Page 37 of Timelessly Ours

She snatches the paper and pencil from me and starts to circle objects next to the letters. Then on the opposite page, writes the letters next to the images indicating what they start with before shoving it back at me.

“There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” I’m about to put it away and then notice one thing she missed. “Oh, you forgot to write your name on it.”

She looks up at me and grins. “That one is easy. You can do that one yourself.” Then she calmly keeps playing with her toys like I’m not even in the room.

Breathe…

The rest of the evening isn’t any better. Rory refused a bath, I had to bribe her to brush her teeth and prayed she was too tired for a story because I needed to lie down.

I’m exhausted beyond words by the time Rory is asleep. One hour past her bedtime.

I make my tea and go up to my bedroom, knowing that Royce will be home any minute from practice and I don’t want to face him. I don’t want to tell him how horrible the evening was. He’ll never want to leave for work again. I have no issue admitting that I’m no nanny. But I hate admitting defeat. That a tiny six-year-old had driven me to a point where I wanted to scream.

What did I do?

Rory always liked me.

Then I realize something. It was from a distance. I was fun, I brought her cake pops, taught her how to order sugary drinks with little umbrellas at the bar. I defended her to her babysitters and made fun of them with her.

Now I’m on the wrong side.

I want to be all that for Rory, but I also want to take care of her…the way she needs.

I don’t bother showering or brushing my teeth—or changing for that matter. I set my alarm for the morning and lie over the covers until I’m fast asleep.

10

I was home before ten last night and Nicole was already asleep. At least I assumed she was. After checking on Rory, I walked by the guestroom. The door was closed, and lights were out.

I was hoping to ask how her first night alone with her Rory went but judging by the clean kitchen, completed homework and nothing out of the ordinary, it couldn’t have been bad at all.

Maybe Nicole was the answer all along.

The thought makes my stomach clench. Nicole being the perfect caretaker for my daughter is the last thing I need to think about right now.

They’re both already in the kitchen by the time I come downstairs. I’m dressed in jeans and a blue dress shirt for a press conference about the fake news of my retirement Robbie and his people started spreading.

Looking forward to setting that record straight.

Nicole is leaning against the double wall oven sipping her coffee. Rory is swinging her legs under the kitchen island with a plate of scrambled eggs in front of her.

“Morning.” My voice cuts into the eerily silent room.

Nicole barely looks up from her coffee. “Morning.”

“Eggs?” I ask my daughter, impressed with the amount she’d eaten.

Rory shrugs. “Hi, Daddy.”

“How was your night?” It’s more directed at Nicole, but since she’s turned away, I keep my eyes on my daughter.

“Really good. I ate all my dinner and did my homework. Nicole was great.” She beams up at me.

Dumping the rest of her coffee in the sink, Nicole turns with a smile that doesn’t exactly light up her face. “Yeah. We had a great night. Rory was an angel.”

“Like my sister.”

Nicole nods once and turns to me. Her tired eyes scanning me. “You look sharp.”

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