The Change

Brian

I agreed with her words and nodded my head. I had no sentimental intentions; I just didn't want any problems with my aunt. It would be purely a business arrangement, with a generous payment to the woman chosen by my lawyer to be the mother of my child. During the pregnancy, everything would be handled by intermediaries, and I wouldn't have any contact with the woman carrying my baby. But once I held my child in my arms, everything would change because it would be my family—just me, my aunt, and my little one. Until then, everything would be based on a contract.

“ Alright, Aunt," I said in a conciliatory tone.

“ And how is Eloá? - she finally decided to change the subject, which I internally appreciated.

My aunt was very fond of Oliver's daughter, and her feelings were undoubtedly reciprocated, as little Eloá would be overjoyed whenever her father brought her to our apartment, which he did quite frequently.

“ She's doing well," I said with a smile. "Oliver invited us to go to the museum this weekend. He wants to do something different with Eloá. He intended to bring Nicole along to help with taking care of Eloá, but I told him you would love to do that for him.

“ Eloá really likes Nicole, and so do I," my aunt said, but I already knew that. "I don't mind looking after the little one, but I would also like Nicole to come with us."

In fact, I could assert that it wasn't just my aunt and Eloá who were very fond of the young nanny. I had already noticed an attraction between Oliver and Nicole. But I had already questioned my friend about it, and he firmly denied it. He even became somewhat rude with me and Douglas regarding that matter.

Regardless, I was convinced that my friend would never betray his wife, which prevented any emotional involvement between him and the girl, at least for now, as he was still married to the wretched Martina.

“But changing the subject, or rather, changing the topic of nannies, Eloá told me that Charlotte, the other nanny, is also very loving and takes care of her with great affection," my aunt shared. "She grew up in an orphanage and has no family."

“I remember Oliver mentioning something about that," I commented. "It seems that the priest from Oliver's church requested her."

“Oliver is an excellent young man," I smiled at the reference.

“ We're all good boys, Aunt. Some more, some less.

“ Some significantly less, I must add," she looked at me with amusement as she spoke. "But I'm certain that this child will only bring us joy, just like Eloá, and we'll have even happier days ahead.

Charlotte

Things in the Mackenzie household were already difficult because of Mrs. Martina's difficult temperament, but they became even worse. Mr. Mackenzie was kind and tried to be present in his daughters' lives, but I avoided his company because Martina was becoming increasingly jealous, and I didn't want to draw her attention, just like what happened with Nicole, who was mistreated by the lady of the house. I wasn't treated with as much hostility, but I wasn't treated with kindness either.

After spending a weekend at Nicole's house, where it became evident that Martina didn't agree with her husband giving us time off at the same time, she started treating me rudely. I don't know exactly when this happened, but Martina went from being a demanding boss to someone who made the babysitters' lives a true hell.

Every day that passed, her treatment worsened, without any apparent reason. In a moment when we were alone, organizing Eloá's closet, I asked Nicole if she had any idea what was happening, after all, she had worked for that family longer than I had.

"She's jealous of Mr. Mackenzie, Charlotte," was the explanation she gave me, but it left me even more confused.

"I know that, Nicole. But she didn't treat us like this, so aggressively," I insisted.

She looked at me, and I noticed she seemed guilty. At that moment, I decided that I would ask clearly what had been weighing on my mind since the first day I arrived in that house.

"Do you and Mr. Mackenzie have some kind of involvement with each other?"

"What do you mean?" she asked in a very scared way. "What are you trying to say?"

We were at that moment organizing Eloá's clothes, something that had always been the housekeeper's responsibility, but now Martina wanted both of us to do it.

Every day, she would come up with more things for us to do during our supposed breaks, like now, when Eloá was in her piano lesson.

Nicole was also working much later than before, leaving the house around nine o'clock at night when she was no longer needed to take care of Eloá, as the girl would already be asleep by then.

"I believe we have enough intimacy to speak openly about certain matters, so I'll be direct," I said, taking a deep breath and summoning the courage to ask the question I had been longing to ask. We had developed a great friendship between the two of us, and she couldn't be upset with me for posing such a question.

"Do you have an affair with Mr. Mackenzie?"

Nicole widened her eyes, completely surprised by my question, and then surprised me further when she burst out laughing.

"It's not funny, Nicole," I said seriously.

"No, it's not," she confirmed, trying to control her laughter. "I was just nervous."

I found it strange, but then I connected a few dots and understood why Nicole would smile so much, even in some completely inappropriate moments.

"I have a laughing fit when I get very nervous," she said, confirming what I had just concluded. "But in response to your question... no. I don't have an affair with Mr. Mackenzie."

"You didn't find the question I asked odd. You just got nervous," I pointed out. "What does that mean?"

"It means that I am indeed in love with Eloá's father," she confirmed. "But I could never have a relationship with a committed man, especially when he is my boss."

"But I see that he looks at you differently than he looks at me."

"That doesn't matter, Charlotte. He is committed, and as I mentioned, he is my boss," she said, sounding sad. "I'm afraid that Mrs. Martina will notice my feelings and fire me. I'm afraid of leaving my little one at the mercy of someone who won't treat her well, like we do."

"I know you love Eloá, Nicole. It's evident," I said, voicing what I had noticed since day one. "So, do you believe that Mrs. Martina has realized that you have feelings for Mr. Oliver, and that's why she's been so awful to us? Is that what you meant when you said she was jealous?"

Nicole couldn't respond because Martina herself entered the closet, her face filled with hatred, practically breathing fire through her nostrils.

"Get out of my house now!"