Mastering Inga (Service & Submission Book 2) (3 page)

Perhaps his reaction had been due to the fact it has been more than eight months since he’d had any sexual activity that wasn’t self-initiated — and self-fulfilled — but whatever the reason, merely
talking
to her had him hard as a rock by the end of the conversation. He hoped
that
didn’t continue. It could prove to be a very difficult situation indeed in the Anderson household.

He’d dressed Madalyn in a cute little pink dress, and Liam in a cute set of overalls with a red shirt. He initially worried about their appearance, then had decided he was being an idiot. They were babies, they’d be fine. She knew children and knew that he had absolutely no control over their reaction to her at this point, except to make sure Madalyn was kind and appropriate for her age. Half the time, he wasn’t even sure he could do
that
. Anne had been so much better at these things and since she’d died, he’d found himself in a quandary, not knowing how firm to be with limits yet wanting to coddle and cater to them. They’d lost their mother, after all.

They missed her just as much as he did, but it was sometimes difficult to answer their questions.

Just recently, Madalyn had been confused about where Mommy was and she’d asked him, “Daddy, why did Mommy look like she was sleeping in that box at that building?”

Garrett had paused. “What box, sweetie? At what building?”

Madalyn had sighed in exasperation. “The building that had all the pretty flowers in it. Everyone stood in line to stare at Mommy. Was that Heaven? Grandma says Heaven is real pretty and she says Mommy is in Heaven. So that building was full of flowers and was real pretty, and it must be Heaven. Mommy looked like she was sleeping. How do we know she wasn’t sleeping, Daddy?”

God, here we go. How do I answer these questions?

Garrett had taken a deep breath. “Well, first that building wasn’t Heaven. I know it was pretty, and it had a lot of flowers, but that building is what we call a funeral home.”

She’d questioned further. “But Mommy is in Heaven, right?”

Garrett had been raised to believe this, and underneath it all, he probably still believed Anne was in Heaven. But with the sadness and anger he’d been feeling, it was difficult for him to acknowledge there was even a God anymore.

What God takes away a woman at thirty-four years old — suddenly — and leaves two small children without a mother?

“Yes, sweetie. Grandma is right. Mommy’s in Heaven and it’s very pretty.” He’d fallen back on his upbringing, and repeated the phrases he’d often heard as a child.

Madalyn had scrunched up her eyebrows. “Does she live in that box they had her in at that funnel house?”

Garrett had chuckled.
“Funeral home.
No, she doesn’t live in that box. That’s just so people could see her.”

Madalyn had nodded. She’d seemed satisfied with the answer, at least for the time being. Madalyn wasn’t quite done though. “But, Daddy, she looked like she was sleeping. She looked like that in bed when it was early in the morning. How do we know she wasn’t just sleeping? Maybe she’s in Heaven by mistake?”

Garrett had pulled Madalyn into his lap. “Mommy wasn’t sleeping, sweetie. Mommy’s dead. She’s not coming back.” Garrett had fixed her pony tail while they were talking, letting the task give him time to formulate his response. “You know how your toys stop working, and we say that the batteries are dead?”

Madalyn had nodded.

“It’s like that, except nobody can put batteries back in. Once the batteries die, there aren’t any more left. Mommy’s batteries stopped working.”

Madalyn had sat staring into space for a while. Finally, she’d nodded, tears in her eyes. “Just like my CD player. When the batteries died, it didn’t play music anymore. Mommy’s music is gone.” She’d nodded again, as if to confirm her conclusion. “And she can’t laugh or talk anymore, right, Daddy?”

The tears had burned his eyes then, and he’d swallowed past the lump in his throat. “Yes, sweetie, Mommy’s music is gone. She can’t laugh or talk.” He’d wiped the tears off her little face, looking her in the eyes. “I miss her too, Madalyn.”

He couldn’t hold his own tears back anymore, and before he could swipe at them, Madalyn threw her arms around his neck, and they’d just held one another, crying and rocking back and forth.

And that’s how the questions usually happened. Sporadic and impromptu, coming when he’d least expected them. He found it difficult to know what to say, and when the discussions were over, as painful as they were, the one thing he’d worried about most… was simply saying the right thing.

*
*
*

I
nga had flown into the States at dawn after taking a red-eye flight from Sweden. The international nanny company came to pick her up from the airport, and put her up at a local hotel until her visit at Garrett’s house the next day.

Garrett was very thorough. She liked that. He had meticulously checked her background and had a private agency do a background check at his expense. He had written, emailed, and Skyped with her several times before the trip. He had areas of his life that were obviously very organized, but overall during their conversations and correspondence, he’d seemed a little… scattered.

He was professional in all his contacts with her. He explained that they were recovering from losing Anne, but still had many days that were more than difficult in their house — grief was something they dealt with often.

Once when they’d Skyped, he was in a t-shirt that had food stains on it with a wisp of what looked like red paint on the shoulder — in the shape of a little finger. He was a good Daddy. She saw it when the kids interrupted their session,, heard it when he talked about his babies. He was actively involved with any and all issues relating to their safety, health and happiness. It was wonderful to see.

When he smiled, his eyes twinkled, the laugh lines at the corners hinting at a sense of humor he’d only let her see glimpses of so far. She wondered if she would be able to help him revive that humor fully. Sometimes death changed a person, forever.

He had told her it would be better to introduce her to the children when she came to the house. He didn’t want to take a chance on something going wrong, and the children ending up disappointed. He was very sensitive and protective of them. She liked that about him.

Now, she was on her way to his house to meet him in person — and live there. It all seemed so strange. She’d worked in America before, so she had all the Visas and required documents to work here. It wasn’t the adjustment to the culture that had her nervous, nor was it the language — she spoke fluent English. What concerned her was whether or not she’d be able to help them. She wanted to help the family transition through their grief, bring some happiness into their lives.

Her driver exited off the freeway, and she looked out her window at the neighborhood. They lived in one of the housing tracts that Americans seemed to love. They all looked the same.

Then he car turned into a driveway, her driver informing her that this was it. He got out and popped the trunk, pulling her bags out and setting them on the concrete next to the car.

The home’s landscaping was dominated by trees and bushes, a small lawn tucked underneath the foliage — all very neat and orderly. From the outside, the house looked well-manicured and neat with a minivan in the driveway. But she knew that inside that house, sadness and anxiety prevailed.

She fixed her jeans and sweater as she stepped out of the car, hoping she appeared casual, but ready to work. She’d asked the driver to stay, just in case this was
not
for her. She didn’t relish the possibility of having to inform the agency she’d rejected the assignment. It would’ve made for a long, depressing flight back to Sweden.

But she had to be careful, nonetheless.

Garrett stepped out of the front door with Liam in his arms, and Madalyn following right behind him with her little arm clinging to his thigh.

For a moment, he paused on the porch, so she went to him rather than make him drag Madalyn all the way out to the driveway. Garret shook Inga’s hand, his grip not too firm, but not too gentle either. He was tall and muscled, his picture not doing his physique justice. She didn’t have heels on, and had to look at him. When Inga squatted down to meet the children, he knelt also.

He put a hand up, saying quietly to Inga, “Let me speak to them first.” He turned back to the kids. “Madalyn. Liam. This is Miss Inga. She’s going to live with us for a while. You won’t have to go to the daycare anymore, and she’s going to take care of you. She’ll be cooking and cleaning too.”

Madalyn brightened. “Just like Mommy.”

Garrett and Inga said in unison. “No.”

They looked at each other in surprise, nodding in amused commiseration.

He was about to say something to her, when Inga put her own hand up. He quirked an eyebrow at her, but stayed silent.

“Not like Mommy,” Inga said, in the gentlest voice she could muster. “What Mommy did was special. I’ll do my best to make you happy, feed you, and play games — but I’ll never be your Mommy. I’m going to be doing some of the things your Mommy used to do for you, but I’ll be your Nanny. I hope we can be great friends.”

Liam leaned forward taking her hand in his, gently stroking the back of her hand as he smiled at her. He was flirting, and for some reason Garrett seemed embarrassed and proud at the same time. Garrett’s reaction made her smile. Men loved watching their sons — even at that age — flirting with a woman. A primal response, a continuing of the species, she supposed.

Madalyn was careful though, more reticent than her brother. Inga watched Madalyn staring at her for a moment, processing what’d been said. “I miss my Mommy. Daddy and Liam are sad too. I want to be happy. I’m glad you aren’t Mommy, Miss Inga, but I’m glad there’s gonna be another girl again.”

And that was it. Inga had been accepted because she was “a girl.” Madalyn appeared concerned that there had been an unbalance in the house. Madalyn apparently felt life would be back to normal with a woman in the house. Someone who would do the things her mother did, but someone who had a female touch. Someone feminine.

Garrett seemed a little embarrassed but reluctantly confirmed by nodding. “We definitely need a girl in the house again. A grown-up girl.”

Inga laughed. “Well after my first prank, or the day I make my first mess in the house, you may not be glad there’s another girl in the house, Mr. Anderson.”

Garrett’s eyebrows furrowed. “Garrett. Please call me Garrett, Miss Inga. I’m not sure I’m into pranks, and I’m hiring you to prevent messes. Neither of those behaviors will be well-received, unless you have a good reason.”

Inga swallowed.

Neither of those behaviors will be well-received.

It was such an open-ended statement, a hot blush rising on her neck and face, her heart racing faster just thinking about the possibilities.

“Well, Sir, I usually have a reason for
all
my pranks — the main one is to just have fun and laugh. I hope that reason will be good enough. And with toddlers, as you know, messes aren’t always avoidable. I’m hoping you have a tolerance level for children and nannies,
Sir.
”

Garrett rose to his full height. Inga looked up at him staring at those beautiful, stern emerald eyes. The curls on his brow softened his demeanor though, and she had to admit that she liked seeing the crow’s feet. The vertical crease between his eyebrows though said something else, a sign of intense concentration and — perhaps — too much seriousness. She stood up, and though she kept her chin high, her mouth firm, the weight of his intense gaze made her look away.

Garrett’s voice dropped an octave, and he spoke quietly, presumably in an effort to avoid upsetting Madalyn. “I
know
that messes are unavoidable — I’ve been living in a mess for eight months. I’m more than able to handle messes from toddlers. What I
can’t
handle are messes from an adult woman, who’s being paid to keep my house clean. If there’s a reasonable explanation, we’ll be fine. If not, there’ll be consequences. Is
that
clear, Inga?”

He was very,
very
clear.

She’d definitely have her work cut out for her getting him to lighten up and laugh again.

Chapter Three

I
nga woke up just as the dazzling dawn sun began pouring through her window. Her quarters in the back of the house were roomy, sunny, clean and well decorated. She had a living room with windows facing the backyard, a small galley kitchen with new appliances, and a small bedroom decorated with feminine colors and linens. She even had a separate entrance from the garage that led to her living room

Part of this arrangement still felt foreign to her. She wasn’t used to not caring for the children during the night or weekends. He said that it was important that she be around and available in the evenings and weekends, in case he was called to the hospital for emergency surgery, but Garrett assured her that unless he called her through the intercom system, he’d take care of the kids at night. But he also knew that she’d be making them dinner and hoped she’d eat with them, enjoying the fruits of her labor and the enjoyment of eating like a family. She’d readily agreed.