THE NANNY & The WIDOWER DAD

THE FIRST BREAKFASt

_DAY 2. TUESDAY. 6:15 AM. MANHATTAN, NEW YORK._

There was light in the kitchen.

Christine tied her apron.

Opened the fridge.

Inside: only milk, eggs, bread, and 1 apple.

"4 kids. What can I make with this."

A voice came from behind.

"Noah likes pancakes."

Christine turned.

Nicholas was standing there.

Black t-shirt.

Grey tracks.

Water still dripping from his hair.

"Good morning sir."

Nicholas: "Don't call me sir.

At home it's Nicholas."

Christine's heart stopped for 1 second.

"O-Okay... Nicholas."

Nicholas looked in the fridge.

"Groceries come tomorrow.

Manage with this for today."

Christine: "I'll manage."

Nicholas was making coffee.

Black. No sugar.

He held out 1 cup toward Christine.

"Did you sleep?"

Christine took it.

Their fingers touched again.

"Yes. Thank you."

Nicholas nodded.

"The kids wake up at 7.

Be ready."

He walked away.

Christine took a sip of coffee.

Bitter. Just like him.

---

_6:45 AM - THE KIDS WAKE UP_

Noah came first.

Rubbing his eyes.

Teddy in his arms.

"Aunty."

Christine sat down.

"Good morning baby."

Noah hugged her.

"You slept here."

Christine: "Yes."

Noah: "Mommy used to say that too."

Christine's heart sank.

"Come, let's make breakfast."

Then the other 3 came too.

Liam 12 years old. Serious.

Ethan 10 years old. Mischievous.

Sophia 7 years old. Quiet.

Christine: "What do you want to eat?"

Liam: "Cereal."

Ethan: "Pancakes."

Sophia nodded.

Noah: "Whatever aunty makes."

Christine smiled.

"Pancakes and cereal both."

She got to work.

The kids sat at the table.

Nicholas was watching from the doorway.

Laptop was open. But his eyes weren't on the screen.

---

_7:10 AM - THE BREAKFAST_

The table was set.

Pancakes. Syrup.

Cereal. Milk.

Apple slices.

Everyone was eating.

Noah: "Aunty you eat too."

Christine: "I'll eat later."

Noah put 1 pancake on her plate.

"Eat now."

Christine ate it.

The kids laughed.

Liam looked at her.

"You're nice.

Not like the last nanny."

Christine: "What was the last nanny like?"

Liam went quiet.

Ethan said: "She used to yell."

Nicholas put his coffee cup down.

"Enough."

Silence.

Christine changed the topic.

"We'll be late for school.

Eat quickly."

Everyone got up.

Christine checked their bags.

Lunch box. Water.

Tied Noah's shoes.

Nicholas was watching everything.

---

_7:40 AM - THE CAR_

The driver brought the car.

The kids got in.

Nicholas stopped Christine.

"1 minute."

Both of them stayed on the driveway.

Nicholas: "You did good."

Christine: "What?"

Nicholas: "With them."

Christine: "I'm trying."

Nicholas looked at her.

Sunlight had come out after the rain.

Light was on Christine's hair.

"Don't tell anyone

that you work here."

Christine: "That again."

Nicholas: "It's important."

The car drove away.

Christine was left alone.

Big house. Silence.

---

_9:00 AM - THE HOUSE_

Christine started cleaning.

The kids' rooms.

The play area.

She went into 1 room.

It was locked.

She opened the door.

Inside...

A pink room.

Small bed.

Stuffed toys.

Photos.

On the wall it said:

`ELENA`

Christine understood.

Nicholas's wife.

A voice from behind:

"Get out."

Nicholas was standing there.

Face stern.

Christine got scared.

"Sorry. I thought..."

Nicholas: "I told you.

No entering my room without permission."

Christine: "This is the kids'..."

Nicholas: "This is mine."

He closed the door.

Locked it.

Christine lowered her head.

"Sorry sir."

Nicholas walked away.

Didn't say anything else.

Christine closed her eyes.

"He's in pain. A lot of pain."

---

_12:00 PM - THE CALL_

The phone rang.

From school.

"Noah has a fever.

Please come pick him up."

Christine left immediately.

Took a taxi.

At school.

Noah was on the bench.

Face red.

Christine picked him up.

"Baby what happened?"

Noah: "Headache."

She brought him home.

Thermometer.

101 fever.

Nicholas called.

"I'm in a meeting.

Can you handle it?"

Christine: "I will."

She gave Noah medicine.

Put a cold compress on him.

Told him a story.

Noah fell asleep.

While running her hand over his forehead

Christine also fell asleep.

---

_4:00 PM - THE RETURN_

Nicholas came home.

Went straight to Noah's room.

Christine was sleeping.

Next to Noah.

Her hand still on his forehead.

Nicholas stopped.

Kept watching.

Then very gently he moved Christine's hair aside.

Christine's eyes opened.

Their eyes met.

Very close.

Nicholas moved back.

"How is he?"

Christine: "The fever's gone.

He's fine now."

Nicholas kissed Noah's forehead.

"Thank you."

Christine: "It's my job."

Nicholas: "Still."

He walked out.

---

_6:00 PM - THE DINNER_

The kids came back.

Noah was fine too.

Christine made soup.

Everyone drank it.

After dinner.

Liam said: "Aunty, will you take us to the park tomorrow?"

Christine: "We'll have to ask Dad."

Everyone looked at Nicholas.

Nicholas: "Go."

The kids were happy.

Ethan: "Aunty is the best."

Nicholas didn't say anything.

Just got up and left.

---

_8:00 PM - THE OFFICE TALK_

Christine washed the dishes.

Knock.

Nicholas.

"My office."

She went in.

Nicholas was standing.

In front of the window.

City lights.

"Sit."

Christine sat down.

Nicholas: "You did good today."

Christine: "Thank you."

Nicholas: "But..."

He turned.

"Don't get too close."

Christine: "What do you mean?"

Nicholas: "To the kids.

And to me."

Christine's heart broke.

"I'm just the nanny."

Nicholas: "Yes.

And I'm just your boss."

Silence.

Then Nicholas gave her a file.

"This is the kids' medical record.

And this is my number.

For emergencies."

Christine took it.

"Okay."

She was about to leave.

At the door Nicholas said:

"Christine."

"Yes?"

"Your coffee.

Was good this morning."

Christine looked back.

Nicholas was facing the window again.

She came out.

A strange warmth in her heart.

---

_10:00 PM - THE NIGHT_

The kids were asleep.

Christine was in her room.

Message from her brother:

`How's the job`

Christine: `It's good.

The kids are sweet.

Boss is strict.`

Reply: `The money came through.

Thank god.`

Christine closed her eyes.

"1 day done.

89 days left."

She was getting sleepy.

Knock.

Soft.

Christine opened the door.

Nicholas.

Holding 1 blanket.

"Noah throws off his blanket at night.

Keep an eye on him."

Christine: "I will."

Nicholas: "You must be tired."

Christine: "No."

Nicholas looked at her.

Tired. But smiling.

"Good night Christine."

"Good night Nicholas."

He left.

Christine closed the door.

Put her hand on her chest.

Her heart was racing.

"This man...

melts a little every time.

And I fall for him a little every time."

She turned off the light.

Before sleeping she thought:

"Tomorrow park.

The kids.

And maybe...

he'll come too."

---

_DAY 3. WEDNESDAY. 7:00 AM_

Alarm.

Christine woke up.

Got ready.

Went downstairs.

Made breakfast.

Pancakes again.

The kids came.

Noah ran to her.

"Aunty! No fever!"

Christine hugged him.

"Thank god."

Nicholas also came.

In a suit today.

For a meeting.

He looked at Christine.

Simple jeans.

White shirt.

Hair open.

He paused for 1 second.

Then said: "Let's go.

I'm coming to the park too."

Everyone was shocked.

Ethan: "Really Dad?"

Nicholas: "Yes."

Christine's heart went _THUMP_

"This wasn't in the plan."

Everyone got in the car.

Nicholas in the driver's seat.

Christine in the back with the kids.

The car started.

New York streets.

Sunshine.

Nicholas looked in the rearview mirror.

Christine was making the kids laugh.

A very faint

smile appeared on his lips.

And disappeared immediately.

But Christine saw it.