“Chocolate cake and ice cream!” Lotus shouted.
“Ha! And Ms. Kiki doesn’t think you’re funny.”
“She’s not,” the woman in question said as she descended the stairs. “There is nothing funny about sarcasm.”
Nyxie’s eyes met Lotus’s as she bit back her own sarcastic reply. She had tried to defend Lotus the day the nanny moved in, trying to explain her niece’s attempts at humor, often came off as sarcasm, but the girl had no meanness in her.
“Have a seat. Pancakes will be ready in a few minutes.”
“Elvis pancakes,” Lotus chimed in.
“It’s no wonder you can’t get these girls under control feeding them garbage like that.”
“It’s Lotus’s birthday. We don’t eat these all the time. And there is nothing wrong with their behavior. They’re little kids. They have moods and feelings just like anyone else.”
The nanny made no attempt to hide the way her eyes shot heavenward. “And the rest of the time they’re eating sugary cereal,” Ms. Kiki said condescendingly.
“That’s my fault,” Sonia said. “I didn’t know what everyone liked, so I just bought my kids’ favorites from when they were young.”
Ms. Kiki looked over her glasses at Sonia. “And you are…?”
“Hi, I’m Sonia. I’m Dr. and Mrs. Stryker’s housekeeper.”
Kiki’s brows lifted as she turned toward Nyxie. “Why do you need a maid and a nanny, when you don’t work? Surely, you could clean up before you go sit with your brother in the hospital.”
Nyxie kept her eyes on the pancakes. It was unfair for Kiki to imply she never cleaned the house, when Nyxie had put out a great deal of effort to keep it tidy. Every morning before she left her bedroom, the bed was made, and she had dried off the shower walls with her towel before dropping it in the chute. At night, everyone had to pick up their belongings before bed. She always tried to make sure the lunches were made and the kitchen cleaned before she left for the hospital.
Nyxie served up the first batch of pancakes to Lotus, trying to ignore the woman.
Ms. Kiki rolled her eyes again and shook her head. “I mean, I understand why your husband doesn’t trust you to watch the kids,” she said, making air quotes when she said husband. “He doesn’t want to see CPS intervene the way they did after your neglect nearly got your brother killed. But surely you can be trusted to vacuum.”
At Nyxie’s gasp and subsequent silence, Sonia stepped in. “I’m happy to have a job. You should be too,” Sonia said. “If you’ll excuse me, sounds like I need to put a load of sheets on to wash. Do you want me to wash yours also, Kiki?”
“Yes, please. But if you don’t mind, I’d rather not have them washed in the same load with Reina’s soiled sheets.”
Nyxie the doormat stood silently, wishing she could come up with something to say. She watched Sonia as she climbed up the stairs, pulling her phone out of her pocket.
“There’s granola in the pantry and yogurt in the fridge if you don’t want pancakes,” Nyxie said quietly.
The woman climbed up on the stool. “I suppose yogurt and granola will be fine,” Kiki said, and looked expectantly at Nyxie.
After spending the last six years serving tables, Nyxie automatically fell into waitress mode. She headed into the pantry for the cereal, and located a bowl and spoon then placed the last yogurt cup in front of her. “Would you like some coffee?”
“Yes, dark roast.”
“Do you need any help, Aunt Nyxie?” Lotus asked.
Nyxie shook her head as she put the pod in the machine and began brewing a cup for the nanny.
“No, Princess. It’s your birthday.” Nyxie was thankful for the distraction. “You don’t have to lift a finger all day if you don’t want to. Do you know what else? Declan wants us all to buy swimsuits, and if there’s time, I thought we might like to walk to the park.”
“Are we going swimming?” Lotus could barely contain her excitement.
“I don’t know. Not today, but sometime.”
Nyxie scooped up the second batch of pancakes and they were supposed to be for Reina but they were a little burnt, so she set them aside knowing they would be hers and put on another batch for Reina.
“God, that looks vile,” Ms. Kiki said.
A look of surprise flashed across Kiki’s face and she pulled out her cell phone. She glanced at the display and frowned as she answered it.
“Hello?” Kiki said, after putting her phone to her ear. She listened for about half a minute. “You’re kidding? You’re fucking kidding me.” The woman got off the stool and headed up the stairs.
Nyxie’s phone began ringing. It was sitting at the end of the bar. She glanced at the display and answered Declan’s call.
“Hey,” she said, trying not to let him hear from her voice how upset she felt.
“If that woman isn’t out in fifteen minutes, called the police and have her thrown out.”
He sounded mad. Really mad.
“How…?”
“Did you give her a house key?”
“I haven’t gotten around to having one made. I let her have the extra garage door opener.”
“Go get it out of her car, now.”
Lotus made eye contact with Nyxie and turned in her chair at the sounds of raised voices coming from upstairs. Nyxie could feel a surge of adrenaline that brought her back to her childhood. She wanted to locate Reina and grab Lotus and hide in the pantry.
“She’s arguing with Sonia.”
“I told her to pack the bitch’s shit. She probably didn’t like it. Are you in the garage yet?”
Nyxie rushed through the mud room into the garage. “Yes, sir,” she said, pulling the door closed behind her.
“Who am I?” he demanded.
“You are my Dominant,” she said, recognizing the tone of his voice.
“That’s right, Nyxie. And I am telling you, you will not let anyone treat you like that again. Not her, not my parents. No one. You are that woman’s boss. If she spoke disrespectfully to you, you should have told her not to talk to you that way, and if she did it again, you would fire her.”
Obviously, Sonia had related the whole conversation to him. “I’m sorry, sir.” Nyxie crossed to the woman’s car and opened the door. It took her all of ten seconds to locate the clicker on her visor.
“You are the most precious person in my life. It infuriates me that anyone would treat you like that. But they do it because you let them. I’m not always going to be close enough to fight your battles. If you don’t start standing up for yourself, I’m going to punish you.”
Nyxie could hear him talking to someone else. “I’ve got to go. I’ll have the security company call and walk you through changing the code. Text the new code to me.”
“I love you, sir.”
“Love you too.”
After they hung up, as she stood in the dim light of the garage, she felt her eyes fill with tears. She didn’t know which upset her more: the fact that she had displeased Declan, the things that Kiki had said, or that he expected her to fight back. God, how could he demand of her the one thing she found nearly impossible to do for herself. Surely taking the punishment would be easier than standing up against someone like Ms. Kiki or his parents.
Blowing a deep breath through her mouth, she tried to stem her tears so Kiki wouldn’t think she had made her cry. Why did life have to be so complicated? She didn’t like the way she was. She hated her weaknesses. Didn’t she want to be stronger? Didn’t she want Declan to be proud of her? More than anything. Could she do it? Could she stand up for herself? What was she afraid of?”
Nyxie lifted her phone and snapped a selfie. She told herself it was the last picture of Onyx. That stupid, weak girl was dead as far as she was concerned. Onyx had come into the garage and Nyxie would leave.
As she dried her cheeks with her fingertips and stared at the likeness on the screen, she studied the sad face and thought she looked somewhat pretty with the way the
dim light softened her features. She knew Declan liked to see that soft vulnerable side of her, so she texted the photo to his phone with the caption. “Say goodbye to Onyx.”
She pushed the button to open the garage door, so nothing would impede Kiki’s departure. Good riddance, bitch.
Nyxie could feel the tension in the house the moment she came back in. There was always that moment of odd silence that came with the gnawing fear in the pit of her stomach.
“Ten minutes!” she yelled up the stairs as she reentered the kitchen. Reina was sitting on a stool at the bar, her hair dripping wet and uncombed, dressed in mismatched shorts and t-shirt, and Bear-Bear in her arms. In the kitchen, Lotus was trying to remove four burnt pancakes from the pan. “I’ve got it, Lotus.”
They were too burnt for even Nyxie to eat so she threw them in the disposal-side of the sink and plopped more batter on the griddle.
Her phone rang. It was Declan again.
“Hello?”
“WTF?” he said, his annoyance evident. “Are you leaving me?”
“What? No. Why would you…?”
“You just sent me a picture saying, ‘Say goodbye to Onyx.’”
“Onyx, the shy girl who won’t stick up for herself. Not Nyxie.”
“Is that Papa?” Lotus asked. “Can I talk to him?”
Nyxie paused. The child had the worst timing. Declan wasn’t in the mood to deal with kid drama.
“Lotus, this isn’t a good time. Declan’s at work.”
“Pleeeeeease. It’s my birthday.”
With a sigh of frustration, Nyxie’s shoulders dropped. “Declan, do you have a sec to talk to Lotus?”
“Put her on,” he said curtly.
“Sorry,” she whispered into the phone, cupping her hand over her mouth. “Here she is.”
“Hi, Papa.”
“Hey, Princess.”
“Papa, can you come over for birthday cake and ice cream, after you get off work tonight?”
“Birthday—” he cut himself off. “Of course, Sweet Pea, I might be late, so don’t wait for me, but I’ll be there as quick as I can. Give the phone back to Nyxie.”
“Hello,” she said, stepping into the entryway between the garage and the kitchen.
“Today is Lotus’s birthday?” It sounded like an accusation.
“Yeah, but….” If he could have seen her at that moment, he would’ve found her eyes on the ground. “You know my kids don’t….”
“I know they don’t have any expectations, but I guarantee, they still hope they will receive gifts. Because you didn’t tell me, I look like a first-class jerk for not getting a ten-year-old a birthday present.”
“Eleven,” she corrected and wished she hadn’t.
“Did you give her anything?”
“I made her Elvis pancakes and I was going to walk to the store and get a cake mix and ice cream.”
“For God’s sake, you have got to get out of this, I-don’t-have-money mentality. Take both girls on a little shopping spree. Buy them some new clothes. Take them to a toy store and tell Reina to pick out a gift for Lotus and let Lotus pick out something for herself from you.”
A beat went by before Nyxie spoke. “Sir, I’m trying to make the money you gave me last. Until I go back to work….”
“You aren’t going back to work—not any time soon, anyway. You have three jobs right now. Your kids, your education, and me,” he said impatiently. “When your account gets down to $1,000, let me know and I’ll put more in it. I can’t afford to buy you a new Lexus every week, Onyx, unless you want to blow through my money, but I can certainly afford everyday expenses and a few splurges now and then. If you’re going to blow a big chunk of it—say you want to buy a Jacuzzi for Cody’s therapy—I’d like a heads up, but….”
“Why would I buy a spa when you’ve got a bathtub that does the same thing?”
“Stop being so literal. Jeez. Look, I’ve got to go. That woman has another four minutes. And stop sending me text messages unless it’s an emergency.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll see you tonight.”
Sonia made a series of trips down the stairs carrying suitcases, totes and a couple of trash bags filled with odds and ends, and soon the woman in question marched down the steps, barely giving Nyxie a glance as she took the last of her belongings to her car and left.
The day was looking brighter already.
Chapter 26
Nyxie arrived at the hospital wearing a black and white bold zigzag print pair of palazzo pants, black shirt and an infinity scarf in a matching but smaller print. Lotus and Reina both wore Easter dresses they had found on the clearance racks at JCPenney’s.
Sonia volunteered to bake Lotus’s birthday cake. She would have been happy to cook dinner for them also, but Lotus had specifically asked for pizza for dinner since it was her birthday.
Nyxie wasn’t thrilled. The last two times she had eaten pizza, she’d practically had to force it down because she had been upset, the first time after Cody’s accident, the second after the big argument with Declan, which had landed her squarely back in sub camp.
In her hand, Nyxie carried a bag containing shorts, shirts, and underwear for Cody. He had persistently asked for a pair of shorts like pro basketball players wore, but they’d never found any at garage sales, so she’d never been able to get him any. But the baggy legged shorts would be perfect to go over his cast. And she was pretty certain, the nurses could be persuaded to disconnect the IV from his PICC line long enough for them to pull the T-shirt over his head. Apparently, they’d gotten enough info after his second seizure to remove the electrodes from his skull because they were gone the next day and Nyxie had spent much of her day picking glue out of his hair.
“Hey, bro. What shakin’ bacon?” Nyxie said, entering the room. “Elvis showed up at our house this morning for Lotus’s birthday. Do you want some pancakes?”
“Lotus’s birthday is not until—” he stopped as he tried to remember the word.
“July,” Nyxie supplied. “It is July. You’ve been here a long time. What month do you think it is?”
He thought about it for a moment. “I don’t know,” he said looking upset. “I can’t remember their names.”
“It’s okay, Cody. You had a good bump on your head. If it doesn’t come back, I’ll teach them to you again, just like when you were little.”
Nyxie made a mental note to tell his neuropsychologist of the deficit next time she saw her.
“Anyway, we brought you some pancakes if you want them.”
His lopsided smile was his answer.
“Look,” he said pulling the covers back from the left side of the bed. While they were gone, the orthopedist had come, removed his casts, and replaced them with braces.
“Oh my gosh, that’s fantastic, Cody. Did they say when they’re going to start letting you walk?”
“N-no.”
“Hey, Cody,” Reina said twirling around in a circle. “Look, Nyxie got us new dresses from the store. Who do you think has a prettier dress?”
“Don’t answer that, Cody,” Nyxie cut in. “You’ll only succeed in hurting someone’s feelings.”
“Me,” he said, holding out the hospital gown and making a face.
Nyxie placed the plastic container with the pancakes in front of Cody, and within a few minutes, he had polished them off.
Nyxie smiled when her phone began ringing inside her purse, assuming it was Declan calling her. The grin faded away as she looked at the display. It wasn’t a number programmed into her phone so she assumed it was a wrong number.
“Hello?” she said.
“Is this Onyx?” a heavily accented voice asked.
So, not a wrong number. “Yes, this is Onyx.”
“My name is Esmerelda Hinojosa, I’m Lotus and Reina’s grandmother. Mr. Vaughn gave me your phone number.”
Nyxie's gut churned. “I-I didn’t know Lotus…. I mean, I only thought Reina….”
Somehow, the woman knew wh
at she was trying to say. “Technically, Lotus isn’t our grandchild, but Melinda was living with us when she was born. Our son, Isaac, accepted her as his own, and so did we,” the woman said. “Please, may we see them?”
By the time the woman finished speaking, Nyxie’s heart was beating so hard and fast, that she could hear the sound in her ears. It nearly covered up what she was saying.
Nyxie bit her lip as she realized Lotus and Reina were not as unloved as she always imagined. She tried to remember if she had asked them if they had any family when Melinda did not return for them, but she didn’t think she had. She just believed her sister was the slut the kids at school said she was, and assumed Melinda did not know who fathered either girl.
“Of course. We’re at the hospital visiting my brother right now, but maybe later….”
“No, that’s fine. We’ll come to you. UMC?”
“Y-yes.”
“Can you text me the room number? I’m sure I’ll forget it otherwise.”
“Sure.”
As soon as they hung up, she saved Esmerelda’s phone number and sent the text with Cody’s room number.
Lotus and Reina sat down on the floor and began pulling out coloring books and crayons. She knew she should prepare the girls for the visitors, but she didn’t know what to say.
“Cody, look what I bought for you.” Nyxie pulled out two pairs of basketball shorts from the shopping bag. “I didn’t know if there was a team you and your friends liked, so I bought the Mavericks and the Spurs since they’re both Texas teams.”
Nyxie helped Cody to sit on the edge of the bed and worked a pair of boxer briefs, like Declan wore, over his brace, making sure the hospital gown didn’t ride up and embarrass him—or her. She pulled out a matching T-shirt and tank top, and with the help of a nurse’s aide, managed to get Cody dressed in clothing that made him look like he was no longer an invalid.
He sat back in the bed and grinned at his new clothing.
“Do I get to keep it when I leave the hospital?”
“It’s yours to keep. After you get out, I’ll take you shopping at the mall. Declan doesn’t mind if I spend the extra money on new clothes. You should see the bed he bought for you. I’ll try to remember to take a picture so you can see it. You get your own room and it’s really big, and the girls are in the room next to yours.”
The Love He Craves (The Love She Craves: Selling Her Soul to Declan Book 2) Page 24
