Jasmine

Gracie held the side of her head as she sat at the table for breakfast. She didn't look up when I sat her food down like usual and kept her eyes closed. When a few minutes passed like that, I decided to ask.

''Gracie, what's wrong?''

''Nothing,'' she lied and laid her head back on the counter.

''Come on, little girl. Something is wrong. I know you.''

''My head hurts,'' she gestured to the side of her head and rolled her eyes.

''Oh, good, that's it.''

''That's it? My head hurts, I'm going to die,'' she wailed, throwing her head back.

''You have a headache. And it can start going away once you eat our food,'' I said and pushed her plate closer to her. ''You probably had too much cake last night. Or sometimes people just get random headaches. It doesn't mean you're going to die. ''

'''Kay. '' she sat up and started eating her food. ''But wait!'' she blurted out.

''What?''

''Can you be my doctor?''

I pretend to think about it. ''What's the magic word?''

''Please,'' she begged.

''Fine. Only for today. Don't go thinking I'll be babying you for the next 2 weeks.'' I joked as she clapped her hands together in excitement.

~~~

It turns out it was not just a headache. Gracie had gotten a common cold, and I have been trying to get rid of it for 2 weeks. I have tried everything, from broken-up cough drops to wrapped in a blanket with the heat on. Nothing was working. Cole wanted to get her tested to see if she had more than a cold, but I convinced him it was nothing more. They were very alike with being dramatic.

I had a theory Gracie had caught a cold when she went with her grandparents. But I wasn't sure, so I just let it go.

"Let's see what today brings,'' I mumbled to myself, bringing a soup tray up to Gracie's room. ''Knock, knock,'' I announced, opening the door with my leg.

''If it's chicken soup, go away. Who eats chicken soup anyway?'' Gracie grumbled as I sat the tray on her nightstand.

''Normal people. And it's not. Sit up, please.''

She sat up on her bed and when I stared at her. Her sickly complexion didn't look as bad as yesterday, sweat no longer coating her neck and hairline. She still had a runny nose and tired, red eyes.''Oh, my god, you are getting better, Gracie!" I cheered, clapping my hands.

''No! Get back before you catch it too.''

''What would I do without you, Gracie?" I said, quickly backing up.

''Nothing, I'm the brains of this house. You and daddy wouldn't even know how to do anything if I wasn't here.''

''Well, you're not wrong.'' I smiled and kissed her cheek, which she immediately wiped off.

''Get some rest. I bet you'll be in tip-top shape when you wake up, ready to outsmart me in Monopoly.'' I turned the lights off and was about to close the door.

''Wait!"

''Hmm?''

''Are you going to be my nanny forever? Like my new mommy?''

My voice caught in my throat. I didn't know how to answer that. I didn't know the answer myself.

Geez, I forgot how much kids were so bold. Really know how to make me think.

What could I say? 'I don't know. I'm falling for your dad way too fast and he only sees me as a nanny, so I guess we'll both have to see.' I was not saying that to her. What am I, stupid?

Yes.

I hesitated before answering, ''Um. I don't know, sweetheart. I can't lie to you because I honestly don't know.''

'' Okay. Love you,'' were her last words before I hear her start to snore.

I pushed the awkward moment away from my thoughts and headed back downstairs. All my mind could focus on was her mom. What was she like? Is she still alive? Why did she leave? Did she and Cole have a relationship? I had so many questions. Cole never mentioned her and until now, I had forgotten she had a mom somewhere out there.

I began to look around the living room for anything that would show me a little about her. Scanning through old papers inside the kitchen drawers, cabinets, even under the television I found nothing.

Did they remove everything from her?

I tried to shove the papers back under the television but accidentally knocked a picture of Gracie and Cole's parents down. ''Shit!'' I half-shouted as the glass frame cracked on the floor. But when I picked it up, another picture fell from the back of it. ''What the-''

It was a picture of a beautiful redhead holding a small baby. She looked exactly like Gracie. Eyes, hair, even a small black dot on the side of her mouth like Gracie.

''Oh, this must be her mom-"

''I'm home!"

I jumped at the sound of Cole's voice and started to panic. I tried to hurry up and put the pictures back together, but it was too late.

''What are you doing?'' Cole asked, as I still had my back turned. I was kneeling in front of the television and the pictures were in my lap.

''Would you believe me if I said I was cleaning?''

''No. Turn around.''

''Um... you don't want to see all this dirt... and stuff. It'll make you sneeze. You know how you get when you see dust, Mr. Archer.''

I heard him come up to behind me

''Jasmine, what the hell are you doing? What do you have in your lap that you're trying to hide?''

''Woah, I'm your employee, Mr. Archer. I don't think we should be discussing things like that.''

Although I wouldn't mind if we did a little more than discuss it.

When he didn't respond, I knew I might as well just give up.

''Okay, fine, I guess the jig is up, anyway. I found this picture,'' I said, turning around. I had to stand up when I saw how close he was. Handing him the picture, his smile instantly faded and his jaw clenched. He stared at the picture for a while before looking at me.

''Why were you snooping?"

''I wasn't trying to f-''

''Jasmine. I can see right through you, in case you didn't know, you're not exactly a good liar. ''

''Gracie asked me a sort of personal question,''

''What question?''

''She asked, 'Are you going to be my nanny forever? Like my new mommy?''' I said, mimicking her.

He breathed in deeply, sinking down on the couch. I followed behind and sat next to him. ''That's Gracie's Mom,'' he was still clenching his jaw.

I figured.

''I was dumb and in love.'' he began. '' We wen-''

''You don't have to talk about it. I can tell it's a touchy subject. I was just being nosy.'' Whatever it was that happened with them, it stuck with Cole, that was for sure.

''No. I can't avoid it forever. I mean half the world already knows, I'm surprised you don't.''

''Well, we both know I'm not the brightest.'' I nudged him and he gave a little smile, letting him continue.

''Juliana Dunbar. My first love. The only woman I've ever loved, for that matter. We were together for a while before she left me, but I guess I saw it coming. When we first started going out, it was cool. You know, holding hands, making out on the locker, sneaking out. And when we found out she was pregnant, that was the light of our relationship. We had talked about making a family and settling down, so we were more than happy, or at least I was. My parents were angry at first and so were hers, but they even learned to accept the situation. We were all looking forward to Gracie and when it was time for her to be born, everyone was jumping for joy. Juliana gives birth and we bring her home. Everything is fine and dandy till one day I come back from getting her morning coffee, there's a note on the table saying, 'I'm sorry' and Gracie is in her crib crying. I don't know how we made it here. This is the first year my life is starting to get some happiness in it. For the last five years, it's been nothing but hell. '' he shared and put his head in his hand.

I thought about what he said for a while. This explained a lot. Why he was so closed off, why his parents were so uptight with him, even why this house was so sad. Looking around, I could tell Gracie and him have not been happy for a while. It also explained why I needed to stop falling for him. Not that it was his fault, just by looking at him, you could still see the hurt in his heart.

''What are you thinking about? You're being quiet, that's not normal.''

''Nothing. I just, uh, think you and Gracie are really strong. You guys went through a lot.'' I gulped. If I was thinking of telling how I was starting to feel about him before, there was no way I was telling him.

''I'm glad you are here, though. You've been an amazing nanny to her,'' he said, staring at me sincerely.

''Daddy!'' shouted Gracie, running down the stairs. He stood up to meet her and caught her as she jumped into his arms.

''Someone's feeling better'' he poked her nose.

She looked over at me. '' Jasmine made it all better.'' Empasizng the 'all'.