang.
“Hey.”
“Hey. You guys headed out?” Levi’s voice gave her a smile.
“Yep. Right now. Are you still able to meet us?”
“On my way right now,” said Levi. “Cash is working, so it’s just us tonight.”
“Okay, so we can go to the Thai place for dinner. Cash is not a fan.”
Levi laughed. “He is not.”
Turning her phone on speaker, Finley talked to Levi as she settled Storm into his seat, checked one last time that all was right, ended the call and put her phone in her back pocket.
“Let’s go, Storm. Guess who is visiting us today? Levi.”
Storm answered her and seemed quite content to chatter away and not be understood often. Finley allowed her thoughts to drift, occasionally agreeing or chattering responses back or just changing the direction of his interest. Storm didn’t seem as challenged with her conversation as she was with his, but they enjoyed the walk. The well-groomed property on both sides of the fencing was resplendent with beautiful thick lawns that Storm loved to run through. Trees were dotted strategically throughout the property and along both sides of the wrought-iron fence.
As she pushed Storm through the large Reynaud property to the hidden gate in the woods that separated the twoproperties, she thought about the conversation Sharlee and Jac were discussing this morning when she went looking for Storm and her own breakfast. She would stay for another child, but a daycare in their office building? She wasn’t so sure about that. They would need to think about that with Mallory and Becky now pregnant. That would be four, with Jessie’s baby. Maybe they could work out some rotation between them.
It would be possible if they had at least one nanny per one or two children, but a baby took up so much of one person’s time it wasn’t safe for more than two with the procedures that would have to be executed if there were danger like a few weeks ago.