When it Rains, it Pours

SEVEN

Rain awoke with a start the next morning. She sat up with a yawn and frowned when she saw it was still dark outside. The clock on her nightstand read 5:23 am. Thirty-seven minutes before her alarm was set to go off.

She groaned and lay back down quickly, trying to go back to sleep. Twenty minutes went by before she gave up and threw back the covers, grumbling as she made her way to the bathroom to get dressed.

Despite the earlier than normal start, she still had to sprint to the nursery to get the children ready for their riding lesson. Unsurprisingly, Jonathan was already awake when she got there. She found him in Sunny's new room, helping her down from her bed.

Sunny stood there holding his hand while she rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Good morning, mommy."

"Good morning my Sunny girl," Rain said with a smile. "Good morning Jonathan."

He scowled. "You're late." He pulled Sunny gently by the hand and led her from the room. "Come on. We've got to brush our teeth."

Rain stood there for a moment, astonished. She let out a laugh and shook her head before following the two children.

Despite Jonathan's constant nagging, they were still five minutes late to breakfast but Rain was unconcerned because Adam didn't join them for breakfast.

Or he normally didn't. This particular morning he was seated at the table with a scowl on his face. And he wasn't alone. Emily was sitting next to him with a bright smile on her face.

"Good morning, Master Canmore!" Sunny sang, skipping over to Adam.

His facial expression relaxed and he gave her a smile, patting her on the head. "Good morning."

Rain walked by and his scowl returned. "You're late, Miss Dae."

She snorted. "Your son said the same thing a few minutes ago." She covered her mouth in horror when she realized that she had spoken aloud. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say that--"

He held up his hand to stop her speech. "But you were thinking it," he said sternly, though Rain could have sworn she saw the corners of his mouth turn up. Why was he acting so weird?

"Don't be mean, Adam," Emily chided, sending a smile in Rain's direction. Rain noticed that her accent was more pronounced than Adam's.

Once everyone was seated she spoke again. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

"I'd rather not," he said casually. "Everyone, you may begin."

Everyone started eating except Emily, who leaned back in her chair with a huff, folding her arms across her chest.

A few silent moments passed before she sat up straight again with a mischievous smile. "I just remembered something, Adam," she said, poking him in the arm repeatedly.

"What's that, Emily? We're all dying to know," he replied sarcastically.

It was all Rain could do not to burst out laughing. Emily had gotten Adam to show more personality in less than twenty-four hours than she had seen him display in the two months she had been in his employment.

"For once, you don't have the moral high ground."

Adam visually paled.

"It would be in your best interest to be nice to me or I'll tell--"

"Okay! Mannaggia, Emily. You're so irritating."

She sat back in her chair with a satisfied smirk.

He turned to Jonathan and Alexander. "Boys, this is my little sister. Your Aunt Emily."

Jonathan nodded and returned to his breakfast.