Page 69 of Eleanor & Grey

Eleanor

If you had told me five years earlier that my next employer would be Greyson East, I would’ve called you a liar. Heck, if you told me that a week earlier, I would’ve laughed so hard in your face that tears would’ve rolled down my cheeks. But, there I was, standing in Greyson East’s dining room, meeting his children for the first time ever.

Claire was a saint to me that Monday morning. She came over bright and early, ready to teach me the ins and outs of her granddaughters.

“I can’t thank you enough for helping me out,” I told Claire as she set the table for breakfast. “It means the world to me.”

“Oh, darling, it’s no big deal, and after all the nannies that had come before you, I feel like this is tradition. I’m just hoping you last a bit longer than the others did, that’s for sure. You know what they say—seventh time’s a charm!”

I laughed. “I don’t think people really say that.”

“Well, they should. Seven is a lucky number. So, let’s meet the girls!” Claire then turned and hollered toward the back rooms. “GIRLS! BREAKFAST!”

Well, at least Claire seemed down-to-earth in an oversized house with too many rooms and not enough people.

“I swear, these girls are going to try to bully you into letting them sleep in. Don’t be afraid to pull them by their pigtails,” Claire said when no girls appeared. “Wait right here. I’ll be back.”

As she hurried off in the direction of the girls’ bedrooms, I took a deep breath.

Man, I was nervous. I’d never been nervous meeting my employer’s children, but this felt a bit different. I felt oddly unprepared.

“Grandma, I just don’t get why I have to go to school every week,” a little voice moaned and groaned as the speaker stomped her way toward the dining room. As she turned the corner, she looked up to me. “Who are you?” she asked before plopping down in front of her cereal bowl. Lorelai was dressed in mismatched pajamas. She was wearing the most vibrantly colored stripes and polka dots, and she had bright scrunchies in her hair. On her back were huge butterfly wings. She looked like an old-school Rainbow Brite ad.

“That is your new nanny,” Claire explained. “Say hello, Lorelai.”

“Hello, Lorelai,” the little girl mocked, making me smile.

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Eleanor, but you can call me Ellie if you’d like.”

“Okay.” Lorelai shrugged and went straight into eating her food.

“After you finish your meal, you have to take a quick shower, okay, Lorelai? Because you can’t be late to school again,” Claire remarked, sitting in the chair beside her granddaughter. “Plus, unlike last week, you aren’t going to put up a fight about your clothing choices.”

“I just want to dress like a rainbow, Grandma. Let me live,” Lorelai groaned, shoveling the spoon into her mouth.

She had truly said the words Let me live. I almost died laughing.

“Where did you hear that from?” Claire questioned. “Let me live?”

“Karla said it to Dad the other day.”

“Sounds about right,” Claire remarked. “But as far as your dress code, we’re going to pick out some tamer clothes for you to wear today.”

“I don’t know what tamer means, Grandma, so whatever I pick out will be fine,” Lorelai stated matter-of-factly.

Claire moved in closer to me. “Lorelai is the brightest personality you’ll find in this place. She’s sassy, funny, and so easy to love, but boy will she push your buttons some days.” She turned to her granddaughter. “Lorelai, what do you think about Eleanor being your new nanny for a while?”

She cocked an eyebrow, holding her spoon in the air. “Is she gonna let me wear whatever I want?”

“No, probably not,” Claire said.

“Will she let me eat chocolate chips for breakfast?”

“No, probably not,” Claire echoed.

“Will she color with me?”

“Yes,” I cut in. “I can do that.”

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