THE BILLION-DOLLAR NANNY OF THE MAFIA KING

CHAPTER 8 ~ MEETING AMY

I woke up with a start, my heart hammering against my chest like a trapped animal.

For a split second, my nose searched for the scent of stale cigarette smoke, burnt spoons, and the rotting smell of the trash that always piled up in the corner of my parents’ kitchen.

I expected to feel the springs of my thin, lumpy mattress digging into my back and to hear the muffled sounds of my father’s raspy cough or my mother’s shrill, drug-induced laughter.

But there was only silence and the scent of lavender.

I opened my eyes and blinked at the ceiling. It was high, painted a soft, clean white with intricate molding around the edges.

I shifted, and the fabric beneath me moved and that was when I realized that I was infact, lying on silk. The realization hit me all at once, the auction, the four billion dollars, the massive SUV, and the unforgettable handsome owner who bought me off the stage.

I wasn’t in that crusty, suffocating apartment anymore and that was all I needed. At least I was safe for now.

A sudden wave of pity washed over me. I wondered what they were doing right now. Was my father sitting at the kitchen table, counting the money they got for me? Was my mother finally buying that expensive fix she’d been talking about for months?

A part of me wanted to cry for them, to hope they were okay, but then the memory of the closed-fist blow to my face and the cold look in my father’s eyes as he told me I was "the money" surged back.

The pity died instantly, replaced by a hollow, aching betrayal. They hadn't just sold me; they had erased me fromour family.

Before I could spiral into the dark thoughts, the door to my room burst open.

"Amelia! Amelia, wake up!"

A kid, whose name I already knew as Amy came charging in like a tiny whirlwind, her dark curls bouncing. She scrambled onto the bed before I could even sit up, her small knees digging into my thighs as she perched herself right over me.

Mrs. Halloway was right on her heels, looking a bit out of breath, her usual stern expression softened by a look of exasperation.

"I told her you might still be sleeping, but she wouldn't hear of it," Mrs. Halloway said, leaning against the doorframe.

"I wanted to see her!" Amy shouted, throwing her arms around my neck. "You're still here. I thought Daddy was lying when he said he got a new Nanny for me"

"I'm still here, Amy," I laughed, hugging her back. She was so warm and full of life that the lingering shadows of my parents’ house finally dissipated. "I promised your Daddy I wouldn't leave, didn't he tell you?"

"Mrs. Halloway wants to give me a bath," Amy pouted, pulling back to look at me with big, pleading eyes. "But I don't want her to. She’s too fast and she gets soap in my eyes."

Mrs. Halloway sighed. "I have a house to run, Amy. I don't have time to play with bubbles for an hour." She looked at me, a silent question in her eyes. "She’s been refusing to get in the tub for twenty minutes. She says only the princess can bath her."

"The princess?" I asked, smiling.

"That would be you, apparently," Mrs. Halloway said.

"I can do it," I proposed, looking at Amy. "Would you like that? If I bath you, can we play with the bubbles?"

Amy’s face lit up. "Yes! And we have to sing!"

"It’s a deal," I said.

I followed Amy into her bathroom, which was larger than my entire old bedroom. It was filled with toys and bottles of colorful bubble bath. As I ran the warm water, Amy started wiggling out of her pajamas. Once the tub was full of frothy white bubbles, she hopped in with a splash.

"What are we singing?" I asked, grabbing a sponge.

"The crab song!" she yelled.

I started to hum the tune, and then we both broke out into Under the Sea.

"Under the sea, under the sea! Darling it's better down where it's wetter, take it from me!" I sang, using the sponge to make a bubble beard on her chin.

Amy giggled, splashing water at me. "Up on the shore they work all day, out in the sun they slave away! While we devotin' full time to floatin' under the sea!"

We went through the whole song, our voices echoing off the tiles. I made sure to be extra gentle, shielding her eyes with my hand when I rinsed her hair.

We sang Part of Your World next, with Amy doing a very dramatic, high-pitched version of the ending. By the time we were done, the floor was soaked and my sleeves were damp, but Amy was glowing.

We walked back into her bedroom, both of us still caught up in the music. I started the next one as I grabbed a soft towel to dry her off.

"The snow glows white on the mountain tonight, not a footprint to be seen!"