What The Heart Wants

Chapter 2

Alison gazed at her almost prayerfully. "Tell me you know a real-life Mary Poppins. Someone with excellent references who can't wait to move in here and take care of my kids."

"Can't wait might be a little strong, and Mary Poppins I'm not. But as for references, your mother-in-law will vouch for me. In fact, Aunt Sinuhe has asked me to take over with the kids for a while, and I've said yes."

Alison's mouth went slack. "You? You're kidding."

Should she be insulted she answered tartly, "I'm completely serious. The kids know me, I love them dearly and I'm happy to step in."

Alison pinned her with that too-pale stare. "It's just not right." She said as she shook her head in protest.

"Of course it's right. Camila was practically my sister, in all the ways that matter. Jake and Ellie need me right now. I know you and I aren't the best of friends, but you've got to have someone you can depend on. That would be me." Emily defends.

"You make it sound like I've got something against you Emily. I don't." Alison says with a hard stare.

She didn't believe her. But how she felt about her wasn't the point. Jake and Ellie were what mattered. Yes, she could probably hire yet another nanny from that service she used. But the kids deserved consistency and someone who loved them. Someone who wanted to take care of them.

"Great." She plastered on a giant smile. "Alison, It's going to be fine. I promise you. Better me than yet another stranger in this house."

Alison's brow wrinkled to matched the turned-down corners of her mouth. "You're busy. You've got that gallery to run and those quilt thing-ies you make."

Quilt thing-ies? Seriously? What an as-

Emily was a successful fabric artist as well as the proud owner of her own gallery called Sand & Sea, located down in the historic district of Rosewood. And despite whatever Alison chose to call textile arts, she did have a point. Taking care of Jake and Ellie on top of everything else she had going on would be challenge.

She would manage, though. Sinuhe had asked her to help. No way would she let her Auntie S down.

"I'm here and I'm willing," she said matter of factly. "The kids need me and they know me." She raced on before her cousins widow could start objecting again. "Honestly, I have a plan and it's a good one. This house has seven bedrooms and only four people live here now - including the twins."

After Alison's parents died, both Alison and Camila had raised his four surviving siblings right there in the DiLaurentis family home. All the DiLaurentis siblings had moved out now, though. Except for Hanna. A junior at the University of Philadelphia, Hanna still came home from school on holiday breaks and inbetween the semesters. She had the only down stairs bedroom, an add-on off the kitchen.

Emily forged on "I can take one empty upstairs room for my bedroom and one for my temporary studio - specifically, the two bedrooms across the hall from the twins' playroom and bedroom. It's perfect. And most nights, once your here to take over, I'll probably just go home." Emily had a cute little cottage two blocks from the lake, not far from her gallery. "But if you need me, I can stay over. With a studio set up here, I can work on my own projects whenever I get spare moment or two. I have good people helping me and working at Sand & Sea, trustworthy employees who will pick up the slack for me."

Alison leaned back again the counter, crossed her arms over her chest and consider what Emily had to say. "I don't know. I should talk to my sisters first, see how much they can pitch in."

Besides Hanna, who would be leaving for Philadelphia day-after-tomorrow, there was Spencer. Spencer worked for a lawyer in town as a paralegal. She wouldn't just take off indefinitely to watch her niece and nephew. As for Hanna, well she couldn't just quit school, she had to return.

And what was it with Alison? Why did she immediately put everything up on her sisters and mother-in-law in child care emergencies? Alison also had a brother who lived nearby. Emily almost hit the snark button and asked her why she hadn't mentioned asking Jason, after all he could pitch in too.

But she had a goal here. Antagonizing Alison would not help her in this cause. "Well, of course everyone will help out, fill in when they can. But why make your sisters scramble when I'm willing to take on the main part of the responsibilities?

"It seems like a lot to ask." The blonde accused. Not at all seeming grateful.

"But, see, that's just it. You're not asking me. I'm offering." The brunette snapped back.

"More like insisting," Alison muttered as she huffed.

"Oh, yes, I am." Emily put on a big condescending smile, just to show Alison that she couldn't annoy her no matter how hard she tried. "And I'm prepared to start taking care of Ellie and Jake right away. I'll move my stuff in tomorrow, and I'll take over with the kids on Sunday when Hanna leaves back to school."

Alison scowled down at her feet. The floor becoming rather interesting. "There's still Sinuhe to think about. If your too busy with the kids who's going to be looking after her until she can get around without the crutches again?" Emily's uncle had died five years ago, Auntie S lived alone now.

"She managing alright, and I will be checking in on her. And that's not all. She called my mom."

One perfectly shaped eyebrow lifted towards her thick golden hair as Alison slanted her a skeptical glance.

"What's Pam got to do with anything?"

It was an excellent question. Pam Fields and Sinuhe Cabello were as different as two women could be who shared the same genes. Round and rosy Sinuhe loved Home, children and family. Pam, slim and sharp as a blade at fifty, was a rock musician who lived just about her whole adult life out of her famous purple tour bus. Pam married very shortly, and when I mean shortly I mean for 3 months short to Emily's father. Took his name at the time so it would be the same as her daughters, which she regrets. However, now Pam claims she has no idea who he is. As after the divorce he became an absent father. Refusing to be in Emily's life. Pam twenty years younger than Sinuhe, Emily's mother was hardly the type to run to her big sister's rescue.

Emily said, "Mom's decided to change things up in her life. She's coming home to stay and move in with Aunt Sinuhe."

Alison stared at her in disbelief. "What about the band?"

Pomegranate Dream had had one big hit back in the nineties. Since then, all the original members except Pam had dropped out and been replaced, most of them two or three times over. "My mother pretty much is the band. And she says she'd done with touring. She's talking about opening a bar here in town, with live music on the weekends."

Alison just shook her head. "Your mother and Sinuhe living together? how long do you think that's going to last?"

"There have been odder odd couples Alison."

"Emily, come on. Those two never got along." Alison scoffs.

Emily then picked up the bottle of scotch and poured them each another drink. "How 'bout we think positive?" She raised her glass. "To my new job. Taking care of your adorable children - and to my mom and your mother-in-law making it work."

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Hey Lovelies,

Chapter 2, so what do you think?

~Andrea