16
Moreno
The fucking therapist appointment.
I almost forgot about it. Well, I wanted to forget about it because taking Nova to a shrink wasn’t my idea.
I have Dante and Nikki to thank for interfering in my business.
They’re trying to be helpful, looking out for the family, but that doesn’t make it easier. I don’t want to talk about Serene’s death, but it’s bound to come up.
There’s an email from the therapist asking me to fill out this stupid form before the session. I thought it was insurance shit, wanting information for payment, and I have enough cash just to hand her hundreds to not deal with it, but one glance and I’m dead wrong.
She wants a detailed report on our family.
The therapist is requesting that both parents be at the appointment.
Fuck.
I thought Nikki handled that bit of information?
Apparently not.
“You want to get out of here with Nova?” I shoot Paige a look.
A terrible idea is floating through my mind. I shouldn’t even suggest it.
She’s hesitant to answer. It’s no wonder I’ve already demanded that she can’t leave the premises with my daughter. “I thought the park was off-limits?”
I pour that second cup of coffee and let the hot, bitter liquid slide down my throat as I take a big gulp.
It is off-limits. I need her to accompany me to the therapist’s office and not as the nanny. Nova isn’t going to say a word, and Nikki would never go through with it.
Besides, it’ll keep the questions to a minimum, and we won’t have to talk about Serene’s murder.
I’m sure as shit not ready to talk about it, and Nova doesn’t speak.
Problem solved.
“I need you to come with me on Friday to an appointment for Nova.”
Her brow furrows. “I don’t understand.”
How could she? I exhale a heavy sigh. How do I explain this without sounding like a complete asshole?
Who the fuck cares? I’m grieving, and she’s my employee. She’ll obey me.
“You’ll be on the clock,” I say. “I’ll pay you overtime for accompanying me to Nova’s therapy appointment as her mother.”
She laughs.
The audacity she has to laugh at my pain. “You find this funny?”
The smile vanishes from her face and her complexion grows pale. “You’re serious?”
Paige thought I was joking with her. I don’t use humor as a crutch. “There are some things that I prefer to keep private. I require your services for Friday outside of the home with Nova. Is that a problem?”
Wordlessly, she shakes her head.