by M. Robinson
“Wow... that is not how I thought this would go down,” she expressed. “I’m so sorry, Camila.”
Camila?
“I completely understand if you no longer want the position. I truly apologize for wasting your time.” I quickly heard Skyler’s footsteps. “I’ll see you out.” Seconds later, she stopped. “I have to ask. That song... the song you were singing to Journey. Why that song?”
I didn’t have to wonder long what Skyler meant because Mary Poppins answered, “The Annie song?”
The Annie song? The one that made Skyler’s career?
“Yeah,” Skyler agreed. “Out of all the songs you could sing to her, why that one?”
She was singing to Journey? Is that why she was so quiet?
Over the last month, Journey would fall into a fit of fury only I could stop. I understood her, feeling the same way she was.
I wanted my mom and dad too.
“Oh...” Mary Poppins coaxed. “Um... I used to sing it to my siblings all the time. They loved it. I mean, my sisters must have watched the original movie a thousand times.”
“You never saw the remake?”
“No. Why?”
“You really don’t know who I am, do you, Camila?”
My eyebrows lowered.
She didn’t know who Skyler was?
Everyone knew who Skyler Bell was. We couldn’t walk into a gas station without someone asking for a picture or autograph. She used to be the biggest celebrity in the world. Until she married Noah and became Skyler Jameson.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know—”
“Please don’t apologize,” Skyler interrupted her. “When I first promised Bailey I’d be here for her family, I was terrified I wouldn’t find the right woman to help me take this on. I had this nagging fear the women I interviewed would be here for the wrong reasons. For who I am and not for the kids. I didn’t want to mess it up, you know?”
She did? I didn’t know that.
“Bailey’s my best friend.”
She was your best friend, she died.
This was one of the hardest parts about my mother’s death. No one talked about it. It was as if we were waiting for her to come back home, walk through the front door at any moment, knowing in our hearts it would never happen.
She was gone, and nothing or no one could bring her back.
Yet still, we all couldn’t speak about it.
All aware it didn’t end with her. It had only just started. Jagger, Journey, and I carried her blood, her DNA. We all had the same chance to lose our minds. It was easier to pretend, but inside...
I was ticking away.
Tick...
Tick...
Tick...
When would I go boom?
Tearing my train of thought back to them, Skyler continued on, “She’s the older sister I always wanted. When we first met, she didn’t know who I was either, and because of that, I loved her instantly. To go from my world, to one where no one knows who I am, was something I prayed for every night. I used to be a celebrity, an actress, and singer. It was a hard life, and if you Googled my name you’d know why. So, to finally find that in her... well, it meant... everything. I guess I’m just trying to say that,” she breathed out. “I don’t know what I’m trying to say.”
Skyler definitely went through some shit, falling down the Hollywood rabbit hole.
Mary Poppins didn’t hesitate in saying, “Like me being here is meant to be.”
“Yeah, but that’s crazy, right?”
“No. I don’t think that’s crazy at all.”
I resisted the urge of screaming, “It is fuckin’ crazy! Nobody wants you here!”
Without thinking twice about it, Mary Poppins followed it up with, “When can I start?”
If she thinks this is where she was meant to be, then I’d just have to prove...
How wrong she was.
Chapter 18
<>Jackson<>
The next morning, I left my house bright and early, walking my ass to school instead of waiting on the bus. Wanting to avoid Skyler and my newest pain in the ass.
Our nanny.
School was the same shit on a different day. I ignored Harley and her Scooby Doo gang all day, not even looking her way, paying her no mind which in turn pissed her off.
Good.
I had enough bullshit in my life at the moment. I didn’t need The Gremlin’s crap too.
“Harley’s cousin,” Trigger stirred. “What’s her story?”
“Who cares?”
“I do.”
“Since when?” I grilled, completely taken back while we ran our drills during football practice.
“She’s cute.”
“She’s alright.”
“She’s fuckin’ smart too. All her classes are advanced.”
“Jesus, man, you looked into her classes? Stalk much?”
“Fuck you,” he laughed. “I like a challenge.”
“Good luck barking up that tree. She’s a prude.”
“Even better.”
“Trigger, don’t—”
“Oh, come on, don’t give me that shit. After everythin’ you put prissy pants Harley through.”
“It’s different.”
“How?”
“It just is.”
“Again, how?”
“She belongs to me.”
“And I’m the stalker?”
“You wouldn’t get it.”
“Explain it to me.”
“The hell, man? You want to hold hands too? When did you grow a fruity tooty?”
“What the fuck is a fruity tooty?”
I chuckled, remembering the expression on Harley’s face the first time I heard her say it to Cash in the shed at the clubhouse years ago.
“When did you grow a pussy? Better?”
“Much. And from what I hear, my cock is much bigger than yours.”
“You wish, bitch.”
“Speakin’ about cocks, when are you gonna let Kate suck yours?”
“When I know I won’t need a shot for a STD after.”
“You can’t get herpes from a blowjob. Wait. Can you get herpes from a blowie?”
My eyes widened. “Trigger, keep your dick in your pants for once.”
“But my cock is amazin’, it should be shared wit’ the cheerleadin’ squad. Oh, wait... it has been.”
I laughed, shaking my head.
“Don’t be a hater. They want ya just the same.”
“I’m good.”
He threw my words back at me, “The hell, man? You want to hold hands now? When did you grow a fruity tooty?”
“I don’t have time for that shit.”
“Then ya make time.”
“Trigger—”
“I’m serious, bro. Your balls are gonna fall off. I’m settin’ somethin’ up for this weekend. Me, you, Kate, and Valerie, it’s for your own good.”
Before I could tell him no, Harley caught my eye. She was walking with Cash.
What were they still doing here?
Trigger followed my gaze. “I mean, unless it’s Harley you want.”
“Screw her.”
“That could be arranged, but you should crawl before you run. Practice makes perfect, football star.”
“I don’t think that’s the expression.”
“Alright, how ‘bout this? Get your dick sucked before ya fuck Harley’s face. Better?”
“Don’t talk about her that way.”
He jerked back, grinning like the fool he was. “Jackson loves Harley,” he sang, smiling from ear to ear.
“Fuck off.”
“Oh, this is perfect. We could double date. Just needta put in a good word wit’ Shiloh for me. I know! Tell her ‘bout my huge dick.”
“I’ll get right on that.”
“Thanks, bro.” He patted my back. “Kate!” he shouted across the field to the cheerleading squad running around the track.
“Trigger—”
“I got th
is. You’ll thank me later.”
“You assho—”
And he was gone, running his ass toward her.
I sighed, shaking my head again. Observing as Harley’s eyes trailed Trigger.
Did she know what he was doing? For me?
“Pierce!” Coach hollered, making her eyes connect with mine. “You’re up!”
I nodded, slowly backing away.
“Pierce, move your feet!”
There was something in her expression that caused me to linger for a second.
Was she jealous?
“Pierce, NOW!”
I called out, “I’m coming!”
I spent the rest of practice not giving her another thought. Focusing on bigger and better things.
Never did I imagine what I would be walking into when Jagger and I got home.
“Alright, Miss Thang,” Mary Poppins alerted as soon as I opened the garage door.
Bringing my finger up to my lips, I silenced Jagger. Nodding to the living room where her voice was coming from.
“How about we kick up the mood around here?”
“Gah!” Journey babbled.
“My thoughts exactly,” she replied.
We hid behind the wall where we couldn’t be seen, watching as she set Journey in her glider. She grabbed her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans and plugged it into the radio.
After figuring out how to work the thing, she hit play on what I assumed was her playlist. A catchy housebeat blared off the speakers in the open room.
Journey instantly started giggling and jabbering, shaking her body and kicking her legs. My mom loved music, and for most of her pregnancy, my dad played it for her. It always made her come back to us.
“Oh, I see you, gurl! You like to dance, huh?” She grabbed my baby sisters’ chubby little arms, clapping her hands together to the beat of the tune. “Like this.” Mary Poppins started rocking her hips, left to right, but it wasn’t until she twirled around in a body roll that I pulled out my phone.
Turning on the camera.
Journey beamed as I hit record.
I guess I could make my nanny an internet sensation. Already knowing the title of my YouTube video.
Nannies Gone Wild.
“That’s the washing machine move. Stick with me, Little Miss, and your milkshake will bring all the boys to the yard.”
Journey giggled, throwing her head back.
“This is another one, I call it the booty pop. Ready?”
“Gah!”
It was all the approval she needed to continue dancing for her. The song played on as did her performance.
At one point, she even grabbed the Windex and sprayed it on the windows while shaking her tits.
If Skyler could only see her now...
Journey giggling and having the time of her life was reason enough to keep the nanny dancing for her.
“Alright, now this, baby girl. This is what brings all the boys to my yard. You ready?”
“Gah!”
The beat dropped as fast as did her ass. Getting lower and lower to the ground beneath her. I could see all the views she’d get, and hopefully fired as well.
“Now this is my closing move, Journey. This seals the deal, ya feel me?”
“Bah!”
“You ain’t ready! You ready?”
“Bah! Gah! Bah!”
Right then and there, she was about to do something, but when she looked up, she came face to face with us.
“Oh crap.” Hauling ass to the radio, she instantly shut it off.
Skyler picked the perfect minute to walk through the front door, the timing couldn’t have been better if I’d planned it myself. Her eyes trying to figure out what was going on.
Mary Poppins opened her mouth to explain, but I beat her to the punch, bringing their attention over to me.
With my phone still aimed directly at her, I remarked, “Thanks, Skyler, for hiring us our own private stripper.”
Mary Poppins mouth dropped open, noticing the phone in my hand.
She defended herself, “Jackson, that’s not what I was doing. I was dancing for Journey and making her laugh.”
I snidely grinned and without saying another word, I turned and left. Clicking save on the video, adding to the countless footage I had on my phone.
Jagger followed close behind with his head hanging low, but it was the soft chuckle and smile on his face that had me smiling and chuckling too.
My brother hadn’t smiled or laughed in I don’t know how long. I hated Mary Poppins, but that didn’t change the fact that she at least got my brother to smile and laugh that day.
Even if it was at her expense.
Chapter 19
<>Jackson<>
“That’s the washing machine move. Stick with me, Little Miss, and your milkshake will bring all the boys to the yard.”
It didn’t take me long to edit and upload the incriminating video onto YouTube, making sure to keep the best parts. It was a nice distraction from feeling so alone in my own darkness.
The nights were definitely the hardest, lying in bed, staring at the ceiling with nothing but silence surrounding me. My thoughts were unforgiving and endless, making sleep almost impossible most of the time. There wasn’t anything to focus on other than my parents not being here for us.
I tossed and turned until I finally passed out from exhaustion. Only to dream about one of the things that haunted me the most. Every night it was the same nightmare, except it wasn’t a nightmare at all.
I shook my head, angrily scoffing out, “Fuck this.” In two strides, I was walking out of the room, but Dad grabbed my arm stopping me.
“I know you’re angry,” he voiced, staring into my eyes. “I understand, alright? But you don’t want to do this. Trust me, Jackson, if you walk out of here and you don’t say goodbye to your mom, it’s going to haunt you forever. And I don’t want that for you. Please, Son, say goodbye to your mother.”
“Don’t you get it? She’s not here to say goodbye to. There’s nothing left of the woman who loved me, raised me, told me she’d always be here for me. She’s already gone!” I roared, tearing my arm out of his grasp, nodding over to her bed.
My glare.
My rage.
Stayed consumed on her, wanting to look at her one last time.
“That’s not my mom. I don’t know who that is.”
I gasped, shooting straight up in my bed. My hand holding my heart on my chest, loudly panting. Desperately trying to find my breath.
I couldn’t even tell myself it was only a dream...
It wasn’t.
It was my reality.
“Jackson,” Harley announced, knocking on my door. “You alright?”
Sometimes she’d come with Skyler in the morning, and I hated when she did.
“Get lost!”
“I’m comin’ in.”
“I said, get lost!”
She didn’t listen. She never fuckin’ listened.
“Hey.” She closed the door, immediately blushing and peering down at the floor. Realizing I was shirtless, wearing only boxer briefs, and still in bed. I’d kicked the sheets off during sleep.
“What, Gremlin? Did you come in here to check out my morning wood?”
“Ewww... gross. No.”
“Then what do you want?”
“Ummm...” She played with the seam of her stupid sequined shorts that didn’t match her shirt.
“Get dressed in the dark again?”
“Actually, this outfit is from this super stylish store online. You wouldn’t know cuz you dress like everyone else.”
“You mean like a normal person?”
She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t come here to talk about my amazin’ fashion sense.”
“Harley, if you’re going to barge into my room uninvited, you need to look at me.”
“Fine. Cover your willy first.”
“Let me find a big enough blanket.”
“Ugh.”
<
br /> “Actually” I smiled innocently, grabbing a piece of gum from my nightstand, “hand me the sheet from the floor.”
She reached down to grab the cotton fabric, handing it over to me with her eyes still focused down at her feet. As soon as my fingers touched hers, I gripped onto her hand and dragged her toward me.
“Jackson! Don’t you dare!”
I laughed, “Like that’s gonna stop me.” In two seconds flat, I sat her on my lap. With her back facing my front, I bearhugged her from behind and held her in place.
“Jackson! I can feel your willy!”
“Maybe next time you’ll think twice before barging into my room.”
“You’re disgustin’!”
“What’s wrong, Gremlin? Never felt anything so big before? If you get tired of my tongue in your mouth, we could use this.” I thrusted my hip into her ass.
She gasped loudly.
“Why did you come in here?”
“I can’t talk to you when I can feel your balls on my butt, Jackson.”
“You hit them all the time with your feet and knees. How’s this any different? Tell me what you want, or I’ll thrust into your ass again.”
“UGH!”
“Shhh... or Skyler will come in here.”
“Yeah, girls ain’t allowed in your room.”
“You’re a Gremlin not a girl. Now talk. What do you want?”
She sighed, giving in. “Did ya really record a video of me dancin’?”
“You bet your ass I did.”
“Are you gonna send it to my dad?”
“Are you going to be a good little girl?”
“Jackson... you know my daddy would lock me up in my room for the rest of my life if you send him that video.”
“More reason to hand it over to him then.”
“I’ll do whatever ya want for that video.”
I jerked back. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“Now that’s a loaded statement if I ever heard one, Harley Jameson.”
“Well, Jackson Pierce, you ain’t givin’ me much of a choice, are you?”
I turned her around, making her face me. She was now straddling my lap.
“Holy crap! How did you do that so fast?”
“Shhh... you’re going to get us in trouble.”
“If Skyler comes in here, she’s gonna get the wrong idea, and we’ll both be grounded for life.”
