Four

~Lacey's POV~

"Lacey, I promise I'll apologise to her, just speak to me"dad said as we sat for breakfast.

"We will have to meet with her today so we can apologize for your ill manners yesterday" I explained sipping from my cup.

"Anything please Lacey" he begged. I could feel the tension in him.

"Okay fine"I said picking my phone from the table.

"Hi Ashley"I said and dad coughed, I guess his surprised to see I have her contact.

"Hi Lacey, how are you?"she asked and I smiled putting the phone on speaker.

"I'm fine Ashley"

"Okay that's good to know"I could tell she was smiling at the other end.

"Umh Ashley I was wondering, if we could meet up" I was smiling as I spoke.

"Meet up, oh I'm sorry but I have an interview today"

"Please, please, please"I begged.

"Okay we will have to see each in the next hour, that's my only free time but I worry about your dad"

"Forget about him,he'll surely permit me"I said starring at yim

"So what time should we meet up"

"10 am"she answered sharply.

"That'll be great"

"Okay but where are we meeting up"she asked.

"Umh,Archibald Delight"I answered.

"Okay I'll be there"

An hour later

~Richard's POV~

We walked into the empty restaurant and I couldn't help but feel agitated, I had the restaurant cleared

I don't trust that lady she might pull of a stunt.

We sat at the VIP table, waiting for the so called Ashley to arrive.

"She's here"Lacey announced smiling.

"Oh shit"I cursed.

"Hi Ashely, so nice to see you again"Lacey pulled her Into a brief hug

"Hey,Lacey"

She looked at me and frowned her face. Who dose she think she is?

" Ashley my Dad has something to say, right dad?"she asked.

"Do I?"I asked.

"Yes you do"Lacey said with gritted teeth.

"No,I don't think so"

"Okay"she said bringing out her phone from her bag.

'What's she up to now'i thought.

All miss crazy could do was stare as we argued.

"Hey Grams"she said.

"No no no please"

"Then you know what to do daddy"she drawled.

"Umh"

"Hey, Miss Ashley umh"i said cleaning my sweaty hand, I was not used to saying sorry it was so hard for me to process it.

"Umh"

"Umh"

"Are going to say something or you going to keep stuttering?"she asked nonchalantly.

"Um, I want to apologise for what I did the other day it was wrong of me"I said realising the breath it never knew I was holding I'm glad that's over.

"You want to or you are?"she asked with an arched brow.

"Umh, I'm sorry, I should never had talked to you in that manner"I said.

"And?"Lacey added.

I swallowed deep"umh,I heard your looking for a Job, I would like if you became my daughter's nanny because, I feel like your the best person to take care of her"I said sweating so much. I can't believe Lacey made me do this

She was obviously surprised and I cared less.

"Please Ashley, accept it"Lacey begged.

"Umh"she said and snapped her mouth shut.

"Dad say something"

"Please, if the money is the problem, I'll pay you two times the amount of what your expecting from any job"I said this time serious about it.

I had promised that I'll hire any person Lacey picks. Lacey had begged me for this after hearing that she was going for an interview and I couldn't say no.

"Please for my sake"Lacey said almost joining her palms together.

"Why do you want me to be her Nannny?" She asked me.

I gulped hard "My daughters trusts you and she likes you a lot and that's all that should matter"

"Are you sure about this?.How are you sure that I'mm not a bad person?"she threw the question at me but Lacey answered.

"Cause you saved me and your pretty. Pretty people are always nice" the immature side of Lacey was speaking.

"If that's your reason, then I'll be honored to be your nanny. I get to be with such a sweet girl like you"Ashley pull her into a hug.

"Phew,thank you"I breath out.

~Lacey's POV~

"I love you dad thanks"I said hugging him tight. I'm blessed with the best father in the world

"Oh baby, missed your hugs"he smiled lifting me from the ground.

"Send me your address, my the driver will come pick you up ,your starting tomorrow"daddy said.

"Okay,I'll send it to Lacey"Ashley said smiling.

"Okay,that will be all"

"Dad, put me down I'm a big girl"I giggled.

"Your still my angel"

"Okay bye Ashley"I said as we exited the restaurant.

~Ashley's POV~

"And luck shines on Ashley Timothy"I grinned. I still wasn't comfortable with the way I got the job. I pray all this would be cool.

I got to the house with so much joy, I just got a job a real job with real payments.

"Girls!"I screamed....

"Guess what girls?"I squeaked.

"What?"they asked with curiosity written all over their face.

"I just got a job"

"What job"

"A nanny job and it's paying, two times better than what I expected" I squeaked for joy.

"Congratulations Ash,"

"Congratultions"they both echoed.

Later that day.

"Ashley"Laura called entering my room.

"Laura,what's the matter"I asked.

"Here"she said handing me a sheet of paper. I took the paper from her and opened it feeling a lot curious.

"Whats this"I asked?

"We would be having a filled trip in a month time,I would love to go please sign it"she said smiling.

I read the paper curiously.

"I can't sign this Laura, just can't, this place is a forest, is in the middle of no where"I said.

"Ashley please"she begged.

"I'm sorry Laura,I can't"

"You do this all the time"she yelled walking out.

"what do you mean?"

"Its true, you do it all the time, you don't want me to be happy, you want me to suffer just like the way you said you suffered, if its even true" she scoffed.

"What are you saying" I stood up from my bed.

"Its true, you took me away from mom and dad,I never got to feel how my parents loving me would be like, even when mom comes begging you don't forgive her, you talk to her rudley, you return all the gift dad has ever bought for me, we are rich but look at us leaving a poor life all because of your ego, I know if I had asked dad or mom they would had let me go"she yelled and I was forced to raise my hand on her for the first time ever.

"Laura,I'm sorry"i said feeling so guilty.

"Don't be, I don't want to have anything to Ido with you I'm going back to mom's house" she yelled walking out of my room.

"Laura Laura please"I yelled running after her.

~Laura's POV~

I ran out of the house straight to the road, I boarded a cab straight to mom's house.

Why can't Ashley understand that I need my parents, if she doesn't love them then I do.

Tears couldn't stop rolling down my eyes as I thought of the slap

Ashley has never hit me before.

The moment I arrived,

I came out of the cab and paid the driver,I'm so happy I carried some change with me before leaving the house.

I knocked on the gate and almost immediately the gate was opened by the security or somebody.

"Who are you?"he asked.

"I'm here to see my mom"

"Mom ? what? "he scoffed.

"Hey Mister let me in"I yelled angrily I was already fustrated and this guy was adding to my problems.

"You better get out of here you little rat"he yelled out me.

"You'll regret this"I said taking my phone out of my pocket.

"Hey mom"I said the moment she accepted the call.

"Honey how are you"

"Mom, I'm outside the gate but your security is not letting me in"I yelled frustrated.

"I'm coming"she said and i ended the call .

Almost immediately I saw mom running out of the house.

"Honey" she called smiling.

"I glared at the gate man and ran inside the big compound.

Mom's hands where wide opened and I jumped into her arms

"Mom, I missed you so much"I cried.

"I missed you more baby"

"Where's Ash"

"I don't want to talk about her"I said.

"Why?"

"Lets go in first"

"Okay I'll show you to your room" she said.

*********

"Is that all she did?"she asked and I nodded in response.

"She only did that because she cared for you"she said .

"No, Mom please don't say that, I dont want to talk about her please"I said.

"Okay am sorry about that, lets go have dinner"she said smiling.

We sat on the table and watched as the maid served us food.

"You may leave"mom said.

"Mom do you want our family to become one again?"I asked.

"Off course,I do ,I miss your dad and I missed Ash too"

"What about me?"I asked.

"I missed you but not anymore,because your here with me"she said with tears rolling from her eyes.

"I missed you to,I said standing up"

"Mom can I sleep in your room today"I asked.

"off course you can"

~Mrs Timothy POV~

After dinner I and Laura went upstairs to get some rest.

Immediately after she slept, I took my phone and dialed Ashley's number and surprisingly she picked on the first ring.

"Why are you calling me? To tell me that I've failed as a sister?"she asked with a shaking voice.

"No Ash, I just called to tell you that she's fine"

"Okay"with that she cut the call.

"I'll do all it takes to bring my family back"

The next morning.

~Ashley's POV~

Hearing that Laura was okay really helped me to sleep though I cried myself to sleep.