Page 25 of The Night Nanny

Nurse Marley chimes in again. “Mr. Sinclair, it’s partly my fault. I accidentally had my phone turned off. Ava was sound asleep when I left for the walk. I was only gone for fifteen minutes. I was sure she’d still be sleeping when I returned.”

Fifteen minutes of pure hell. The most frightening since my life-and-death cesarean.

Marley continues. “I should add that I stored the bag in a guest closet and I Ubered here yesterday. My car’s in the shop.”

Ned looks at me dead in the eye, his face hardening like a fist. “You may have cost me the Japanese deal.”

My cheeks burn like I’ve been slapped in the face. I can no longer hold back my tears. They stream down my cheeks.

“I’m sorry, Ned.”

A pang of remorse slices through me. I clutch my stomach and flee, leaving my husband alone with Nurse Marley and my baby.

TWELVE

NED

I watch Ava stumble out of the kitchen. I feel bad. Maybe I was too harsh on her. It was a misunderstanding. A comedy of errors. I’ll have my secretary send over some flowers. A peace offering.

My wife is a mess. I’m a mess. Maybe I was never meant to have a wife or a kid. What did I get myself into? I silently curse my father for forcing me to get married.

I squeeze my temples with my fingers, trying to ward off the headache that’s brewing behind my eyes. I turn to Nurse Marley. “I’m sorry for my wife’s behavior. And for mine.”

“Please, Ned, no apologies needed. It’s understandable. You’re both under a lot of stress. New parents…a challenging baby…you with your high pressure job…and Ava is battling postpartum depression.”

“You think Ava is depressed?”

“Totally. You can tell by the way she cries so easily. The way she gets overwhelmed. Her feelings of inadequacy. The paranoia. I’ve seen this before in many new moms. Some even have suicidal tendencies.”

I inwardly shudder at her last words. While our marriage has been stressful, I don’t want to lose Ava. Maybe we need more than a night nanny. Someone to watch over both our baby and Ava twenty-four-seven.

I glance down at my watch and see it’s almost ten thirty.

My eyes flit back to Marley. “It’s way past the hours you’re contracted for. You must be exhausted. You should be heading home.”

“Actually, I’m fine. Do you have time to talk?”

“Sure…what’s on your mind?”

Isa has fallen asleep in our night nanny’s arms. Marley gently removes the bottle from the baby’s mouth and sets her back in the stroller before returning to her seat at the island. Her mesmerizing violet eyes lock with mine.

“Ned, your wife is very fragile. She doesn’t have the physical or emotional wherewithal to take care of your daughter.”

After this morning’s episode, I don’t need to be convinced.

“What are you suggesting?”

“I’m suggesting I become your full-time live-in nanny.”

I digest her words. “For how long?”

“At least for the next month or so, until Ava regains her strength.”

“Funny, I was just thinking the same thing…that we need more help.”

She flashes a smile. “Great minds think alike.”

She tells me her rate. Forty dollars an hour. That’s a lot of money, even for someone like me.