Chapter Twenty-Eight

"What a night. Thanks so much Mi'a for being available. You have a good night and here's your money." Mr.Anderson said happily when he and his wife came home an hour later. Lillian was fast asleep on the couch and the twins hadn't woken up from their slumber.

"No, let me. After the lovely night you arranged. Mi'a is on me." Mrs.Anderson said. I smiled. This was the happiest I ever saw her. It was cute. The magic of Valentine's.

"Alright then Mrs. Anderson. I'll see you upstairs. Goodbye Mi'a and thanks again." Mr.Anderson placed a nearby blanket on top of Lillian and then went upstairs.

"He is such a great man. Tonight was perfect." Mrs.Anderson gushed as she looked in her purse for her wallet.

I leaned my head back and waited for the sound of a closing door, click. "He is." I agreed facing Mrs.Anderson once more. "Which is why if he knew you kept Lillian's dad from seeing her he wouldn't be pleased. He'd leave you and that's not what you want. Not after such a lovely night,"

Kennedy's eyes popped out of their sockets and she looked up the stairs. When she saw that the coast was clear she turned sad eyes into angry ones and directed them at me.

"Before we get into this, why don't we step outside. You wouldn't want Lillian to know either, would you?" I advised. Mrs.Anderson was the closest to the door and she opened it. I followed her outside and as expected she let me have it.

"How dare you! How dare you! I'm a good mother and wife. If I do anything it's for my family. So for you to-"

"Let me stop you there. You kept Lillian's dad from her because you were mad he accepted your parents money vs getting to meet his own daughter-"

"How do you even know all this? Was he here? Lillian, she didn't see him?"

"No, she didn't and it's understandable if I was a mom I would have probably acted in the same manner- mad, vengeful but you not only hurt Lillian's dad you hurt her."

Mrs.Anderson said nothing. She was just shaking her head in disbelief. Disbelief, that this finally came to light. That it was her babysitter that was doing it to her. Her sorrow made little difference to me. She made the mistakes and could have fixed them at any time. Can't be mad if someone is blackmailing you now?

"Lillian won't ever forgive you. She'll move out next year and won't need you. She'll never want to see you-"

"I know!" Lillian's mom cried, wiping her eyes.

"Then there's poor Mr.Anderson if he doesn't leave you he sure as hell won't ever trust you. The way I see it you have only two options. You can pay me twenty grand-"

"Your out of your mind-"

"Or I'll tell Lillian and Mr.Anderson. I have both of their numbers. I could tell them together for you. At least they could find comfort in each other and have a mutual hatred for you. The choice is yours. Tick-tock though. I'm off the clock."

Mrs.Anderson wiped her face with the back of her hands, "You'll never babysit here again."

"Mhmm, and I totally see why would think that but in order for this ruse to continue it kind of be dumb for you to just stop hiring me. What would Mr.Anderson think? Something suspicious that's for sure."

"Fine, I'll write you a check. You can cash it tomorrow afternoon or whatever. You aren't to ever discuss that man again. If you see him, you should tell me immediately. Are we clear!" Mrs.Anderson relented. She went into her purse and pulled out a pen and a checkbook.

"As water." I answered, accepting the check.