A Nanny For Aly

Chapter one: Realizing the Truth

It’s been almost 2 years since she had taken a day off from her job as full time Grandmother and now its time that her son takes responsibility for his daughter and her future. She has decided to go back to Chicago, its not that she doesn’t love her son, Pete or her granddaughter, Aly, it’s just that she’s tired, tired of Pete pretending that Aly is his little sister and not his daughter.

“Mom, you know I can’t do this by myself.”

“It’s about time that you learned, Peter. I won’t be here forever and I need to know that you are going to be able to take care of Aly...”

Pete interrupts, “Mom, Seriously Pl…”

“No Pete you can’t sucker me into this again, I told you six months and I gave you two years, Aly is not a ball that you can bounce between us, she is your daughter, your responsibility and it’s about time you take action and control of her and her future.” With that said she turned on her heel and slammed the door behind her as she left.

Pete turned around and their she was, the little girl that he had come to love, his daughter, and the one that had changed his entire life in one night. She was bigger now, her electric greens eyes with tears that have yet to fall and her pouty red lips slightly quivering, still shaking with disbelief over her grandma’s departure. They stared at each other both awaiting the other to break the stare, not knowing how to act in each others presence. This is the first time they had actually been alone and Pete was scared, he didn’t know what to say or how to act.

“Shit, what the fuck am I going to do now?” Pete yelled aloud at no one in particular, “I can’t raise a child, I can’t take control of another persons life.”

Aly couldn’t believe what was happening, Why is he talking to himself? She couldn’t help but to think to herself, I should be the one that’s losing it. She stared at him and couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her mouth, a giggle that wouldn’t stop because he was acting so silly.

“I can’t believe this…” That’s when he heard it, Aly’s giggle, as he turned around and as her face came into focus his own face broke out into a smile, a grin so large it almost looked fake. When she saw his smile she ran towards him and her giggles turned into tears which turned into sobs.

“Aly, its going to be ok. If there is anything that I can promise you in this world than this is it, everything is going to be ok. I can and will take care of you, I mean I might need some help and you might need to cooperate with me but what your grandma did was smart, she knows that I need to be here for you.” As Aly’s sobs started to subside Pete kissed her forehead, “God, Aly, I love you so much.”

“I love you too daddy.”

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Two weeks since his mom had left and Pete was losing his mind. Aly had taken control of everything he did, he couldn’t go anywhere without her, couldn’t eat without her, couldn’t sleep without her wanting to sleep with him which didn’t really please Danielle, his girlfriend.

“Aly!! Come and have some lunch before you get into the pool.” When she didn’t answer Pete yelled again, “Aly, seriously right now come down stairs and eat.” He heard footsteps he looked up and saw Patrick holding a bright red faced Aly upside down, “Patrick, man am I so glad to see you, what are you doing here?”

“Wow you must really be out of it these days, we had rehearsal today at 8 this morning and since you usually are the first one there and you didn’t show up at all I figured that one of us should come check on you.” Patrick talked as he swung Aly back and forth.

“Oh so you got all worried about me and decided I was worth coming to check on? How sweet of you Patrick.”

“Yea how sweet of you Patrick.” Aly chimed in at the most opportune moment.

“Yea well I drew the shortest straw. Hey man, where’s your mom?”

“Grandma left, two weeks ago Patrick!! Now its just me and Daddy!!!” Aly squealed in delight.

Patrick turned to look at Pete who suddenly found the peanut butter and jelly sandwich he was making engrossing. Pete shrugged his shoulders at Patrick not really knowing what to say.

“Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz, why didn’t you call one of us? You know we would have come over and helped in any way we could!”

“’Trick I didn’t wanna bother you guys with this, it was your two weeks off and I wanted to let you guys relax and not have to worry constantly about me and about Aly.” He turned to Aly, “Baby, why don’t you go eat in the living room with the TV on and I’ll come in after twenty minutes and maybe I can talk Uncle Patrick into getting into the pool with us.”

“uh…twenty minutes!! Dad that way too long, I wanna get in the pool today not tomorrow!!” Aly argued

“Twenty minutes Aly, or not at all.” Pete said sternly.

She stomped off into the direction of living room, and Pete finally turned to Patrick. In that moment Patrick saw what Pete really looked like for the first time. The bags under his eyes, how his usually bright brown eyes had a dull look to them, the slightly tired look to his body.

“You should have called me. You know how important Aly and you both are to me, I could have helped. How’s Danielle taking it? She throw her hissy fit yet?”

“I know Pat, I know I should have called you I just wanted to prove that I could do this you know? That I didn’t need anyone else help. I mean she is my daughter and you guys aren’t going to always be around. And Danielle hasn’t been a lot of help either, she just doesn’t seem to understand that Aly isn’t going away. That I’m not going to sell her off to some random person. She’s my daughter man, I love her. I’m just so fucking tired all the time. And Danielle won’t stop busting my balls about how I’m not spending enough time with her. I’m just stuck.”

Patrick had never seen Pete look this defeated, not even right before or after he had almost killed himself. As he thought about Pete’s words, he could picture Danielle with her flawless creamy white skin, full pouty lips, brown hair and whiny attitude. God he hated her. He turned to Pete, “Well you know how I feel about everything that has to do with Danielle but just forget about her for a moment. Think about yourself and Aly, if your going to do this you might need help.”

“I told you the first night she got here that I wasn’t going to let a perfect stranger raise my daughter. How do I know that I can trust a person I barely know to take care of my little girl?” Pete glared at Patrick

“You won’t let a stranger who has gone to school for this specific purpose and has recommendations watch your daughter but your more than willing to let your mother put her life on hold for two years to watch her? I think that you need to think about Aly and what’s right for her Pete. The way she acts around woman isn’t healthy. Maybe you should think about a nanny and a therapist.” Patrick shot back at Pete without hesitation.

Sighing Pete started washing the dishes, “So you going to go swimming with us or not? Because I promised Aly I would and I don’t wanna fight about this anymore.”

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Pete leads the way to the living room, he can hear Patrick’s disappointment in the way his shoes shuffle against the floor. He knows that he can’t do it completely alone, but he doesn’t want to resort to a stranger. He wasn’t ready to let another person into his life and especially into Aly’s life. She has had too much to deal with already and she’s only six! He can’t just leave her with a stranger.

“Patrick, I know that you think I need help but I don’t. I can do this by myself.”

Patrick knew it was coming, Pete thinks that he’s super human. He thinks that he can do everything on his own but each time he has tried he’s come up short. He needs help for his own sanity.

“I know you can Pete but you shouldn’t especially when you have so many people willing to help.”

As they turn the corner, Pete realizes the TV isn’t on and the plate is empty. He starts frantically searching the room, looking under the pillows, behind the entertainment center and any where a 6 year old could shove her body.

If Patrick hadn’t realized how serious this was, he would have laughed at Pete’s antics. He looked like a chicken with his head chopped off.

“Pete. Pete! PETE! You need to calm down, take a breathe, she’s not hiding. She finished her food and got sick of waiting for you.”

“I told her to wait Patrick. She wouldn’t just go to the pool with out me. She’s knows better than that.” Pete stated but still walked in the direction of the pool anyway.

As he came into view of the pool he heard, “It about time daddy. Next time you better fight with Uncle Patrick faster.”

Pete turned towards Patrick and whispered under his breathe “Fine, I’ll put an ad out for a nanny in the morning.”

Patrick handed his cell phone to Pete, “Do it now, the sooner the better.”