Chapter 22

Third Perspective

Nan felt guilty.

Her job had only got busier, closer to the wedding. Now she barely made it home. Privately, Nan could not wait for the wedding to be over.

Nan had already begun to have doubts about her plan to avoid Lionel. She could see the hurt on his face when she dodged him. Nan did not want to hurt him.

Truthfully, it only made the pain in her chest worse than before. Nan’s plan seemed pointless. It only made her tired and in more pain.

Not just physical pain either.

One night Nan had got home early. She had felt so happy that she could finally read to the girls at bedtime. But as she got closer to the door, she heard Lionel’s voice.

Nan had mixed feelings about that. On one hand, she loved that Lionel was such a good father to the girls. That they had someone still reading to them when Nan could not.

On the other hand, Nan felt a little jealous. This was her thing with the girls. It felt like another thing Lionel was taking from her without realizing it.

But Nan knew that was not right. It was Nan who had stopped reading to them. It was Nan who was not spending enough time with them.

Did she really have the right to be upset about Lionel picking up her slack? ‘No,’ Nan thought guilty, ‘I really don’t.’

But then she heard Vera speak. And her guilt became tenfold.

“Daddy?”

Lionel’s soft voice answered, “What?”

She could hear Vera’s voice tremble. “Do you think Nan’s mad at us?” Nan froze.

“What? No, Nan is not made at you.”

Patti replied. “But why doesn’t mommy read to me anymore? We always read stories before bedtime.”

Nan walked away. Guilt ate at her insides. She wanted to cry.

How could she have made the girls think she is angry at them? She had spend so much time working she had neglected her girls. What had she done?

Nan felt like her worst fears were coming true. All because of her own choices. She dropped her head into her hands.

Has Nan become a bad mother?

She never wanted the girls to question her love for them. Never. And yet…

Was Lionel already replacing her? Had her place in their lives already been taken by Lionel?

It seemed like it. Nan’s heart was breaking. She could not wait for this job to be over.

Perhaps, had Nan stayed a little longer outside the girls’ bedroom, she may have found some comfort.

Lionel did his best to stop this line of thought for the girls.

“If there is just one thing you girls believe, believe this: Your mom loves you, and would be here if she could. This won’t be forever, just a little while longer. I know she misses you girls too.”

Lionel’s voice brooked no arguments. He sounded so matter of fact. The girls believed him instantly.

Lionel still had no clue why Nan was upset with him. But he held no doubts about Nan’s love for the children. The sky is blue and the grass is green, and Nan loves those girls without reservation.

Lionel could now admit that he missed Nan. Not just for Vera and Patti’s sake. Nan had become important to him too.

Maybe there was a way he could fix this.

“I’ll start picking Nan up from work. That way you girls can see her more often, and Nan won’t overwork herself. What do you girls say?”

The girls cheered. “I like that idea daddy,” said Vera. Lionel kissed the tops of their heads.

“Then that’s what we’ll do. I’ll do my best to see Nan as much as possible.” Lionel promised.

Then he said as an afterthought, “For you girls’ sake of course. Children need stability.”

Lionel did not notice Vera and Patti exchange raised eyebrows at each other.

Once more, Lionel and Nan had passed each other like ships on a dark, foggy night.

Soon came Nan’s last week at work. The wedding would soon take place. And Nan would finally be able to take a step back from work.

Nan and her team were in a meeting with the bride. The bride was quite nervous. Nan was quick to provide comfort.

“Ma’am, I promise you, everything will run smoothly. We have a good team here. We will take good care of you and your belongings.”

The bride said, “I know, I know. Just, please be careful. This necklace is precious, and has been in my family for generations.”

Nan smiled warmly. “I promise. I will even lock this in my office until the storage manager comes to secure your necklace for safe keeping.”

Nan places a wooden box on the table. The bride hesitantly hands over her heirloom toward Nan. Nan opens the box, and the bride places it directly in.

“As soon as everyone clears out, I will lock my office immediately.” Nan explains. After that, the meeting ends, and the wedding planning team begins to leave.

Nan is the last one in the office. She sits there for a moment. Thoughts swirled behind her eyes.

The office is quiet for once. ‘I do like wedding planning,’ Nan thinks. ‘But I don’t want to lose time with my family for it. Maybe I should step away from commissions for a while after this.’

Once upon a time Nan would have enjoyed the busy atmosphere and challenges of wedding planning. But that was before Nan had become a mother. Before Nan had met Lionel.

At the thought of Lionel, Nan could not resist looking at the texts between them. She knew it was stupid and obsessive. But this was the first time Nan had felt this way about anyone.

Nan had always played it safe. Kept a steady head on her shoulder. Her heart was tucked away for safe keeping.

Lionel made Nan feel giddy. Gave her butterflies in her stomach. Like a teenage girl with her first crush.

Still, Nan could not help but indulge herself.

From Lionel

Have you eaten? I can send you a meal to your job. Whatever you desire. It’s no issue.

From Nan

Thanks, but I am okay. I have some leftovers in the fridge if you or the girls get hungry.

From Lionel

I noticed you’ve been working overtime. Don’t let them take advantage of you. Get some rest, have them call me if they have an issue with it.

From Nan

I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine. I’ll take a nap at my desk if I need too, lol.

From Lionel

I’m serious, you should never neglect your health for work. Work will always be there. There is only one you.

On and on the text went like this. Nan had thought Lionel was just being demanding and nosey at the time. So she dismissed his concerns.

But with distance she thought she could see the actual concern in his words. Every text telling her to look after herself. Offering his support and help if she only took it.

That Lionel saw her and worried for her. As more than just an employer. No employer she had ever had before texted her throughout the day just to check on her.

Maybe she was looking too deeply into it. It might not mean anything at all. Maybe that was just his alpha instinct to look after someone under his protection.

But Nan wanted to believe that it was more. That he too felt this connection to her. That he couldn’t stop thinking about her either.

Just anything that means he wanted her to stay. To be by his side. To be a real family with him and the girls.

She really wanted that.

As Nan continued to scroll through her phone, she began to head out of the office.

This meant that Nan was not looking at where she was going.

So she was unprepared for bumping into someone. Nan let out a breath of air as she collided with another person. It took all her focus to keep her balance.

Once Nan was sure she would not fall, she finally looked up. Nan immediately began rigid with unpleasant surprise. Her hands automatically tightened around her phone.

Nan couldn’t have been more surprised to have run into the devil himself.

There stood Eillen.