****~~~~~~~~~~~~~****

Her smiles were so wide that her jaw ached. Baby Sam was coming home today and she couldn't wait to see him.

Jema had cheerfully cleaned out the nursery for the third time since she visited him. She made sure a spec of dust wasn't found on any surface. She'd redecorated the place and changed the dull-colored wall where the crib nestled to a baby blue wall. It matched the other white-painted walls and crib.

A white cushioned cradle sat by the side, near the window in perfect unison. Jema took her time drawing some intricate flowery designs on the wall. She had learned that in the past when she helped out some of her colleagues with their baby projects.

She loved decorating the room even if it was exhausting. She sprang from her position on the bed when she heard the doorbell ring, although she was aware Martha had the door, she desperately wanted to welcome baby Sam right at the entrance.

Madame Evana alongside Martha and an unfamiliar woman strolled through the hallway where Jema caught up with them.

"Welcome home," she greeted and held a cupcake with a "welcome home" ribbon tagged on a stick in the cupcake.

"Aww, that's so sweet," Martha cried. Jema handed her the cake and moved over to the little man.

"Hi, I'm Lilian, baby Sam's nurse. I'll be partially assisting you with his care until you can handle him on your own," she said. Jema's eyes flickered to the older lady. There was no pleasing her.

"Nice to meet you too. I have his nursery ready for his arrival. Come let's show him to it," Jema urged excitedly.
She helped Lilian carry the child in a crib upstairs to see the nursery while Madame Evana followed behind.

"What in the name of horror have you done here?!" The older lady cried, her eyes widened in intense aversion.

"It's amazing Madame, honestly I didn't quite like the picture of the previous decor you sent. It felt too claustrophobic for a child." Lilian said, surprising Jema with her honest yet bold opinion.

Jema expected the older lady to throw tantrums and insist on a change in the room but she didn't. Rather she snarled underneath her breath and left them to lay the sleeping boy into his new bed.

"You are good with this, how did you get this flower done?" Lilian asked rubbing gently on the pattern on the wall.

Jema shrugged. "A few eager expecting mothers and YouTube."

"YouTube?" Lilian asked surprised. "I didn't think one could learn such valuable things from YouTube. I always saw it as a tool for pleasure."

Jema chuckled heartily at her cluelessness, it was charming.

The day went by quickly for Jema, she'd spent the whole day hovering around the little thing. Peeking from the door at intervals to see if baby Sam or his nurse needed some sort of assistance.
She hardly finished her lunch with the others, she was more interested in spending time with Sam than that cold woman.

Finally, she'd given in to her exhaustion and slept through the evening. A part of her had heard Madame Evana inform her of the master's arrival at the Brick mansion but she was too sedated with sleep to move.

Her dream for the first time was filled with warmth. She dreamt of ardently following a trail of flowery scent through a green maze. The sun shone brightly on her face, drying the tears on her cheeks.

They were that of a lonely woman who had finally discovered true happiness and would search through that part till the end.

Something beeped, she thought it would stop but it continued. Jema jumped from her bed when she realized it was the sound of the baby monitor.

Quickly, she tied her night robe against her waist and rushed to the nursery. The room was dim and empty. Lilian must've retired for the day and she wasn't sure where Madame Evana was at. Probably off to her master's quarters serving at his knee.

She peeped into the cradle and saw his beautiful eyes staring longingly at her. Her heart melted at the sight before her. He was sure among the seven wonders of the world because he did wonders to her lonely heart.

Carefully, Jema scooped him up into her arms, his tiny frame latched onto hers fittingly. His scent was pure bliss to her nostrils, he smelled of everything flowery and warm. Jema shut her eyes and enjoyed the feeling.

He was hungry, she knew he was from the soft cries that escaped his tiny mouth. She laid him back in the cradle and searched for the file Madame Evana had given her to read up.

She knew what baby food to give him but baby Sam was a special one and had specific needs. After reading through the manual, Jema went downstairs and into the pantry in search of baby food.

She made a mental note to have them brought up to her room. Midnight duties like this weren't for loitering about the expanse of room in search of baby food. She checked the fridge and took her time heating the breast milk and checking the temperature with a thermometer.

After she was done pouring it into a feed bottle, Jema rushed up the stairs with extra warm towels to feed baby Sam.

He burped aloud when he was done eating, Jema chuckled at his inappropriate behavior and tapped gently at his nose. "You chubby little thing, how do you learn table manners?" She cooed, his attentive eyes steadily gazing at hers, probably wondering what she was mumbling about.

It was past three in the night and he seemed too awake to return to sleep. Jema didn't mind staying the whole night with him but he wouldn't let her sit on the cushion.

He wanted her up and rocking him back and forth. Damn, her hands ached.

*****

Theodore Newman sat on his favorite chair in his office smoking on an expensive cigar. It was past midnight on his clock but he couldn't sleep. Anyway, he was never a sleep person, he hardly slept and if he did, he wouldn't go beyond three hours.

He's lived fine like that all his life. The lack of sleep was probably in his genes because it never affected his daily routine or any aspect of his health.

After settling in fine at his home, he had Madame Evana give a full report of the activities that went on in his absence. He was relieved to know that the little boy was home and in good hands.

It was a tough decision for him, letting someone else nurture his child, allowing them into his home, and most especially agreeing to the whole idea when Madame Evana brought it up.

He rose from his chair and took the stairs leading to the west wing where the baby's nursery was located.
He knew it was his only chance to see his son, alone and quietly.
At least he wouldn't have to bump into any of the staff on his way, they were always loitering in the west wing, unlike the east side.

He pulled the handle and entered the room and cringed as the bright light hit his pupil. He then sheltered his eyes for a second, letting them adjust to the light.

When he lifted his face, his eyes fell on the woman sitting on the cushion in a white robe, snoring away while the baby was dangerously perched in her arm. It would be that a little turn from the baby would have him leaping off her weak arms and tumbling on the floor.

Theo's temper flared. How could one be this careless?
What if his son fell and hit his head on the floor?

He stood there in anger, unsure of what next to do. He knew nothing about handling children but most definitely a lot about punishing incompetent employees like her.

He moved towards them to get a glimpse of the imp who was careless enough to sleep off while holding a baby. His brows furrowed in somewhat disbelief when he saw her. The lady looked strangely familiar, like he'd seen her somewhere but briefly, he couldn't remember where.

He thought of her name but nothing, he didn't pay much attention when Madame Evana mentioned it.