Free The Corner Booth by Kelly Ilebode Page B

care of her. Give me my baby!” Jennifer yelled wildly.
    With Chloe clutched tighter to her chest, Cassandra watched as Mason grabbed his wife roughly and pulled her away from the two figures now cowering on the floor.
    “Cassandra, take Chloe to the bathroom and get her some medicine. I think she has a fever.” When he turned to his wife, Mason yelled, “Please! Jennifer, she wants Cassie. She is sick.”
    “She has brainwashed my kids!”
    Mason sighed heavily. “No, you have left her in charge so much that Chloe looks for Cassie. Maybe a few more hours with your children during the day instead of the country club would help.”
    Cassandra flinched at the loud crack as Jennifer slapped her husband across the face.
    “Fuck you, Mason. What are you saying? I am not a good mother? I never hear you complaining when people tell you what a great wife I am or when you are complimented on your beautiful wife. What, you would prefer me to look as dowdy and frumpy as Cassie?”
    Mason stared, shocked at Jennifer. “Lower your voice. For fuck sake’s, Jenn—she can hear you.”
    “I really don’t care.” But Cassandra did notice that Jennifer lowered her voice. “I can’t be everything and do everything. I am trying my best.” Jennifer’s tone had become whiny and girly.
    Mason seemed to be caving and Cassandra could picture Jennifer rubbing herself up against her husband. She had watched the tactic so many times over the past few months. Every time she did, she felt as if she were going to vomit. She hoped that she never had a toxic relationship like these two. As she wiped the baby’s face with a cool cloth, she was relieved to see Chloe had calmed down enough for her to be able to take some medicine, and opened her little mouth like a tiny bird.
    As she hugged her tightly to her chest, Cassandra whispered in her ear. “You are such a sweet thing, baby girl.”
    “Are Mommy and Daddy going to make you leave, Cassie?” a small voice asked from the bathroom doorway. Startled, Cassandra looked up and found herself looking into dark blue eyes that were now swimming in tears.
    “Oh, little man. Come here.” David ran into Cassandra’s arms and settled in her lap as they all sat on the bathmat. “No one ever knows what is going to happen from one moment to the next, do they? But, I promise you this, David: no matter what happens, you can always know that I love you both.”
    “Mommy said some pretty mean things about you.”
    “Yes she did, but sometimes, you say things to Chloe when you are angry, don’t you?” The small head nodded slowly, and Cassandra smiled. “But I know that you don’t really mean everything you say. That is the same as what has happened tonight. Chloe is unwell and your mommy wanted to make her better.”
    “But you fix boo-boos the best, Cassie,” the little boy stated in a matter-of-fact tone, as Chloe nodded in agreement. Tears filled her eyes at his words. She knew, no matter her feelings towards the couple in the other room, they were still the parents and she could not bring herself to speak ill of them. “Well, that is because I am a nanny, silly.”
    “You mean like Mary Poppins?” Cassie had shown them the movie just yesterday.
    Cassandra laughed and kissed the top of David’s head. “That is exactly it. Just like Mary Poppins.”
    The house had gone silent. Cassie frowned, unable to hear Mason and Jennifer anymore. She tiptoed into the hallway with a child on either hip. Her arms strained from the exertion. Moaning came from the other end of the hallway where the parents’ suite was located. As obscenities screamed in her head, she smiled down at the two sleepy heads that now rested on her shoulders. She hoped that the vomit she smelled on Chloe hadn’t landed on the bed, but on the rug in the child’s room. As she took stock of the blankets, she knew she was out of luck. With a sigh, she put David back to bed, thankful he went easily as she ran bath water for