Sufferable Acceptance

Sixteen

Amelia

Lorenzo and Theresa were talking when I sat down for breakfast.

"I just don't feel good about it Lorenzo. I haven't been away from them in months. What if something happens?" Theresa asked.

"Theresa, that's the whole reason we hired Amelia." Lorenzo tried to reason with her.

"Amelia, please tell her the twins are perfectly safe with you. She's trying to back out of the charity dinner." Lorenzo said to me.

"I promise Theresa. I won't let anything happen. We won't even be leaving the house. We're staying in, making dinner and watching a movie. You have nothing to worry about." I assured her.

Theresa and Lorenzo had been invited to a charity dinner by an old family friend. Neither of them wanted to go, but they knew they had to go to keep up appearances.

I had been asked to babysit because everyone else was gone. Sophia was busy with friends and school, Charlie was down south working on some shipments, and Theo was working with Marcus this weekend.

It would just be me and the twins and I knew that made Theresa nervous.

"I just hate leaving the house with everything going on." Theresa said.

"Theresa, you have nothing to worry about. I will keep a close eye on the house, Lorenzo has double security at the gate, and I'll send you constant updates. It will feel like you haven't even left. Don't worry, I've got this." I said.

"You'll text me every thirty minutes?" She asked.

"Of course, I'll send so many texts you'll be sick of me by the end of the night!" I said dramatically.

"We'll just go, say hi to a few people, make a donation, and we'll be home before the kids even miss us Theresa. The twins are the safest when they're with Amelia I can guarantee it." Lorenzo convinced her.

That was enough to get Theresa on board with the event.

That evening she ran around the house all frantic trying to get ready. She acted like I'd never babysat the twins before. She ran from room to room explaining things to me while trying to multitask getting ready.

"Here's the address." She said, "Here's the house's number if you need us and can't get a hold of us for some reason. Theo is just a few minutes away if you need him, and I'll race over here if you need anything at all." She stammered as Lorenzo tried leading her out the door.

I held her by the hands and promised everything would be fine, and that she should go and have a good time.

Finally, Lorenzo had gotten her in the car and drove out of the driveway.

"Who wants ice cream?!" I shouted at the twins from the living room.

They raced from the game room into the kitchen with me.

"I do, I do!" They both shouted grabbing bowls and spoons.

"And what's our one rule?" I asked before dropping the scoop into their bowls.

"Don't tell Mom!" They said in unison.

*****

After a little bit of ice cream bribery, I let the kids go back to the playroom while I made dinner.

I mixed up a quick lasagna and salad and called them to the table.

"What movie are we going to watch tonight?" I asked.

"I want to watch Frozen 2 again!" Begged Ava.

"Nooooo" Oli groaned, "I can't stand that movie any more. It's all you ever want to watch", he complained.