“Well crap on a cracker,” she retorted. “Obviously she’ll be upset. And what happens if by some small mishap she does find out the truth or regains her memory and realizes you lied to her?” I shrugged, unsure what to say. “I’m sorry, Trent but the only way this is going to work is either you tell her the truth or you make the children lie.”
“Would you help me?”
“You want me to teach your kids to lie?” Her laugh incredulous.
“Not how I’d put it but they love and trust you and chances are they might listen to you,” I coaxed. She rolled her eyes, not buying it.
As if on cue, Nicky and Neha ran into the room, their excitement at seeing their favorite person noisier than Independence Day fireworks.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Sianna kissed Neha after the ruckus quieted.
“How’s my favorite trickster.” She pulled Nicky into a bear hug, the only other person he allowed to hold him besides me. “Daddy tells me you’ve been up to your tricks again with the nanny.” She tweaked his ear.
He grinned. “It was a small trick.”
“Not, according to your father,” Sianna teased, looking at me. Nicky gave her a sly look and she laughed. “Come on, you two, sit with me, I want to talk to you.” She patted the couch in front of her and when they were seated, she knelt between them. “So, I have a favor to ask you.” They looked at each other then back her. She threw me a cautious smile and arched her brow. I nodded, not hiding the plea from my face. “What do you guys think of daddy bringing home a mommy for you?”
“Yes,” Neha was the first to respond.
Nicky took his time chewing his lip then asked, “What if we don’t like her?”
Sianna rubbed his little hand in hers. “And what if she looks like your mommy? Would you like her then?”
I had intelligent kids apparently, because they both asked in unison, “How can she look like our mommy. That’s silly.”
Sianna hid her annoyance with me well and smiled for their benefit. “Well, there’s this beautiful woman who looks like your mommy. She had an accident and can’t remember anything.”
I admired her approach, I wouldn’t have mentioned it that way.
“Like anything,” Neha asked her eyes wide in amazement and Sianna nodded.
“Will she know who we are?” I could see the caution on Nicky’s face. He was always wary when there was even the slightest chance someone could tarnish his mother’s name. For a child who hadn’t met his mother or been reared by her, me keeping her Krisha for them had developed an uncanny bond.
“She doesn’t remember anything, Nicky and she isn’t your mommy but daddy likes her and thinks she’ll make a perfect mommy for you guys. The bonus is, she looks just like your mommy.”
“Will we like her?” he asked.
I took the sign from Sianna to step in. “Hey, champ.” I dropped into the seat next to him. “I always promised you guys that if I ever,ever,” I placed a huge emphasis on the word so he understood, “brought home someone, she will have to be perfect. And this beautiful woman is perfect.”
He took a moment to deliberate then shrugged. Okay, that was the easy part.
“But there’s something we all have to do before she comes to visit.” I prayed like hell they’d go for it.
“What?” both asked.
I glanced at Sianna and she nodded. “We have to hide all of mommy’s photos,” I said.
Nicky shot up from his seat, his eyes round marbles of shock. “All?”
I nodded. “It’s only for a little while, champ, until she gets her memory back.” My heart knew there was no guarantee, I was shit scared to lose her again. “And we can’t mention mommy when my friend comes to visit,” I explained, my insides roiling worse than a boat caught on a stormy sea.
“We have to lie?” Neha asked.
“It’s not actually a lie. It’s called pretending,” Sianna consoled. “It’s helping a friend to remember.” She tossed me a scathing glare and I pleaded with my eyes for her not to give up on me. “How cool would it be when her memory comes back, and she is so happy for your help? Or, what if she falls in love with you guys and you with her, if you mention your mommy, she might go away.”
The woman was a genius. Well, she’d had two men eating out of her palm. So, she must be. I grinned and Sianna scowled at me.
“And if we like her, she will stay with us?” Nicky asked, hesitantly.
