I slipped in through the back door with my heels and handbag in my hand as I gently shut it. I had just put my car away and I wanted to sneak up to my room and go to bed.

I took a step back from the door and spun on my foot, sneaking through the service door, as I call it, straight to the stairs. I looked up and noticed there was a soft glow bouncing off the walls and thought to myself that Cody's door must be opened.

I gently took each step, noticing yesterday that one squeaked in a certain position. I'm going to have to tell Oliver to get someone out to look at that.

I turned to my left taking the inside balcony to my room. That's when I noticed that the light wasn't from Cody's room, but Oliver's. He was still awake, even though it's after 1am.

I nearly made it to my door when Oliver stepped out off his room, looking agitated.

He must have seen me drive up from his window. I know he could see me from it, but you can't see in.

I noticed that the other month, driving in.

"Right, come here." He said to me with a finger moving to the same notion. I sighed, puffing my cheeks out, as I closed my eyes and slumped.

I bypassed my door and went straight to his. Oliver closed his door as I turned to him. "Can't this wait till morning?" I whispered to him.

"It is morning."

He has started to pick up my quirky sense of humour. That's annoying.

"Daytime morning?" I grimaced at him. But he didn't answer and led me away from the door.

I noticed I still held my bag and shoes and carelessly dumped them on his bed as I placed my hands on my hips.

"Alright. Let's hear it." I demanded at him.

"Do you know what you're doing? And what time do you call this? Did you consider that? Are you two back together? Did you sleep with him?"

Wow. He ain't holding back.

"Yes I do, it's after 1am, yes I did, I don't know and none of your business." I snapped at him.

We both stared at each other waiting for the other to talk. I guess I'll go.

"I'm a grown woman. If I want to go on dates, I will. If I want to come home late, I will. Yes I know you will make my job harder tomorrow, you always do. I'm entitled to see people. I'm an adult, I know what I'm doing. If I want to sleep with him, guess what? I will." I didn't, actually. We just sat up, talking. Clearing the air.

"But why him?"

I gasped. "Uh. Why not?" I shrugged at him.

"Do you really want to go back to where you were the other week? Sulking and moping?"

I squinted my eyes at him. I didn't think I was that bad.

"Yes I did notice. I just didn't ask."

"Why? Because you thought it was inappropriate? Unprofessional?" I threw back his words.

Oliver didn't answer, he just threw daggers at me with his eyes.

"I'm not doing this." I muttered, throwing my hands up. "You get cranky when I go out, you're moody when I get home. I'm doing what you are paying me for. So what I do in my own time has nothing to do with you."

"When it concerns Cody's well being, yes it does."

"Stop using Cody as an excuse!" I screamed. My voice was so loud in the dead of the night.

The air thickened around us and I could hear ringing in my ears in the silence. I could feel the tears coming and I didn't want to cry in front of him.

I swallowed the hard lump as I slowly shook my head. He isn't going to say anything. I took a deep breathe before leaving his room.

I closed the door behind me and went back to my room.

I closed my door as I started breathing irregularly. He won't do anything.

I have to think about my future. I can't be here forever. Percy isn't the first person I had in mind two weeks ago to spend my future with. He still isn't.

But I'll be damned if I will be staying here, raising Cody, and being just a nanny or housekeeper and dancing the same dance.

****

The next day I had picked up my handbag that was still in Oliver's room after he left and took Cody to day care.

I gave him a tight hug and kissed his head before saying goodbye.

I drove back home. I technically had the rest of the day off till I picked up Cody.

Oliver was out.

I was alone.

I had a good talk to Percy last night at dinner. We spoke about everything that concerned both of our futures. But I still had the thought last night that had seeped in weeks ago.

I can't be a nanny forever. I can't be a housekeeper forever.

I need to move on.

I did what was on my list of things to do today. I worked hard and fast. I wanted this done before Oliver got back.

I closed the boot of my car. It was tiny but I was impressed. I didn't realise how much crap I had purchased while living here.

I heard a car coming behind me and I turned to see Oliver pull into the driveway.

I went back inside and finished the last thing I had to do.

I put back on his stupid dust protectors.

With my phone in my back pocket, keys in my hand, I pulled down the hem of my shirt and went and knocked on the study door.

I had left my hair out and it was still straight from last night. I liked it like this. Less knots. Easier to care for.

I opened the door as I usually would, regardless if Oliver answered.

I sat on the chair, where I sat so many months ago when I came in for an interview.

"Yes Monty?" Oliver clenched.

How do I start? I had the whole thing rehearsed in my head. Now it was blank. Oh fuck! Think!

I went to say something but before a sound could leave my mouth Oliver interrupted me.

"Do you think a more homey kind of house would be suitable for Cody instead of this one?"

I swallowed what I was going to say. "This place isn't exactly suitable for a child." Was he taking Cody back with him? Oliver did state this was his business house. And between me and Cody, it's far from that.

"So something more like a home and not a style statement?"

He didn't even look at me. He was too busy flipping through catalogues.

"Yes. A place with a yard and neighbours. Close to schools and the town centre. Somewhere that he can run like a boy without someone making sure he doesn't yonder too far down the property."

Every time Cody wanted to play outside, I had to stay near him. This estate was huge and he could get lost in the vast paddocks.

There were no neighbours here. The closest neighbour was a ten minute drive. Cody needed neighbours to know the local kids.

"He needs a place that's big, but not too big. Open as well. Like a French country kind of house."

That got his attention. "Out of all the architecture designs available, why French country?"

I shrugged. "I spent a year in one. The place was gorgeous. A lot of houses where I lived then were similar. Very elegant and beautiful."

Oliver went back to the books he was flipping through.

Come on Monty. I said to myself. I can do this.

"I'm sorry about the way I acted yesterday. And last night." He mumbled.

I wanted to tease him and make him say it again, but that was only delaying why I was here.

"But just because I apologised, doesn't mean I'm not right."

I know.

"And I don't like to apologise when I'm right."

And here we go... I couldn't hold back any more.

"You might be wrong."

Oliver sneered at me. "I'm not. He isn't right for you and you know it. You told me why you said no the first time. Why will now be any different?"

I couldn't give him an answer because I didn't know it. If I spoke though he would know I'm diverting the question more than my silence ever did.

Oliver stood up behind his desk, his hands as weights. "I don't even know the bloke and I don't like him."

"You don't have to know him. I just wanted you to tolerate him for me!" I cried out.

"I did the first time. I'm not doing it a second time."

I scraped my chair back and stood, staring at Oliver. "I'm not asking you to this time."

Oliver came over to me and stood straight in front of me. "So what's so different about this time?" He spoke quietly between his gritted teeth.

I just stared at him in his dark grey eyes. My jaw was clenched shut and refused to open. How he infuriates me!

"Why can't you just say it?" I whispered to him. Oliver rubbed the back of his neck and turned from me.

"Why should I?" He growled. "Why couldn't you just move on from him?"

"Because I don't see myself going anywhere else in my life. I don't want to be here forever, a nanny and a housekeeper. I want to find someone and love them as much as they love me. I want to raise my own family, not someone else's."

That had hurt both of us. I could feel it in me and see it on him.

Oliver stepped back away from me. "I think you should leave this room before I regret doing or saying anything."

I held my head up higher. "You should regret a lot of stuff you have already said to me." I snarled as I went to the door.

No, wait, I came in here for a reason. I turned back to Oliver who hasn't moved, glaring at me. The space between us was big as I took a deep breathe.

"Mr Black, I quit."