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"Yeah," he concurred, his voice laced with relief. "I'll give her a ring, and we'll be sure to stick with Nutramigen from here on out. The poor little one just needed her regular formula."
Cradling a now-drowsy Ava, I gently rocked her as Mitch retreated to the next room to phone Ella. Although I couldn't hear her side of the conversation, I managed to glean enough from Mitch's replies to piece it all together.
"Hey, Ella," he started, his tone amiable yet inquisitive. "I just wanted to ask you about the formula you bought for Ava. I noticed it wasn't Nutramigen, but rather GentleCare. Was there a reason for the change?"
The silence hung heavy as Mitch strained to catch Ella's reply, his entire demeanor morphing with the progression of their conversation. It was clear that frustration was building inside him.
"Ella, I've told you a thousand times Ava's pediatrician specifically prescribed Nutramigen for her. You had no right to switch the formula without running it by me first," he declared, the strain in his voice evident.
As he paused, I could almost hear Ella attempting to justify her decision by mentioning her nanny experience and how GentleCare was supposedly the best formula available.
Mitch's tone intensified, seething with anger, "That's not the point, Ella! You blatantly disregarded the doctor's instructions and didn't even have the courtesy to discuss it with me. Ava's been crying non-stop, and it's all because of the formula switch. I trusted you to follow the doctor's advice and keep me in the loop about any changes."
I found myself holding my breath, waiting for his next words. My heart soared when I finally heard him say, "I'm sorry, Ella, but this is where it ends. You're fired."
As Mitch hung up and reentered the room, a smile tugged at my lips, knowing that Ella's meddling would no longer come between us. We could now concentrate on nurturing our bond and taking care of Ava without interference.
Mitch's gaze flickered toward me, a storm of emotions brewing in his eyes. I reached out to gently touch his arm. "We'll get through this, Mitch. Together, we can look after Ava and find a new nanny who'll respect your wishes and keep you informed."
He nodded, taking a deep breath as he glanced at Ava, peacefully asleep in my arms. "You're right, Amy. We'll work through this together—for Ava and for us."
Mitch ended the call and drew a chair closer to the rocker, my smile widening with the knowledge that Ella's influence was finally gone. A sudden thought occurred to me, and I seized the moment.
"You know, Mitch, ever since my parents moved back to Vail, I've been struggling to make ends meet. What if I became Ava's nanny? It would benefit both of us. Besides, Rosedale only created my position because of the kidnapping, and other staff members can handle my responsibilities."
A mixture of surprise and relief morphed over Mitch's face, his smile growing. "Amy, I've wanted to suggest that for some time, but I wasn't sure if it was the right moment or if you'd even be open to it. It seems fate has finally given us the perfect opportunity."
Settling back onto the couch, Ava snuggled contentedly in my arms, the ordeal with Ella behind us. The tension of the day dissipated, leaving a sense of tranquility in its wake. Mitch looked at me tenderly, a blush creeping across my cheeks.
"We make a good team, don't we?" he murmured.
I smiled, my heart full. "Yes, we do."
ChapterTwelve
Mitch
With an easygoing vibe,Amy and I slipped off the couch and gently placed Ava in her crib.
"Should we change her first?" Amy wondered.
"Nah, that'll just wake her up. And then it'll be forever before she sleeps again."
"You mentioned she's not quite sleeping through the night yet..."
"She's getting there... usually wakes up around two. But all I do is change her diaper and make sure she has her binky. Then she's good till six when I get up."
"Cool, good to know," Amy chuckled, enjoying her new role.
We adjusted the mobile to play Ava's favorite lullaby and tiptoed out of the nursery.
"I'm craving some pasta. How about you?" I suggested.
"Yeah, sounds good. I'll whip up a salad."
We headed into the kitchen and started getting dinner ready when Ava's muffled cries caught our attention. I smiled and started for the nursery, but Amy grabbed my arm. "I got this. You work on the food!
I could tell Amy found Ava's binky when the cries stopped, and I heard the nursery door close.
