Prepare dinner… Check.
In truth, it was just takeout.
Fed the kids… Check.
It was a challenge. But bribing them with French fries and ice cream easily did the trick.
"It was not that hard." He thought to himself, patting himself on the back.
But as he checked his to-do list, his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
There was just so much to do.
Clean after meals… Pending.
Bath time… Pending.
Manage sleeping time… Pending.
"Fuck! She must be fucking kidding me." He muttered under his breath.
Then—
He read further down the list.
Grocery shopping for the kids' meals and snacks.
Playtime.
Exercise.
Set up the kids' recreational activities.
Drop off and pick up the kids at school.
Do the kids' laundry.
So on.
Who knew taking care of kids could be this hard?
What the hell had he gotten himself into?
"Myko… Aisla…" He called their names alternately until they finally turned toward him.
"I'll just clean the kitchen while you play. Then, we're moving to bath time." He spoke over his shoulder as he cleared the table and dumped the plates in the sink.
The kids just nodded, but said nothing.
Anyway, it took him more than an hour to wash the dishes and clean the kitchen.
"Jarvis, I need your help."
Admittedly, he was a total moron when it came to operating kitchen appliances.
"What?" His friend shouted over the loud music and the laughter. "Julian, I can't hear you." He explained. "Wait…"
He heard shuffling on the other end of the line before the noise died down slightly. He could tell that his friend was in a club, probably drinking with some girls.
"How do I use the sink waste disposal and dishwasher?" He asked while staring at the dirty dishes, looking completely clueless.
In his thirty-five years, he had never worked in a kitchen before. The only rare time he went into the kitchen was in the middle of the night. But only to get water or food from the fridge.
"Damn, man…" Jarvis grumbled, clearly annoyed. "You called me because you don't know how to wash the dishes."
But when Jarvis met his silence, his friend cleared his throat and started giving instructions.
"Julian… Are you really serious about this nanny thing?" Jarvis asked after he finished turning on the dishwasher.
Instead of answering. "Don't stay up all night. You still have an early meeting tomorrow." He reminded him before ending the call.
If he were to act as the nanny, he needed to look believable.
"It's not that bad." He confidently clapped his hands as he put away the last glass. Then, he stretched his back and walked toward the living room.
But just when he thought that he had everything under control, his body froze at the scene before him.
"Are you fucking kidding me?"
***
"Dr. Spencer, is he going to be ok?" Mrs. Brown asked, looking at her sick husband concernedly.
"Well…"
For a minute, she just studied his chart, checking his latest results.
Mr. Brown had just undergone heart bypass surgery. He had two major blockages in his right artery, grafted with healthy blood vessels from his left leg.
"So far, his condition has improved significantly." She remarked. "Thankfully, we had removed the blockages before he had a heart attack."
"His recovery would be faster." Compared to those people who came to the hospital too late.
"But he has to commit to his rehabilitation plan. Or else, our efforts to save his life will be all in vain." She explained.
"That means…" This time, she turned to her patient. "You have to cut down on those fatty steaks and grilled burgers."
"You hear that…" Mrs. Brown stared down at her husband.
"You might as well kill me now." The man in his hospital gown scowled and grumbled, clearly unhappy with the verdict.
"Dad… you heard the doctor." A younger woman appeared at the door, carrying flowers and a fruit basket. A deep frown carved into her worried expression.
Probably knowing he was outnumbered, he waved his hands in surrender. "Fine!" But the lines on his forehead displayed his stubborn streak.
His patient was a handful, but she could see how deeply he loved his family.
For a brief moment, she was suddenly reminded of her grandfather.
She missed him. If only she could have saved him. Her kids would have loved to meet their lovable great-grandfather.
Grandpa Leandro would have spoiled them rotten. But not only that, her grandfather would have loved her twins, just like he had loved her.
Unconditional. Gentle. Steadfast.
"I'll leave you to attend to my other patients. Rest for now, Mr. Brown." She smiled and left the room.
After giving instructions to the duty nurse, she gathered her things and moved toward the elevator.
But before the doors opened, her name echoed behind her.
"Hey, Amira, you're already leaving."
It was Blair.
"We're going to IV Drip to grab a drink. Do you want to join us?" Her friend invited her.
It had been a while since she had been out with her friends. Actually, it had been seven years.
Since she learned she was pregnant with twins, she hadn't had the time for herself, much less go to a bar.
"I would love to, but…" She hesitated slightly, seeing the disappointment in her friend's eyes. "I have to go home and check the kids."
It was a bit late.
She still needed to see whether she had made the right decision in hiring that man as her children's nanny.
"But you already hired a nanny, right? So, this is the perfect time to go…"
But she cut her friend off.
"Blaire, I'm sorry… Maybe next time." She knew her friend had a point. Honestly, she wanted to go.
But—
"I really need to get home." She said.
Even though the Agency highly recommended Mr. Julian Hawthorn as a competent child caregiver, she still couldn't help but worry.
"You know what my kids are capable of." She knew the twins could be a handful.
Then, there was Julian Hawthorn.
Thinking about it, that man could easily get a job anywhere.
So, why worked as a nanny?
Why agreed to work for her?
***
"It's time for bed." He ordered after checking his list and the time.
So far, asking the kids to clear their toys and prepare for bed was like ordering a stubborn mule to comply.
It took him a while before the kids finally took him seriously and obeyed.
It had almost driven his patience to the brink.
Still, he had made a successful deal with them, treating it like another negotiation.
"We've done our part," Myko said, walking toward his bed.
"Now, it's your turn," Aisla demanded. Her eyes shone. Full of excitement.
The twins jumped onto their individual beds and buried their bodies under the covers, visibly waiting for him.
"Okay, let me see…" He hadn't done anything like this before.
"So, do you know any interesting stories?" Myko adjusted his glasses on the crook of his nose as his little innocent eyes studied his face.
He could only think of a few things, but doubted whether telling two six-year-old kids stories about bodies being blown to pieces or blood spilling everywhere was such a good idea.
"Hey, I want a princess story…" Aisla chimed in, making her wish known.
Truthfully, her request would be tough. What did he know about princesses or those lovey-dovey stories?
But a promise was a promise.
So, for the first two minutes, he concocted a story based on what he could remember from his childhood.
"Major Thor grabbed the dragon by the horn, riding on its back."
He picked up the toy bunny on Aisla's bed and tugged on its ears, pretending that it was the dragon.
"But the dragon won't be tamed, as it fought back and thrust its body until it sent the Major flying into the air."
At that, he dropped the bunny back on the bed and threw himself on the floor.
"Then, a fairy princess suddenly appeared from nowhere."
"Honestly, I was not expecting this." Amira pointed to the clean living room.
If she had come an hour earlier, she would have seen something different.
"What did you expect?" But he could already tell.
His employer assumed the worst.
"Well, to be honest, I expected chaos." Her eyes registered surprise. But eventually replaced by relief.
"
"Don't worry…" He assured her. "I eat chaos for breakfast."