Upon hearing this, Lana gave me a bashful smile and then quickly lowered her head. “Well, I was a substitute teacher for a few years. Your family has been so good to me. I just wanted to help Yasmine as much as I could.”
Seeing her guilty demeanor, I couldn’t help but think back to the day I gave birth. After narrowly escaping death, I woke up to find her holding the child I had risked my life to deliver, soothing her skillfully.
Harlan had explained she was a nanny hired from a top agency.
Lana had taken care of my child with such care that even when my mother wanted to hold the baby, she was reluctant to let go.
Back then, a nurse had joked, “This nanny seems to love the child even more than the mother does!”
At that time, Lana wore the same expression: a lowered head to hide her guilty conscience.
Seeing I hadn’t spoken for a while, Lana nervously twisted her hands. “Dana, I know I’m just a nanny, and I shouldn’t have gone into the music room. But Yasmine was upset today, so I went in to cheer her up. I…”
I raised my hand to interrupt her, smiling. “What are you saying? You’ve been helping me take care of Yasmine since my postpartum days. I’m grateful to you. Why would I blame you?”
Hearing this, Lana and Harlan exchanged a quick glance, visibly relieved.
Yasmine seemed to sense the lightened atmosphere and ran toward me with her head tilted upward. “Mommy, can you come to my rehearsal at school tomorrow?”
I bent down and pinched her chubby cheeks. “Do you want Mommy to?”
The little girl smiled sweetly. “I want you to go and earn money for us to spend. Lana and Daddy can watch my rehearsal instead!”
Lana’s expression changed, and she hastily took Yasmine from my arms while explaining anxiously, “Dana, don’t be upset. Yasmine is just worried about interrupting your work. She always says she’ll repay you when she grows up!”
Harlan caught Lana’s look and quickly chimed in, “That’s right. Yasmine has been more mature than other kids since she was little. You’re her mom. You understand her best!”
I pretended not to notice their unspoken exchange and gently patted Yasmine’s head. “Alright, I shall listen to you.”
Yasmine tilted her little head and wrapped her arms around Lana’s shoulders, swaying. “See, I told you, Mommy will agree! Lana, let’s keep practicing the piano. Daddy, come listen too. Don’t bother Mommy anymore!”
Harlan casually moved closer to Lana and sat beside her whereas Yasmine focused on practicing the piano, leaving no one to spare me a glance.
I smiled indifferently, turned, and went back to the study to continue working.
