The Bad Boy's Nanny

Ch. 14 - Twin Senses Are Tingling

"Ivy!"

I look up to see Elliott running towards me. He's entirely soaked, droplets falling down his cheeks. His hair is a wet mop, his clothes stuck to his skin. The dark clothing he wears contrasts with the white walls of the hospital, making it hard not to focus on him.

He finally reaches me, his hands gently touching my arms. "Are you okay?" He brings his hands to cup the sides of my face briefly while his eyes stare deeply into mine, searching for the answer.

I find it difficult to speak in this moment, only able to nod my head as an answer. As soon as he gets the confirmation, he removes his hands and looks around the hospital in a panic.

"Where's Addison? Crystal? Rosie? Ethan? Was Bethany in the car too? Jonas?" he asks frantically.

"Jonas and Beth are at home and Nora is picking them up now. Crystal and Ethan are getting changed into dry clothes from the hospital. They're fine."

He nods, his jaw clenched tightly. "What about Addison and Rosie?"

"They were on the side where the car hit the tree," I explain, my stomach hurting. "Addison is getting stitches on her forehead and-and the doctor said she'll be fine. I think she has a broken leg."

"And Rosie?"

I shut my eyes briefly. "The doctor said because of her size and where she was sitting the impact was a lot more serious. She-she's in surgery right now. They haven't told me anything else."

"Shit," he curses, placing his back on the wall and tilting his head back.

"I'm so sorry," I say quietly. "They'll be fine. The doctor said."

"What if they're not fine?" he asks angrily. "This is all your fault! Why would you let Addison drive in this weather?"

"She wanted to," I mumble, feeling more guilty than I already did. "It-it was fine until her boyfriend called and she got distracted and took her hands off the wheel and I panicked and grabbed the wheel but-"

"Boyfriend?"

I sigh and hold my arms to keep from being cold in these camp clothes, "she's been seeing this boy Mike for a couple weeks."

"Shit, shit, shit," he mutters and starts pacing. "Why didn't you tell me? Addison can't have a boyfriend!"

I furrow my eyebrows together. "She's fourteen and-"

"Addison is bipolar, Ivy!" he yells. "A boyfriend is an emotional roller coaster!" He punches the wall behind me. "Dammit!"

I open my mouth, but no words come out. Addison is bipolar. Why didn't Mrs. Kennedy tell me? I have no idea whether she has been taking medication. That would explain her extreme feelings of obsessiveness with Mikey to her reaction to finding out that I was his babysitter. I just can't believe no one told me.

"Fuck," he whispers to himself, plopping down into one of the waiting room chairs and holding his head in his hands.

I close my eyes tightly, too overwhelmed in the moment to think clearly. My eyes start to well with tears as I live in this nightmare. I was supposed to keep the kids safe and I put their lives in danger today. It was my idea to have Addison drive and I was the one who drove the car into a tree. Elliott was right. This is all my fault.