THE NANNY'S SECRET BABY

Eileen POV

2 YEARS AGO

"I can't take your place in your child's life."

The bond between a parent and child is unlike any other in the world-it's pure and unbreakable, a relationship where betrayal is never a concern.

A mother endures nine months of pain to bring her baby into the world. After giving birth, she undergoes numerous changes. Physically, her body transforms; her hormones shift, and her perspective on life and priorities are altered. Suddenly, her child becomes the center of her universe.

A man, too, must mature quickly when he becomes a father, whether he's 18 or 30. The moment a child enters his life, he must step up and take responsibility. He feels the duty to protect and care for his child, ensuring they grow up in a happy, healthy environment. The hard work a father puts in to provide comfort and stability for his child is deserving of great admiration.

Well, unless you are unlucky like me. Being raised by a single father, I know the importance of having two active parents in a child's life. Even after you become an adult, you need your parents to show you the right path in life when you don't know which one to choose. Sometimes I become so confused with everything in life that's when I miss my parents. I think I will be super happy if any of my parents start interfering in my life even now, I will be dancing if l could lean on my parents even

for a second.

Except I am not that blessed. My mom ran away with her lover when I was six months old. Later she came back. I was a year old at that time, but she was there for divorce, not for her daughter, who needed her mother most.

I never heard of my mother when I was growing up, there was not a single picture of her in our house, my grandmother burned all her belongings, removed all the pictures, and papa took the role of parenting. It was hard for him, he was a single father struggling to fill the gap of two parents at the same time of a little girl's life, it's laborious.

I saw his constant scuffle between his job and his fatherly duty, however, I can proudly say my papa outshine other men in this job brilliantly. He came to all the annual school function, had dinner with me all night, cooked for me, packed my lunch for school, dropped me in school, took me to the park on the weekends, ice cream date, stayed awake with at night when I was sick, loved me unconditionally, my papa is the best of all the father of this world.

However, I think this father is on the list of worst ones. I don't get this even after working 2 months for him, well, for his daughter. I told him before I took this job, I told him clearly and loudly, "I am the nanny. You are the parents, and I will not take your place in your child's life. You need to stay present in your kid's life."

That time this arrogant man nodded. He agreed to my terms before I started working for his little angel. Now l am at his daughter's school function when he is supposed to attend and cheer for his daughter. I texted him last night, this morning even twenty minutes earlier but there is no sign of him. He is not coming, damn, I shouldn't have promised Nora on behalf of his jackass father.

My little sunshine's heart will be broken again by her nescience father once again, he made it like a job for the past two months now. He is hurting his little girl immensely, I see her big diamond size tears, her black clouds fill sad face, the sadness in her eyes, it's too much for a four-year-old to bear. She should be happy, laughing, playing, enjoying her childhood, not crying and yearning for her father to come home, or love her.

And also, who the hell does start kindergarten at the age of four. My sunshine is bearing all the burden of her parents on her shoulder, at this young age, this is the worst thing that could happen to a child. Tonight I am going to talk seriously with her arrogant father. I am going to see how he saves himself after hurting my Nora so badly.

I clench my teeth in anger when he doesn't show up, now Nora is going to cry again. Last night, I stopped her tears making a promise, her dad will be here sitting in the front row, cheering for her, now my lies will hurt her more.

"Hey, baby." I picked her into my arms.

Nora looks around the small auditorium, she is searching for her father, who is not here.

"You were so cool on the stage," I try to avert her mind but l fail greatly.

"Where is dad?" she whispers.

Her big round blue eyes are looking at me in anticipation, hope is all can see in those beautiful eyes. I put her golden hair behind her eyes, and hug her tightly.

"He is busy," I whisper in her hair.

She says nothing, only hugs me tightly, and sheds her tears, she knows the rule, the meaning of busy, she is again ignored by her father. After Morgan's car accident, Nora does not only lose her mom but also her father. This is too l much, she doesn't deserve this, if I don't take any action now, then things will go worse. Maybe there will be a stain in this father-daughter relationship, even before Devan Boyle knows he will lose his daughter completely.

I put Nora in the bed, read a story to her, and when she was deeply asleep, I came down to the living room. Tonight I am going to stay awake all night if I need to do to talk to Mr. awful father. I make myself a cup of coffee before settling on the couch under the blanket, I take the remote and start roaming on Netflix. There will be something

that will keep me occupied until that monster comes home tonight.

I start watching Brooklyn nine-nine, Jake Peralta is the only one who can boost up my mood now. Also, I have a secret crush on his good looks and out-of-the-world sense of humor. I wish I could find my Jake like Amy.

I am in season two episode four when I hear the car engine, your royal highness in the house, I am ready to snap this man's neck tonight. I am going to make him pay for all the tears that my Nora shaded in the last two months, tonight is the payback time.

I turn off the tv and stand in the middle of the room as Devan steps into the house, he needs to cross the gigantic living room to go to his room, I cross my hand over my chest to look more intimidating. This man is over 6 feet 2 so, my 5 feet 4 does not stand a chance on him. I need to make my point, I need to do this for my sunshine, I can't tolerate any tears of that sweet girl.

"Ms. Cooper." He at least acknowledges my presence, I thought I was also, in his ignore book the same way he put his daughter on.

"Did you get my text?" I block his way.

He lifts his head and looks at me, he looks tired and pitiful, he is in pain, I can feel that just from his eyes, of course, his love of life, his lovely wife is still in a coma. It's been 2 months since the accident, Morgan is deep asleep.

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you come?" I demand answers, I don't care if he gets angry or he is too tired to have this discussion, I don't give a damn. I already excuse a lot of his absence to Nora, and I can't lie to her every day, not for someone like this man, who has no intention of getting his act correct.

"I was busy, and later I was with Morgan," he says tiredly.

His voice is heavy, so are his eyes. He needs sleep but he is not getting it, not until he makes some promises to me.

"She cried again."

"She will be fine." He passes me and tries to go to his room which is on the second floor of this lavish house.

"Hey, you Mr.ignorance, she is your daughter, and she is four. How do you expect her to understand everything when her forty years old father can't handle the damn situation?" I yell at him.

l am pretty straightforward when it comes to compliments and scolding. I don't take crap from other people or sugarcoat anything. I am honest as hell, and I know this trait of mine hurts a lot of people, so what, I am telling you your flaws, so you can work on that to become a better human being. I think this mankind should thank me for that, I wish they could see the brighter side of this great virtue.

Devan's eyes go so big that it will pop out of his eyes any time soon. He is shocked to see someone pointing out his flaws, maybe, I don't give a damn what he thinks, but after tonight this man will be the proper father that Nora needs right now, the one she deserves.

"Did you just.." I cut him in the middle and continued my monologue.

"You are the worst father I have ever seen. I told you before I am her nanny, not her parents. You need to be present in her life more than anything as her mom is here, do you know how lonely she is? She cries for you all the time, she doesn't smile, her teachers say she doesn't talk at all in the class. It was hard convincing her participating in this school program, and I promised her, her dad will be there cheering for her. She was so happy. But you ruined your own daughter's happiness. Does it feel good Dr, Boyle?"

Devan goes still hearing my long speech, his eyes stay in my face, I don't change my expression at all. I keep the straight face and frown more than before.

"Where were you?"

"With Morgan."

"Well, more than your wife, your little daughter needs you. She has her doctors who will do her treatment but no one is here for that sweet angle. She needs her father. And you, Mr. crap bag will be here for her. This is the last warning I am giving you. If you don't get your act together this time, or make my Nora cry one more time. I will make your life worse than hell. It's a promise."

With this last threat, I turn around and make my grand exit. I am a woman of promise, if he wants to use me then let it be. I will show him the real Eileen Cooper, the dangerous one.

The admonish behavior hits the ball in the right place, because the next morning I find Mr. Doctor on the table, for the time, I start working in this house. Today is the first time I see him on the dining table.

My little angel smiled for the first time in two months, my first victory I would say.

Devan POV

2 YEARS AGO

I never in my thought, I would live like this, without Morgan, this horror, didn't cross my mind until I got the phone call I got from the hospital.

Morgan and I met in high school, she was in the cheerleader team, the popular girl in the school, everyone's favorite. I was in my senior year when I met her, she was in her sophomore year at that time if I remembered correctly.

I was a nerd, my only goal in life was to attend med school, I didn't think about anything else at that time, my focus was only on my studies. The perfect student was my nickname, everyone of my friend accepted I am different as I never attended any party like them, they made a peace with my nerd attitude. Becoming a doctor is what I wanted in life.

After my dad's heart attack in the middle of the night when I was thirteen years old, changed my prospect of life, that night I saw fear in my lovely mother's eyes, her tears, the sound of the horror of her waling, the restless night in the hospital lounge while waiting for doctors to inform us about dad's heath, I will never forget that. That night sitting beside my mom in the plastic chair I made a promise to myself, I will be a doctor.

While I was all focused on my goal, a girl fell in love with me. Morgan first expressed her feelings for me when I was busy taking notes. I was in our school library, too busy for my upcoming college admission, I was writing when Morgan approached me. She was in her cheerleader outfit. I attended some football games because some friends were on the team, so I saw her cheerleading but that's it. I never think twice about her after that.

"Hi," she whispered as she took her seat beside me.

"Hello," I said with a quick look on her side before returning to concentrate on my studies.

"I want to tell you something."

"l am listening."

"I like you." that's when I froze, my hand stopped writing, my eyes drifted from the book in front of me to her young face, for the first time my mind went all blank.

I didn't know how to face that situation, I never had anything for her at that time, I never even thought of her, she was just like any other junior to me but her confession was really something. Her bravery impressed me a lot.

Girl's expected this kind of move from the boys first, yet she chose to notify her feelings to me without feeling shy or afraid. I respected that a lot. I said no to her politely that time, a couple of days later I found out from one of my football teams that the cheerleader squad had a challenge going on about asking me out. The first girl who could do that will win 50 dollars. It surprised the crap out of me, Morgan's innocent smile flashed to my mind with disgust, the respect l felt for her was replaced with detest.

I grilled her to the third degree for the truth, she accepted, and I was done with her in every way. However, Morgan was not. After that she kept coming for me. No matter where I went I found him there, she was after me for three months and more, I said no to her numerous times but she didn't care. She kept coming until i agCharles to go on a date with her.

Right before my graduation, we went to a fast-food chain on our first date. We ate two hamburgers, held hands, and dropped her off at her house. I liked that. The night that I spent with her was different from every other night. I think that was the first time I felt a thing near my heart, I was sure as hell after two weeks of these dates I was in love with her.

We were in a movie theater when I realized that, I promised myself looking into her face lI will marry her, make her my wife, and love her till my death.

After Morgan's accident I made the hospital my home, this is my home, my second home but I stopped everything, my whole concentration is on Morgan. I shut the door of other things, so I could do everything that Morgan needed.

But she doesn't need me, she is not responding to any of the treatment, she is just lying in the bed like a corpse. After I finish my work, I go to her and talk to her, sit beside her bed, kiss her hands, run my finger through her blond hair slowly, she doesn't respond at all. I am so busy with my wife that I forget about my own daughter,I am out of my mind until Nora nanny Eileen Cooper, who happens to be my brother Williams's girlfriend Aleah's best friend, snaps at me.

While Morgan was on the bed for two months, my little daughter lived those months, so many things had happened to her, I missed all of those. I missed a fucking three months from her life, I was not there for my girl at all. Eileen's anger was justified but I am a little bit seeing her different face.

I never thought she would come to the way she did last night, she was so intimidating that for a second I was thought Tam going to piss on my pant. I was exhausted after work, then staying with Morgan, the treatment I got from Eileen was not something I would ever dream of getting my daughter's nanny.

She called me Mr, lgnorance, it felt like an insult, damn it is an insult. This woman just stands in front of me and shows me the reality with rebuff without thinking I am the one signing her paychecks.

I thought she would ask for forgiveness in the morning. She will understand at night laying in her bed how wrong she was, so she will be ready with an apology along with the sunrise but where is it? I can't see a bit of regret in her face.

"Papa," Nora smiles as she sees me on the dining table.

This is the first time in two months I will be having breakfast with my daughter. Now seeing her beautiful face, I remember how much I missed her, I have to be more available for my girl. She is already with a mother, losing me will be hard for her.

"Eileen, look." She says with a smile" My papa is here." She hugs my leg tightly.

I take her in my arms and kiss her chubby cheeks.

"I am here," I tell her.

"Okay, buddies settle down. I will make you guys breakfast." Eileen says.

l am waiting for a "sorry", funny I never get that from her. I think this woman has some problems with the upper function of her body. Is her brain even working? I don't think so.

Gosh, is it even safe to leave my sweet daughter to someone dangerous like her, she can do anything in range? I have no idea what to do with everything, mostly with Eileen Cooper.

Eileen POV

PRESENT

My phone keeps beeping continuously, without even looking at the electric device, I can tell, it's my two besties who are texting restlessly. I ignored the phone to attend to my customer who was roaming in my flower shop for half an hour.

A boy in her early twenties is walking all over the place, this is his fourth round of wandering like a lost person.

"Can I help you?" I ask gently.

He looks at me with a little shock, I think I caught him off guard. "I was looking at the flowers for gifts." He says shyly.

"From your girlfriend?" I ask him. He frowns in confusion, he gives me a look that says 'why do you ask'.

"If you tell me I could help you with choosing the flowers." I offer him a smile.

"Oh." He lowers his hand "My mum. It's her birthday."

"Okay."

That's new, most of the time man come to my shop to buy flowers for their wife or girlfriend, this is the first time someone is buying for his mother. My heart fills with automatic happiness.

"Does she have favorite flowers?" I ask him as I look around my shop.

"Tulips."

"Do you want a bouquet?" I ask him.

He nods, "How many flowers do you want?"

"50." I guess that is his mother's age.

I nod and start working, I pick up all the six colors of tulips I have in my shop which are maroon, pink, yellow, white, purple, apricot, and wrap them in a white paper sheet, a red ribbon to tie them all together.

"Do you want a card to write birthday wishes?" he nods and I give him a small golden glitter card to write.

It takes him quite a time to express his feelings on the card, I think this is the first time he is sending flowers to his mom or saying something personal like 'I love you mom', as a matter of fact, I never read these cards.

These cards are personal containing my customer's feelings for their loved ones, they aspect some privacy and I am happy to offer that.

I put the card in the middle of the large bouquet, and give him his gift as he pays me.

After he leaves I check my phone.

Aleah: When are you coming?

Aleah: Eileen I will kill you if don't come on time.

Aleah: I am in labor.

Aleah: I am dying.

Marissa: stop drama queen. You are just fine. Eileen take your time and come carefully.

Aleah: it's Marissa, you don't know anything about my health. I am in pain.

Marissa: I am sitting right next to you and You are assaulting my chocolate cake. Aren't you the FBI agent's wife? Does your husband know you steal other people's food?

Aleah: Eileen some fast. I am waiting for you.

I love you

Marissa: I love you too.

I smile as I read the messages between my friends, these two women are grown up, married but they behave like five years old.

Eileen: my flight is tomorrow morning. So I will meet you guys very soon. From Nashville to New York, it is only 764 miles distance with two and fifteen-minute flight, it will be fun meeting my friends again, after two years. I will be going back to New York again after two years.

*********

Devan POV

I finished my last surgery of the day, it was a 4-hour long surgery, now my neck is killing me. I massage my neck as my residence informs me about the patient who had surgery yesterday. He was a rare case, it took a lot of consultation before taking a 3 years old boy under the knives.

The boy had a tumor on the left side of his brain, it was already dangerous for my patient Leo, his tumor was growing rapidly, if I didn't take him to the surgery bed then death will me shaking hands with him.

As a parent of a girl, I understand the pain that the parents went through while their son was in such pain at an early age.

I lean on my seat, close my eyes to take some rest. My head is throbbing in pain, at the age of 35 I am experiencing migraine pain, at last, it's not that bad, I can handle this, but having this right after a tiring surgery is annoying.

My phone starts ringing, I pick up the phone with my closed eyes.

"Hello."

"Aleah is in the labor." My brother, Williams's nervous voice comes through the phone.

"I will be there shortly."

I cut the call, get ready for a round to my patients before going to my family. I know, by now, the whole sixth floor which our gynecology department is full of our family members.

Aleah is under Dr. Charles, she is the most skilled doctor in that department, she is in the safe hands, there's nothing to worry about but you can't say that to new parents. They are always nervous, been there, feel that.

I go to the sixth floor after finishing my all work for the day, I open the cabin door and find a few people, I thought this place would be too crowded to even take a breath.

But my breath gets caught when I see her, I see her again after two years, smiling at the baby on her. She is still the same, nothing changed, my beautiful Eileen is still shining brightly even in a white maxi dress and messy top bun.

She is here, in front of me. The woman I love Eileen Cooper.