Yikes. Miranda put me in a tough spot there. If she was my niece it would be a no-brainer. I'd keep her secrets and help her break the rules. I'm a bit of a black sheep. I want Miranda and Peter to like me but I work for their mom. I'm going to need to have a conversation with Helen about this at some point. I won't tell Miranda's secret from today, but I need a plan for how to handle something like this in the future.

The Butler shows us into a drawing room, where Helen and Matt greet us.

"Josh! Donna!" Helen gives us both a hug. Matt hugs me but shakes Josh's hand in greeting.

"Sir, Ma'am." Josh responds. This causes Helen to give him a dirty look and Matt to laugh.

"Have a seat." Matt directs. They sit down on a loveseat and we sit across from them. Miranda lands on a rather expensive looking chair off by the fireplace.

"Okay, Josh" Helen begins, "Donna and I have been over this. I don't want to be Ma'am'd any more than absolutely necessary. I have complete confidence that the two of you can handle calling us Matt and Helen when we aren't working, and call us by the appropriate names or titles when we are."

Josh looks hesitant, so Helen switches modes. Where her rehearsed speech sounded professional, this time she sounds a little desperate.

"Please. I have no friends here. I need . . ." She stops and takes a deep breath and I see her struggle to put a mask back on. Well, if that isn't proof that she knows that she has roles that she has to play, I don't know what is. But if she really wants us to be friends with Matt and Helen she's going to have to let us see the real her more often, not less. As soon as her voice started to break, Matt had picked up her hand and glared at Josh, who in turn picked up my hand for support.

Miranda breaks the tension by excitedly asking-

"Can I call them Tio Josh and Tia Donna?"

This makes us all laugh.

"I would be honored if you would call me Tio Josh," Josh says looking at Miranda, "that is if its o.k. with you, Matt, Helen." He looks at each of them for confirmation and they both smile back at him. Then Matt turns and motions Miranda over to him. He picks her up and puts her on his lap.

"You may call them Tio and Tia when we are at home. When we are in public, I want you to try to remember to call them Mr. and Mrs. Lyman. Okay, sweetheart?"

"Yes Daddy."

"And these are the only staff people that I want you to call Tio and Tia, at least for right now. Everyone else you need to use proper names."

"Okay"

"Now, go have lunch with your brother, then do your reading." She scampers off.

"You knew she didn't do her reading?" Josh asks in amazement.

"Kids don't get away with nearly as much as they think they do. Tell me, Josh. Would you have told on her?"

"No," Josh admits with a small laugh of embarassment.

"Good." Matt says "Then you deserve to be her Tio Josh." He looks at both of us. "Trust your gut, you'll know when it's something you need to tell us. Otherwise, for you to be adults that they look up to, you have to figure out how to help them yourselves sometimes."

"I did make her promise to do the reading later." Josh says, obviously proud of himself.

"Perfect. Their whole world has been shaken up. They are used to being around a lot of family and friends. In Texas, your aunts and uncles help you navitgate life, by loving you and correcting you when you need it. They don't go running to your parents everytime you mess up. I hope that the two of you will be that for them here. Peter make take a little bit to warm up to you, but obviously Miranda already has."

Helen has been smiling and nodding this whole time. I feel much more relaxed. This is a strange job I've signed on for, but I'm really looking forward to it.