Broken Hands

84. Hera-Nanny

Grayson, Russell, and Julian had just returned from their usual Saturday grocery run. The house was quieter than it used to be. No sound of paws padding on the floor, no eager face waiting at the door. Stray's absence was a gaping void none of them dared to talk about, but it lingered in every corner.

Grayson carried the grocery bags to the kitchen, ignoring the hollow feeling in his chest. Life had to move on. People and pets came and went; it was a fact he was forcing himself to accept.

"Julian, your bag is full of snacks!" Russell yelled as he unpacked looking annoyed.

Julian's voice floated from the living room. "So what? Dad said we could get what we wanted!"

Grayson glanced at Russell, who was already shaking his head in exasperation. "You forgot the peanut butter! Julian, again!" Russell hollered back.

Grayson smirked faintly. "Next time, we're not assigning him anything that isn't snacks."

Russell nodded in agreement. "At this rate, he'll either be fat or need dentures by twenty."

Grayson's phone buzzed, drawing his attention. A text. The sender's name read Trouble. Hera.

Hello Grayboy, get ready to have me over.

Grayson frowned at the message and quickly typed back: Stop doing this, Hera. I'm in no mood for jokes.

Before he could process the cryptic text, the sound of the front door slamming shut reached his ears, followed by footsteps in the living room. Julian's faint voice mixed with another familiar tone.

"Russell! Grayson! Can you come here for a bit?" Alex called out.

Russell placed the remaining snacks in the drawer. "Come on, let's see what he got this time," he said, already heading toward the living room. Alex never disappointed.

Grayson followed reluctantly, his thoughts still swirling around Hera's message.

As they stepped into the living room, Grayson's breath caught. His chest tightened, and he felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. Russell froze beside him, equally stunned, and Julian sat on the couch looking wide-eyed.

"Welcome Heline," Alex said with a polite smile.

There she stood. Hera. She was unrecognizable, yet unmistakable. Dressed in a sleek black winter coat and an elegant English hat, she looked like she had stepped out of an old-money fashion magazine. Her posture was refined, almost regal, but Grayson knew better. Behind the gloved fingers and painted red lips lay a woman far more dangerous than she let on.

"Hello, niños," Hera greeted with a wave, her tone dripping with charm.

"That's your new nanny," Alex announced, his smile fading as he looked at the boys. "She'll be here for a two-week trial. We'll see how it goes."

Grayson's stomach dropped. Nanny? Hera? His mind raced with questions. Why was she here? What was her game? And since when did she have a hint of a Hispanic accent?

Russell was the first to recover, though his voice was shaky. "Hi. Hi, He... Heline." He barely managed to get the name out.

Grayson's glare was icy, his mind reeling. Hera smiled wider, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she met his gaze.

Julian fidgeted uncomfortably, forcing out a quiet, "Hi."

"It's a pleasure to be here," Hera said sweetly. She reached out to pat Julian's cheek, making him blush. "I already love them."