Two of a Kind [Closed] - Printable Version

Two of a Kind [Closed] - Printable Version

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Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 01-21-2017

megs and sarah
catch these hands

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 01-21-2017

Julianna had been hired two days ago by Sophia Kingston-Hart, social media empress and socialite, to be the new full-time nanny of nine month old twins, Lucy and James. They were very cute, and very sweet and Jules was already very attached to them. It wasn’t difficult, she loved kids and she loved her job and fell for things very quickly. They had bright blue eyes and curly blonde hair. They didn’t really look like their mother. Pictures around the house informed her they like looked much more like their dad.

Her interview had been brief. Almost too brief, and Julianna was glad that she had been chosen instead of someone who could have potentially brought harm to the children. Mrs. Kingston-Hart had seemed intent on hiring her simply based on her references and credentials. She also mentioned that she was short on time. Sophia had accepted a public speaking tour on the west coast, suddenly and unexpectedly, leaving her in a bit of a bind when it came for childcare.

Mrs. Kingston-Hart had left acclimating Julianna to her new duties as a task for her assistant. She also mentioned that her husband, Owen, was rarely seen around the house. This information sort of puzzled Jules as she expected at least one of the parents to spend some time with the kids. Julianna had moved into the rooms allotted for her in the Kingston-Hart penthouse the same day. She had little in the way of belongings, clothing and a few personal items which was perfect since she hadn’t been given much time to settle. Sophia had taken off the next morning. Jules had stood at the door with little Lucy on one hip and James on the other to wish her well, Sophia had given her a list of phone numbers that were to be used ‘only in the event of an emergency’ a credit card that was ‘only for household expenses’ and had left with the barest of farewells to the children.

Even Sophia’s assistant had only stayed long enough to give her a binder she had compiled of any information she thought would be necessary, and to give her copies of the keys to the penthouse. When she inquired about Mr. Hart, the assistant had explained that he was away on business, but would be returning soon. She did not specify how soon. The events seemed to happen in a whirlwind, leaving Julianna stunned and breathless, standing in the living room with a two happily babbling toddlers in her care.

Regardless, Jules and the kids were getting along like the best of friends. The children found one way or another to cling to her, and were surprisingly quiet and well-behaved. Surprising, given the lack of attention they seemed to receive.

She had quickly gotten over the overwhelming feeling. She had a job to do after all and it wasn’t like Lucy and James were going to wait for her to stop being confused. Walking into the kitchen, Jules secured both babies into in their high chairs at the island. The twins were content to babble and giggle at one another and watch Jules while she prepared dinner. Pushing the sleeves of her sweater upwards towards her elbows, she looked over the meal plan she’d printed out and set upon the counter. James and Lucy had a meal plan, sent over from a specialized child nutritionist. Wealthy families, right? Jules could only shake her head and do what she was expected to do. Sweeping her hair up into a ponytail to keep it out of the way she clapped her hands together. “Let’s get started shall we?” She smiled at the kids, and Lucy giggled while James imitated her hand clapping.

Tonight’s dinner called for chicken and butternut squash.Seemed a little fancy for babies less than a year old, but Jules deduced it was some sort of baby-paleo-thing, which didn’t surprise her since the diet was all the rage, currently. The plan had demanded everything be organic, and free-range, etc. which is exactly what Julianna had bought from the fancy health food store that had been recommended to her, when she and the Hart children had gone shopping earlier.

The kids were currently only permitted to listen to classical music, so the dreamy sounds of Chopin’s nocturnes played lightly over the in house speaker system as she cooked.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 01-23-2017

When the scent of herbs and cooking greeted him just outside the door to his penthouse, Owen wasn't sure if he had the correct suite. Of course he did. The top most floor. But the smell of cooking. Impossible. He was juggling his house keys, a leather attache, his rolling suitcase, and a laptop case as he entered his home.

The door swung open, and he stepped inside, "'Ey! I'm home." He called while he struggled with his keys in the door knob. Once free he continued, full armed into the kitchen. The wheels to his suitcase came to a rolling scratch stop on tile, and he shoved the handle down with a click. There was a woman he didn't recognize - who wasn't his wife - cooking in his kitchen. If the scene weren't odd enough, Owen felt as if he were in a dream. Chopin's nocturnes adding to the mystique. His brows knit together in a suspicious frown as his eyes shifted over the scene. Hot food in the pan. A small woman. His babies.

The babies!

He dropped his keys with a clatter to the counter, unshouldered the leather case, and dumped the laptop on the floor by his suitcase before he moved to the twins who were already greeting him with happy gurgles and rhythmic cries of 'dadadada.' The concerned father pressed a kiss against James' head first, before he moved to pick up Lucy who was reaching for him and grunting unhappily as if she were threatening to fuss.

For a moment he had questioned once again whether he was in the right suite, but his offspring proved evidence enough that he had the right home. "That's right, your dad's home."

He turned to address the woman, "Excuse me, um, who are you? What are you cooking there?" Owen's concern was fading as the children seemed alright. Lucy was pulling at his silver tie and had drooled on the shoulder of his white button up already. He stared down at the stain and slowly removed the fabric from her fingers before smoothing his hand over the fine curls of blonde hair growing from her head.

It was becoming clear that his wife was absent from the household and she had perhaps left another woman in her stead.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 01-24-2017

Even over gentle piano music and rambling babies Julianna noticed the sound of keys in the door. She leaned backwards and craned her neck as if she would be able to see the front door from the kitchen. Which she could not, so she settled back in front of the stove. She wasn’t particularly alarmed because she assumed anyone that had a key was supposed to be there and if she didn’t know them she would shortly. Granted, the only people she had been acquainted with were Mrs. Kingston-Hart and her assistant.

A masculine voice announced his presence, but she refrained from calling back since she obviously didn’t recognize the sound. Footsteps seemed to imply that he was coming in their direction so she waited for him to appear. “Oh!” she breathed when a tall, blonde man rounded the corner and stepped into the kitchen. She recognized Owen from pictures around the house and a Google search she may have done on him earlier, but she was surprised to see him as he had been described to her as elusive. “Welcome home, Mr. Hart,” she greeted cheerfully, with a bright smile as she continued to push squash around in the cast iron skillet as is bubbled in a agave honey glaze. Her smile faded, expression falling towards puzzled as she noticed the dubious way he was frowning at her.

Eyes tracked him as he dropped his things and went to the twins with a protective sort of hurry in him. Her brow furrowed, confused, and her gaze fell away as she turned back to simmering mixture on the stove. The twins were obviously very excited to see him, in that adorable way that babies often were. She listened as he greeted them behind her back, turning with a curious hum when he asked who she was. She cocked her head at him, eyes narrowing with her confusion. He didn’t know who she was?

“I’m Jules? Uhm. Julianna. Uh. Haven. I’m the nanny. For the twins? Mrs. Hart just hired me?” Julianna turned back to the stove briefly to lower the heat on the burner and cover the mixture with a lid. “Chicken and butternut squash,” she explained, her tone still ringing with uneasy concern. Had she done something wrong? “It’s on the twins’ meal plan.” She pointed to the laminated sheet she had left on the kitchen counter. She cleared her throat, nervously, holding the spatula she had been using in both hands, which hovered against her chest.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 01-24-2017

Owen moved with Lucy to place her back in her highchair but she latched onto his tie and refused to let go of him. Her lip jutted out, shiny with drool, and she made a hitching noise in her throat once again threatening to fuss if he didn't comply with her clear instructions. He sighed and hoisted the child back into his arms, fixing her against his hip so he could move around in the kitchen. Lucy was content to remain in her father's arm and had occasion to put his tie in her mouth while he was busy not looking.

Owen snorted when Julianna 'Jules' Haven called his wife by 'Mrs. Hart.' He gathered his wife hadn't spent much time with the nanny to have reinforced her preference for her hyphenated name. He glanced down at his daughter as she chewed at his tie. "Oh no Lucy, it's not clean." He tried, gently, explaining as he removed the fabric from her mouth and loosened the tie to take it off and out of her reach. The drool stained grey fabric was abandoned on the counter.

"My wife likes Kingston-Hart." He corrected her good-naturally. More a passing along of vital information for future needs rather than in a scolding way. "And, yes. The nanny. Okay." Owen tried to pretend his wife had informed him of her household hiring choices and that he had simply forgotten. This was not the case, at all. And the man was left wondering why he bothered trying to lie to cover her neglectful ways.

He spoke with an obvious German accent that had been refined for better English enunciation over the years. The prosody of his speech lacked the fluidity of native English speakers. He retained the staccato characteristic of his native tongue.

"What are your qualifications?" He asked as he moved around the nanny to angle at the pan she had covered. He uncovered the food and frowned at it but found nothing was out of order and that it smelled quite nice. "Do you have references? Is it - ah -" he paused searching for the word, "customary to have - say - a trial run before you start work?" He emphasized the word that had taken a moment to come to him, carefully pronouncing vowel sounds which did not come naturally to him.

Owen though he had lied to cover his wife, still felt the need to confirm her choice in hiring. Had she even bothered to vet the candidate she had left their children with?

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 01-25-2017

“Kingston-Hart,” Julianna repeated, acknowledging the correction and committing the detail to memory. “Certainly.” Despite his words stating otherwise, she was still getting the impression that he was not aware that she had been hired. Which she found concerning. She cleared her throat again, it was tight with nerves. She quickly reached behind her to set the spatula on the counter and dropped her empty hands to her side, but it didn’t do much to make her appear less awkward. Which she usually wasn’t, but she’d never found herself in this situation before either.

He sounded different in the way he spoke to her now, than he did in interviews. On the YouTube videos she had watched his accent had been stronger. It was still very noticable, but also more controlled in a way.

Julianna stepped away from the stove when he moved closer, but she couldn’t help but smile at Lucy perched on his hip. The child responded with pleased babbles of her own, reaching for Jules with one wet hand. James seemed to be piecing together that Lucy was getting more attention than he was. He was still in his high chair, observing the adults and his sister as they mingled around the kitchen.

The nanny blinked up at Owen when he asked for her qualifications. “Oh. Well, I have a degree in early childhood education and development,” she paused, her gaze sliding across the island to James. He looked right back at her and she noticed the way his face screwed up, the tremble of his bottom lip. He reached for her. Julianna walked over and pulled the other twin into her arms. He instantly brightened now that the injustice he had felt had been righted. “I am CPR and First Aid certified, I am also certified in infant care and positive discipline.” She could have gone on and on about her various certificates and training courses. She was a professional nanny, after all, and she took pride in the position. She paused, however, because he had moved on to another line of questioning.

“I will get you a copy of my resume,” she offered, and without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel with James in tow and disappeared further into the house. She returned a few moments later, holding an impressive and orderly stack of papers held together by a clear booklet sleeve.

She nodded when he inquired about a trial period. “It’s not uncommon for me to work directly with the family for the first few days. Usually a week. Mrs. Kingston-Hart made it very clear that she needed me immediately, however. I believe I was verbally recommended to her by the wife of Senator Barnell. The last family I worked for. You can find their contact information in my resume.” She pressed her lips together, effectively silencing herself, realizing that she had rambled a ton of information at him at once. She shifted on her feet, switching James over to the opposite hip.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 02-14-2017

Owen watched the nanny interact with his pleased daughter with a little bit of suspicion. He noted the way Lucy reached for this other woman, so ready to trust and love. Perhaps the twins had conducted an interview of their own with her and she’d passed. Even so, he wasn’t done confirming her qualifications which she promptly listed upon his request.

He pursed his lips and nodded as she ticked off each item. She abandoned the spatula, so he picked it up. Something to do to occupy his free hand. He lazily pushed around the sizzling mixture in the pan while Jules went to fetch her resume. While she was gone he frowned at Lucy. “What do you think?”

Almost as if she understood what he was asking, she bounced enthusiastically on his hip and made a noise that sounded somewhere between a laugh and a screech. Then she blew an impressive spit bubble.

Owen used a paper towel to clean the infant’s mouth of spittle after the bubble popped on her lips. “High praise there.” He muttered as he discarded the napkin.

Julianna presented him with a resume that was essentially meaningless as far as he was concerned. People could easily fake a resume. He’d dealt with exaggerators and liars plenty in his career. Nonetheless, he set it on the counter and thumbed through the papers she’d handed over. It seemed believable. The best page was the references. That was what couldn’t be faked. A quick phone call and the house of cards could easily be blown over.

His ears pricked at a familiar name, “Senator Barnell? I see.” He shuffled the papers back together and shrugged. “Well, uh,” he hesitated awkwardly, not sure how to communicate his acceptance of her employment seeing as to how she had already started irrespective of his consent, “welcome aboard? If there is anything you need for the babies, the house, yourself. Please feel free. Let me know.”

Now that the matter of the nanny was settled, he suddenly wondered what had caused Sophia to jet off unannounced. He pulled out his phone and frowned at the lack of messages or calls from his wife. Then glanced up at Julianna, "Did Sophia's assistant give you a copy of her travel itinerary?" He was embarrassed to have to ask such a thing, but it appeared that even though he was Sophia's husband, he was out of the loop as to her whereabouts at the moment.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 02-14-2017

Though he did not appear to entirely approve of her presence, Julianna smile brightly when he welcomed her and offered to work with her in regards to caring for the children. “Thank you,” she chimed pleasantly, switching James from one hip to the other. The lock of dark curling hair he had been toying with was pulled across her face as he held fast to it. Gently, she pulled it from grabby fingers and let if fall back against her chest. James pressed the flat of his hand against her cheek in some sort of protest, but she didn’t pay it any mind. “And, of course, if you need anything from me, I am here to help.”

Julianna switched off the stove and moved to return James to his high chair. Relinquishing herself of the clinging toddler was a bit of a challenge, he threatened a tantrum as soon as she neared the high chair. The twins seemed more than content to be cuddled and toted around at all times. The nanny shushed him quietly, securing him in the chair and running a hand over his curling blonde hair as his bottom lip began to quiver. “It’s time for dinner,” she explained, and though his feet kicked against the rung, he didn’t cry.

She maneuvered around the kitchen with ease. It had not taken her long to orient herself with the simple set up. Everything seemed to be stored exactly where you would expect it to be. More akin to a display in a store than an actual home. Rising on her toes to reach the higher self, she pulled down two portioned plates, plastic and decorated with the faces of animals and two sippy cups. She cocked her head, signaling that she was listening to his question even though her back was turned. She dropped back down and hummed. “No, I didn’t get a copy,” she admitted. “Ms. Portian explained that her travel arrangements were currently ‘in flux’.” Her tone implied the air quotes that her hands didn’t gesture. "She said she would stop by when she had everything in order." She worked around Owen as he stood in the kitchen. “Mrs. Kingston-Hart-” the name was a mouthful and would quickly get tedious. “Did mentioned an electronics convention in Las Vegas.” She smiled at him again, hoping he could find the small bit of information useful.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 02-22-2017

Grey eyes tracked a dark lock of hair as it was pulled over Julianna’s face and then released at her insistence. “Right.”

Owen followed suit in depositing the baby back in her high chair for dinner. Lucy put up less of a fight about the change in situation. Perhaps she was more enthusiastic about food. Owen grabbed James’ kicking feet and pressed a succession of quick and over exaggerated kisses to the toes in the hopes that the boy would cheer up. The child managed a smile and even a hiccuping sort of laugh which satisfied Owen that he wouldn’t throw any tantrums.

He poured himself a glass of red wine while observing the newly hired nanny maneuver around the kitchen. Some of the cabinets seemed a little high for her stature and he made a mental note to order her a stool.

His eyebrows knit together in a concerned but more annoyed frown when she admitted she hadn’t received any itineraries from his wife’s personal assistant. He wondered why Sophia kept the woman in her employ when she was so evidently neglectful of essential tasks. It was easier for him to blame the neglectful personal assistant than it was to admit to himself that his wife was just as neglectful, if not more, of her own husband.

He hummed in dissatisfaction as he sipped at his wine. “I thought she was skipping it.” He muttered more to himself than the nanny. He shrugged off his annoyance and took a more hearty gulp of his wine.

“Let’s change the music.” He suggested. “I heard on the radio that Selena Gomez dropped a new fire single, I haven’t heard the full song yet.” Owen was fully aware of how ridiculous that phrase must have sounded coming from this fancy business man in his upscale condominium speaking somewhat awkwardly with a slightly disguised German accent. His eyebrow arched mischievously revealing the playful man beneath the business-class veneer.

“Do you like Selena?” He asked, “I was so relieved when she and Justin broke it off. They were so toxic. Did you see that hot model she posted on Instagram? The blonde fellow drinking that orange drink? Justin was so jealous. I mean it was very transparent of Selena, but gotta give to a girl who knows what kind of reaction she wants to provoke and goes for it.”

He sipped again at his wine, eyes sparkling, with a funny little smile on his mouth. What did a billionaire entrepreneur know about pop culture? Apparently enough to rival a teenage girl.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 02-22-2017

Julianna smiled as she watched his attempts to cheer James up as she continued preparing dinner for the twins. It was always comforting for her to watch parent and child interact. It was a sad thing to have witnessed in her career, but sometimes these small and necessary shows of affection weren’t always present.

She focused on cutting chicken and squash into small cubes that could be handled by the children. A frown had settled on his features as he sipped almost pensively at his wine. Julianna assumed that he was just uncomfortable with her. A strange woman appearing in his home unannounced and being handed charge of his babies in their mother’s absence. It was certainly enough to set anyone on edge. Lifting herself upwards on her toes, and leaning forward slightly, she reached across the island to place food within reach of the hungry toddlers. They wasted no time picking up pieces of chicken and vegetables with chubby fingers; shrieks of excitement resounded as they poked and squished at the food before it eventually made its way into their mouths.

The nanny resisted the urge to shrug again when she overheard him muttering about Sophia skipping out on the convention. Though she didn’t know the answers to his questions and concerns regarding his wife’s decisions and whereabouts, she didn’t like admitting it. She worked on cleaning up the dinner mess instead, letting him ruminate over his own wife as he pleased. Perhaps these tense moments would be easier for her to navigate when she’d spent some time in the family’s employ.

Julianna didn’t react when he suggested changing the music, just continued running a Lysol soaked paper towel over the surface of the granite counter tops. It was his house after all and if he wanted to veto the soothing sounds of baby Mozart, then who was she to stop him. She did take pause however, when he mentioned the young popstar. She devolved into giggles, she couldn’t help it. She stood straight, and pressed the back of her hand against her mouth, turning to look at him, caught up in the enthusiastic way in which he spoke about the celebrity.

“Sorry,” she managed between chuckles. She inhaled deeply, as if to ward off another fit of laughter. “I’m not laughing at you,” she explained. Moving around him she deposited the soiled towels in the trash. The twins continued to slowly make their way through dinner, noisily babbling to one another and watching the adults move around the kitchen. “I do like her music,” she admitted. She knelt near the stove, to poke through a cabinet to find a container to store the rest of the food in. “I don’t follow her on Instagram, though. Was there a lot of drama with this blonde guy?” Julianna was genuinely curious, but also content to encourage him to talk more on this subject he was clearly entertained by. Perhaps, the conversation would ease some of his discomfort with her.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 04-09-2017

Owen was already moving to the iPod stereo dock to change the music. He opened Spotify and searched for the new song he had described to Julianna while she giggled at his love of pop music. Her laughter wouldn’t offend him. He’d endured a fair amount of jokes and suffering for his music tastes over the years. A tall serious looking German man with broad shoulders enjoying modern popular music marketed to pubescent girls, he had to admit, was kind of funny.

Owen wasn’t above laughing at himself and so he joined Julianna in a chuckle or two at his own expense.

Julianna asked a follow-up question and Owen made his way back towards the kitchen. He leaned against the counter near to where she bent looking for tupperware. He leaned down somewhat assuming a kind of hot-gossip-to-follow posture. His eyebrow arched mischievously and he hummed a yes into his wine before responding.

“Oh yes. Drama indeed. A, uhm, a - what do you call it -” he snapped his fingers as he searched for the word. “Radio disc jockey asked Justin about it during an interview not too long ago. He called the handsome blonde a chump.” A giggle sneaked out of Owen, “I thought that was such a funny word. Chump.”
He sighed to withhold more giggling over the English word he found amusing.

“Anyway, I know it’s weird.” He gestured to himself rolling his eyes, “Liking American pop music. But it helped me when I was learning English to learn the slang. And, I don’t know, I got hooked.”

The song playing in the background had transitioned into a rhythmic phrase. The twins bounced happily in their chairs along to the rhythm. The word booty could be heard repeating in various rhythmic loops. A snorting sort of laugh erupted from Owen into his wine mid-drink, causing the beverage to spill down the front of his shirt.

He cursed in German and wiped uselessly with his bare hand at the red drink that soaked into his shirt.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 04-19-2017

Looking up at Owen when he moved near her, she held his gaze as she lifted herself from the floor, appropriate pieces of Tupperware in hand. With a close as he was she could see the streaks of blue in his mostly grey eyes. She should have taken a step back from him, probably, but the view was nice and the way he leaned in made their conversation seem confidential. She didn’t know why she liked that about when the topic was idle celebrity gossip. She liked the way he used he hands to find the write words. She liked his cologne.

She needed to stop mentally listing things that she liked about him.

Julianna didn’t bother to muffle more giggles at the word he also found entertaining. “I don’t think it’s weird,” she offered, spooning the remains of the twins’ dinner into the plastic containers. “It’s popular music, people are supposed to like it. That fact that it helped you keep up with all the weird slang that pops up is...kinda cool really.” Snapping a lid onto the container she looked up to smile warmly at him, before sliding around him to slip the container in the fridge.

The nanny visibly winced as the word booty was repeated more times than she would have preferred around the young twins. She had a feeling that was going to come back and bite her...well, in the booty.

The tone of an expletive was universal, regardless of the language and Julianna turned to find Owen had spill wine down his white dress shirt. With a small noise of surprise, she immediately, she pulled a rag the hung from the rung on the stove and moved close enough to dab it against the spreading stain. “You should take this off.” Though a suggestion, it managed to sound like a curt demand. “I can get the stain out before it’s ruined.”

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 04-25-2017

Julianna wasn’t the only one enjoying when they stood close together. He rather liked the way she had to tilt her head to look up at him. The slight crane to her neck elongated it. He liked that part of a woman’s body. The neck. A soft and intimate place. Why he was thinking such things about a nanny was beyond him and he did his best to push the inappropriate thoughts out of his mind blaming it on the wine and his empty stomach.

“Thanks.” He smiled appreciatively when she complimented his use of popular music to learn slang as ‘cool.’ “You are too generous. It’s really nerdy, actually.”

The next few moments blurred. The twins bouncing in time with 'booty' music, his own laughing, and then a spill of wine down his shirt. Before he knew it the nanny was brushing at the purplish stain on his formerly crisp white work shirt and suggesting he strip.

A good idea.

He set his wineglass down on the counter and unbuttoned his shirt for her to shove it off his shoulders. He handed off the shirt and laughed his mistake off. “I think it’s a sign I need to drink some more on an empty stomach.” As if to punctuate his statement he took another drink from his cup before glancing down at his chest. The wine has soaked through to his undershirt too. “Shit, really?” He tsked at himself and the proceeded to strip out of that shirt as well leaving him completely undressed from the waist to the crown of his head. He was unabashed at his own semi-nakedness forgetting that Americans were more often than not much more sensitive about bodily exposure, even benign exposure.

Owen handed off the second shirt and moved to refill his wine glass. Full glass in hand, he walked over to the babies to kiss each twin on the top of the head. He seemed to like pressing little kisses to the soft hairs atop his children’s heads.

“I’m afraid I’m not making much of a good impression.” He said between kisses. “Don’t know where my own wife has gone. Exposing my impressionable babies to filthy pop music. Drinking and spilling on myself. And cussing.”

He sighed and sipped at his wine. “I promise I’m not usually this...I don't know. Messy. I've had a long business trip is all. I need to unwind.”

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - megs - 04-25-2017

Jules dropped the rag in the counter and retrieved the shirt from him. She laughed a little at his joke, though somewhat distracted by the task at hand. Draping it over her arm, she examined the stain. Not too bad and still fresh enough that some good old household tricks would easily take care of it. She lifted her attention from the stain to inform Owen of this, but found that he was removing his undershirt as well.

Her unfortunate height put her eye level at his collarbones. She would be unable to deny later the obvious dip of her eyeline down the expanse of his exposed abdomen. She reached for the other shirt he was attempting to hand off to her, positively blushing red and distracted, this time by the defined muscles that seemed to lead her gaze and disappear beneath his tailored slacks. She clung tight to the undershirt as if it were a life preserver and she was being swept away in a tide. Thankfully, he moved out of her sights to refill his wine. She blinked away the impression of his body on the back of her mind and cleared her throat as she also moved to tend to the wine stains.

She had meant to laugh. To brush off his apologies with an airy sound but she heard herself giggle instead. An honest and girlish chirrup of a noise. She pressed her lips together, face on fire, mahogany color spreading towards her freckled shoulders, luckily hidden beneath a soft sweater. The twins clapped and babbled for their father’s affection.

“No worries,” she almost sang, tone turned melodic in her continued self-embarrassment. “There’s plenty of time for impressions.” She giggled that giggle again and immediately felt as if she wanted to crawl into a hole. "I trust that you are normally very well put together." The words were pushed together as she spoke too fast; a part of her wanted to touch his him. He looked very...solid.

She turned on her heel quickly. “I'm going to take care of this and then I'll put the twins to bed,” she explained hurriedly as she very nearly scurried towards the laundry.

RE: Two of a Kind [Closed] - saronym - 04-25-2017

Owen had been too caught up in kissing his babies and rambling and drinking wine to consider whether his partial state of undress would be embarrassing for the nanny. But that giggle, that first giggle drew his attention. He cocked his head just slightly like an animal trying to discern the sound it had just heard? Good sound or bad sound?

It was hard to tell.

But what he could tell was that her face seemed flushed.

And then there it was that giggle. It was neither positive nor a negative sound. A giddy noise. A nervous noise. A confused and rather blank smile was frozen on his face.

Was she?

Did she?

No. No way.

“I’m really not.” He countered but she was kind of running away already to the laundry room. “Take your time. It’s no big deal.” He called after her. He gazed down at the twins who were staring up at him with wide eyes. He shrugged at them as if to say ‘I don’t know what I did to the nanny’ and sipped at his wine again. He had a pretty good buzz going.

While Julianna was tending to the stain, Owen sneaked away into his bedroom to change. He quickly replaced his slacks with some drawstring sweat pants and covered his upper body with a black tank top. The activity took not more than two minutes but that length of absence was enough to get the twins fussing.

Owen trotted back to the kitchen ,gingerly holding his wine as to not slosh it on their carpet. A stain there he would never hear the end of from Sophia. “Look daddy’s here.” He called to the babies whose fussing settled down some upon his reappearance.

Owen re-started the Selena Gomez song and let the twins down from their highchairs. He joined them on the floor of the living room allowing them to stumble and crawl around him and on the floor as they saw fit. He moved his wine glass here and there to keep from spilling and offered encouragement when either of the twins tried something new. Like using his body as leverage to climb on to the couch.