The Nanny

Chapter 19

"Let's go to Rockport for a few days," Onika announced suddenly the next morning at breakfast. "Since I'm off this week, this might be the only time we could get out there this summer."

"Onika, it's the middle of July. It'll be packed," Beyoncé replied fussily. "And getting a house last minute is probably impossible, and even if you could, isn't it a little expensive?"

Onika bit her lip and looked down at the bowl of pancake mix she was stirring.

"What? What's that look for?"

"We own a house there," Onika whispered, not meeting Beyoncé's gaze across the kitchen island. "Well technically, my parents own a house there, but since I live closer than my parents, I'm the one who primarily uses it and oversees management of the property. We rent it out quite a bit, but we usually keep a couple of weeks open in July and August."

"Oh." Beyoncé's voice was soft. Suddenly a smile graced her lips. "Then I guess let's go!"

"Really?" asked Onika hopefully.

"Yeah, why not? It'll be fun."

The smile that grew across Onika's face was brilliant. "After breakfast, we could pack and leave before lunch? What do you think?"

"Sounds good, Nicki," the young woman replied, mirroring Onika's grin.

"Will you go see if the kids are awake yet and please tell them we're going to head to the port for a few days? I'll finish breakfast here."

"Yeah, sure. Be back in a bit."

***********

"Okay, we're here. Everyone ready for the beach?" Onika asked excitedly as she and Beyoncé climbed out of the black Mercedes sedan, with Onika pressing the necessary button to pop open the trunk of the vehicle.

"Mama!" Anyla cried from her car seat. "Let me out! I hafta potty!" She kicked her feet out a couple of times for emphasis.

"Oh gosh. Come on," Onika replied in alarm, quickly releasing the safety belt of the little girl's car seat and grabbing the keys to the house from her purse in the floorboard beneath Anyla's dangling feet. She helped the curly haired version of herself out of the car and rested the girl on her hip, knowing that she could get them both into the house faster if she carried her. As she whirled around with her daughter on her left hip and the keys in her right hand, she headed quickly for the house, climbing up the front steps easily. Back over her shoulder, she said loudly to Beyoncé, "I'll be back out in a minute to help you unload the car, okay?"

Beyoncé waved her off with a smile as she began to help Jr. out of the car. "Hey little man, can you help carry your bag to your room?" She put her hand on his head and ruffled his hair a bit as she spoke, smiling down at him affectionately.

Jr. nodded as he walked around to the trunk, Beyoncé following behind. She lifted his bag and handed it to him. While he struggled a little at first because of the longer straps, finally he found a good enough way to carry the bag draped across his back to keep it from dragging the ground as he walked.

Rolling her eyes at the girly Princess Tiana bag, Beyoncé shrugged the light zippered tote onto her shoulder and reached for the next valise, pulling it to the edge of the trunk and then out. Though small, the suitcase was heavier than she expected and she lunged forward as she felt a painful twinge in her ribs, essentially dropping the bag to the ground. "Ah shit," she muttered under her breath, standing back up and massaging below her breast with her left hand.

She turned instead back toward the trunk and grabbed her own duffle bag, knowing the weight to not be of any issue. With a sigh, she trudged forward toward the steps of the beach house after Jr., leaving Onika's suitcase on the ground behind the Mercedes.