Evelyn walks over to me and places a hand on my cheek.
“I’m not saying this to hurt you. I want to prepare you for the hurt that I’ve experienced.” She drops her hand back down at her side. “I’ll give you some advice. You can take it or leave it. When the I love you’s start to come few and far between. When the hunger in his eyes for you starts to fade. When he stops reminding you how beautiful you are every time he sees you.
“And when he no longer recognizes when you do something different, like change your hair, don’t do like I did. Don’t hope things will change. Don’t wait around for him to see you again. Pack your things and leave with dignity.” She pats the dress without another word and walks out the room, leaving me feeling a fresh wave of panic and worry.
I turn away from the door she’d just left out of and back to the dress. Do I really have to worry about Nico losing interest and moving on to the new shiny toy?
After changing into the green dress, I make my way down the stairs. Nico should be here any minute now.
“Ooh la la,” Ms. Rose gushes as she spots me walking into the kitchen. “You look stunning, sweet pea. That green goes perfectly with your skin tone.”
I smile as I climb onto the bar stool beside my son. I drop my small brown purse on the countertop.
“Thank you, Ms. Rose.”
I pull Noah out of his highchair and plant kisses on his face.
“What’s wrong?”
I know Ms. Rose was brought here to be a nanny for my son, but sometimes I feel like I’m the one she’s nannying. This woman can read me so well.
I go to speak, but my mother’s voice cuts in first.
“Nothing. Right, darling?”
I look at Ms. Rose, who has a blank expression on her face as she stares at my mother. She then turns her attention to me. Her dark brown eyes narrow as she takes me in.
Even though I feel as though I have a heavy weight on my mind, I reply, “Right.”
Ms. Rose doesn’t look convinced, but she doesn’t say anything else.
Noah grabs for my necklace trying to put it in his mouth. I chuckle as I maneuver it out of his tight grip. I swear babies have the strongest damn grips in the world.
“You’re going to ruin that dress holding him. Hand him here.” Evelyn comes up beside me. She reaches for Noah, and he looks at her like she’s lost her mind before turning away and wrapping his arms around my neck.
Evelyn tries to grab him out of my arms, and Noah turns around and swings at his grandmother. I have to yank him back to keep him from connecting with her face.
Evelyn gasps, clutching a hand to her heart.
“Noah,” I scold him. “That’s not nice.”
He looks at me and pokes out his bottom lip and then throws his head into my shoulder and cries.
“Give me my baby.” Ms. Rose comes over and takes him out of my arms. He goes to her happily, burying his face in her chest. “It’s okay. You were just trying to communicate with us the best way you know how.”
I felt bad for scolding him after she pointed that out. He’s almost eight months, and he can’t exactly tell my mother he didn’t want her touching him, so that was the only way he knew how to say no. Still, he had no business hitting anyone.
Ms. Rose takes my still upset child out of the room. Evelyn turns to me.
“This is the woman you have watching your child? She’s not good for him. And the way she watches Niccolo, I wouldn’t have that woman in my house.”
I want to burst out laughing in my mother’s face. Ms. Rose is perfect for Noah. She’s gentle, yet stern when she needs to be. I’ve seen her correct Noah a few times when he does something he shouldn’t. And as far as her watching Nico, Evelyn was tripping. Ms. Rose treats Nico the way she treats me and Noah, like we are her children. She is very respectful. Plus, the woman is still in love with her late husband.
“She’s fine, Evelyn.” I grab my purse and stand before glancing at my watch. Nico is late, and he is never late.
“Okay.” She tosses her hands up. “You’re going to learn to listen to me.”
I shake my head as I head toward the living room. Pulling my phone out of my clutch, I check it for any missed calls from my husband. There are none.
