Tea Parties and Feather Boas (Luke Kuechly)

Chapter Four: The Question and A Tea Party

Three weeks into her job and so far things had been going good for Lydia. She and Isla got along well and the three people had fallen into a steady routine.

Training camp had started two and a half weeks ago so most weekdays it was just her and Isla. Which Lydia was ok with, otherwise she wouldn't have felt very needed for her job. Her job also included preparing meals and keeping the house tidy, which she supposed came with most nannies' jobs.

"Miss Lydia?" Isla asked as the young woman prepared lunch one afternoon.

"Yes?" Lydia replied.

"Why don't I have a mommy?"

Lydia froze. This definitely wasn't a conversation she was going to have with the child. That was Luke's job and responsibility as Isla's father. Besides, she didn't know the answer to that question. "I don't know but I think that's definitely a question for your daddy."

"But I've asked," the four-year-old said. "He won't tell me."

Lydia guessed something had happened between Isla's mom and Luke. There were no pictures of her anywhere. "Well, maybe there's a reason for that."

Isla sighed dramatically. "But all the other kids I know have a mommy."

Lydia grabbed their plates and set them on the table. Isla climbed into her chair. "Miss Lydia?" The child asked again.

"Yes, Isla?"

"Are you like my mommy?"

Lydia's eyes went wide as she tried not to choke on her sandwich. "No sweetheart... I'm your nanny."

"But you do mommy stuff. You feed me and make sure I don't get into trouble and wash my clothes and that one time daddy got home late you tucked me into bed. Don't mommies do that?"

"Yes... but it's different." The nanny felt a very strong need to talk to Luke about this.

"How?"

"It just is. Now eat your sandwich," Lydia said.

"Alright," the small child sighed, picking up her sandwich.

Lydia was washing dishes when Luke came home from camp. From where she stood at the sink in the kitchen, she could hear Isla slip off her chair at the table where she coloring and run towards the front door. "DADDY!" She yelled, jumping into her father's arms.

"Hey Isla bear," Luke smiled, gathering his daughter in his arms and attacking her with kisses, making Isla laugh and squeal in delight.

Lydia's back was turned to them but she could practically see the encounter between the two as it happened almost every day. Isla completely adored her father and Luke adored the child too.

Her number one concern when taking this job was that Isla would be spoiled and a brat but it only took a few days to reassure herself that Isla was far from a brat. Maybe a little spoiled at times but what child wasn't. Especially one with an NFL player for a father.

As she scrubbed at a pot left over from last night, Lydia listened to Isla recount the day's events with Luke commenting every so often. She eventually became so engrossed in scrubbing the pot she didn't hear the conversation stop and the footsteps come up behind her. "What did the pot ever do to you?"

Lydia turned to look over her shoulder to find Luke with an amused smile. "It's not coming clean." She stated simply.

Luke nodded, his eyes roaming the dish drainer. "You know half this stuff can go in the dishwasher, right?"

Lydia went back to scrubbing the pot. "I like washing dishes. It's relaxing."

Luke shrugged. "Better you than me."

"Daddy!" Isla called. "Our tea party is ready!"

"Ok! I'm coming!" Luke smiled. "When you're done here. You can come join us."

Lydia smiled back. "I may just do that."

Luke nodded before heading upstairs for a tea party with his daughter.

Lydia finished up ten minutes later. She wiped down the countertops and then headed upstairs. She could hear Isla and Luke making 'proper' conversation from the four-year-old's room.

Lydia stood in the doorway, watching the scene. Luke and Isla sat at a small white table, Isla on a chair and Luke on the floor because the chair was too small. Isla had changed into a dress-up dress and now had a big floppy hat on and a pair of too big white gloves. Her father sat across from her, a big, fluffy, pink, feather boa tied around his neck. Lydia held on the laughter that was caused by seeing him in the feather boa.

He now wore his glasses too. Lydia would be lying if she said she didn't like it when he did. He didn't look like a big tough football player when he wore them. He looked really cute and cuddly. She would have been lying if she denied having a small crush, but only a small one, on her boss and she was ok with that fact. As long as she didn't act on it everything would be fine.

"Miss Lydia! Come have a tea party with us!" Isla said as her eyes landed on her nanny.

Lydia smiled and entered the room, sitting down at the table. Sitting across from Isla's giant teddy bear. "Thank you for inviting me lady Isla," Lydia smiled.

"It is my pleasure," Isla said. "But you must wear these, lady Lydia," the young girl said, handing her a hat and boa.

"I wouldn't dream of wearing anything else," Lydia laughed, placing the hat on her head and tying the boa around her neck.

"You look beautiful. Doesn't she daddy?"

Luke, who had been sipping on the imaginary tea, froze. Both adults we're reminded of the much similar occurrence of Isla's innocent question that had the football player fumbling for words that had happened when she came for her interview. Lydia swore he was about to choke on the imaginary substance. Luke calmly set the small teacup, that looked even smaller in his hands, down and smiled. "Yes, like a true southern lady."

Lydia blushed slightly and picked up her teacup, hoping to change the subject. "I would have to say, this is the best imaginary tea I've ever had."

"Why thank you," Isla smiled with a nod.

"You are quite welcome," Lydia giggled.

Luke smiled, sipping on his imaginary tea, at the interaction between his daughter and her nanny. Lydia had been there all of three weeks and it already felt as if she was apart of their family. He didn't know if it was normal to feel that way about your nanny but he didn't want to find out if it wasn't.