Page 28 of A Prescription to My Heart

Her eyes brighten. “Really?”

“No.”

Marigold groans again, but finally sits up, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

“Get dressed. I’ll make breakfast,” I say, ruffling her hair before heading back to the kitchen.

By the time she stumbles in wearing her uniform, I’ve already set a bowl of cereal on the counter.

I pour myself a coffee, black and scalding, while she wolfs down her food.

I check the clock. 7:10 AM. The new nanny should be here soon. Hopefully, this one keeps it together. I can’t risk Lisa’s parents catching wind of me having to fire yet another caretaker for Marigold.

The doorbell rings on cue.

Marigold perks up. “Is that the new nanny?”

“Probably.”

I take my coffee with me to the door, glancing through the peephole before pulling it open.

A woman stands on the porch, neatly dressed in dark jeans and a light blue cardigan. She’s middle-aged, dark hair pulled back into a low ponytail. Her face is calm, professional.

She offers a polite smile. “Good morning. I’m Roselyn. The agency sent me.”

I nod, stepping back. “Come in.”

She enters, taking in the space with a quick, assessing glance.

I motion toward the kitchen. “This is Marigold.”

Marigold grins up at her. “Hi.”

Roselyn smiles back. “Nice to meet you.”

I cross my arms. “She gets out of school at three. You’ll pick her up and stay with her until I get home. That could be early evening, could be late. You’ll have to be flexible. My last nanny was not. I will not tolerate that a second time.”

“Understood,” Roselyn says smoothly.

“She doesn’t have any allergies. Likes to draw, hates math, and if she asks for more than two cookies after dinner, she’s manipulating you.”

“Lies!” Marigold gasps, horrified.

Roselyn chuckles, but it’s quick and contained. “I can handle that.”

“Good.” I glance at the time again. 7:25. “I’ll be dropping her off this morning. You can start after school pickup.”

“Sounds good. It was lovely to meet you Marigold.

Marigold hops off the stool, grabbing her backpack. “See you later, Roselyn! Dad, let’s roll.”

I turn back to Roselyn. “Spare keys are on the counter if you need them. House rules are simple: Don’t let her con you into anything, and don’t break anything valuable.”

“I’ve been a nanny for ten years, Dr. Calloway. I think I can manage.”

Her tone is polite, but firm. I study her for a beat, then nod. “We’ll see.”

I motion for Marigold to follow, grabbing my own keys on the way out.

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