The Nanny

•33•

'I want to talk. We need to talk. I'll pick you up at lunch.' -L

Emi read from the bouquet of flowers that had been delivered to her bakery in the early morning. She scoffed at his gesture, chucking the card into the bin. He wasn't stepping foot in her bakery that was for sure.

She picked up the flowers placing them on the counter next to the till. As Emi served her customers she gave each lady a rose from her bouquet along with their orders.

Luciano stood outside the bakery deciding wether or not he would risk going in. He knew she wasn't bluffing when she said she would have him arrested.

Luciano huffed annoyed that he was actually following her rules. Glancing around he spotted a bench where he sat as his jacket shut to shield him from the cold.

As Luciano sent emails on his phone an elderly lady hobbled out of the bakery with pastry and a red rose in hand. Luciano's head snapped up at the sight, immediately recognising the flowers.

Luciano stood up quickly pocketing his phone and rushing to the window.

His jaw dropped when he saw his bouquet of 35 roses was now just 6. Of course she would do something like that to spite him.

At that moment she looked up at him noticing his angry stare on the bouquet. She moved into his line of sight giving him a fake sweet smile.

Luciano was angered by her mocking smile, his hand moving to the door handle ready to go in and confront her. However, she was quick to notice his movement picking up her phone and giving him a warning glare.

Emi watched as his face morphed into one of disbelief. "Try me." She mouthed watching him remove his hand from the door handle and retreat to the bench. Emi smiled in satisfaction.

20 minutes later Emi closed the bakery ready for lunch. She went into the staff room hoping to get Loai only to find him cuddled asleep on the sofa in front of the tv.

Instead of waking him up Emi grabbed his blanket and wrapped him up carrying him in her arms. She moved stealthily as she pulled on her jacket before collecting her keys and heading to the front of the bakery.

Emi stepped out locking the doors whilst holding Loai close to her as the autumn wind blew past her. Luciano stood up upon seeing hearing Emi's keys jingle.

"Ready" Emi said quietly as she walked towards him. Luciano nodded and began walking as she followed him silently.

The next five minutes were spent in a comfortable silence, the only noise being the cars driving by and Loai making little noises as he slept.

"I'm sorry." Luciano admitted quietly disrupting the silence that surrounded them. Emi nodded in response as Luciano watched her longingly.

"If you want me to apologise I don't regret anything I said yesterday, so I have nothing to apologise for." Emi said nonchalantly whilst shrugging. Luciano nodded sensing Emi's hostility.

He admired her intently as she shifted Loai into her other arm clearly growing tired at holding him. He wasn't as small as he used to be. Luciano sighed reaching out and taking Loai out of her arms.

Loai groaned before falling back soundly asleep in his arms.

"Thank you." Emi said as she arranged Loai's blanket making sure he was all warm.

"What happened?"Luciano asked breathlessly as they aimlessly walked around.

Emi took a shaky breath before she began to explain her side. It hurt her heart to revisit such a painful and depressing time in her life.