Page 61 of The Nanny and the Hothead
Mom: Phil’s my boyfriend, of course! Didn’t I tell you? I must have forgotten.
Charlotte’s shoulders sagged as old wounds opened.
Charlotte: What happened to Marty?
Mom: Marty is old news! I’ve got to go. Phil’s here. He dropped by to say hello! He’s such a sweetheart! I’m so lucky.
Charlotte stared at the text bubble. There was no use in sending another message. She returned to the main screen and scanned the list of sent texts. She shouldn’t do this. It never brought her anything but heartache. But she couldn’t help herself. She stopped scrolling and scrutinized one word.
Dad
With a shaky hand, she tapped the screen and reread the last text she’d sent the man two months ago.
Charlotte: Happy birthday, Dad! Did my card make it to you?
He hadn’t answered. All he’d done was mark her text with a thumbs-up. She scrolled through the chain of messages.
Charlotte: How are Julia and the boys?
Thumbs-up.
Charlotte: I saw the weather. Looks like there are tornados in Kentucky. Are you guys ok?
Thumbs-up.
Charlotte: Merry Christmas!
Thumbs-up.
It was like texting a digital appendage—not a parent.
There were more texts from her—so many more. And none of them had garnered an actual reply from the man. She swallowed past the tightness in her throat, ready to bury her phone in the bottom of her bag when the text alert chimed. Blinking back tears, she beamed at the screen as the haze of parental gloom lifted.
Harper: Hey, Char! Just checking in. If you’re reading this, there’s an excellent chance that you have not been kidnapped. I repeat, NOT KIDNAPPED! But if you were kidnapped and you were still in your mermaid costume, would that be a mer-napping? I know! I’m hilarious!
Charlotte chuckled as the sting of disappointment that followed any reminder of her parents dulled. She couldn’t help but smile as she observed the string of emojis when another text on the Charlotte, Penny, Harper, Libby text string appeared.
Sweet girl-power relief! She’d never been so grateful to hear from her best friends.
Harper: FYI, you aren’t on any milk cartons yet. But on the off chance that you have been kidnapped, I’ll be sure to give the police a good picture of you to pass around to the news stations. Definitely not the picture from sixth grade when you tried cutting your own bangs at recess.
Penny’s name appeared.
Penny: Sorry, Char! I hope you don’t mind. I told H and Libbs about your situation. Also, if you were kidnapped, we’d have to go with your eighth-grade class pic when you gave yourself that home perm. #FriendsDontLetFriendsCutBangsByThemselves #NoHomePerm
Harper: Yeah, lightweight! Penn tells us you got hammered with your boss—THE HOTHEAD CHEF—Mitch! That’s crazy that you’re working for him! And kudos! You are breaking out of the nice girl mold! Did you get your nanny credit card and car yet? OMG! The last thing I ever want to be is a nanny—but sweet mega-bucks limit, I’d take some rich dude’s Visa in a heartbeat.
Charlotte inhaled a slow breath. This was becoming very real.
Charlotte: I’m not sure about the car and the credit card. We’ve been busy.
Harper: Penny got a freaking Lamborghini when she started as Phoebe’s nanny, so I’d ask for one of those if you have any say.
Penny: H! I didn’t ask for a Lamborghini.
Harper: We know Penn Fenn! But Charlotte totally deserves a Lamborghini, too. I mean, we all do. Me, especially! Do you know the hell that is listening to a dozen five-year-olds banging out Chop Sticks?! I deserve noise-canceling headphones, two Lamborghinis, and spa treatments for the next thousand years.
Libby: Hey, Char! Spiritual check-in time! I’m getting a very non-kidnapped vibe. Actually, I’m getting a weird Charlotte vibe! Are you okay, or are you still hungover?
