Lucas dropped his daughter back on her baby walker, sighing and weaving his fingers into his hair. He didn't know what just happened or transpired between him and his guest. He didn't even know her name or anything.
A total stranger, he let into his house. His mother would go nuts if she heard this but every living human with empathy will understand the dire situation she was in and help her. However, now he doesn't know what to do with her.
He had bathed his daughter with the help of the housekeeper who'd guided him. He knew what he was getting into wasn't just a journey but a travel of no return.
He wasn't going back to the office until he knew his daughter was able to stay for hours without crying for him or her mom.
But what happens when she never stops and wants either of them all the time. He pulled his hair from the roots groaning at the pain he was inflicting on himself. He needed someone. A flexible person who would know how to coax a twenty month old.
He was a father and wanted to be a good dad but he didn't know how to go about it. He needed help. While he mulled over what to do.
He decided to make light breakfast before Martha came back from the market. Scrambled eggs and toast was an easy fit with some fruit juice he took out of the freezer as his daughter played with her toys where he left her on her baby walker.
He shared the breakfast for two not knowing why and ate while his eyes continually travelled to the hallways and stairs waiting for the stranger in his house to come down.
He gulped down his food as his eyes followed every movement when he heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. He took his eyes off training it on his empty plate.
Lifting his eyes from the plate, he picked it up and started towards the sink but stopped when he heard her clearing her throat which made him halt turning to her.
"Thank you so much for letting me stay here" she started and he opened his mouth to say something when she raised her hand up and chuckled looking everywhere but not his eyes "I know. I know. It's fine but thank you so much and I'm grateful if there is anyway I can pay I will" her eyes fluttered and Lucas's gaze followed the movement.
He thought for one moment what he could ask from her but nothing came up in his head, only one thing and didn't know how to go about it so he nodded instead "it's fine. Anyone in my shoe would do that"
"I will be leaving now" Lauren said and moved to leave when Lucas ran his hand through his head for what he was about to say.
He knew it was wrong to ask a stranger for such a thing. His eyes went to his daughter before shifting to Lauren and he saw her eyes were already on his daughter.
"Is she your daughter?" He heard her ask and nodded. He knew this was wrong, he knew her from nowhere but someone he brought home but he needed desperate help.
Since yesterday he came back, he hasn't dared open his phone or even knew where it was, nonetheless his laptop. Everything in his life felt like it was on hiatus until he finally got to make his daughter comfortable but that would till when? And what if she never feels comfortable in anyone's presence apart from his? Another disaster.
"Can I touch her?" He nodded and moved around the kitchen island to pick his daughter up from the walker. He didn't know how she was going to react if he wasn't in sight or close by.
Holding her in his arms as Lauren walked close to them and raised her hand to his daughters face "what's her name?. Gosh she's beautiful"
"Princess"
"Wow princess. You really look like a princess hmm?" She cooed and his daughter smiled biting down on her toy. Her eyes shined so bright and Lauren raised her hand to touch her face but his daughter surprised him by raising both her hands for her to carry.
His eyes bulged and he happily transferred her to Lauren who dropped her bag on the nearby stool to carry her. "Wow. Heavy huh?"
Lucas left them and went to the kitchen his eyes lingered on them as he pushed the plate he had dished out with a cup of orange juice.
"Have breakfast at least before leaving" he said going to them to take his daughter and jerked his head to the plate causing Lauren's eyes to go to it.
"Come here sweetie" he tried taking his daughter away from Lauren but she faced backwards moving into Lauren's shoulder and he almost guffawed at what he was seeing and tried again and this time she started whining and he raised his hands up retreating.
"You can have her for as long as she wishes" Lauren chuckled lightly, shaking her head as she went to the island to eat. Lucas followed behind her and saw the way she handled his daughter with ease.
Maybe this was God answering his prayers and shoving this woman to his door step but this was the time. He rubbed his hands together and swallowed, going to stand beside Lauren. "You said if there was any way you could repay me for letting you stay the night you would?"
"Hmm I would?"
He saw how she nodded munching on her food before saying "I want you to be a nanny for my daughter" and she froze, her cup hung mid-air as she stared wide eyed at him.
And now he was nervous.