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Oren bought her a ring a few days after that. Over dinner on her day off, he got down on one knee and slid the ring over her finger. Rose wept and threw her arms around him. They were alone at a beautiful beach house on the opposite side of the island—far from the prying eyes of Mr. and Mrs. Walden. It was the first night they were able to pretend they were “husband and wife” rather than two people bunking at the Walden Estate.
Rose knew she was days away from quitting her babysitting gig. She and Oren couldn’t stay at the Waldens’ after they confessed news of their engagement and the baby. Oren told her that night they’d move to this very beach house after she quit; from there, they’d plan whatever came next.
“The wedding has to be in Manhattan,” he explained. “That’s where most of my business contacts are.”
Rose didn’t hesitate; she didn’t think twice about why it was so essential that his business contacts came to their wedding.
He told her the wedding needed to be sooner rather than later. “There’s a ticking time bomb in your belly,” he explained. “We don’t want anyone to do the math and figure it out.”
Oren drove Rose back to the Walden Estate late that night. In the dark car, she kissed him and promised she’d quit her job first thing tomorrow. His eyes glinted with the orange light from the Waldens’ exterior lamps. He kissed her knuckles and said, “Good luck with Mrs. Walden. She can be a trip.”
It sounded ominous.
Rose woke up early to tend to the children. She gotthem up, fixed their breakfast, and ran them through the strict morning schedule prior to the tutor’s arrival. At nine thirty, it was just her and Evie alone in the playroom, giving different voices to Evie’s dolls. There was a loneliness in Evie’s eyes, proof that she didn’t love it when her brothers and sister went off without her. Rose wanted to tell her that “real life” would happen to her sooner rather than later. She needed to enjoy it.
Rose didn’t get a chance to corner Mrs. Walden until after bedtime. She tiptoed away from Evie’s room and hurried downstairs. If she thought about what she needed to do too much, she’d panic and put it off till tomorrow. She couldn’t afford that. The Waldens needed to find a new babysitter. Rose needed to get on with the next phase of her life.
Would the Waldens be invited to their wedding? Would they care? Or would they only come because it was essential to be seen at such an event?
This was a world Rose didn’t understand. Maybe she never would.
Rose knocked on the door. Behind it, she could hear Mrs. and Mr. Walden discussing something and listening to music. Zachary was gone—maybe in Rome, although Rose couldn’t remember. Oren was, of course, at their beach house.Their new home.
“Come in!” Mrs. Walden sang.
Rose poked her head in to find Mrs. Walden’s eyes glossy with a drink in her hand. Mr. Walden was on his feet, searching through a couple of records stacked on the side table. They looked bemused.
“Hi,” Rose said meekly.
“This is a surprise,” Mrs. Walden said, raising her glass of wine.
“Could I please talk to you?” Rose’s voice wavered. “It will only take a moment.”
Mr. and Mrs. Walden exchanged glances and shrugged. Rose stepped in. The air reeked of alcohol and smoke. Rose couldn’t figure out which of them was smoking.
Rose remained standing. She shifted her weight nervously. Mr. and Mrs. Walden sat down in front of her. Rose was reminded of a job interview.But this was an exit interview, she reminded herself. It didn’t matter what they thought.
“I wanted to thank you again for this opportunity,” Rose stuttered, “but unfortunately, the time has come for me to move on.”
Mrs. Walden looked stoic and dead-eyed. Mr. Walden turned to look at her.
“I know this puts you in a difficult position,” Rose said. “And I’m sorry about that.”
Mrs. Walden sniffed.
“Thank you for telling us,” Mr. Walden said. It seemed as though he couldn’t take the silence. “When do you need to go?”
“As soon as possible,” Rose said, thinking of the baby in her womb. “But I know you need to find a new babysitter. I can be here a little while longer till then. Maybe two weeks?”
Mrs. Walden arched a single eyebrow. “Why don’t you sit with us, Rose? Why don’t you sit and tell us exactly what you’re going to do next?” She smiled wider. “Why don’t you sit and tell us just what, exactly, could be better than living at our multi-million-dollar estate in Nantucket?”
Rose’s head swam.Does she know about Oren? Canshe see it written all over my face?
Or did she see me sneaking around? Has she known for months?
“Did some boy call you from Mississippi?” Mrs. Walden said.
Rose filled her lungs.
