Mae’s stretches her whole body down to her toes pointing them then relaxing on the blanket. The sunlight coming through the picture window on the back of the house lets enough sun in to be almost as good as being outside, almost. Jonah kicks his feet and tries to decide how he feels about being flat on his back. Mae tries to holds back a laugh as he struggles to turn over or at least accomplish something more impressive than a kick.
Doors shutting and voices can be vaguely heard from the front of the house, but Mae isn’t really worried about what’s going on up there. Justin and Kate are off to a premiere, or a party, or something as equally unappealing to Mae. All she really knows or cares about is that they are leaving and she doesn’t have to be witness to the drama she is sure is unfolding.
If there’s one thing she learned since arriving at this house its to steer clear when Justin is around. At first she was a little put off by his obvious distaste for her, but that quickly transformed into an odd feeling of amusement at the scowls and mutterings. Besides, she knows its more about Kate than it is about her. So the obvious answer to her is to simply make herself scarce when he’s around.
At least this is all adding up to be really good information for her dissertation. The obvious strain put on the family by the press makes everything that much more tense. Not that she’s glad that things are hard, the opposite if anything. Over time every ounce of jealousy and wonder she felt towards Kate has been replaced with worry and a little pity. She would never let that show, but the feeling is freeing to say the least.
Jonah’s face screws up as he prepares to cry. Mae places a heavy hand on his stomach and rubs full circles over the area. A trick her grandma taught her that doesn’t cure his colic, but at least seems to calm him down a little.
“Mr. Jones and me tell each other fairy tales and we stare at the beautiful women. ‘She's looking at you. Ah, no, no, she's looking at me.’ Smiling in the bright lights. Coming through in stereo, When everybody loves you, you can never be lonely.”
“Are you serenading the baby?” The voice coming from the now open doorway causes Mae to turn her attention away from the now calm baby. There leaning against the doorway with the ever present smirk is Justin’s constant accessory.
“Are you eaves dropping?” Mae fires back. Any chance the words had to be sharp and lost with her grin.
“You know the kid is probably a pretty tough critic considering who else he gets that from,” he remarks. Mae sighs and nods. And somehow Justin enters the conversation even when he’s not in the room. She knows she’s not a great singer, but that doesn’t change the fact that she routinely pretends to be Beyonce in her living room.
“I figure since I change his diapers he’ll cut me some slack,” Mae offers. Trace chuckles and crosses the room to crouch in front of the blanket. Mae makes the concession of keeping her eyes on him rather than Jonah. When he moves to scoop Jonah off the blanket Mae puts a hand in his way.
“I don’t think you want to do that,” she warns. Trace rolls his eyes and pushes her hand away. Standing as he brings the baby to his shoulder he smiles at her smugly.
“Just because you’re the nanny doesn’t mean that you’re the only one how knows how to hold the damn baby,” he snips. Mae shakes his head as he bounces around a little and smiles when his eyes grow wide. He holds to baby away from his body pushing back towards her.
“Holy shit he just fucking barfed down my back,” Trace groans turning in a circle as he tried to get a visual of what he feels seeping into his shirt. Mae lays Jonah back on the blanket and rubs his stomach a few times for good measure, but wishes he could understand enough to get the praise she wants to shower him with.
“I told you not to do that,” Mae laughs. Trace rapidly removes his polo revealing a simple white t-shirt.
“You could have been more specific. Like ‘hey Trace just so you know the kid is still prone to sharing his lunch’,” he says. Mae chuckles as he falls into a chair in the corner. Apparently he’s worried about getting dirty from 10 feet away.
“You didn’t really give me enough time. Besides, he only does that to people he really likes,” Mae states. Trace’s face lights up a little.
“No shit?” Mae tries to keep the laughter at bay.
“No. I was just trying to ease your pain a little.” Trace tosses a throw pillow with no intention of hitting her.
“I know I didn’t just see you throw a pillow any where near my baby,” Kate says from the door. Her face is drawn into a tight frown, but Mae knows it’s for show. Kate may not be at her best around Justin, but she has a soft spot for Trace. Trace leaps from his seat to pull Kate to him in a forceful hug. Kate laughs something that shocks Mae.
“Get the hell off me Trace. Took me two hours to look this good,” she scolds lightly. Trace pulls away and motions for her to spin. Kate obliges and Mae feels guilty for watching a rare moment of happiness for Kate.
“Ok well I just came in to tell you that we’re leaving, And don’t wait up,” Kate says. Mae feels her eye brows furrow when Kate directs to words to Trace rather than her. Before she can find the words to voice her confusion, Kate has left in a flurry of black and perfume.
“I guess you’ll be heading out too then,” Mae urges. Trace turns to face her and lets a evil grin cross his face.
“Naw. I’m actually going to stick around,” he answers. Mae swallows slowly and let the full meaning of the words sink in. Not that Trace isn’t good company. He just isn’t really that into baby stuff.
“So he doesn’t want me here alone with Jonah,” she concludes. Trace’s face goes white and that’s enough of an answer for Mae.
The insult doesn’t roll off her back quite as quickly as she would like, but she plasters on a forced smile and picks up Jonah. As she passes Trace he grabs her arm.
“It’s not you. He’s always this anal about shit,” he offers.
“You don’t have to apologize for him. I know that I’m not his favorite persona and hey, I’m ok with that,” she replies pulling his arm from his grasp and making her way to Jonah’s room. She can hear his footsteps trailing her and that only pushes her to move a little faster. The soft smell that lingers in Jonah’s room calms her a little and aids in pushing everything out of her mind.
“Ok Jones, you ready for a bath?” she says. The baby gazes up at her from the changing table and blows a couple of raspberries.
“First the singing and now just fucking talking. You need friends Mae? Or do you talk to mute babies often?” Trace muses from the doorway. Mae doesn’t turn to face him.
“You’d be surprised how overrated talking to adults is,” she quips. Trace lets out a low whistle.
“Don’t I know it,” he agrees. Mae gives him a skeptical eye.
“Love life not as active as you’d like people to think?” Mae asks. The change of subject makes the sting fade a little and the perturbed look on Trace’s face is just a bonus.
“How the hell you managed to twist a little sympathy into a statement on my love life is beyond me,” he sighs. Mae lifts Jonah to my hip and laugh. Mae doesn’t know much about Trace other than the fact that every time she sees him he has a disastrous date story to tell her. It was a small jump from that knowledge to her comment.
“I’m just making a well supported observation,” she defends as she leaves the room again. His huffs and under breath arguments follow closely behind her. As she enters the bath room she begins to hum. By the time Trace enters a full grin breaks out on her face as she begins to sing the lyrics.
“Lonely, I’m mister lonely, I have nobody to call my own,” Mae sings. Trace’s mouth drops open and his hands cross over his chest.
“I know that you are not singing that to me,” he argues. Mae continues her humming and wishes she knew more words to the song. As it is she can only remember the chipmunk like chorus.
“Lonely…”She trails off just to get under his skin. He plops down on the closed toilet and glares at her.
“Is this some kind of home edition of American Idol I don’t know about?” he asks. He even makes the effort of glancing around for cameras. Mae leans back so she can splash some of the running water in his direction.
“American Idol wouldn’t know what hit them,” she muses. She keeps a steady hand under Jonah’s hand as the water rises. Even with the mini bath in the tub she has to be sure.
“I completely agree. You should audition. I would love to see you on those rejection episodes,” he adds. Mae chuckles, but doesn’t argue.
Mae leans against the base of the tub as best as she can. This job has taken over her life. What began as a couple of afternoons and nights a week has evolved into every day. Even days when Kate tells her she won’t need her there ends up being a last minute call so she can go to lunch or catch a movie. Not that Mae really minds. Slowly, as it always happens, she has grown completely attached.
She may have acted spited by Trace’s comment about talking to Jonah, but at this point she sees him more often than any of her friends and she is surprised at how therapeutic talking to someone who can’t respond can be.
“Why the hell grown men bathe themselves instead of being bathed is beyond me,” Trace breaks into the silence. Mae rolls her eyes even though he can’t see her.
“Well in the end when you’re too old, it comes full circle,” Mae offers. Trace clicks his tongue at the notion.
“That is not the same. At that point you’re beyond getting enjoyment out of it,” he argues.
“Hand me that bottle right there,” Mae asks as she motions to the baby shampoo on the counter. Trace lifts the bottle at the same time as his eye brow. Mae nods and reaches for it. Trace leans away from her grip a little causing Mae to grumble under her breath.
“No more of that theme song shit,” Trace demands. Mae leans back and takes her time grinning at him taking quick glances back at Jonah.
“No way in hell,” she replies. Trace holds the bottle defiantly even further away. Mae cocks her head o one side and reaches to open the cupboard below the sink. Pulling out a new bottle she shakes it at him and laughs as he purses his lips in protest.
“You sneaky little off key…” he mumbles. Mae takes a hand full of bubbles and tosses them in his direction taking satisfaction when they hit him square on the chest. Trace stares down at the bubbles before wiping them off. When his eyes meet her she’s surprised that they are calm.
“Bad idea,” he states. He remains motionless and after deciding his threats were empty Mae fully turns back to Jonah. When the cold liquid hits her head she freezes. She reaches a free hand up to touch the sticky mess covering her dry hair. When she tilts her head back to look up at the villain.
“Don’t mess with me,” Trace grins. Mae takes a heavy breath and finishes bathing Jonah before lifting him from the tub and wrapping him in the waiting hooded towel. She presses him into Trace’s arms and then pushes them both out of the bathroom.
“I’m sure you can handle your godson while I shower?” She doesn’t wait for trace’s answer before shutting the door. Anyone else she would have waited until Kate got home, but as clueless as Trace likes to pretend he is, he knows how to take care of Jonah.
When Mae emerges from the bathroom, hair still wrapped in a towel she follows the sound of the TV to the living room. The room is dark, but she can still make out a form on the couch.
“Did you survive?” she asks as she rounds the couch. Her grin fails her as the face appears. Not Trace. She stumbles back a few steps and Justin stares back at her.
“Where’s Trace?”
“He left. Did you enjoy you’re shower? I know that your happiness is above and beyond that of your JOB, so I wanted to make sure,” Justin states. Mae grits her teeth and crosses her arms over her chest. She plasters a grin on her face. He will not get to her.
“Well when you left the assist-a nanny I figured I should at least pretend to let him help,” she replies. Justin looks back at her in a mixture of amusement and shock.
“Trace wanted to stay,” he argues. Mae rolls her eyes.
“Too late for that. He already gave you up,” she informs him. He mutters ‘damn’ before gnawing on the inside of his cheek. Mae shifts from one foot to another. The plan was for her to stay the night given how late Justin and Kate were SUPPOSED to be. But now that here’s here and its only midnight she feels the pull to leave.
“He is the worst liar,” Justin mutters.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Mae says. Justin glances back at her shifting under the weight if his sleeping son.
“Sometimes lieing can be a good thing,” he replies. Mae nods a little, but doesn’t push. Civil is more than enough for her, she’s not ready for the baring of the soul just yet.
“If you all are home, I’ll just get my things…” Mae trails off. Justin bobs his head a couple of times before fixing his gaze on Jonah. Mae waits for him to give her the ok to leave.
“Kate’s not here. She wasn’t….ready to leave,” he says. Mae doesn’t know how to respond. Does this mean she can’t leave? The silence hangs for awhile before Justin stretches out on the couch and repositions Jonah to lie on his chest.
“I guess you can just head to bed. I’ll stay out here with Jonah and I know where your room is if I need you,” he instructs. Mae gives a silent nod before back stepping out of the room. Just as she rounds the corner she hears it.
“Oh and Mae?” She pauses, but doesn’t respond.
“Thanks.” The words are so soft she almost doesn’t believe they were uttered. All past experience would lead her to believe they weren’t. But being who she is she can’t help the automatic response.
“Welcome.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
newest chapter! hope you all like it :)
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