Clarie, Cathie and Nannie: Chapter Four

~Thirteen years after the second chapter~

"MY SAINTED AUNT FANNY! Get back here Robert Woodward and I'm gonna splash some water on you!" a seventeen year-old Nanette, or Nannie as how most people call her, race down the stairs as she throw the bucket to the laughing Robert.

Marybeth, their roommate came out of the bathroom and looked at the soaked Nannie, "I can see that we're not going to be late this time. Get property dressed, Nan and I'll look for Joey. He's supposed to be back from his runs."

Nannie, still livid at Robert, stomped on his feet as he glared, "You will be cleanin' my bed sheets this time, time, time."

Robert stood up, hissing at his foot as he mocked, "I will not, not, not. I'll burn them if you make me."

"No one's burning anything!" Marybeth said as she looked at Rupert, "You'd better clean those bed sheets. You soaked them!"

"Oh- well they won't be soaked if she woke up early hadn't they?" asked Rupert as he hissed at his still sore foot, "And my foot won't hurt this much if she ain't stepped on it."

Nannie, who came back from the bathroom to a towel rubbing her hair, hissed back, "Those sheets won't be soaked if you ain't woke me with a splash of cold water and your foot won't hurt if you ain't soaked me on the first place!"

"Good morning!" greeted Joseph as he entered the room and looked at Marybeth, "Kids fighting again?"

The eighteen year-old girl nodded as she looked at the two, "Kids are fighting."

"We'd better stop them or else Nan might swallow Robert alive." Joseph said as he and Marybeth tried to stop the two.

Which turns out to be much more harder in the morning when both sides are incredibly competitive.

It took a knock from the door for the fiasco to freeze, "WOODWARDS! MARTIN! LYNCH! WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU FOUR DOING! IT'S SO NOISY!" the other room occupant, Steve, knocked as finally Nannie and Robert got away from killing each other.

Robert was about to shout something to bug the senior out when the senior spoke again, "MARTIN! SOMEONE'S LOOKING FOR YOU!"

Nannie and Marybeth tidied the room as Robert patted Joseph's back, "Congratulations! My friend! Whoever's looking for you- I know you might be in trouble."

"But I didn't do anything." Joseph said as he tidied himself.

Robert patted his shoulders again as he mumbled, "That must be the reason."

Nannie shushed him as she looked at Joseph, "For sure you're not in trouble unless Robert intentionally put you to one. Now get there and don't keep your guest waitin'"

Joseph nodded as he thanked his friend and got out of the room.

Marybeth took her magazine and hit Robert with it.

"Holy crap woman! What was that for?" he asked.

"Go up there, take Nannie's sheets and put them in the laundry, now." the oldest woman said as she glared at the oldest boy.

"Yes mum.." Robert mocked as he glared at Nannie who's already glaring at him.

Nanette smiled at Marybeth as they sat at table, eating breakfast.

"I have to admit, I'll miss you and Joseph once I left." Marybeth said as she shook her head, "And maybe Robert too."

"I'll miss all of you three once you leave." Nanette frowned as she drink the hot coffee, "Joey decided on gettin' permanent on his internship this year with the security whatever on the Marchants. And Robert's going' to marine. I still don't know what YOU would do."

"I'll study to college. I want to be an educated woman, just like my mamaĆ­." she smiled as she looked at her friend, "I think you should too."

"Oh- I'd rawther stay at the orphanage, or maybe become a Nanny. I can be well educated with life experiences." the almost adult woman spoke as she ate her toast, "Besides, even if I want to go to college, I can't, can't, can't go. I 'aven't got any money."

"Well surely you have higher standards that that? I know you're always called Nannie outside these walls but that doesn't mean you should live being a real Nanny as well." Marybeth said as she helped herself with the toast.

"You're planning to be a Nanny? Wow, Nan.. You'll really prove that you're that close to huh." Robert said as he placed down the sheets, "I'll get those down after I eat. Now, Nan. As much as I'm good at teasing you, we both know that you can do better than just being a nanny. You're awfully energetic and you like to sing, how about being a stage performer or something? I mean- you do have an incredible voice."

Nanette sighed as she looked to the two, "As much as I really appreciate your words of encouragement, I have to tell you that I really want to be a nanny. For some reason, I want to take care of a child and I don't know why. Maybe because of my childhood before landing on the orphanage- I don't know."

Robert and Marybeth exchange looks as suddenly the door opened and Joseph entered with a very mixed expression.

"They sent me to be an intern on a palace." Joseph said as he breathed.

"Who?" Marybeth asked as at the same time, Robert and Nannie asked "Where?"

Joseph sighed and made his way between Robert and Nannie as e spoke, "Mr. Marchant told me that he's friends with the royal head-of-security of the Genovian palace. He said he praised my work and it seems like the HoS is willing to take me in as an intern and if possible, give me some training to be part of their security team."

"So you'll be an intern to Royals?" Robert asked as he looked from Joseph to Nanette, "He's for sure in big trouble."

"Shush, Robert. Don't mind him, Joey. Now- you'll accept that, right? I mean- it's a big opportunity for you, Joey." Marybeth asked as she and Nan waited for his response.

Joseph sighed as he looked at the papers on his hand, "If I accept, I'll leave this Friday evening."

"But that's after graduation." Robert said as he looked at Joe, "And that means I'll go to marine alone, unless Nannie will change her mind of being a Nanny and go with me."

"What do you mean Nannie being a Nanny?" Joseph asked as he looked at Nan.

Nanette brushed it off as she said, "I was only thinkin' about it. It'll be better than being a nun."

"Now that's one of your names that we wish you'd never live of. We all know, you're not eligible of being a sacred nun, you don't even look that sacred at all!" Robert said as Marybeth smacked his arms, "That's the second time you hit me today, Lynch."

"And it won't be the last if you don't stop making rude comments." Marybeth said as she turned to the female company:

"I'm not going to bug you about being a nanny if you erase the nun option, Nan. As much as I hate how Robert put it in- I agree with him about you not being eligible- but that's because you'll turn their lives upside down with your energetic life."

Joseph nodded as he looked at Nanette, "I know someone who's looking for one. I mean- if you're sure about it, Nan. I'll call him. He's one of the former security people and his wife died at childbirth. He's trying to balance the life of three kids and his job now as a restaurant manager."

"Oooh- from security person to a restaurant manager. Seems like a decent person to me." Robert commented as he took a bite on his, so far, 6th toast.

Nanette looked at Joseph, as if asking if he trusted the guy, and Joseph reassured her:

"I knw him, Nan. He's still grieving with his wife- I know he will respect you if you took the job."

Nannie sighed as she looked at Marybeth then at Robert.

"I'll take the job after graduation." she smiled as she stood up, "And now- I'll dress on my uniform."

"Me too." Marybeth said as she looked at the two, "Robert, let our security man eat. Joey- take a bath and get ready. The bus will be outside to pick up every student here at 8."

"Yes mum." Both Robert and Joseph mocked as they eat.

Marybeth and Nanette dressed on their clothes as the older one spoke, "Well it seems like you and Joey are leaving earlier than expected."

Nannie nodded as she tied her hair up, "Do you think I can do it? Being a nanny?"

Marybeth put on her shoes as she said, "I've seen you with the children on your orphanage. And you're terribly good at being a guardian. I'm sure being a nanny will be a piece of cake to you, Nan. But don't forget what I said- you can reach higher than that. Most people will look down at nannies but you're different than any other nanny. You're full of wisdom and have a great heart."

Nannie smiled at her friend as she hugged Marybeth, "We 'ave four full days left before graduation. I guess we should cherish every moment now. Oh my knickers, I never thought of that day to come."

"Me too, Nan." the other woman said as they tidied the room and waited downstairs.


A/N: hdjehdh finally updated. I hoped you enjoy! Please r&r!