Beyond The Broken Glass3: Finally Mended [complete]

33. A New Stress and A New Help

She was a mess and I mean an indisputable mess. She was violent, she was fussy, and she yelled constantly. The only time there was silence is when she was laying in a fetal position mumbling about needing it or begging to die.

Her episodes were so explosive that I had to send the kids to Taylor and Drew's while I nursed her back to health. Of course, I had to tell them that it was because I was going on a trip with their daddy but in reality, Brandon was going on a trip with Drew and now Herb.

"Please! I just need a little!" Kay cried as I bathed her like she was a child. She had thrown up all over herself and then shitted all over her clothes in the same breath. I've never had to deal with this and honestly I'm feeling a little drained and it's only been twenty-eight hours.

As I was cleaning the vomit from her hair the intercom for the gate sounded, alerting me that someone wanted to gain access.

"Stay here," I told her as I went to the system to see who it was. It was only Ralph, which was strange due to the fact that I assumed he was going on a manhunt with the others. 

I buzzed him in and met him at the front door. Only when he came inside did I find he wasn't alone. An exotic-looking woman with long black hair down to her thighs stood behind him. These Ricci men really have jungle fever I see. She was beautiful though, she had dark brown skin that was a shade darker than chestnut, and her eyes were perfectly round. Her features were perfectly proportioned to her face.

"I wasn't expecting you."

"Bri, help me!" She screamed loudly from the bathroom not too far from where I was standing. "It's—Uhh!"

She gagged and then it was silent.

"Did he forget something? I have to get back to her—"

"Is it bad?"

"She vomited and shitted all over herself in the same minute," I mumbled dryly as I tried to prepare myself to go back into the bathroom.

"This is Miranda, I met her in Antigua. I trust her with my life." He said as he stepped aside for me to fully view the woman. She seemed homely. She had an innocent kind of energy radiating from her, but that meant nothing to me.

"Taylor told me you were inquiring about a nanny. Miranda is good with children."

"The kids are with Taylor."

"Mhm. I see. Well—when they return Miranda is at your disposal." He spoke sporadically as he looked at me and then at his feet.

"Well—thank you for offering to help me, Miranda. It was nice to meet you."

"Ralph has told me a little bit about you. And I hope that I live up to your expectations." She said barely above a whisper. She wouldn't even look me in the eye but I could tell she was just shy.

"Bri!"

"I'm sorry I have to go," I told them as I turned to the bathroom. When I reentered she was ass naked laying on the floor in a puddle of her own vomit. I grabbed the cleaning gear from under the sink and got down on my hands and knees to scoop her up.

"You left me here to rot!" She whined as she lazily lifted her head from the floor. "I'm cold and my stomach hurts. I'm so tired."

"You and me both." I retorted as I was struggling to set her up when an extra set of hands appeared in my line of vision.

"You seem tired why don't you rest? I can look after her for a while." She said as she kneeled down beside us.

"I got it Miranda." I told her after I sighed with heavy annoyance. Her deadweight was weighing on my own body and I was definitely cramping since this morning.

"It's no problem. I came here because Ralph said he needed me and when it comes to Ralph I'll do anything to help him."

"You sound like me." I chuckled. "Always wanting to be helpful."

"I've been a caregiver my whole life." She spoke and the more she talked the more I could hear the hint of Spanish in her accent. "My madre said it was what I was born to do. To care for others when they could not care for themselves."

"It takes a special kind of person to put others before themselves. Huh?"

She nodded as she pulled a towel over Kay's bare body. She took a band from her wrist and tied Kay's wet hair back so she could clean the vomit from her face.

"Do you have any children?"

If she was going to be here helping me I need to know as much about her as possible. And although I trust Ralph wholeheartedly, when it came to my children I had to take that extra step.

"I have a son and two daughters." She smiled as she leaned back on the heels of her feet and pulled a locket out of her shirt. She opened it and leaned forward to show me her children.

"They look so young. Where are they?"

"They're with my mother." She smiled warmly as she kissed the locket and put it back inside her shirt.

"You left your children. To come take care of mine?" I asked sadly as I pondered the thought. She smiled again but it was mixed with sadness.

"They are well taken care of. I believe in my mother and God to care for them."

"I would have never asked you to leave your children Miranda. Why didn't you bring them with you?"

"My children are fine, I promise." She said as she touched my shoulder lightly. "Is there some decent clothing for me to dress her in?"

"Um—there is a nightgown over there on that counter." I pointed before I turned to clean the rest of her vomit up.

"Um. Will you be staying with Ralph? It seems as though my husband has brought us some unexpected house guests so we're at a full house."

"Yes and upon your need—I'll journey to you." She nodded as she took all of the things I had brought to the bathroom for Kay in her arms.

And together we dressed Kay, detangled her hair, and gave her food to help settle her stomach. When I finished cleaning the kitchen I stepped into the living room to see Miranda cradling Kay and rocking her to sleep while humming a song that wasn't in English.

"Believe it or not she wouldn't even let me touch her in the time that she's been here. She scratched and kicked and screamed like a banshee." I chuckled as I sat a cup of fresh hot tea on the table. "She seems to like you already."

"I'm no stranger to addiction. I know how tough it can be on their bodies. They don't mean harm, they're just sick and need love and patience."

"Hmm." I hummed softly while my eyes focused on her. The girl I had remembered as fiery and flashy. It's sad to see how much this habit had eaten her body.