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“This is the guestroom,” I said and pushed open the door. “I’ll grab you something to put on.”
“Thank you,” she said softly.
I looked at her, gratitude welling up within me. It was clear that she possessed a spirit of adventure and an understanding of Lily’s need for exploration. She had encouraged Lily to embrace the moment, to dive headfirst into the unknown. In doing so, she opened up a world of possibilities for my daughter.
I went down the hall to my room and dug out some sweats and a T-shirt. They would be too big, but it was just us hanging out at home. I walked back to the bedroom to find her in the bathroom looking at herself in the mirror. I tried not to laugh.
Dee burst into laughter. “I didn’t realize just how bad it was until I saw myself. I’m surprised no one called the cops on me for keeping a kid out there in the rain. At one point, we were rolling on the ground. And then there was the mud fight.”
“Lily has never been afraid to get dirty, but I will say this is definitely the dirtiest I’ve seen her.”
“Sorry.” She scrunched up her nose.
“Don’t be. There’s shampoo and stuff in there. I’ll see you downstairs.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“No worries.”
I walked out of the bathroom and went to check on Lily. “Are you good?” I asked her through the door.
“I’m washing my hair,” she called out.
“Okay. Dee is going to stay the night. What should we make for dinner?”
“Spaghetti!” she hollered.
“Alright, I’ll get stuff ready,” I said.
I left her bedroom and was on my way back down the hall when I noticed the guestroom door was still open. I thought maybe she might need something else. I popped in, only to realize the bathroom door was open. She pulled off her shirt, giving me a glimpse of beautiful skin. Thankfully, good sense reigned supreme.
I quickly left the room, closing the door behind me. I could not let myself lust after the woman. She was my daughter’s nanny. Lily was absolutely crazy about Dee. I was not going to mess shit up by getting involved with Dee. I knew how I was with women. Usually, it didn’t end well. I didn’t want to have Dee quit working for me because she couldn’t stand to be around me.
With that in mind, I pushed the thought though my mind. I headed back downstairs and hoped I had the ingredients to make the sauce I knew Lily loved. When I walked back into the kitchen, I stopped. I surveyed the mess they had brought into the house; I couldn’t help but laugh. The muddy footprints on the floor, the streaks of mud on the counter that I couldn’t explain how they got there—they were physical reminders of the day Lily had experienced under Deanna’s care.
In that moment, I knew that I had found not just a nanny, but a partner in nurturing Lily’s free spirit. Deanna’s ability to foster a sense of wonder and adventure within my daughter was something I couldn’t have hoped for more. I could see the positive impact she had already made in Lily’s life. In a week, she had become a best friend to Lily.
I did a quick inventory of the fridge and pantry and was pleasantly surprised to see it was stocked. That was Dee’s doing. She was already making a difference in our household. It was crazy to think one person could have this big of an impact on our little home.
Lily came into the kitchen, her hair wet and brushed. She had gotten dressed and was scrubbed clean.
“Feeling better?” I asked.
“I liked being in the mud.”
I can see that.” I smiled. “Did you have fun?”
Lily’s eyes sparkled, her face glowing with happiness. “Yes! I love Deanna, and I love playing in the rain. Can we do it again sometime?”
“I think that’s up to Dee. I’m not sure she wants to get muddy again.”
“It was fun,” Lily said. “She liked it. She had fun.”
“I think you might be right about that.” I nodded. “Why don’t you help me clean up? And then we’ll make our world-famous spaghetti sauce.”
“With olives?” she asked.
“I’m not sure Dee is going to want olives in her sauce. I think that’s just something we like.”
