She giggled. “I missed you. Are you staying longer this time?”
“I missed you too. I’m going to try, sweetheart.” My last visit happened almost two years ago, courtesy of my trip to Africa. After their mother’s death at childbirth, Trent had been too distraught to take care of the kids. My grandmother brought them home. My sister and I had gotten used to having babies around for almost three months. Since then, we’d made sure to visit every month and spend at least a week with them.
“Hey, Uncle Rayden, you’re back?” Nicky came up behind me.
Setting Neha down, I enveloped him in a bear hug. “Hey, brat.”
“Dad didn’t tell us you were coming.” Nicky scowled.
“Well, your dad didn’t know I was coming. It was a last-minute change in plan. I missed you guys too much.” I punched him playfully on the jaw then followed them into the house. When we sat down at the kitchen table for a snack, I ruffled Nicky’s hair. “I saw your latest handiwork with the nanny. Aren’t you two a bit big to be playing tricks on her?”
“She’s new.” Nicky shot me a petulant look and crossed his arms over his chest. “Why does dad have to bring these ladies to take care of us? We can take care of ourselves. And we have Adam. The last nanny was awful. She kept falling asleep in front of the tele and snored and wouldn’t let us have any chocolate even if it wasn’t dinner time,” he rushed on breathless. “Dad was mad because she fainted after we put a frog in the teapot.”
I slapped my thigh with a laugh. “I don’t blame him.” I scooped a quiet Neha onto my lap. “Adam’s old, Nicky. I doubt he can put up with your mischief.” I tweaked his ear. “And what about you, squirt?” I tickled her sides. “Don’t you like the new nanny too?”
“She’s pretty,” she whispered.
“No, she isn’t,” Nicky scowled.
“Is too,” she cried.
“Really? But all I saw was a blue monster.” I feigned ignorance.
“She has pretty black hair like mommy did, and she smells nice.”
“Well, after what you two did, I don’t think she’s coming back,” I scolded softly.
Neha looked up at me, her eyes wide saucers of dejection. “Aww no, it wasn’t me. I told Nicky not to do it, but he wouldn’t listen.” Her bottom lip stuck out in a pout.
“Serves her right,” he said crossly.
“Nicky,” I warned.
“Sorry, Uncle Rayden. Can’t you tell dad to let her go? You’re here now,” he pleaded.
I smiled at an unhappy Nicky. “I hate to disappoint you, brat, but I’m here to work. Anyway, I think you should get to know the nanny since Neha seems to like her.” I kissed her cheek. “And if it’s any consolation, I’ll have a chat with her. That’s if she comes back.”
I grinned, watching the two exchange looks—one of annoyance and the other sadness. I wondered if their nanny would return. Neha lacked a maternal figure in her life and probably saw something special in this one. Should I give her a call? Even as I asked myself the question, I pondered over Trent’s choice. She appeared relatively young to be shouldering the responsibility of two mischief kids. Then again, my cousin did have an eye for the younger ladies. I shook my head. Like Dad said, perhaps it was time to have that talk with him about finding a mother figure for his two kids, not someone just to warm his bed and definitely not someone after his money. He had plenty of women looking for a sugar daddy. I’d warned him against it every time we chatted. And I was supposed to be younger than him. I raked a hand through my hair and laughed. Maybe with me being here, I could ensure the nanny didn’t get any ideas about him.
