by Natalie Ann
Chapter Twelve
Caro cried and his heart broke. How a frightened child’s tears could do so much damage to his insides, he’d never know, but they did. He held her close and kissed her little cheek, and her forehead, even her hands. All the time he murmured, “It’s okay little darling. Uncle Beau’s got you now. You’re safe.”
The more he talked, the more the little one reacted until her wails were so loud, others began leaving, getting on with their own plans.
Elli, seeming to wait for him to get over his reaction, stood nearby until he settled Caro down, only that didn’t happen. Caro just got more upset.
Finally, Elli took pity on him and forcibly took the screaming child from his arms and sat with her on her knee. “Caro, that’s enough. Stop crying. You’re not hurt, and no one is mad at you. Look at Uncle Beau.”
Caro instantly stopped her wailing and looked at Beau who wore a big smile. He even winked at her to prove he wasn’t angry.
“Caro, when you go out with Uncle Beau and me, or just alone with either of us, you must never leave us again. Do you understand? We were very scared when we couldn’t find you.” Elli forced Caro to look at her face, and she waited to see that the little cherub had gotten the message.
Beau watched this and wondered if her harsh tone might not start up more hysterics. Thankfully, they didn’t. Caro seemed to be debating the words before she nodded in agreement.
Not satisfied, Elli repeated her message and this time in a no-nonsense tone every scared mother is able to contrive. “Caro, I mean it. You are never to leave our sides. If you want something, you must let us know. Do you understand?”
Looking guilty now and wanting to end the scolding, Caro’s nod held a lot more enthusiasm, and she even patted Elli’s cheek. When his eyes followed the little girl’s hands, he saw what the little one had seen. Dried tears marked the silky skin.
Understanding it was the perfect time for him to step up, he said, “Okay… now that we all understand the rules, I’ll pay for our packages, and then I have something to show you two. It’s a lot of fun for kids. Maybe Caro can still enjoy her first shopping trip.”
Elli, catching on, hugged the little one and lowered her to her feet. Taking her hand, she agreed, “Lead the way, Uncle Beau. All we have left to buy are shoes, and we can do that later. Right now, we need some lunch.”
***
“You just had to have lunch before we bungee-jumped.”
“It was after one by the time we left the store. Of course, we needed to eat. How was I to know what craziness you had in mind, and that she’d be sick and throw up everything all over the place?”
“Because you’re a nanny. You should understand those things. Do you know that young ass running the machine made me clean up all those bits of her wiener and hot dog bun? Man, it was gross. I almost upchucked myself.”
“Gross was cleaning Caro. She was scared and kept wanting to hug me. By the end, I had as much of the stinky mess on me as she did. Then when I washed it off my blouse, the stupid thing clung to me and all the men in the mall stared like I was competing in a wet t-shirt contest.”
They looked at each other, both full of irritation until Elli began to grin. “He made you wipe all that yuck off the floor and everywhere?”
“Yeah! And you saw how it flew from her. It was projectile upchucking.” He winced as the memories came back. Then an answering grin formed. “People snickered. One guy even had the gall to say, hey dude, you missed a spot over there. Then he cracked up.”
“You let him get away with that?”
“What could I do? I told him not funny, man, but he just laughed and gave me a thumbs-up.”
Now Beau stared at her wrinkled and still damp blouse. His appealing voice lowered, and he spoke, looking at her still outlined bra, “I don’t blame any man for staring. You’re beautiful.”
The effect on Elli was swift and deep. Her tummy swirled with sensations like dozens of tiny whirlwinds erupted inside her. Her eyes engaged with his. She couldn’t pretend a lack of interest in his interest. Just wasn’t in her. Coquetry had never been a part of her makeup. That left her with two choices. Attack his gorgeous body and have her way with him. Or leave.
If only she hadn’t made dinner plans.
Chapter Thirteen
When Elli arrived with hair still damp from her quick shower, Amanda stood waiting in the entrance of the Olive Garden. Elli apologized profusely. “There you are. I’m sorry to keep you waiting. We had a bit of a situation earlier, and by the time I got home and changed, then drove to Casa Grande, time had flown.”
“We could have eaten in Maricopa if you weren’t so stuck on this place.”
“I know. It’s just that we always ate in this restaurant when you lived here, and I really like the food. It’s not that bad a drive for you from Chandler – only a few minutes longer.”
“Okay, you’re right. It’s good we decided to meet early because the traffic was increasing ridiculously as I pulled into town.”
By the time the friendly waitress had settled them in a booth and had taken their orders for drinks, Elli began to relax, letting go of the earlier stress from the day. Her mind-blowing deduction that she had the hots for her charge’s uncle stalked her when she’d left Caro for the day. It shadowed her, staring her in the face, unwilling to be pushed from her mind.
How in the world was she supposed to look after the needy toddler when her focus stayed on Beau? The man acted like a temperamental kid himself. It’s what she’d told herself during the twenty-minute drive to Casa Grande.
Except, she kept remembering how gentle he’d been with Caro when she reached for him in the store. And how he’d rushed to her aid when she’d been sick on the Bungee Jumper. How he’d glared at the young kid running the machine so he’d back off with the crass remarks over something that Caro couldn’t help.
Admitting to being impressed with his quick thinking and calm interference so she could escape to the washroom with Caro, she had to grin again at his tale of woe when he’d stayed behind to clean up the mess.
If Caro hadn’t needed her help, she’d have been tempted to escape from the embarrassing incident.
“Are you ever going to talk to me? Your head is really stuck in the clouds today.” Amanda had finished checking her phone and sat patiently.
“I’m sorry. So much has happened over the last two days, I don’t know where to start.”
Amanda, doing what she did best, took a sip from her virgin Bloody Mary, settled back in her seat and said, “Start at the beginning.”
And so, Elli did. She told her friend about the hellish day before and how she’d been forced to step aside while they’d placed a young innocent boy in a facility no better than the one he’d been rescued from. How she felt useless when she’d tried to intervene.
“I know what you’re up to. You don’t fool me for one minute, Elli Storm. You want me to check into the case and take on this kid.”
“He’s so desperate, Mandy. If someone doesn’t intervene now, he’ll be damaged for the rest of his life. He’s not even thirteen yet, and he’s a small boy.”
“So… you look after him. My list is crammed with these kinds of cases and I’ve turned down two other paying patients just today. I’m sorry, Elli. Even coming here this evening means I’ll be working late at home tonight, getting caught up with my files.”
Elli could see the sincerity in her friend’s expression and backed off. “Things are that bad? You never said.”
Getting interrupted by the delivery of the hot buns and salad they’d be sharing; Elli had full intentions to get back to their topic. They grinned at each other as they took the first bite from the warm garlic rolls, enjoying the rich flavor. Soon enough, they’d returned to what interested them both – their jobs.
Mandy got them started. “Between you and me, kids today have a lot more challenges to face at a younger age than even we did a few years ago. And most of the problems lie with Socia
l Media. As a doctor, I wish society would lay down some strict rules for those Facebook, Instagram and Twitter sites. They’re a steaming junkyard for the weirdos. Unfortunately, it’s where the rest of us spend time too. Except, the kids don’t have the sense yet to separate the unhealthy rubbish from the good stuff.”
Elli swallowed her mouthful and argued, “Come on, Mandy. Half the time, the adults are fooled too. It’s a quagmire of misinformation out there.”
“Add to that, the kids have too much freedom on platforms that aren’t policed or controlled. They can release their hate and frustrations from their everyday lives and pick on whoever they take a dislike to.”
“I know. It’s sad. Many of them are unhappy and depressed and their thoughts become toxic. So, they pick on someone weaker. It’s impossible to control.”
Mandy agreed and began voicing her favorite topic. “We need to educate them when they’re young and make them understand they’re responsible for this behavior. I had a twelve-year-old in my office the other day who’s guilt wouldn’t let her sleep because she’d been involved in some hate crap her gang of girlfriends were smearing over Facebook about someone else in their class. She wanted me to say it wasn’t her fault.”
“You didn’t, right? Everyone has a responsibility when they’re engaged in this type of behavior.” Elli felt very strongly about this subject. She’d seen things and knew how hate like this could affect others.
“Of course, I didn’t let her off the hook. We talked about her options, and she left with some choices she could take, but you know what? I’m not sure she’ll do anything except maybe stop hanging around with her friends.”
“Even that’s better than where she’s at now, right?”
“If you think so.”
Elli slapped the table lightly. “You always do this. Make me think for myself.”
Mandy laughed. “Look, the right choice is difficult. And maybe unrealistic. Chances are she’ll take the easiest route and live with that failure for the rest of her life. Worst of all, her innocent belief in human nature has been destroyed. She’s been brutally taught that there is no Santa Claus and it breaks my heart.” Mandy took a sip of her drink and lifted the glass. “I wish this had alcohol. Some days, it’s all that works.”
That remark didn’t sit well coming from her dearest friend. Mandy’s trouble was she had a huge heart wrapped inside her plump body. Her pretty face with her longish red hair and green eyes made one want to get to know her. She had a way about her, an instant attraction to her smile. People liked and trusted her.
And Elli loved her. From the time they’d gone to school together, they’d become close and stayed in touch. Mandy was important to Elli, and she hated to think her friend relied on a crutch to help her live through her hellish days.
“You need a boyfriend. In fact, if I remember correctly, you were going to tell me about some guy you intended to marry. It sounded like he had potential?”
Mandy’s expression lightened, and she grinned. “This guy has it all, Elli.” She began counting on her fingers. “He’s hot. He’s smart. He’s rich. He’s sensitive. And… he wants me to help him with his little niece.”
Suddenly, Elli saw the writing on the wall. “Wait. Did you say niece?”
“Uh huh. Seems the mom dropped her off at his place and then left. Told him to pass the kid on to his brother when he showed up. That she needed to leave the state and couldn’t be dragging the kid with her. Imagine the crazy woman leaving her own child with a complete stranger, even if he is the daddy’s brother. How the hell did she know he’d be good to her baby?”
“She’s not actually a baby, Mandy. Caro’s almost three. And she’s my new job – I’m her nanny.”
Mandy looked at her with a comical expression of dismay.
“What?”
“Well, there goes my chances with Mr. Beautiful.”
Before Elli could reply, their dinners arrived, and the smell of a plateful of delicious fettuccini took her mind off the rebuttal she’d planned.
By the time they’d finished the first few mouthfuls, Mandy seemed herself again. “Mr. Williams came to the office a few days ago, apparently before he’d hired you. Or at least, he didn’t say anything about having a babysitter for the niece. His main concern was that the three-year-old refused to talk.”
“My taking the job only happened yesterday. Miss Grundy fired me, and he talked me into taking on Caro and working for him to help her. It happened so fast; my head is still spinning.”
Mandy’s watchful look caught Elli’s attention. “What?”
“You needed to get out of that office. Honey, I love you, but you’re not cut out to be in the system. The rules were killing you. I’ve asked you repeatedly to come and work with me out of my clinic. We have an empty office there that would suit you well. And we have more than enough patients to keep you busy.”
“I might have been tempted before I promised to help Beau with Caro. Now, I’m in too deep. We need to make sure child services will let Caro stay with him.”
“He might have had trouble before he brought in a qualified nanny. In fact, I’d warned him that would go a long way to having Social Services allow Caro to stay – that and the fact that he’s family.”
“I guess that’s why he jumped on hiring me when he knew I’d lost my job. I guess I can’t blame him. If we can set up a routine for them to live together, and a way to reach her so she’ll start talking, their living together might work out.”
“You know that getting her to talk can take a while. These hang-ups can be deep-rooted, even in young ones, and they don’t dissolve overnight. I suggested he first have her physically examined to be sure there isn’t a medical reason for her not wanting to use her voice.”
“I know, and it’s a good point. He made an appointment with one of the best pediatric specialists in Phoenix. We take her next week. In the meantime, we had a shopping day from hell today.” Elli proceeded to describe their earlier experiences, making them as humorous as possible in order to watch her friend laugh and unwind. “So, trust me, that little one is a handful.”
“Maybe, but in the meantime, you get to hang out with that hunk every day.”
“Yeah, there’s always a negative side to every situation, isn’t there?” Elli tried to sound sincere. “I can probably hook you up with him.”
“Nah! I never did have a chance. Sadly, I had to refuse his case. There wasn’t an open slot available to properly fit Caro in. All I had was a fantasy. He’s all yours, but find out if he has any buddies that might be looking for a blind date. Right about now, I’m feeling desperate. You’re right. I do need a boyfriend, or soon, I’ll be searching for AA meetings to fill those lonely hours.”
Elli knew Mandy meant her last remark as a joke, but she’d noticed the stress her friend couldn’t hide. The lines on her face that were deepening. And it scared the hell out of her. Mandy was the sanest, most easy-going, yet organized person she knew.
Chapter Fourteen
The next morning, Elli arrived at Beau’s hoping that the day had started better for her charge. When Beau opened the door with a huge smile, she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Where’s Caro?”
“She’s helping me make breakfast. Come and see.”
When Elli stepped into the kitchen, she saw Caro kneeling on a stool by the island. She had a big spoon in her hand and was working hard to mix whatever was in the bowl.
“We’re making biscuits today. They’re almost ready to drop onto the pans and get baked, right chef?” Beau’s voice held a note that made Elli leery.
Caro grinned at Elli and nodded enthusiastically. With her attention pulled from her chore, she loosened her grip on the bowl and it flipped, rolled and headed to the side of the counter. Elli froze, and so did Caro. Beau, quick-thinking, rushed forward and caught it just in time before it hit the floor. Some of the batter escaped but very little.
“Oops! Gotcha! Here honey. You watch it for me,
okay?” He passed the bowl back to Caro who’s face showed extreme fear. She’d turned white and her eyes had grown huge and instantly filled. When Beau reached toward her to give her back the bowl, she flinched and would have fallen if he hadn’t been quick to steady her.
Elli, watching this all unfold, felt horrified at Caro’s reaction. How in the world had they treated this little girl in her previous world? She’d obviously behaved just now the way she’d been trained to react. And it infuriated Elli. Her glance flew to Beau, and she saw he’d reached the same conclusion.
All the fun had gone out of Caro’s face. She climbed down from her stool, went to the corner and laid down, her thumb in her mouth.
Beau and Elli watched, horrified. He lifted both hands as if to say what now?
Elli went over to crouch by Caro, lifted the now stiff little body onto her knee and cuddled her as much as she was allowed. She spoke very softly. “Did you choose your clothes today?”
Caro nodded slightly, head still hanging down as if waiting for her punishment.
Elli had noticed that someone had split the perfect matching outfits, changing them out so they no longer worked as well. Rather than wearing the pants with the shirt it went with, they’d been paired wrong. “Did you know you took the blue pants from one outfit and the purple top from another?”
Caro, her earlier dilemma now forgotten, which was Elli’s aim, looked at Elli and nodded.
“You did it on purpose?” Even though Elli’s voice only held a note of curiosity and no censure, Caro’s gaze flew toward Beau as if asking for help.
He laughed and though Elli knew it to be forced, Caro didn’t have the ability to discern such a difference. She smiled back and pointed to her uncle.
“Ahh! Uncle Beau picked your clothes.”
Beau had finished the biscuits and put the loaded pan in the oven before he came over and kneeled close.
