by J. J. Bella
Then the waiting game began, and another moment of horror settled over me as I waited for the verdict on Isla’s condition.
I knew I couldn’t have prevented an accident like that, but there was a part of me that was so guilty for getting too distracted with my own thoughts than to pay more attention to her. Maybe Isla was tired, and I should have gotten her home and had her skip practice today. Maybe if I watched ahead, I would have noticed some sign of her fall and…
And what? Ran to catch her? It would still have been too late.
My mind was killing me, and I knew I would just drive myself crazy if I kept on going over it. I decided to be productive and started off by going to the nurse’s station and filling out the necessary details, grateful that I memorized Isla’s stats during our time together. I paused at her mother’s name, because I only knew an Evelyn and didn’t know her current last name. Isla had mentioned she remarried, and Isla mentioned how she didn’t like her stepfather that much and the feeling was probably mutual.
Oh, God. I didn’t even know her mom’s number, and she absolutely needed to know about what happened. I was due to drive Isla over this weekend to her place, and I didn’t even know the address because Isla had promised to just show me the way on the road.
When I was done filling up, I finally found the courage to dial Peter’s number. As expected, it went directly to his voicemail, and the sound of his deep voice comforted and terrified me at the same time.
Hi, Peter Bartlett here. I’m unavailable at the moment, but please leave a message if it’s urgent.
I took a deep breath. Then I rushed into my explanation, hearing my own panic as I stumbled all over my words. I hung up the phone real quickly, embarrassed, and groaned out loud in the empty halls. Then I dialed again and left another voicemail—a calmer one this time detailing everything that happened, starting from the moment of Isla’s fall to our rush to the hospital. I told him I’d keep him updated when the results were out, then sat down again to keep waiting.
About fifteen minutes later, a nurse came out and looked for Isla’s parents. I stood up and quickly explained that I was the guardian, and that I had already contacted the father. I then asked how Isla was doing. The nurse frowned, but looked into her chart and proceeded to explain that Isla was okay, but her ankle was broken and the doctors were in the process of putting a cast on her. Relief rushed through me at the announcement, but as the nurse left, I still worried, because a broken ankle wasn’t exactly that good of a news either.
I called Peter again and left a third voicemail, detailing what the nurse told me and telling him about the cast. As an afterthought, I composed an email as well and sent it to him, in case he didn’t have phone access but still had internet wherever he was. I kept my fingers crossed. Even if I didn’t hear from him or he didn’t receive both the voicemail and the email, I was going to make sure Isla was set to rest and recuperate the moment she got home.
My thoughts were just straying towards making chicken noodle soup for her when a flash of red caught my eye.
A woman rushed towards the halls, her heels clicking loudly as she strode purposefully. She was wearing a red dress that hugged her figure, and it was a very beautiful figure, trim and willowy with the longest legs I’d ever seen. She was wearing sunglasses and diamond earrings, and carrying a leather bag on her perfectly manicured hand. Her hair was blonde and perfectly coiffed, almost golden in its color. The woman exuded class and wealth with her looks, and it wasn’t the subtle kind, either.
I watched her head straight towards the nurse’s station, where she whipped her sunglasses off. Her voice carried off to where I was as she called the nurse’s attention, and her chocolate brown eyes flared.
“Where’s Isla Bartlett? Take me to her immediately,” she snapped out.
Shock filled me. It didn’t take a genius to figure out this was Isla’s mother, though the only thing they resembled was the willowy figure and the blonde hair, though hers was darker. Five seconds in and she was already reigning her terror on the nurse who was trying to ask for more information but was coldly cut off by Evelyn as she demanded to know what happened to Isla and refused to be insulted by giving out any more information. I stood up and hurried over there right away, already wincing at the scene unfolding and needing to pacify it before it blew up.
“Miss Evelyn? Is that you?”
The woman paused from her demands and glanced at me. Her sharp brown eyes took me in, and I stifled a squirm as she eyed me from head to toe.
“What?” she asked.
“My name is Rachel Glasgow. I’m Isla’s nanny, and I was the one who rushed her to the hospital. I tried to contact you, but—”
“The teacher called me. Where’s Peter?” she demanded, cutting me off. I blinked.
“He’s…at work. He’s on assignment. But I already left him a message—”
“Damn it. He left Isla alone with a kid sitter?”
My back went up at that. I didn’t like that she kept interrupting me, already zoning in on Peter not being here but not even asking me about Isla’s condition. With a deep, inward breath, I tried to remain calm and be as polite as possible.
“I’m twenty years old and I’m qualified to be a babysitter.”
“You wouldn’t be qualified if you let my daughter get into an accident,” she snapped. “Where is she?”
“She’s in the emergency room,” I replied, quietly, figuring that arguing would get me nowhere—not when she was the mother and I was just the nanny. “She hurt her ankle while practicing ballet, and the doctors are putting a cast on her right now. She’ll be out soon.”
She clearly looked upset as she glared at me. I began to feel uncomfortable at the obvious dislike in her eyes, but I braced myself and refused to leave, either, in case she had other questions. I wanted to apologize, I really did, but I got the feeling that whatever apology I uttered would just be thrown back in my face. So I just stood there as she impatiently tapped her foot, then settled on one of the waiting chairs. After some hesitation, I sat a few chairs away from her and quietly waited, too.
She ignored me for the most part. But after a few minutes, she turned to me again.
“How long has Peter been gone?” she asked, coolly.
“Almost a week,” I answered. “He got called in last Friday.”
“Then Isla should have been dropped off to my house. Why hadn’t you dropped her off?”
Isla hadn’t wanted to be dropped off, but I knew Evelyn wouldn’t appreciate that answer. I settled for the safe one. “I was supposed to drop her off tomorrow. I’m just following the schedule you provided to Peter, and—”
“—and when Peter is away, you should drop her off to me no matter the schedule,” she snapped again. She made some irritated noises. “This is so irresponsible of Peter. I can’t believe he left Isla all alone.”
“With all due respect, Miss Evelyn, I was there with her. This really was an accident, and I do apologize.”
“Your apology won’t change anything,” she shot back at me. She glared again. “I should have known Peter would do something like this. That job of his is really irresponsible and no good. He could have worked as a banker and been really rich by now, but there he goes saving the world and trying to be some goodie-goodie soldier. His job’s a joke.”
I blinked. So being a Navy SEAL was a joke now? Suddenly, it was all I could do to stifle my mouth to prevent words from rushing out. As far as I knew, being a soldier may not be the richest or most glamorous job in the world—but it was definitely one of the most courageous and honorable. I had a sinking feeling why things didn’t work out between Peter and Evelyn, but I also had a feeling I was only seeing the surface of it. I never did get to ask Isla any particular details why she didn’t want to spend time with her mother, not wanting to intrude or probe on such delicate territory. But maybe I should have, so that I would get a better idea of her personality because of circumstances where I would be dealing with her, such
as this one.
My thoughts halted at her next words.
“If he keeps on messing up like this, he’d better be prepared for me to file for full custody of our daughter. I don’t want Isla in a reckless environment that would just threaten her safety.”
It took me a few seconds to realize that the threat was directed at me—or at least, it was done so I could pass the message off. I knew without a doubt that she would also call Peter and tell him, but at the moment, I could only stare at her in shock at the viciousness in her tone and the sincerity.
She meant every single thing she said.
She was going to take Isla away from Peter.
I opened my mouth to tell her something—anything, really, to ease the situation from escalating. But before I could, the emergency doors opened, and I watched as a nurse wheeled Isla out in a wheelchair, with a man in a doctor’s uniform in tow.
I stood up immediately and sped towards Isla, checking her out. She didn’t look pained anymore—only sleepy, though the first thing she did was give me a reassuring smile. I wanted to give her a reassuring hug back and squeeze her tight, but I was afraid of hurting her. I turned to the doctor, about to ask him for updates.
Evelyn beat me to it.
“Doctor, I’m the girl’s mother,” she said with authority, ignoring me. “How is she?”
Isla’s eyes widened upon seeing her, surprise on her expression. The doctor turned to Evelyn and began explaining that Isla did break her ankle, but nothing was shattered and it would heal in time. He advised for her to get lots of rest in the meantime, then to practice walking using crutches in about a week. After a few more weeks, we were required to come back to the hospital so her leg could be checked and the cast removed. The doctor held out a paper with prescription to ease Isla’s pain, and I reached out to take it and thank him.
But Evelyn was faster. She snatched it out of his hand before I could take it, and she nodded her head firmly.
“We’ll make sure she gets lots of rest, doctor. Thank you for taking care of her.”
Her demeanor changed, and the look she gave the doctor was almost friendly. When the doctor and the nurse left, she turned to Isla. “Isla, I’ll have you checked by another doctor for a second opinion. Do you remember Dr. Richmond? He’s a personal friend of mine and I believe he can see to you better.”
“But mom, Dr. Richmond is old and doesn’t smile,” Isla complained. “I tried to make him smile before and he just looked at me like I was crazy.”
I stifled a smile at the irritation I could detect in Isla’s voice. Even with only a week knowing her, I knew a whine coming when I saw it, and I figured it had a lot to do with what she’d gone through. She yawned, then covered it slowly with her hand and blinked her eyes a couple of times. If the prescription had painkillers, it probably was the one making her sleepy. I had to get her home right away—and if Evelyn insisted that she needed to see this Dr. Richmond, I could always plead that maybe Isla should get some sleep in first before going out again. That chicken soup would do wonders for her, and I could make her macaroni and cheese tomorrow—one of my personal recipes that was fast becoming her favorite.
But again, before I could reach Isla and hold her wheelchair, Evelyn was already there, cutting me off.
“Come on, Isla. Let’s go. Then you’re coming home with me.”
I stared in shock. Then my mouth was moving before I could even think. “Miss Evelyn, with all due respect, I would be glad to take Isla home and—”
“Nanny, with all due respect, this is none of your business.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm, and she wasn’t even glaring at me anymore. She was just ignoring me, like I didn’t exist at all for her.
I stepped forward again. “I really do think it would be best if I get Isla to bed today, and drive her to your place tomorrow as scheduled. Or if she really can’t get out of bed, I promise I will—”
“You’re really not going to stop, are you?” Evelyn asked, irritably, this time giving me a scathing look. She lifted her chin and crossed her arms. “Then let me spell it out for you. I’m going to call Peter and give him a piece of my mind about this incident and my decision about Isla’s welfare. Then I’m going to tell him that the nanny he hired is the most incompetent person in the world and deserves to be fired.”
My mouth snapped shut. Evelyn didn’t wait for any response on my end, already wheeling Isla before I could even talk to her. Isla shot me a worried look, and she looked like she was murmuring something to her mother, but Evelyn kept wheeling her out and refused to acknowledge whatever it was she said.
I wanted to run after them, mortified out of my mind. I had always been good with parents, and that was the first time that someone openly expressed their dislike for me—and threatened to get me fired. But that wasn’t what worried me.
It was that with what had happened, there was the very real possibility that Peter would lose the one person he loved the most in the world.
Peter
My mission proved to be more crucial than most, as this time it involved getting a kidnapped General out of hostile territory right before his head was to be cut off for propaganda. The terrorists were more trained than most, with weapons that were state of the art and leaning more towards being explosive than accurate. Still, they knew how to handle them, and our team had a hard time getting into their base and eliminating all threats so we could get to the General in time.
He’d been tortured by the time we got there, his face only recognizable through certain features and his body riddled with injuries. We’d been a team of six, and two of us had to carry the unconscious man out while the rest provided cover. All the men in that compound base were low-ranking, and we knew it was useless to grab one of them, too—besides, it wasn’t part of the mission. But that pretty much confirmed that there was another base somewhere we didn’t know the location of yet. Another team was going to be deployed soon, I believed, to handle that part of the job—finding out who was the actual culprit or mastermind behind the kidnapping. The General had been unconscious during the whole plane ride, and the doctors had to operate on him mid-flight to make sure he got replenished with the blood he lost. Once we got back in the US, he was taken to our private health facility for recuperation, and I knew with his grave condition, he wouldn’t be speaking anytime soon yet.
Jake Malone was again a part of this mission with me, and this was the first time I actually saw him quite nervous and not talking much. He was the youngest out of the six and the most inexperienced, but based on what I saw, he handled everything accordingly without losing his head or his presence of mind. As the highest ranking in that team, it was my job to write up a report about it, and I quickly went to our military base’s computer room, where I logged in to my account and typed up my report as fast as I could. I printed it out, sent an email to my boss, and got the printed one in his office, where I gave him a briefing before I was dismissed. When that was done, I took my things out of my locker and stepped out of our temporary sleeping quarters, where I found the five men I was on that mission with waiting. I knew them personally, having already been on missions with each one of them at different times and finding them okay. We had gone to a bar once or twice to get a drink, and Jake hailed me now.
“Sir, just in time,” he said, grinning.
“Peter.” Another man, Michael Indigo, who was closer to my age and more friendly than most, tilted his head. “We’re heading out to the nearest bar. You know, unwind and bitch about the mission.”
I laughed. Jake eagerly nodded, adding that he was eager to talk to a woman after being deprived for so long. Apparently, a week was already so long for him, considering he’d just been telling us on the plane ride a week ago about this chick he’d been banging inside a club bar—and she’d apparently liked it too, considering how she’d been screaming his name.
As far as I knew, only two of us were family men in this particular unit, but the other one was already having problems with his w
ife and was eager to get home and fix it with makeup sex. They then turned to me, but I turned them down with a grin and a wave, saying that my daughter was waiting for me. Then I left. I could tell by Jake’s puzzled look that he couldn’t understand why I wasn’t taking advantage of the situation—me, a single father with no wife, who could have all the women I wanted. I wouldn’t be a liar and say I’d never slept with anyone after Evelyn, because I had. Most of them were women I met on the job—a journalist, a fellow soldier, and a bartender among others. But they were all fleeting and casual, and none of them were ever important enough for me to incorporate them into my family life. It was more about slaking the lust.
But lately, I hadn’t really gone out of my way to find any woman to sleep with or share a night with. I just found women a headache in general, especially when some of my flings took a turnabout with the women wanting more and me being not ready to give them the “more” they needed. It ended in tears and lots of bitterness on their end, which I just couldn’t be bothered with. Sometimes I wondered if my experience with Evelyn had left me bitter and jaded. Other times, I just thought I shouldn’t bother and concentrate my efforts on raising Isla right.
Besides, I could always slake my own lust with my hand, which was often what a soldier did, anyway. It was the goddamn truth, especially when we were all stuck with each other for weeks and months on end.
Lately, though, I couldn’t deny that I used my imagination a lot, too—particularly flashes of a certain image that involved curly brown hair and pretty green eyes. Rachel’s hair had been long, and she let it down right before I left the house for my mission. It had been a sight, really—and being the damn horny man that I was, I couldn’t help fantasizing about how that hair would look when it was spread out all over the bed, her eyes closed and her mouth parted open as she moaned out my name.
