The Nanny (13 page)

“I’m giving you an opportunity to see me in my hometown with my friends and family,” he added, “you can decide after you’ve met everyone and seen me in my element, if you still want to take a chance on me.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Kieran,” Tiana admitted. The offer was too good to refuse. “I need to find a sitter for Tyson.”

“Bring him with us,” Kieran shrugged.

“You want me to bring a teething baby with us on a plane?” She questioned.

“You have the gel and chew toys for him,” Kieran suggested. “I don’t see why it would be a problem.”

“We probably won’t find a hotel so late.”

“We’ll stay at my mom’s. She’s anxious to meet you and Tyson.”

Tiana had to do a double-take. Did she really hear what she just heard? “You told your mother about me?”

“I tell my mother everything,” Kieran began massaging Tiana’s foot.

Tiana’s eyes rolled in the back of her head. Kieran’s hands were orgasmic. “And what did you tell your mother exactly?”

“I told her that I met this magnificent woman who has a son and I’m falling in love with her,”

Kieran said matter-of-factly. “Was there something else I should’ve said instead?”

Tiana wanted to respond with an ‘I love you’. She wanted to shout it from the rooftops. She wanted to dance and sing. The man she wanted to be with just committed to her. He told his mother about her. They were living together. It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship!

Instead she took the cautious route. She loved Kieran but she was still recovering from her broken marriage. “I feel the same way, too.”

TEN

“I’ll be on vacation for a week, visiting my family on Staten Island,” Kieran instructed his staff at the weekly meeting. “If anything urgent comes up, you know how to reach me. I’m always available. Does anyone have any questions?”

“I do,” Zoe raised a hand.

“Besides Zoe,” Kieran grinned.

“Hey! Hey! I might have a legitimate question, now.” Zoe feigned hurt feelings.

“Okay, Zoe. What is your question?”

“Are you going to come back married?” She smiled.

“And that concludes this meeting,” Kieran dismissed everyone. “I’ll see everyone in about two weeks.” He began to put away papers as everyone left.

Zoe stayed behind and waited until it was just her and Kieran in the room. “So you’re bringing her to meet the mother? Sounds serious.”

Kieran knew he shouldn’t entertain his nosy assistant even if he was curious how she found out.

“How did you know that?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Zoe mischievously grinned. “I just happened to be watching the
Today
show and saw a financial analyst by the name of Tiana Morris giving out financial tips when one is traveling and she mentioned how she was going to visit Staten Island for the first time and what do you know? You’re from there!”

“Why did I hire you again?” Kieran asked.

“Because I’m the only woman who can tolerate you,” Zoe smiled. “Have a safe trip. Bring back me back something!” She left the conference room.

Kieran picked up Tyson from the floor. The last several weeks with Tiana had been nothing short of amazing. Sure, he could chalk it up to new and exciting love. But there was something different about her. There was something magical about this time around. It wasn’t just sex; Kieran had been in lust more than he had been in love. It wasn’t just a new woman; Tiana was above and beyond any woman he’d ever dated.

He could finally admit he was in love with her. Head over heels, sappy songs on the radio, everything-is-coming-up-roses in love with her. With little Tyson in the mix, the little boy just completed the one thing Kieran had always wanted—a family of his own. “Are you ready, little man? You’re going to meet my family. If things go well, you’re going to meet your new
nonna
.”

****

“Okay, your flight is booked!” Allison handed Tiana her travel packet. “Here is your flight information, all checked-in. Why didn’t you take a private plane? It would be easier on all three of you.”

“I thought about it,” Tiana sincerely wished she had booked a private plane. She always hated hearing a screaming baby when she traveled and she feared Tyson was going to become the one thing she couldn’t stand. “But I didn’t want Kieran to think I was all about being fancy by getting a private plane.”

“Yeah, because those first-class tickets you purchased told otherwise,” Allison folded her arms and smiled.

“You know what I mean,” Tiana leaned back in her chair. “I still don’t know if he’s with me for me or my lifestyle.”

“Well, I have something for you,” Allison disappeared and reappeared a short while later,

“here’s some clear-cut evidence he’s not with you for the money.”

Tiana stared down at the information before her. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. In front of her was a picture of Kieran, his brothers, and their mother holding a very big check with an equally big dollar amount. “Where did you get this?”

“Google is your friend.”

****

Kieran and Tiana boarded their plane and got settled with Tyson, who was peacefully sleeping.

Tiana cherished that time. She knew it was only a matter of hours before her son would be wide awake and wailing to his heart’s content.

“So tell me about your family?” She asked as she buckled up. “Tell me some more about your brothers.”

“The craziest fools you’ll ever meet,” Kieran laughed, “but I love them to death. Couldn’t ask for better brothers. Nicolas is the oldest. He’s an English professor at NYU and studying to get his Master’s degree. He’s very popular with his female students, though; I told him he needs to quit that before the school has a lawsuit on their hands.

“Joey is the middle son and he and our second-youngest brother, Eli, help run my mom’s floral business. Joey is looking for Ms. Right Now while Eli just got married a few years ago and finally made our mother into a
nonna
of her own. They have the flagship store in Manhattan and just opened up another one in New York City. They hope to expand soon to Long Island.”

“Finally, there’s Antonio, the playboy. He still lives at home and is a barber. He says he stays at home to watch over our mother but I think he just doesn’t want to move out quite yet. Mom still does his laundry.” Kieran shook his head, “there’s always one in the family.”

“Oh, come on, four out of five aren’t bad,” Tiana replied.

Kieran gave Tiana a disbelieving look. “Wait until you meet Tony.”

Tiana was quiet for a brief moment until she found the courage to talk to Kieran about what she learned that morning. She began to wonder if there was more to Kieran than she realized. “Why didn’t you tell me you won the lottery?” She asked.

Kieran got settled into his seat and let it back a little. He wondered how long it was going to take Tiana to find that information out about him. “I didn’t,” he replied, “my mother did.”

“But your mother is wealthy,” Tiana added.

“Correction: my mother is rich,” Kieran replied, stating the difference between the two, “
you’re
wealthy.”

“Still,” Tiana pressed, “you have money.”

Kieran was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. “Imagine growing up and seeing your mother come home from working at a diner. She’s exhausted and been on her feet for most of the day already, tending to needy customers, handling heavy trays, and getting the right orders. She only can rest for an hour or two before she gets back up and works her other job doing janitorial work. And when she leaves that job, she can only sleep for a few hours before she gets up and does the whole thing all over again. And she does that day in and day out for
years
. She works weekends if she needs to. If I wanted that new stereo, she’d put in an extra shift to make sure I got it. If my brother wanted that new bike every other kid has, she’d put it a few more shifts to make sure he got it. We never had a lot of money growing up, but never went without. She made sure the lights were on, the gas was on, and there was food in the fridge. Most importantly, she made sure there was a roof over our heads. And she taught us the value of a dollar.

“Now imagine that your mother—the same one who’s been busting her ass for as long as you can remember—decided one day she’s going to play the lottery for fun, not thinking she’s going to win anything. But she wins and she wins big. She doesn’t have to work anymore. She can fly to those countries she’s always wanted to visit. She can afford new and better quality clothing instead of re-sewing the torn and tattered ones she’s had for years. She can finally afford a nice pair of comfortable shoes—several of them, actually. She can finally afford to fix those holes in the walls and that leaking faucet that’s been driving up her water bill. And that same, unselfish mother,” Kieran’s voice cracked a little and he paused before he was overcome with emotion.

“That same, unselfish mother who took you in when you felt the world was against you and your luck had run out, gives you some money so you can go to school and start your own business. So yes, Tiana, my mother is rich but I am not.”

Tiana grabbed Kieran’s hand and squeezed it. He was her much-needed reality check. “Your mother is a great woman.”

“My mother has always been my biggest cheerleader,” Kieran squeezed Tiana’s hand back, “and now I have another one.”

****

Nicola D’Amato took out her homemade lasagna. A proud smile formed on her face once the aromas of basil, cheese, and tomato sauce tickled her nose. After her lottery win some ten years earlier, she quit her jobs to start the floral business, Madre’s, which she operated with her sons, Joey and Eli. She took pride in her flowers and was sought-after by celebrities, socialites, and event planners for their weddings and private parties. She also managed a non-profit for low-income women to acquire job skills and other classes for the workforce. She was recently named one of most influential people in New York.

She was of average height with ebony hair and sharp, hazel eyes that always told her sons what she really thought about them without ever having to say a word. “Perfect,” Nicola smiled at her lasagna. “Absolutely perfect!”

“Hey mom, when is Kieran coming in?” The oldest, Nicolas, commented to his mother. He didn’t look like a college professor and certainly didn’t act like one, either. He would constantly bring up pop culture references when instructing his students about Shakespeare to get them to understand what he was teaching them. He had a muscular build he kept hidden under sweater vests and slacks. He had his dark hair neatly trimmed and wore black hipster frames.

“Anytime now! He and Tiana should be arriving soon.” Nicola grabbed fresh pepper and sprinkled a little on the salad. She then approached her youngest son. “Tony, make sure the rooms are cleaned and there’s plenty of towels in the bathrooms. They’ll be staying here.”

“All right, mom,” Tony then left the living room.

“Kieran’s bringing home Ms. Fancy Pants,” The middle son, Joey, snickered as he set the table.

He was built just like his older brother and visited the gym on a daily basis. He drove an Escalade and entertained several girlfriends all over New York. “You never act like this with my girlfriends.”

“Well, if you didn’t bring home those tramps, I would give them the same treatment,” Nicola sneered.

“Owned!” Eli laughed as put out the food on the table.

“What’s funny, punk?” Joey commented. “Hey, at least I ain’t no lady-whipped punk like you are.”

“Oh, yes,” Eli nodded. He was tall with muscular tawny skin that seemed to be kissed by the sun.

He had intense hazel eyes and never met a stranger he didn’t like. He had been happily married to his high-school sweetheart, Faith, for three years. “Because I have a woman who will get on her knees and service me whenever I want while you have to go out and beg for it, I’m a punk?

Gotcha.”

“Madre, did you hear what he said about your innocent daughter-in-law?” Joey commented.

“Oh, you two are giving me a headache already!” Nicola yelled.

****

“Well, here we are,” Kieran stepped out of the cab with Tyson in the car seat. He looked up at the renovated house his mother lived in. When he was growing up, it was just two bedrooms and two bathrooms for all six of them. Now there were two additional bedrooms, a bathroom, and an added den. It was plenty of room for everyone and their families.
We have come a long way.

Tiana stepped out of the cab and bundled up. New York in the fall was quite different from Southern California. In LA, she could still go out to work wearing a tank top. In Staten Island, she felt her teeth clack. It was something she would have to get used to. “So this is it, huh?”

Tiana looked at the home. “It’s a lovely home.”

“Now it is,” Kieran handed Tyson to Tiana while he gathered their belongings. “It wasn’t always like this.”

Suddenly, a small biracial child shot out from the door and ran to Kieran. “Crayon! Crayon!”

The little boy jumped up and down. “Daddy, Crayon is here!”

A big smile grew on Tiana’s face. “Crayon?”

“He’s still trying to pronounce Kieran. He almost got it,” he smiled back at her.

Eli walked out and gave his older brother a big hug. “Kieran! Man, it’s so good to see you!” Eli kissed both Kieran’s cheeks. “It’s about time you show your face around here again. You need to start coming home more often.”

“I come home every six months,” Kieran offered.

“Yeah, well, you need to do it every three. You know how mom gets,” Eli turned his attention to Tiana and Tyson. “And you must be the beautiful woman who has given my brother a life again.

Pleasure to meet you, Tiana, and hello to you, little Tyson.” He waved at him. “I’m Eli and this is my son, Nathan. Come on in before you catch a cold out here. I know how you Cali women are.”

Eli took the car seat away from Tiana and went into the house with Nathan. Tiana pulled Kieran aside before they went in. “You didn’t tell me you had a biracial nephew?” She was pleasantly surprised.

“I didn’t think there was anything to tell,” Kieran raised an eyebrow, “we’re not in the 1950s.”

“I just didn’t think your family would be so open to me being here,” she replied.