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I had half a mind to tell them not to interfere. While the other nannies had been as qualified, it had been Richard and Margaret’s interference that had made me get rid of them, always finding fault with something that they had done or were doing, just like they were doing now.

“Sophie is stable.”

“We can see that, Everett. We can also see why.” Margaret put her mug down and took a cookie from the plate.

I locked eyes with Margaret, choosing not to respond to that comment. I immediately looked over at Sophie and suggested that she show Grammy and Pop-pop her decorated room.

Sophie took my suggestion and immediately took them both up to her room to show her how she and Ember had decorated it. She also wanted to show them the Lego velociraptor that they were building. While we were up there, we had conversations about Sophie going to school, and Richard asked me about work, but neither one of them mentioned Ember again.

Their visit lasted a little over an hour, which had been about forty-five minutes too long. As they were getting ready to leave, Margaret pulled me aside on the porch while Richard took Sophie out into the front yard.

“The nanny,” Margaret said, looking directly at me. “You can clearly see that she appears to care about Sophie.”

“Yes, she does.”

“Everett,” Margaret said, putting her hand over mine. “Rebecca would want Sophie to be happy. She would want you to be happy, too. But she would also want you to be careful. Sophie’s already lost one person; she can’t afford to lose another one.”

I watched Richard point out something to Sophie in the gardens, doing my best not to take offense at what Margaret had truly said.

I nodded.

“I’d hate to see her lose this nanny as well, but I do think she is a little young. However, that is my opinion, I guess.” Margaret squeezed my arm and kissed my cheek, then made her way down the front stairs. I had never been so happy to see them go.

Sophie came running over to me and stood beside me, holding my hand and waving as Richard and Margaret climbed into their car. They both waved back, and Sophie went inside, but I stayed on the porch until their car disappeared around the bend, thinking about what Margaret had said. Her words echoed in the back of my mind. Sophie couldn’t afford to lose another person, and neither could I.

The next morning I was up before dawn, showered, dressed, and in my office with the door shut a full hour before Ember usually came down. I had decided in the wee hours of the morning, as I lay awake in the dark, that this had to stop. There was no way I could linger in the kitchen any longer or continue to position myself in rooms where I could watch Ember all day.

My in-laws had been in the house for under an hour and could see the way I looked at her. They may not have come right out and said anything, but I’d seen the look in their eyes as she watched us. Richard’s comments about Sophie’s stability still bothered me.

I heard Ember come downstairs a little after six; she made her way into the kitchen and filled the kettle. Normally I’d of gotten up and made my way to the kitchen by now. I’d lean against the counter while she made coffee and breakfast, but this morning I stayed behind the safety of my office door and checked my email.

A little past seven, there was a knock on my office door.

“Everett? Breakfast is ready. Sophie’s asking if you will eat with us this morning.”

“Not this morning. I have a call in ten minutes.” I lied.

She said nothing, and then I heard her clear her throat.

“I can bring you a plate if you like?”

“That isn’t necessary. I will grab something a little later,” I called back.

Once again, there was silence, and I closed my eyes and squeezed them shut. I hated lying to them, but I didn’t see another choice.

“Alright, if that is what you wish,” she said, and I heard her make her way back to the kitchen.

I sat there, staring at my empty inbox, reading nothing. A few minutes later I heard Sophie giggling as she told Ember a story, and I listened to the way Ember answered her questions, each time giving a warm response. I loved that about her; she always fully participated in Sophie’s stories.

At lunch, Ember brought Sophie to my office door so she could bring me the sandwich she’d made. I thanked her, and once she ran off down the hall, Ember turned to follow, but I stopped her.

“Ember. I wanted to go over a few things with you. Do you have a moment?”

“Sure thing?” She took a step into my office.

“First, I would appreciate it if you didn’t leave your laptop open on the kitchen counter. It’s a shared space and, to be honest, it is not appropriate to have your personal work lying around.”

Ember looked at me. She knew what I was doing; I was sure of it.