The Doctor's Fake Nanny(24)

"David," I gasped, trying to keep some kind of a head on my shoulders,  "we can't do this here. We're in the hospital. You work here. And also  it's icky."



"Ha! It's icky?" he said, chuckling and poking me playfully in the side.  I jumped back, swatting his hand away and laughing along with him.



"Shh! Don't be so loud, I don't want to be found sitting in a closet  with you. And yes, it's icky. There is no better word to describe it."



"Well, you're the teacher. You should know. Speaking of you being the  teacher, I wanted to talk to you about something. That's actually part  of why I wanted to get you away from the crowd, before I got distracted,  that is."



"Okay, what's on your mind?"



"You really care about these kids, don't you?"



"Yes, I really do."



"And you think about them, want to help them however you can?"



"You know I do, David. Why are you asking me these questions?"



"I know you've always wanted to have a school for sick children. I know  it's important to you, after what your sister went through. So I think  you should do it. I think you should have your preschool."



"I'm not sure I understand."



I was starting to feel just a little bit light headed, even  claustrophobic in this closet with him talking about such serious  things. Of course I wanted the preschool but it wasn't as simple as just  wanting it. I had to find a way to make it happen. It took a location  and some money.

"Here. You should have it here. Seeing how much of a difference you made  today with these kids with the attention you showed them opened my eyes  as to what they need. Yes, they need the medical attention that we are  giving them and the quality of that attention won't lessen. But they  need more than that, too, and that's what you can give them."



"You think so?"



"I do. I really do. I think you could give them something nobody else in  the whole damned hospital can. It might even be the thing that helps  them to get better."



I couldn't answer him. It was like I had lost the ability to speak. It  was more than I could ever have hoped for. He was opening up his hands  and giving me my biggest dream with no mention of getting anything in  return. It would have been years before I was able to do something like  that, if at all. It felt like it wasn't real. It was too good to be real  and all I could do was look at him, my whole body shaking like a leaf.



"So what do you say, Kayla? Did I go too far? Did I scare you off or something?"



I shook my head no, still not trusting my voice to produce actual words.                       
       
           



       



"So is it something you would like to do?"



"Yes! Oh my god, David, I can't think of anything better. But what about  Sophie? You hired me to be her nanny, which I love, but if I'm here at  the hospital there won't be anybody home to take care of her."



"Maybe it's time that she starts going to school. You've already taught  her so much and I know how patient you are with her. You would never  yell at her for how she is. And I can see now that she needs the  socialization. It would be good for her. And as an added bonus I'll have  both of the girls I care about the most with me every day. What could  be better than that?"



I couldn't think of anything to do but kiss him. I was too happy, too  dizzy with all of these new possibilities he had just unfolded for me.  Standing here with him now I had no idea how I could ever have thought  such awful things about this man. I was beyond grateful that he had  proved me so entirely wrong.





"Ah, David, there you are. I was wondering where you had run off to. This is your daughter's birthday, after all."



"I know that, Mother."



"Yes," she said, looking me up and down with a disapproving look, "I  suppose you do. I had thought to find the nanny to see if she could tell  me of your whereabouts but now I see that she's running around with  you. My goodness, if this is how the two of you operate, how do you keep  Sophie safe? She must be running around simply wild when you're at  home."



Man, his mom definitely didn't hold anything back. The way she looked at  me made me feel dirty, like there was something inherently wrong with  me just because I was standing there. Just a couple of minutes before I  had felt like I was floating through the building I was so happy, and  now I was back to feeling afraid and unsure of practically everything.  What a nasty talent to have.



Then, to both my shock and the shock of his horrified mother, David took  my hand in his own. I tried to pull away but his grip held firm. He  wasn't going to let me go. He wasn't going to let his mother's opinion  hurt him anymore. I was proud of him, even if I felt a little bit like I  might throw up.



"Actually she's very well looked after. Very well loved. We're all very  happy. Kayla is better with children than anyone I've ever met. That's  why I've just spoken to her about her starting a preschool here for the  children. She's going to help us change the world."



"Excuse me?"



"Don't, okay? Just don't. You heard what I said, Mother."



"I don't know what you're thinking, David, but just because you decided  to make the nanny into some kind of a sordid dalliance doesn't mean she  is qualified to run a preschool in this establishment. Those children in  there are ill, or did you forget that with your new distraction? They  need to focus on getting well, not on preschool."



I would have backed down right there but David squeezed my hand and  smiled the sweetest smile. He didn't seem to be even a little bit  afraid. It was quite the opposite, really. He seemed completely calm and  that helped me to stay reasonably calm as well. If he could stand up to  his mother this way then I should definitely be able to stand by his  side while he did it.



"I'm sorry you feel that way. But fortunately for us, we don't need you  to think it's a good idea or to agree with anything I say. I have a  feeling that when I come to the board with this proposal they are going  to feel quite differently than you do."



His mother didn't even answer. She let out a snort of disgust and then  turned on her expensive heels and stalked away. This was the second time  his mother had interacted with me in the context of her son and both  times had ended in her storming out of the room. You had to laugh about  it. It was just too cliché for words.



"Well, that's that. We've slain the dragon. It should all be pretty much uphill from here, don't you think?"



"I hope so. It would honestly be a complete dream come true."



Even though we were in the middle of the hospital where anyone and  everyone could see, David turned me towards him and put his arms around  me. I didn't try to pull away from him this time. I didn't have the  energy to pretend about him anymore, and now that his mother knew it  didn't feel like it mattered so much. I looked up into his amazingly  deep eyes and couldn't help but smile.



"Kayla, it's corny as all hell, but I have to say it. You feel like my  dream come true. I never thought I would have that. I don't want to  frighten you away, but I think I'm falling in love with you."                       
       
           



       



Now it was my turn to feel calm. I didn't have to think twice about what  my answer should be. I had already known before he said anything.



"I think I'm falling in love with you, too."





Chapter Fifteen


Kayla



"So, little lady, are you all partied out?"



"Hmm, I dunno. Maybe. I think so."



"No room for anymore? You're ready to move on and be five years old now?"



"Why?"



Sophie looked at David skeptically with one little hand on her hip and I  had to cover my mouth to keep myself from laughing. I didn't want to  encourage any less than polite behavior, but she was just so funny! And  besides, I was a little bit curious myself about just what David was  hinting around at. Sophie's party had been yesterday and, as far as I  knew, she had already been given all of her gifts. So why was David  asking her such leading questions? I knew he had something up his  sleeve, I just wasn't sure what it was. But after the massive gift he  had laid in my lap, the realization of my deepest dream, I was pretty  sure it would be good. It seemed like almost everything was good with  him. He had an amazing capacity to give to the people he loved.



"No reason. I just thought I would check."



He glanced at me, quickly catching my attention, and gave me a  conspiratorial little wink. I was right. He definitely had something up  his sleeve. Watching him like this made my heart clench in my chest. I  did love him, I really did. Against all of my better judgement and  practical reasoning I didn't seem to be able to keep myself from him. We  seemed to be just like two magnets.