Chapter 5: Acceptance

Ivy POV

“This is your room for the time being,” the housekeeper, a woman by the name of Blair, said with warmth.

It was the same woman I had met before, who had kindly organized my luggage for me. 

I liked her immediately.

The room was bigger than my whole apartment. The furniture was luxurious, the bed so big that it could easily fit more than three people side by side. For a moment I stared and then looked at Blair suspiciously.

“Are you sure this is my room?” I asked, stunned.

She laughed with genuine amusement at my reaction. 

“Of course. It’s right next to Rosalie’s bedroom. Alpha Maddox has already requested you start tomorrow. Honestly, I’m hoping you last longer than the other nannies did,” she said with a tinge of sadness. "That child needs stability in her life."

“Other nannies?” I asked with curiosity.

I knew there had been others before me, but nobody had told me the reasons why the other nannies had left.

All I knew was that they had run into difficulties and promptly tendered their resignations. 

“Oh yes,” Blair sighed and looked around furtively before leaning closer, “the first nanny lasted two hours before she found frogs in her bedroom.”

“Frogs aren’t harmful," I said thoughtfully, "they're just slimy and a little ugly."

“She screamed like she was being murdered. Then there was the whole goat incident," Blair sighed.

Was she making this up? Was this her way of trying to run me off before I even started?

“Goat incident?” I repeated suspiciously. 

“The second nanny found a goat in the kitchen and decided that was too much for her. The third nanny found a wild raccoon in her closet.”

This disturbed me greatly. 

“Oh no,” I gasped and put a hand to my chest. “Was the raccoon okay? She didn't harm it did she?"

Blair looked slightly dumbfounded at my concern.

“The raccoon was safely deposited back into the wilderness, but the nanny could not get out of here fast enough. The last nanny, the one before you, found a snake in her bed.”

“A snake?” I asked with a sparkle in my eyes and excitement in my voice.

She nodded with trepidation, looking fearfully at me.

“It wasn’t deadly, but the nanny almost fell down the stairs trying to run from it," she said without compuncture.

At least she was being honest with me, even if she was a little too forthcoming.

“That’s terrible,” I murmured. “So Rosalie hasn't had anybody reliable in her life looking after her?"

“We all try. But none of us can replace a mother figure. She needs somebody to stay, somebody who won’t leave at the first sign of trouble. After saving Rosalie today, I have the greatest hope that somebody will prove to be you.”

It was a heartfelt compliment. I could almost sense the woman's desperation at finally having found someone she deemed to be fit for Rosalie.

“I’m no one special. I’m clumsy,” I laughed derisively, “and will probably make more mistakes than all the other nannies combined.”

To be honest, it was practically guaranteed. The harder I tried not to make a mistake or be clumsy, the more I was. It was a vicious cycle, one I had managed never to break.

It was the universe's way of torturing me. Repeatedly.

“True,” Blair said unexpectedly, “but maybe mistakes are what’s needed, not perfection or the pressure to fix Rosalie, but somebody who continues to show up for her, even when it’s hard. She’s no angel,” Blair said evenly, “but she’s not the devil others make her out to be either. Somewhere inside her, there’s a sweet little girl who misses her mother.”

My heart melted. 

You could tell by the way that Blair spoke that she genuinely loved Rosalie. It was in every word she spoke, the way her voice softened when she said the little girl's name out loud.

It was impossible not to hear it.

“Anyway, welcome to the house. Rosalie’s routine will be determined by you. The kitchen knows her food preferences, and she has no known allergies. A phone is on that desk there,” she pointed, “with all the emergency contact numbers you need. A car will also be loaned to you for outings and to run errands. You will be allocated a weekly budget for anything you may need in regard to looking after and entertaining Rosalie. Any questions?” she looked at me expectantly.

The woman was certainly thorough; I'd give her that.

I looked at the door beside my bedroom that adjoined Rosalie's and then looked back at Blair, who was still hovering anxiously, her hands folded in front of her.

“Does she have nightmares? About that night?” I asked quietly. 

The night her mother died, protecting her from rogues. I couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud.

No doubt it was a painful memory for everyone.

Blair understood exactly what I was referring to. I saw a hint of pain in her face before she quickly hid it.

“Rosalie cries in her sleep sometimes but can’t tell us why. I imagine it has something to do with that though,” Blair said quietly. 

I nodded in acknowledgement and looked back at the adjoining door again. This time my expression turned thoughtful.

Blair silently left the room, shutting the door behind her. I climbed into the bed and pulled the covers over me, my thoughts constantly whirling inside my mind.

Was Rosalie sleeping soundly? Was she safely tucked in? Had Alpha Maddox read her a bedtime story? 

I didn't know the answer, but I fervently hoped all three of those had happened.

Rosalie needed a strong father figure in her life. 

I should have slept like a baby, but all night long I thought about Rosalie and how alone she must feel in a house filled with people who didn’t understand her.

How misunderstood she was by those who didn't see the vulnerable little girl beneath the exterior. Who judged her without knowing the real Rosalie.

I knew what it was like to feel lonely and to feel like your whole world had come crashing down. I knew what it was like to lose the most important person in your life and how grief never truly faded. 

No number of tears, no amount of crying ever brought them back. No amount of pleading or begging ever resulted in changing the past.

If I could help Rosalie heal, if I could help her speak again, then this job would all be worth it.

Because somewhere inside that little girl, I caught glimpses of me, and the pain I had once tried to hide before it all became too much.