Home

"We're home!" Maggie called out as they walked into the large house. "And guess who's with us!"

Samantha rushed out of the kitchen and to the foyer. Her eyes light up when she saw Annabel helping with carrying some of the cases in.

"Annabel!" She called out to her. Annabel turned around and the two women hugged. "Are you back for good?"

"I don't know if it's for good," she looked back at the children with a smile on her face, "but, I am their nanny again."

"Oh that's just wonderful news!" Samantha crushed her in a hug again.

"Welcome home Miss. Annabel." The butler said as he walked past her. He played it cool, but he was very glad she was back. He was starting to miss her laughter and crazy antics.

"Thank you." She said back to him.

Samantha caught the longing look Richard gave Annabel when he walked in and she gasped.

"What's wrong?" Annabel asked her.

"Did you...are you and Sir. Oh God, I'm so happy! You have to tell me what happened." She excitedly said and clutched Annabel's hands.

"Nothing happened." Annabelle's reassured her. "Actually, something did. Something big, but that's up to Mr.Pelton to tell you."

Just then Samantha noticed that Rebeca wasn't with them.

"Pray tell, where is that talking trash bag?" She said in a quiet voice.

Annabel only smiled at her.

"Up to Mr.Pelton."

*

It was over dinner time that Richard Pelton dropped the bomb on everyone. Granted, he already told Annabel days before.

"I'd just like to announce that my engagement to Rebeca Von Eckerman has been called off. We will not be seeing each other anymore." He randomly said at one of the very few quiet intervals.

The children all stopped eating, Maggie's mouth hung open with unchewed food, George spat out the juice he was drinking, the twins just stared at their father and Margot continued to eat.

"I don't like Eckerman. Happy I don't see her again." Margot said and gave her dad a thumbs up.

Excited chatter filled the dinning room, Richard couldn't remember when was the last time he saw his kids brim with so much happiness and energy.

"Did they really hater her that much?" He asked Annabel as she walked behind him and to the other side of the table to help Sam with cutting his food.

"Oh yes, I'm surprised you haven't noticed until now."

He just shook his head at his own oblivion, but he had a smile on his face. He might have noticed it late, but at least Rebecca wasn't here anymore and Annabel was.  The women he truly loved, not that she knew that.

After Annabel was sure the younger kids could handle themselves, she too sat down and began eating her dinner.

Everyone conversed in light conversation and laughter was heard throughout the entire house, something that wasn't heard when Rebeca was around.

Dessert came, vanilla ice cream with a side of warmed up brownie and chocolate sauce.

"So, I've been wondering." Maggi said, dipping her spoon in the ice cream. She looked up at her father and then at Annabel. "Have you two kissed yet?"

Annabel choked on her food and began coughing. Richard immediately got up from his chair and went over to her, handing her his glass of water and patting her back.

"Thank you," Annabel said once she stopped coughing.

"So you have? Just from that reaction alone-"

"Maggie." Richard gave his daughter a warning glare.

"But I was just wondering if-"

"I don't know why you would ever think that, but no, we haven't. Satisfied?" Annabel also gave her a look to drop the subject.

"Fine, okay. I won't ask anymore. But if you do kiss, I have to be the first one to know."

"Maggie!" They both said at the same time.

*

"Do you love papa?" Tam asked in her sweet innocent voice while Annabel tucked them in for bed.

"Well, love is a pretty strong word don't you think?" Annabel said, bringing the comforter up to Sams chin and kissing his forehead.

"I don't know. I think it's a nice word. I mean, I love you. And I love Sam and Margot. Even Maggie, but sometimes she's annoying. I also love Papa and George and Samantha. I love a lot of people. Sometimes, I feel like the word love isn't enough for how much I actually love someone. It's not big enough."

Annabel went to Tams bed and sat on the edge of it.

"That's a lot of love you got there Tam."

"Is that a bad thing?"

Annabel smiled and brushed hair away from the girls face.

"No, I don't think so. I also love many people."

"Like, how many?"

"So much I need more than my fingers to count them all."

"Like this much?" Tam held up her hands and pulled Annabel's hands up too.

"I think so."

"That's a big number."

"It is, but it's such a lovely feeling to love somebody and to have them love you back. I think it's a blessing to be able to love and be loved."

"Like you and papa? You two love each other, right?

"I-"

"His eyes get all big and sparkly when you walk in the room. They really do," she sat up and opened her eyes wide to show Annabel what she meant, "and then Maggie says that when he's staring into nothing and is smiling all silly, that's because he's thinking about you. And Samantha told me, if you really love someone, then you run after them when you fight, and didn't papa run after you? He did, didn't he? And then remember the time he carried you home after you fell in the river, and he stayed by your side all night because you got a little sick? And you looked after him when he hurt his leg, and you make sure he gets out of the office and spends time with all of us when he stays in there for soooo many hours. And your cheeks turn all pink when he smiles at you."

Tam put her hands on Annabel's lap and leaned forward.

"I think you and papa are so in love with each other, you just don't know it."

"I think, you should should go to sleep." Annabel playfully put her hand on Tams face and pushed her back into her pillow. The girl erupted in a fit of giggles that Annabel tried to shush so her other two siblings sharing the room won't wake up.

"Good night mama."

"Good night my darling." Annabel kissed her cheek and got up, turning the lamp off and quietly slipping out of the room.

"So we haven't kissed?" Someone whispered from behind her.

Annabel jumped in surprise and put a hand over her heart.

"You startled me!" She whisper shouted at Richard. "And no, we haven't."

She started to walk towards her room and Richard followed close behind her.

"I think you need me to re-jog your memory." He cheekily grinned at her. She stopped dead in her tracks and glared back at him.

"I'm kidding. Making out doesn't count as kissing." He wiggled his eyebrows and she huffed and turned around, continuing her walk to her room.

"We both agreed that we will forget that ever happened." She said. He fell into step with her and slipped his hand in hers, and when she didn't pull away he intertwined their fingers and grinned.

"Wipe that grin off your face Pelton."

"How can you even tell I'm grinning. The hallway's so dark you can barely see four steps in front of you."

"I just know. Anyways, this is me. Good night." She let go of his hand and opened her door. She stepped in her room and was about to close the door when Richard called out to her. "Yes?"

He leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her lips.

"There, now we can say we kissed."

He narrowly dodged her slipper being flung at him and he ran to his room, a laugh bubbling up from deep within his chest.

With flushed cheeks, Annabel slammed her door shut, but at the last second, closed it gently as to not wake anyone up.

This was the second time they kiss. The first was in the hotel in Switzerland, although that was more making out than a kiss, and the second was just now. They had promised each other that they would forget what happened in Switzerland and continue as if nothing happened at all. It was unprofessional for her to continue being the childrens nanny while they kissed or harboured any feelings for each other. So the second they arrived back home, she's been working on pushing her feelings deep deep down and they were on the verge of resurfacing and overwhelming her. Not just that, but the kids haven't been of any help either. If Maggie hadn't said that blasted comment then Richard wouldn't have kissed her again, she knew it. And what Tam told her moments ago got her mind and heart racing. She didn't know what to make of it. It was absurd of her to think that Richard had any feelings towards her, someone of the lower classes, someone of lower standards. And she knew the first kiss between them was just in the heat of the moment and the second one was just joking around. It must be that. Richard Pelton no way had any feelings for her.

As soon as Richard entered his room, his laughing came to a stop and the smile on his face dropped. He was screwed. He was screwed ten times over and that's all because he fell in love with his own childrens care taker. He wanted nothing more than to hold her and properly kiss her. Not give her a peck on the lips or a rushed kiss. No, he wanted to make her feel loved and cherished.

He paced the length of his room as thought after thought invaded his mind.

He loved Annabel so bad that it now hurt his heart to ever think of a life without her.  Except he could do nothing about his love for her. She didn't reciprocate his feelings. She probably hated him now because he stole another kiss from her, without her permission, again. How could she even fall in love with him when he still had a slight limp? When she's a person that deserves someone even better than him? Why would she ever want to settle down with a man that already has a family? He knew she loved the children, but if they do end up getting married, which is highly unlikely, would she still love them as her own children? Would his children accept her as their own mother? They already call her mama, but what if it was official? Would they still? He knew his thinking was getting him nowhere and that he should stop. But thought after thought, self doubt after self doubt swarmed his head and sunk their claws into his brain and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake them out.

He got into bed and settled with the idea of just remaining as respectful as he can towards her and focus on the coming up event instead.