Maya Williams had worked in fancy mansions before, but the Blake estate was the best. The polished marble floors, silver-framed photos of stern forebears, and fresh flowers that were delivered every day by a florist who never smiled made every area shine. Except for the sound of the grandfather clock in the hall, the place was as quiet as it was clean.
Her job was simple: do some light cleaning, cook sometimes, and help Mrs. Delaney, the head housekeeper. Nathaniel Blake, Lily Blake’s father, and a group of professional nannies were officially in charge of taking care of her.
But those nannies hadn’t been around lately. One by one, they departed without saying anything, saying that the baby was always crying, they couldn’t sleep, and their father’s expectations were too high.
The Night It All Started
Maya heard Lily crying one night as she was walking by the nursery. It wasn’t just a lot of noise; it was the desperate, breathless cries of a baby who had been wailing for too long.
She got in. Lily was in the cot with her small fists clenched and her cheeks blotchy from crying. Maya picked her up without even thinking about it.
“Shhh… it’s okay, sweetheart,” she said as she rocked back and forth.
The
Maya’s eyelids were heavy with sleep. She didn’t want to put Lily down, so she lay down on the mat with the baby sleeping comfortably against her bosom.
That’s when heavy footsteps came to a stop at the door.
The Fight
“What do you think you’re doing?”
The voice was loud enough to rouse her up. Nathaniel Blake stood above her with a chilly look on his face. He yanked Lily out of her arms before she could say anything.
He
The baby started crying again right away, and its small hands reached out to Maya.
Maya sat up and remarked, “She just fell asleep.” “She has been crying for hours.” I was trying to be helpful.
But Nathaniel just grimaced and bounced Lily around awkwardly as the cries got louder.
Maya murmured softly, “She only sleeps when I hold her.” “Give her back.”
He thought about it for a bit. Then, almost against his will, he gave the infant over.
The change happened right away. Lily put her head on Maya’s shoulder and cried. After a while, her tears turned into hiccups and finally into quiet.
Nathaniel didn’t say anything. He watched as Maya rocked the baby and whispered, “I’ve got you, little one.”
A Change in the House
Nathaniel was quieter than usual at breakfast the next morning. He didn’t touch his coffee. Lily grieved for everyone but Maya that night, just like the night before. On the third night, Nathaniel was outside the nursery, listening to the sweet lullaby inside.
He said something when Maya walked into the hallway. “I’m sorry for how I talked to you.” It was not right.
Maya looked at him for a long time. “Lily doesn’t care about money or titles.” She just needs to be warm.
He looked down. “She won’t sleep until she feels safe.”
Maya said softly, “She’s not the only one.”
The Smallest Thing
Nathaniel showed up at the nursery door the next afternoon, not in a suit and not standing up straight. He was holding a nice knitted blanket.
He said, “This was mine,” in an unpleasant way. “I thought Lily might like it.”
Maya took the blanket and gently wrapped it around the baby, who was asleep. Nathaniel got closer. Lily moved and blinked at him. yet did not cry.
Maya told him to put his hand on his daughter’s back. The three of them stood there in the quiet room for a long time. They weren’t bonded by duty but by something much more human.
And it didn’t feel cold at all for the first time since Maya had come to the Blake house.
