They met a car at the private strip as instructed by a friend from the speakeasy she frequented.

He was only one year older than Macey but somehow he had unlimited connections.

The car drove them up and down winding roads until Macey and the boy where clueless. Macey breathed strategically as waves of nausea engulfed her around the sharp curves.

The car finally came to a stop. "Maria esta alla, ella puede ayúdate," were the first words out of his mouth.

Now that Macey looked at him more closely he had to have been in his late thirties maybe early forties. I wonder how people get a job in driving like this, how does he know Maria Macey began to wonder. She was jolted back into reality by two things: the boy tugging on her hand to exit the car and the butterflies of the baby in her stomach.

He had opened the door and stood up waiting for the girl to follow, she wasn't.

He took a few seconds to look at the beauty surrounding them. He was standing near the edge of a cliff, maybe 30 feet from a large building. It was big enough to be an apartment complex, it was sharp and modern, certainly as nice as their houses in the States, maybe even better. The sunset along the coastline was stunning, more beautiful than any he had seen on the East coast. This would be their house for the next 4 or 5 months.

He pulled her hand gently. It startled him that she looked so in space, was she regretting the decision?

"Gracias, muchas gracias," He heard her murmur to the guy as she stretched right outside the back door. He was getting their large suitcases out, he knew they would need more than what they had brought but this would do for now.

For what they were paying Maria he hoped she could help with baby stuff and extra clothes, but he was grateful for this asylum not matter what the next months led to.

The last thing he wanted to do was be separated from her, he wanted to be with her to help her and that wouldn't be an option at home.

"Ready?" He asked behind her.

"As ready as I'll ever be," they both stepped onto the driveway, the car disappearing behind them.

She went in front of him slightly, he was to her right, each hand carrying a suitcase. He was internally trying to judge how she was holding up, she hadn't been vocal on the car ride.

The gate buzzed sliding into itself to reveal a square courtyard containing a basketball court and pool to the left, directly in front of them was a large outdoor kitchen, and behind that was a single door leading to somewhere inside the massive building.

To their direct right was an narrow alleyway, one side the giant beige, metal paneling of the gate that had at least 10 feet tall. The other side was mirrored glass, the building itself. Macey couldn't believe this wasn't an apartment either it was huge.

They walked down the alley, Macey taking the lead. In the middle of the dead end alley Macey stopped. He noticed she looked puzzled now and looking up himself realized why, there was about 6 feet separating two beige metal doors.

They didn't have to guess which one because the door to the left opened revealing a short and stocky middle aged woman. She was naturally very pretty only aged with experience, her jet black hair wavy and voluminous just grazing her shoulders.

"Come in," her accent heavy but her English articulated perfectly, "Please take a seat there," her hand waved them over to the round glass table on a wicker base complete with four wicker rattan dining chairs and maroon cushions on both the bottom and back.

"Oh leave those," she motioned as he went to drag one of the suitcases in, "No one going to to bother it here."

He immediately knew he would like Maria, she was dramatic and theatrical her house matching. Deep maroons and complimentary mauve overtaking her open dining living room.

Accents in lighter beige keeping the room warm but balanced, her style definitely outdated by a few decades, eccentric and unique. The ceiling fascinating him, they had to reach up 50 feet, with the floating, spiral staircase eating into the left side of the room making the dining area seem much smaller.

Catching up at the dining table from his fascination, he took his place on the other side of Macey.

"It's been tooo long," Macey quipped, suddenly very nervous about this conversation.

"About 5 years, the time really flies," the woman replied, "Who do we have here," She nodded toward the boy although they had exchanged greetings at the door.

Macey cleared her throat, "This is ehh…," twice," this is Preston, Preston Winters. Preston this is Maria my nanny until I was 5."

The two locked eyes, Preston visibly uncomfortable by her glare. Macey had to assume Maria knew this was the opposing candidates son, worsening matters.

Macey didn't know if this could get any worse, she had forgotten how over protective Maria could be. And Maria wasn't even aware of the icing on the cake yet.

"Look," Macey exasperated. The day was beginning to take a toll on Macey, she was hungry and tired and growing more so every minute. She just wanted to lay down and rest.

Macey swallowed nervously, bowing slightly. Maria's harsh glare softening at the girls face, "What brings you here, my sweet child," her tone like honey, concerned laced behind it.

"Uh," came out weakly from Macey.

"I know that you didn't get a lot of details or warning about us coming. Also, I know your retired, but you said you would be willing to come out of retirement."

She started to grin, "I think you two are a little old for a Nanny -,"

Preston had jumped into the conversation, "No, sorry Maria. Just, just show her Mace," he stood pulling Maceys chair back.

Macey also stood her back facing Maria and pulled the sweatshirt covering the bump off.

Preston wanted to gasp at the sight he saw from his angle in front of Macey, he hadn't seen her stomach without something hiding it in a month, it was… huge.

She handed him the sweatshirt, doing a 180 to face Maria.

As they returned to the seats, the womens eyebrows furrowed, small lines appearing on her forehead. Her lips forming a straight line from being clenched with her teeth.

Preston's head stayed pointed at Maria, not backing down from this battle. He wouldn't let her hurt his family. That didn't stop his eyes from darting up and down Macey.

Her eyes had disassociated staring in the distance beyond the back glass wall, beyond the beachfront, beyond the ocean. He knew there were tears behind there. She looked fragile with the large bump on her small frame.

"We want you to Nanny our baby," Preston continued, "We want you to help us deliver as well, and ensure we stay hidden until we leave. This would be a permanent position unit we are 18 and graduated."

Maria's eyes widened her lips remaining sealed, realizing what this would mean for her, for us, "We would come, maybe together maybe separate as often as possible," Preston said confidently, "I understand this is a 3 year commitment, but you would be compensated well and,"

"I, I just need to think, this would change my whole life," Maria said shaking her head in disbelief.

Macey stood, leaning her palms on the table, laying out the insurance that Preston wasn't aware of, "You know it doesn't matter, you signed the contract agreeing to be a permanent nanny on a three year term. Regardless of if you knew who you were caring for," Macey took a ragged breath, "I don't and will not entrust anyone else to do this regardless of how disappointed or angry you may be with me."

That seemed to get the woman's attention. "You won't be telling me what I will and won't do," she said with her voice perfectly still. "I did sign a contract, a contract full of vague clauses. I knew it was you Macey, I knew if you were coming to me you needed a lot of help. It's extraordinarily hard for me to imagine you like this. To me your still my little 5 year old," the women misty eyes seemed to piss her off and she grumbled with the tears to stay inside.

Maceys eyes glistened, "I'm not 5 anymore Maria, I'm 15. Also, you don't have to imagine it because I am it," Macey motioned down at her belly, rubbing it, something she never did because until now she couldn't acknowledge that there was a baby in it.

Preston noticed how so many emotions passed over the woman's face all the time, was she always like this?

Still distraught she stood, "Let me show you where you will be staying, you've had a long day. Rest up and we can talk more tomorrow."

…..

TBC