Where the Streets Have No Name
Chapter 61
Edward walked Carmen through the dos and don'ts that made up Ella's daily routine. Reminded her for the umpteenth time to call him at the hospital if she felt stressed about anything. Then left home with trepidation, leaving Ella in Carmen's care for the first time since she was born.
The frantic call for help came before noon.
Carmen still refused to admit defeat. It was after all only her first day alone with Ella, she would surely get a better grip over things in a few days.
Edward reluctantly agreed to extend the trial period.
The next day, the call came even before he could park his car at the hospital.
He came home to find a wailing Ella in her nursery with Carmen rocking back and forth on the floor, her hands covering her ears to stave off the noise, muttering to herself, "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" in a constant loop.
Edward rushed to Ella, used every trick he knew to calm her down, then came to Carmen's rescue.
He reasoned with Carmen, once she was coherent, about why this could not go on. He couldn't abscond from work without authorization every day. Neither was there a magic wand that could be waved to guarantee Ella's compliance.
They needed help. Like it or not, Carmen had to accept it.
Carmen hated to admit defeat, but she agreed begrudgingly.
However, finding nanny number three became a challenge. It seemed the Cullen household had earned quite the reputation among the childcare providing agencies in Seattle. Edward had to widen the net to find a recruit.
Renate Foss, a woman in her early fifties seemed like a godsend. This time, Edward made a full disclosure and didn't bother to sugarcoat what Renate was likely to face in his home. He laid down all his cards on the table: His wife was suffering from postpartum depression with bipolar tendencies. Her behavior was withdrawn on good days and violently volatile on the bad ones.
Renate was to navigate the mine fields and persevere in the face of discomfort and rejection. Yes, he realized he was demanding quite a lot from her. In compensation, he was willing to pay her twenty percent above the going rate that one paid to have a nanny.
Much to Edward's relief, Renate agreed.
Thank you Lulabelle98, HeidiJoVT, and Dinx.