Later that evening, Amy decided she needed someone to talk to- someone she could almost always find in the kitchen.
"Nellie?"
Nellie Gomez looked up from the carrots she was cutting up, and pressed pause on her iPod. Pulling out her earbuds, she motioned Amy to a chair at the table she was working at.
"What's up, Amy?"
"Um…" Amy played with her fingers. "Something really weird just happened."
"Tell me," Nellie said softly. "You know you can tell me anything, kiddo."
Amy smiled. She loved her au pair so much. "So Ian Kabra was just here, and he asked me if I wanted to go on a picnic with him tomorrow, under the big tree out back."
Nellie whistled. "Wow."
Amy blushed. "Yeah. He said Dan could come if he wanted, but I don't think he really meant it."
"Of course he didn't," Nellie smiled. "Your first date, Amy! Congratulations, kiddo."
"It's not a date!" Amy sputtered, feeling her blush intensify threefold. "It's just-"
"Hey, Nellie," Dan Cahill interrupted, swinging into the kitchen, a half-finished bag of pretzels in his hand. "Ian Kabra was just here a second ago, he said he was just leaving, and he looked really happy about something. What-"
Dan's gaze swung over to Amy for the first time, a look of delight slowly dawning on his face. "Oh, man. He asked you out, Amy? And you said yes?"
"Dan, get out of here!" Amy yelled.
"Oh, man," Dan grinned. "This is so classic! I can't wait to tell Jake!"
"Dan!" Amy leapt off her chair, ready to throttle her brother.
"Hey, Dan," Nellie interjected, grabbing Amy's arm and forcibly sitting her down. "Dan, if you tell anyone, I will personally put snails in your cornflakes tomorrow morning, you got me?"
"Worth it," Dan smirked. He put on a high falsetto voice. "'Oh, Ian, the love of my life except for Jake, I'd be honored to marry you-'"
He got no further. Amy, ripping free of Nellie's grip, bounded out of her chair and grabbed her brother in a headlock. Dan went red, then purple, and started wheezing.
"Let go, Amy!" Nellie said quickly, but Amy had already released her brother. Dan took a few puffs of his inhaler, then dropped into a chair.
"Wow," he finally rasped, looking up at Amy. "You really got stronger."
"Dan, don't you dare tell Jake about this."
"Okay, okay. I'll just send him the wedding invitation."
"Dan-!"
"That's enough, guys," Nellie cut in. "Dan, cut it out. Amy, stop killing your brother. Dan, tomorrow evening, you, me, and Saladin are going out."
"Where?" Dan asked, interested.
"Out," the au pair said firmly. "And go get ready for bed. It's getting late."
"Okay," Dan conceded. "Love you, whatever Nellie's cooking up, and you, Nellie, and you, Mrs. Kabra."
Amy swatted him. Dan laughed and departed.
"Good luck, kiddo," Nellie said softly as Dan vanished. "You're the only girl in Ian's life right now that he cares about."
Amy nodded, and Nellie pulled her into a hug.