*
“Evi?” a small voice asks, and I’m stirred awake by a small hand touching mine. “I had a nightmare,” Bria whimpers, standing next to my bed, crying.
I sit upright, and before I know what I’m doing, I’m reaching my arms out. Evi runs into them and starts to sob. I lift her up and bring her into bed with me, cuddling her and stroking her hair.
“Shh,” I say, petting her back. “It’s okay, Bria. It was just a nightmare.”
“It… wath… tho… thcary…” she wails. “I need Mommy.” My heart feels so heavy all of a sudden. I don’t ask her what her nightmare was about. I already know. I hold her silently, and soon her breathing becomes more even. Just when I think she’s asleep, she stirs.
“Evi?” she asks weakly. “Will you thleep with me?”
“Of course,” I say.
“In my daddy’s bed? That’s always where I go after I have a nightmare. Will you sleep there with me?”
I hesitate. I’m not sure if that’s okay. I’m tempted to text Cecelia, but it’s the middle of the night. I sigh. Of course I’ll take her to Nick’s room. Her wellbeing is my number one priority.
“Sure,” I whisper, and I grab my pillow and her hand. “Let’s go.”
We walk quietly to what I presume to be Nick’s room. Bria opens the door and runs over to the bed, jumping in. I take in my surroundings. It’s a large bedroom—very calming. A sprawling California-king-sized bed with a simple black headboard is the main piece of furniture. Two matching black nightstands dot either side of the large bed. The wood floor is covered with a large, shaggy, white sheepskin rug. A grey chair sits to my left, and a large closet sits to my right. A TV is mounted to the wall opposite the bed. Though it’s dark out, the moon is bright, and it casts a comforting glow around the room from the large balcony door.
“Get in, Evi,” Bria says, patting the spot next to her.
God, I hope I don’t get fired for this.
I switch out the pillows, putting Nick’s pillow on the sitting chair and mine in the spot his was in just a moment ago.
I don’t even know the man, and I’m already sleeping in his bed.
I climb in, and luxurious sateen sheets meet my bare legs. It feels amazing. This might be the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in. Bria is already asleep as I adjust myself to get comfortable. An analog clock on the nightstand says four-thirty. I notice a couple books sitting next to the clock, and I check to make sure Bria is asleep before looking to see what they are. Books can tell you a lot about a person.
I flip them around. Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. I smile. One of my favorites. My eyes flick to the other titles. Letters from Motherless Daughters: Words of Courage, Grief, and Healing by Hope Edelman.
My smile falters. Oh my god.
What am I doing? I’m totally snooping. Nick is reading a book about motherless daughters, something that Bria is and always will be, and I’m lying here, looking at it.
What is wrong with me?
I quickly flip them back around so that the spines are not facing me. Bria starts to snore, and I turn around and try to go to sleep.
I mean to set an alarm on my phone, but the comfortable bed pulls me in deeper and deeper, and pretty soon I’m asleep too.
Seven.
Nick
There is a strange woman in my bed.
I came home early, around seven, and the house was silent. I made a quick breakfast, as I hadn’t eaten before hitting the road at 5:30 a.m. Cecelia mentioned that the new nanny, Evianna, was spending the night. I had my thoughts about that—I didn’t even know this woman, and she was already sleeping over with my daughter? But I trust Cecelia, and Cecelia assured me it would be fine. After breakfast, I went to go put my suitcase in my bedroom, and when I opened the door…
She’s got some nerve.
I wanted to rip the covers off of her and fire her on the spot. How dare she?
She’s in Isabel’s spot.
That is not okay.