THIRTEEN

Kamilla Lopez

Sitting on the lawn of the immense garden, I watch Erick swing on his swing, his eyes are vacant, he looks sad and doesn't show any enthusiasm. We had already had lunch, and while we were on the table I noticed that he was restless, he looked at an empty chair and since then he has been like this. After lunch, I helped him with his schoolwork, I released him to play in the garden, but obviously he didn't want to play alone, and now that I'm his nanny, considered like a mother, I decided to keep him company.

— So, Erick, do you have any friends? — I asked, starting conversation.

— At school, I have some classmates.

— They don't visit you?

— Dad won't allow it.

— It's because?

— I don't know, I never asked, he doesn't like me to question his decisions.

I realized that Erick misses other children around him, after all he is a child and likes to play with others his age, as there are several employees on the property, he could have a small child, but I realized that he did not. Erick and I went back inside the house, the sun was already setting on the horizon and as it was dirty with dirt I helped him take a bath in the bathtub, while he played with the bubbles, I asked

— Does your father usually bathe you or put you to sleep?

— No, sometimes I hardly see him.

His voice is heavy with sadness, of course, if Erick has the father he will obviously miss his presence, Nick should supply the father side of the child and not let him do as he pleases.

— Are you going to sleep here?

— No, I'll be back home soon.

— But you could sleep here, we have several rooms.

— I can't, I have a son at home.

— What's his name?

— Zeus, he's just a kitten.

— I always wanted to have a pet, but dad never allowed it.

— For a man who lets his son do what he wants...

I helped him finish the bath, and we went back to the bedroom, I separated some pajamas and let him get dressed by himself, then I organized his hair. I left him alone for a few minutes to go to the kitchen, as soon as I closed at the bottom of the stairs the main door opened, he who I wanted so much to avoid stepped on the ceramics of his mansion and looked directly at me. Nick Ross and watched completely still, his serious and indecipherable expression makes me tense, at the moment he was going to approach me, Morgana as my savior appeared and told him that he needed to talk to him.

I sighed in relief and walked to the kitchen, when I realized that dinner was ready I went to tell Erick, I went up the stairs in quick steps with the intention of not seeing Nick anymore, I'm not ready to talk to him, after all he's my boss now. As soon as I appeared in Erick's room, my legs locked when I saw him next to the bed with his hands shoved in his pants pocket. I couldn't move any muscle in my body, Erick had a smile on his lips to see his father's presence, he approached me and took my hand.

— Look Daddy, she's my new mommy.

— Babysitter… — I correct.

— Nanny plays a mommy, so you're my mommy.

Nick's eyes run down my body, he clenches his jaw and swallows hard, he steps forward and holds his hand out to me.

— Nice to see you, Kamilla.

— The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Ross.

— You don't have to address me formally, just call me Nick.

— It's more prudent to call him Mr. Ross.

— Prudent would be what I'm imagining…

— And what would it be?

When he was about to speak, Erick interrupted that conversation full of malice and tension.

— Let's have dinner mom, as soon as you finish dinner you're going to put me to bed.

Without looking back, Erick and I left his room and went down the stairs, I felt my body burn behind me, he was probably staring at me with those wild animal eyes. In the main room, I saw Morgana approach to warn:

— Little Erick will have dinner with his father in the dining room.

— Do we have visitors?— Eric asked.

— No, but Mr. Ross asked me to set the table.

We followed Morgana into the living room, as we passed through a double door, I came across a large table in the middle of the room with several chairs. One part of the table had amounts of food, cake, juices and other foods. I see Nick Ross go through another door, approach the table and sit at the end of the table, he watched our footsteps approach. I helped Erick sit in a chair on the right side of the table, when he was about to remove me Nick's dangerous and authoritative voice echoed through the room, ordering:

— Sit down, Kamila!

I looked at Morgana who served the two, intending to refuse, spoke

— Thank you, Mr. Ross, but I'll go to the kitchen for dinner.

Morgana looked at me with wide eyes, gesturing with her head so that I wouldn't deny the order, again I turned to Nick's eyes, but he had a closed expression and his fists were clenched.

— Erick will not eat alone.

— Of course not, he'll have you with him.

Morgana left the room quickly, I didn't understand her attitude, thinking it would be time to leave, I tried to do the same.

— Have dinner with my mommy.

I hear Erick's voice asking me tenderly, I turned my body and sat beside him preparing his dish, I glanced at Nick, I saw a victorious smile draw his lips for realizing that I did what he wanted. I faced Erick, he had a small smile on his lips, I also smiled back, he is a sing boy who considers me his mother. After preparing his plate, Erick stared at the food and grimaced.

— I don't want this, I want cake.

— First you must eat something healthy, the cake will be for later.

— But I want cake.

— Eat what Kamilla prepared for you, without complaining.— Nick said.

— Yes Dad. — Erick picked up a fork and started to eat.

— Help yourself, Kamilla. — Nick ordered.

After dinner was over, I took Erick to his room and waited for him to brush his teeth, as soon as he finished I put him on his bed and placed a kiss on his forehead, in return I received a kiss on the cheek.

— I enjoyed spending the day with you.

Suddenly he hugged me, I was surprised by the affection that the child has for me even without knowing me well, but I believe that this affection, both mine and his, will increase more and more.

— We will always spend the days together, while I'm your nanny.

— What does that mean? Do you have a time to finish?

— I won't be your lifelong nanny, at some point you won't need me.

— But I'll need a mama, and you're her.

I just kissed his forehead again and laid him on his bed.

— Time to sleep.

— But…

— See you tomorrow, my angel.

— See you tomorrow, Mom.

I went downstairs and went to the staff room where I had kept my purse, opened it and took my cell phone, turned on the screen and saw many messages and missed calls from Bianca, I chose to answer it later and left the room. It was 7 pm and my work had already ended, when I was about to go through the employees' door, Morgana called me.

— Mr. Ross plans to speak with you.

— With me?

Without answering me, Morgana led me to the office, stopped in front of the wood and opened it for me to pass, as soon as I did the door closed behind me, startling me, I clutched the bag in my hands and looked at the small lamp that illuminated the office.

— Mr. Ross?

— You are so stubborn.

I was startled when I heard his voice behind me, I turned my body and his tall and strong body very close to me, I took a step back and let out the breath I was holding.

— What? I ask nervously.

— You insist on treating me formally, even though you know we'll be intimate.

— We're not intimate.

— Yet.

Nick insists on moving towards me, I try to stay away from him by walking backwards, I don't know, but he manned makes me nervous and whenever I'm close to him, I find myself holding my breath, without realizing it, I ended up tripping and losing my balance, before I fell Nick grabbed my arm and pulled me against his body, trapping me in his strong arms. I think about the possibility of struggling to get him to let go of me, but my mind and body didn't want to, it seemed that I responded to him in an intense way.

— Mr Ross...

— Nick! — corrected me in a seductive voice.

— Nick... Could you let go of me?

I stared at his blue eyes that didn't deviate from my green eyes, his Isis seemed to penetrate my soul and drown me in a dark blue sea, I was lost in his eyes, his serious face with no expression of kindness left me mesmerized.

— Do you want me to let you go, doll?

— I want?

With those words I turned my eyes away from his, I smiled awkwardly and asked him to let me go, he moved his warm body away from mine and approached his table sitting in his armchair.

— I want to warn you that there will be days when you will need to sleep here.

— But... That wasn't in the contract.

— I know that, but I'm the one saying it.

I continued standing in the middle of the office, looking at him sitting in his armchair with a dark and dangerous look, the lamp helped in the mystery that surrounds that man, the light illuminated half of his face making him more macabre and frightening, there is something about this man who attracts me, who leaves me out of my mind.

— Is it okay for you?

— Yes.

— Very well. Have a good night, little doll.