Nanny McPhee: A ThesLally AU

Eight

A bright sunny day calls for an outing to the beach. That's where Nanny McPhee took the children. Oliver flew his kite through the nice breeze while Isabella struggled to untangle her string.

Nanny McPhee watched before somehow, the kite mysteriously took off into the air and the string unraveled itself. Isabella smiled and gripped the handle tight. Samantha stood at the waterline, scanning the beach for skippable rocks. Ernie lay in his basket, staring at the sky.

Nanny McPhee cleared her throat and said, "Children. Your father has asked me to tell you that there's a Mrs. Broadacre coming for tea tomorrow."

"Nanny McPhee?" Isabella inquired.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can you stop Papa from marrying a horrible stepmother?"

Nanny McPhee sighed, "I'm afraid not."

Samantha looked at Nanny McPhee, "Even if you wanted to?"

"Even if I wanted to." Nanny McPhee assured, "I cannot interfere with affairs of the heart." the children, disappointed, went back to what they were doing. Nanny inhaled, "Perhaps Oliver could talk to him about it."

Oliver turned to her, "He won't listen."

Nanny McPhee watched as he turned back to his kite. But Oliver wondered if he could talk about their feelings to their father.

Theseus stood at the window, wiping it clean, watching the hustle of the town when Garrett knocked lightly and peered his head in saying, "You have a visitor, Theseus."

Theseus frowned, confused, as Violet prodded her head through Garrett's armpit, "An especially eager visitor, Theseus."

Theseus, so confused but only one person coming to mind, turned to a small mirror he kept in his office. Garrett and Violet shot each other glances before moving back to work. Oliver entered the office shortly after.

"Quickly by name..." Theseus said but looked up before the end of his sentence to his elder son, "Oh. Oliver, my boy." he watched as his son seemed hesitant to come closer, "Well, come in." Oliver walked into the room, slowly, "Come on. I won't bite."

Oliver, swallowing up his cowardliness, said greatly, "Father, there's something we want to ask you."

"Well, of course." Theseus said to his son, "Of course. Anything at all. Ask away."

"Who is Mrs. Broadacre?"

Theseus, who was ready to answer any of Oliver's questions, became quite shocked by this one, "Well... good heavens. Such a face." he watched as Oliver's expression stayed determined, "She's... she's... she's a friend. She's a friend." he hadn't needed to say the last bit, except that he was trying to convince himself.

Oliver, seemingly not convinced, prodded further, "Just a friend?"

Theseus sighed, "Well, let's face it, my boy. It's not exactly any of your business, is it now?"

"It is if you're going to make us have her as a new mother." Oliver said, frustrated.

"Who said anything about a new mother?"

"It is true, isn't it?" Oliver persisted, "You are going to marry her, aren't you?"

He felt his stomach drop, "You go too far, Oliver." he heard his voice rise as he said, "It is not your place to question..."

"But I didn't..."

"Don't contradict me!" he yelled, frustrated.

"I'm not... I'm just..."

"You are children!" Theseus said, hotly, "You do not understand the adult world!" Oliver watched as Theseus' speech unraveled, "You know, there are... there are certain things that..." he leaned on his chair, "Certain things..." when he couldn't find his words, he pointed to the door, "You will leave me this instant! Go home at once! Go! Home!"

Oliver frowned and turned to the door. When he had his hand on the knob, he looked back at Theseus and yelled, "You never listen!" and slammed the door.

Theseus, eyes stinging with hot tears, stared at the closed door; wondering what he could've done different. Wondering how he could've understood his child's child brain.

Oliver ran down the road towards home, anger fueling him. He leapt up the front stoop, slammed open the door, and up the steps to the dark alcove where the nanny's room was.

He approached the door, "Nanny McPhee?" he knocked lightly on the door, "Nanny McPhee?"

When there was no answer, he turned away from the door. As he did so, the door creaked open slowly. He stopped and turned around slowly. He walked into the room, shocked when he saw there was no furniture in the room. He walked into the alcove that overlooks the garden before turning around and seeing Nanny McPhee's stick leaning up against the wall.

He approached it, looking around briefly, before taking it in his hands. He didn't exactly know what he was doing, but he lifted it up and banged it against the floorboards. He stood there for a moment, watching the floor and listening to the echo.

"Hello, Oliver." said Nanny McPhee. Oliver looked up, dropping the stick. There she was, sitting in a chair in the alcove, reading a book. But he could've sworn nothing and no one was there before, "Can I help you?"

Oliver bent down to pick up the stick, "I... I did knock."

"I know." she leaned forward to set a cup of tea down on the table, "I heard you." Oliver, after leaning the stick back against the wall, approached her, confused, "May I be of assistance?"

"Uh..." he stared at her, "We need you to... um..." he glanced at the floor, trying to find the words, "I mean... you saved Isabella." he watched at Nanny McPhee watched him expectantly, "And so, I... you're on our side, is what I mean." he stared at her, "Aren't you?"

"You saved Isabella." Nanny McPhee reminded him, "And I do not take sides."

"We need you to help us get rid of this woman, Mrs. Broadacre."

"It will not surprise you to hear that I cannot agree to that, Oliver."

Oliver thought for a moment, "Then at least will you promise to let us do whatever we have to do to get rid of her?"

"Are you prepared to accept the consequences?"

"Yes."

"You promise?"

"Yes. Yes, absolutely." he said quickly, "I promise."

Nanny McPhee made a sound of satisfaction, "Then I will, as you put it, let you do whatever you have to do."

"Thank you."

Nanny McPhee nodded a silent you're welcome and watched Oliver make his way back out of the room. Oliver left the room, as mischievous as ever.