When Bruce came home he smiled to himself. He had missed the kids deeply and hadn’t been able to get Vicky out of his mind. They were outside to greet him again, just as they had been the first time he had gone on a business trip. He was flattered by the devotion of his children and held his arms open wide to embrace each little body as they ran to him.
“Hey guys, how did it go?”
“Good,” the chorus of small voices said. He squeezed his children tight and then looked out over their heads to catch sight of Vicky. She was watching the sight with a sweet little smile, and then caught his eye, looking away quickly with a small flush darkening her cheeks.
“Good,” Bruce said, smiling inwardly. So, Vicky had felt the same way about him, huh? It had been hard to be away for so long. Not only because of his kids, but because of the unbridled passion festering just below the surface…
“I made dinner,” Vicky said. “It’s ready whenever you all are.”
She smiled at him shyly. “Welcome home,” she added.
Bruce watched her leave, the bear within him struggling to come to the surface. But he couldn’t allow that. No, not with his kids right there. He would have to keep fighting it. This was something he couldn’t battle on his own. He wouldn’t be able to resist her for long if they were alone together. So, the key must be to stay around the kids as much as possible. Getting himself close to the nanny was a terrible idea. It would ruin things for both. Wouldn’t it?
“Michael, what are you doing?”
Vicky’s cautioning voice made Bruce immediately alert. He hadn’t heard anybody else discipline his kids since his wife had lived with them, and the sound instantly agitated him. Those were his kids. Nobody talked to his kids that way but him. And even then, he did it differently.
“I’m going to play a game,” Michael said defiantly. “I’m not hungry. I like my dad’s cooking better.”
A small surge of pride coursed through Bruce and he eyed Vicky, curious to see how she was going to react.
“It’s time to eat. You know we don’t play games until after we are finished eating.”
“You said whenever we’re ready,” Michael pointed out. “I’m not ready. I want to play a game instead.”
“Michael–”
“He’s right, you know,” Bruce interjected. “That’s what you said. I don’t think you need to make a big deal about this.”
Michael beamed at his father and turned a glaring eye to Vicky. “See? My dad understands.”
“Well, I also think you should show respect to your nanny,” Bruce said, suddenly regretting intruding on the precarious relationship between his son and Victoria. “This was a technicality. That doesn’t mean you show her any disrespect. Understood? When I’m not here, she’s the boss, plain and simple. when I am here, she is the boss. But if I say something you listen to me, not her. got it?”
Vicky cleared her throat in agitation and gazed out at Bruce and his son. She didn’t fight the comment, but it was clear she wasn’t thrilled about it either. He could hardly blame her.
“I know dad,” Mike said, fidgeting. “Can I play my game now.”
“Yes.”
“But that means you won’t get to eat,” Vicky pointed out. “You might end up hungry later. Do you understand the consequences of your actions fully?”
“I could have a snack, right?” Mike asked, turning his eyes to his dad.
Bruce shifted. “Uh…”
He looked to Vicky, then back to his son, and at the table full of good smelling food she had prepared for them. She had clearly worked hard on it, and Mike had basically just insulted her for it. Shouldn’t he be punished? But Bruce’s pride had already gotten them this far and he wasn’t sure he could let himself back down now.
“A snack maybe but it won’t be a meal like this. She’s right. You could get hungry later. Are you sure you want to play instead of eating? Once the food is gone it will be gone. Nothing else until tomorrow.”
Michael didn’t seem to like his father’s change in approach and glared from the table over to his game. “Oh.”
He shifted as Bruce and the others made their way to the table, clearly struggling internally with the decision. Bear shifters were known for their voracious appetites, especially growing boys like Michael. The idea of not being able to eat for the rest of the night, at least not until he was content, was a difficult one for him to resign himself to.
“I guess I will eat something,” Michael finally said. “Then I can play my game.”
“I think that was an excellent choice to make,” Vicky said approvingly. “I did try my hand at something I think you’ll like. But we will have to wait to try it until desert.”
“Desert?”
Michael had perked up now and Vicky smiled at him. All tension between them seemed to be eased for now and Bruce gaped at the scene in amazement. He didn’t like her disciplining his kids. He was definitely overprotective. But he also didn’t like the way they were trying to get away with things with Vicky now that Bruce was home. And he found it downright amazing that she had managed to shift the situation in a way that had allowed his son to think through the consequences of his actions and make an appropriate choice. She really was one of a kind, and Bruce found himself pleased to have access to her.
They sat down to the meal, and Bruce smiled out at his children. “Remember when I said I had a surprise?” he asked.
“Yes!” Marie shouted. The boys looked at him with bright, expectant eyes.
“I do. I want you to know this is something I have been waiting to do for you for a long time.”
“What is it?” Michael asked, unable to contain his excitement despite the strain of what had just happened between himself and Vicky.
“I’m going to have enough money to have a pool put in our yard. So, for the rest of the summer, you are all going to have a comfortable place to go swimming.”
Everybody looked excited about this news but Vicky. Bruce frowned.
“That means you too,” he said with a broad smile. “You can use it whenever you like. Provided the kids are well looked after of course.”
“Of course,” Vicky said with a faltering smile. “Thank you.”
“What’s the matter Vicky?” Greg asked, his voice innocent. “Do you know how to swim?”
“Oh, I know how to swim very well, thank you sweetheart,” Vicky said, giving Greg a warm smile. “It’s just that pools can be kind of dangerous with small kids around. there are a lot of rules you will have to follow to make sure nothing happens. But I know you are all very smart and will be able to follow them very well.”
“Yeah!” Marie shouted. “We are good swimmers too, huh daddy!?”
“Yes,” Bruce said, smiling at his young daughter. “You are all very good swimmers. I’m proud of you.”
“All bear shifters are very good swimmers,” Michael said self-importantly. “We aren’t like humans. It’s not as dangerous for us.”
“Oh, that’s a relief,” Vicky said, sinking back in her chair. Apparently, it weighed heavily on her mind for there to be threats to his cub’s safety, and for some reason that reaction caused Bruce to like her even more.
“Yeah, they shouldn’t have any issues,” he said to her. “Don’t worry.”
Vicky smiled warmly out at them all and nodded. “Then this is great news, isn’t it guys! What do you say to your father?”
“Thank you!” they all shouted enthusiastically.
Bruce was dumbfounded. Since when had his little rascals learned manners? This was a first. Between simply trying to keep them alive and meet their basic needs, etiquette had kind of been put on the back burner. It almost felt like a slight against him that Vicky had been working with them on these types of things. they were far more important in human customs than in bear shifter culture. But he couldn’t help but smile and nod at them.
“You’re very welcome,” he replied to the children.
Soon, they were all eating as the children chattered excitedly about the prospects of their new pool, such as what it would look like, how big it would be, and where it would be placed. Bruce and Vicky were quiet as they listened to them speak, exchanging private smiles with one another as they did so. It felt oddly intimate, in a way, to be listening and loving his children in a comparable way as another person.
They entertained Vicky just like he was, and they found similar things funny about the way they spoke. Their gentle innocence was so unassuming at times that it was comical. And Bruce was glad to be able to share in his delight with another person. Even if it made him like her a little bit more than he should.