Law, Lies, and Love Affairs

That Is So NOT Your Nanny

Maybe this would be okay after all, Stevie thought, as they pulled up outside a sign that said Pizzeria Spontini. Maybe what Maddie needed was an adventure, some new and exciting experiences to grab onto, instead of spending her days in the condo with Lisa, broken by brief excursions to the park, mostly just waiting for Stephanie to get home from work.

"It has a reputation for serving the greasiest pizza in all of Milan," Mike said as she stepped out of the car.

"Well, that's certainly a recommendation." And she had to admit, Mike may have steamrolled her into the hasty trip to Milan, but he was being an awfully good sport about catering to the whims of a five-year-old who could be smiling one second, and flying into a cranky meltdown the next.

Within minutes they were seated at a small table staring at huge slices of gooey cheesy pizza. Probably the most cheese Stephanie had ever seen on a slice of pizza in her life.

"Be careful, it's hot," she warned, as Maddie took a big bite.

"It's so good!" Maddie said, swinging her feet and kicking them against the legs of her chair, and grinning at them with smears of pizza sauce on her face, and cheese dripping from her fingers.

"What do you say to Mr. Wellington?"

"I love you Mike," Maddie said, getting up from her chair to smear his crisp shirt with her sticky fingers as she hugged him.

"I was thinking more of just saying thank you," Stephanie said, and Mike actually laughed.

"I love you, too, Squirt, and you're welcome," Mike said, and planted a kiss on the top of her head, melting Stephanie's heart. He didn't have to be so nice.

"Guess who else loves pizza?" he asked Maddie, as she climbed back into her chair.

"Who?"

"Luciana. It's her favorite food in the world."

Maddie looked down at her plate. "That's the lady who's going to take care of me while you and Aunt Stevie have to work."

"That's right."

"I want Lisa to come," Maddie said.

"I know honey," Stephanie told her. "But Lisa couldn't come with us. You'll see her when we get back home."

"Hey," Mike said. "You are really going to like Luciana."

"What if she doesn't like me?"

"Luciana loves kids." He reached over and tilted her chin up to look at him. "Do you know how I know that?"

Maddie shook her head.

"Because Luciana was my nanny. She came to live with my family and take care of me when I was the same age you are now."

Maddie's eyes got big. "She must be really old."

Mike just laughed. "Not that old. She taught me lots of fun games, and she never ever yelled at me, not once," he said, leaning closer to her and lowering his voice conspiratorially. "And I was really bad sometimes."

"I bet you were," Stevie said, and imagined a doting grandmotherly Italian woman spoiling him rotten and indulging him with homemade pasta and cannoli.

"What bad things did you do?" Maddie whispered.

"Hmm um," Mike said, "I'm not telling." He leaned in closer to Maddie. "You'll just have to ask Luciana about that."