Page 88 of Game On

Liam’s nightmares and crying for his mama had subsided, but he developed separation anxiety when I left. Mari had been trying to help with that, even researching a good child psychologist to have him talk to someone.

Lily got out of bed and took Rosie into Liam’s room while I set Liam up at the kitchen table with his paper and crayons. He drew while I made coffee and got breakfast ready. By the time Lily came into the kitchen and put Rosie into her highchair, Mari walked through the door.

She ruffled Liam’s hair. “Whatcha drawing, bud?”

“Family,” he said and continued to color, not even looking up from his paper.

Lily peered over, and a smile spread across her pretty features. “Liam, that’s a very nice picture.”

Mari gave me a look that I couldn’t decipher and shoved me away from the stove so she could finish the eggs and toast. Mari was only supposed to be my nanny, but she’d become part-housekeeper and cook along the way. I stopped arguing with her about it, and instead gave her a raise.

I brought Lily a coffee and sat next to my nephew. I peered over his shoulder at his drawing. On the paper, he had drawn two big stick figures. I guessed the one with the yellow hair and triangle skirt was Lily and the big one with red hair was me. The figures held hands, and there was a heart over their heads. He was such a little romantic. The Lily stick figure was holding hands with a tiny figure on her other side, and the stick figure me held onto the hand of a small figure with red hair.

Lily and I shared a concerned look. He was getting far too attached to both Lily and her daughter. Lily wasn’t even my girlfriend, and already my nephew was drawing pictures like we were his parents.

Shit. I didn’t know how to handle this part of parenting.

Lily put a hand over my palm and mouthed, ‘It’s okay.’

“Who’s that?” I asked and pointed at the face he drew at the top.

“Mommy.”

“Mommy?” I asked.

“She’s in heaven,” he told me matter-of-factly.

I ruffled his hair. “Your mommy loved you so much.”

“I miss her.”

“I know, bud.”

“But Lily and Aunt Mari love me too.”

Lily’s eyes widened. “Liam, you know Mari’s not your aunt, right? She’s your nanny; she helps your uncle when he’s at work.”

“I know!”

I narrowed my eyes at him, but I saw Mari snickering as she plated our breakfast and brought it over to us. She gave Lily one of the kid plates for Rosie, and Lily tried to convince Rosie to not eat with her hands.

“Come on, baby, use your fork,” Lily coaxed Rosie. The little girl picked up the utensil and ate.

Lily kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “That’s my girl.”

“Lil, don’t let your eggs get cold,” I told her.

She waved me off, all her attention on her baby. That was the type of mom she was, so focused on her baby. I was glad she let loose last night. She really needed it, but now we were both back to our responsibilities.

“Lil, I got her. Please eat something,” Mari urged.

Lily grumbled and turned around to eat her breakfast and sipped on her coffee. I gulped mine down and cleaned up in the kitchen while the sisters chatted.

I went back into my room and surveyed my suits in the walk-in closet. I didn’t have that many suits, and the boys roasted me for rotating the same three all the time. It startled me when Lily came into the room, shutting the door behind her and getting dressed in clothes that appeared from nowhere.

“Mari brought me a change of clothes.”

“Help me pick out my suit?”