Diamonds, Drama, and a Dash of Destiny (Shivian-The Nursery Nurse)

Hell of a Housewife

When Vivian arrived at the nursery that night, she was fortunate enough to do handover with Charlotte.

"Thank you so much for watching him." She said vaguely, throwing the other woman a knowing wink. Charlotte would be swarmed if the other parents thought she was babysitting again.

Charlotte grinned. "No problem at all; we had fun, didn't we, Jamie?"

Jamie nodded enthusiastically. "We had ice cweam shaped like dinosaurs!" he whispered conspiratorially to his mum, clearly thrilled to share the secret. Mia and Charlotte definitely didn't want the other kids at the nursery feeling left out.

"My goodness, that sounds delightful!" Vivian's eyes sparkled as she grinned at the boy and took his hand. "Thanks again, Char." And headed on their way.

As the SUV rolled into the driveway, Siobhan was comfortably nestled on the couch, lost in a book. She bit her lip, her heart fluttering with a mix of nerves and excitement. Rising, she made her way to the door, eager to greet them.

Jamie burst into the house, waddling happily with his backpack bouncing on his back, his mother following at a more leisurely pace, a smile lighting her face as she spotted the blonde at the door. It was only when he crossed the threshold that Jamie noticed Siobhan was there. He paused for a moment, taking her in, before waving enthusiastically with a bright smile. "Hi!"

Siobhan smiled down at him, one hand on her hip. "Why, hello there."

When Vivian finally caught up to the young boy, she gently placed her hand on his head and playfully tousled his hair. "Jamie, you remember Siobhan from the nursery, don't you?"

The boy, still gazing at Siobhan with wide eyes, nodded eagerly before sprinting off to his playroom.

"I honestly don't know how you keep up with all that energy," Siobhan said, her gaze following the boy as he dashed out of the room, a soft smile gracing her lips as she turned back to Vivian, eyebrow raised in curiosity.

Vivian smirked, her arms crossing as she stared into the empty space where the boy had just disappeared. "Where do you think he gets it from?"

Siobhan let out a light hum of realization. "With the kind of energy I've seen from you, I really should have guessed." She managed to express it all so casually, devoid of any teasing yet warm in tone.

Vivian opened her mouth, ready to ask what exactly that was supposed to mean, when Jamie dashed back into the room, a handful of colorful toys clutched in his tiny hands. "Mummy, can we play doctor?" Vivian couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Mummy's been playing doctor all day. Besides, I've got to make us dinner. Maybe Siobhan will play with you." She shot a mischievous glance at the blonde, a sly smile dancing on her lips, her brow arching playfully. Perhaps this was her own form of gentle payback after all.

Siobhan narrowed her eyes at the raven-haired woman, fully aware of the playful scheme she was trying to pull off, and felt determined to prove her wrong. "I'd love to play doctor." With that, she took the boy's hand, and together they walked toward the living room, which was right within view of the kitchen.

"Okay, you be the patient; I be the doctor. Lay down here." He patted the carpet, and Siobhan followed suit, laying on the ground. His voice got lower, which was presumably his 'doctor' voice. "Why are you here, mam?"

Siobhan furrowed her brows, the wheels in her mind turning as she scrambled for a response. "Hmm, well, sir, I've been experiencing a pesky little stomach ache lately."

Jamie tapped his index finger and thumb to his chin, creating a mirthful display of faux contemplation. "I do some X-rays and see what comes up." With an exuberant burst, he scurried out of the room, his little kid run filled with genuine excitement, to grab some paper and crayons from the playroom.