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“Chicken noodle?”
“Of course!”
She looks toward the kitchen and sniffs, probably sensing the smell of it in the air. “You made it?”
I nod. “My grandma’s recipe.”
“Okay.”
“And then after, maybe a bath? It will help if you’re hot.”
“Okay,” she repeats.
“You’re being so brave!” I tell her. “No tears or anything. I should have known you were a big girl.”
She giggles before a tiny cough leaves her followed by a pitiful little groan. I grab the glass of water from the coffee table and hold the straw to her lips. “Thanks, Ellie.” I get up to go check on the soup when I hear her voice again. “You won’t leave, right?”
“Of course not. I told you I was staying.”
“No, I mean ever. You won’t ever leave?”
My heart squeezes in my chest. I’ve had this conversation with every single child I’ve ever nannied for. It’s a tough one to have, but I always find it better to prepare them that one day I will leave. I go over the spiel in my head that I’ve given several times but the words get caught in my throat and very different ones come out.
“I’ll be here for as long as you need me.”
A few hours later, Sawyer comes walking through the door with River right behind him and immediately they go to the kitchen.
“This soup smells so good. Is it just for Isla?” River calls out, and Isla, who seems to have a little more energy than she did this morning, giggles. She’d managed a few bites of soup but most of it was still sitting on the coffee table with her crackers and juice.
River and SJ walk into the living room each holding bowls and Isla sits up and frowns. “Don’t eat all my soup!”
“I can make more,” I tell her.
“Yeah, make more. Row is going to love this.” River nods before he walks through the living room and sits on the couch on the other side of her. “What’s going on, Isles? Are you ditching school already?” he asks.
“I’m siiiick,” she whines.
“A likely story,” he jokes, and she scowls at him.
“You look better,” Sawyer says as he sits between me and her before taking a bite of the soup. He immediately looks at me. “Seriously? What can’t you make?”
“I take that to mean you like it.”
“So good,” he says between bites. “I think we need this in the house all the time.”
“You don’t think you’ll get tired of it?” I raise an eyebrow at him and he shakes his head.
“No way,” he says before he gets off the couch and presses a kiss to Isla’s cheek. I slap a hand over my forehead. “Okay, sir, she’s sick. Would you like to be next?” I call after him. “You’re taking some Tylenol!”
“Whatever I gotta do to keep this in the house.” He points at the bowl before he disappears.
“Everything was okay though?” River asks, and I nod. “Seems you have everything under control here. Never thought I’d see the day when this house wasn’t in a state of constant chaos.” He looks down at Isla who’s back to staring at the television now that another episode ofBlueyis on. “I’m really glad they have you.” He stands up, and like Sawyer, presses a kiss to her cheek. “And I am very much looking forward to holding this over my brother’s head forever. I mean I knew you’d be perfect,” he says with a knowing grin and I remember that River is aware of mine and Rowan’s recent change in our…relationship.
“Are you leaving?” Isla asks and River nods.
“I am. I have practice, but you call me later if you want me to swing by after?”
She nods. “Okay.”