“That’s late,” she replied.
Her gaze shifted to Genesis who laid in my arms sleepily.
“Well, at least she’s here.”
This bitch, Carolyn, didn’t say hello, not how are you, just silently assessed me as if I weren’t good enough.
I stepped inside and adjusted Genesis slightly as she stirred in her sleep.
“Good evening, Mrs. Hughes,” I said.
She gave a small nod.
“Chanel.”
No warmth. No acknowledgment beyond that.
His father, Jonathan, looked up from his chair in the sitting room, glasses low on his nose.
“Evening,” he said.
“Good evening,” I replied.
He nodded once and went back to whatever he was reading.
Dinner was already set while a few of their work colleagues sat at the table, cocktails already flowing. Everything was plated and pristinely sat in perfect precision. I sat where I always sat to the left of Charles, knowing that if I dared to change shit up, I would hear Carolyn’s mouth.
Genesis woke up halfway through dinner, shifting in my arms before letting out a soft whine.
“I’ve got her,” I said quickly, standing before she could fully cry. I told Charles this outing was too late for an eighteen-month-old.
His mother watched me as I adjusted her, bouncing her slightly.
“You should really get her on a stricter sleep schedule,” she said, cutting into her food.
“How can I when you summoned us at 8:00 p.m.?
“You have an expensive ass nanny your husband pays for Chanel. You think you’re too good to use her as the rest of us used ours.”
Her colleagues at the table looked at me with accusatory stares.
“No ma’am. I only like to utilize her during the day. I like to have quality family time in the evenings.”
“Hmmm,” Carolyn snickered.
Charles didn’t say anything. He kept eating as if the conversation wasn’t happening and his mother wasn’t questioning my parental choices in front of everyone.
“She’s going to need structure,” his mother continued. “Especially with the environment she’s being raised in.”
I looked up.
“What do you mean by that?”
Her expression didn’t change. “I mean expectations,” she said. “Children need to see discipline modeled early.”
I held her gaze carefully, and I refused to look away.
“Don’t worry about my child,” I said.
