chapter one,
the storm

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FRANTIC knocking comes from the front door making me groan. "Tuck!" I call. He doesn't come. "Tuck! Someone's at the door!"

"Why can't you get it?" He asks.

"Because Full House is on!" I reply. He rolls his eyes and opens the door, talking to the lady for a moment before practically dragging her inside.

"Hey, y'all! Come meet our new nanny! I'm Tuck, and you are?" Tuck asks.

"Not a nanny. Look, my truck died, my phone died. I just need to use your phone-"

"Y'all get down here!" Tuck orders.

"I'm right here smart ass." I state as I stand up and stand with my siblings.

"Everybody, this is our new nanny." Tuck introduces.

"I'm not a nanny." The girl says.

"New nanny, that's Brody, Dylan, Melissa and Chloe." Tuck says making us wave.

"Hey, y'all. Is your mama or daddy around? I'm having a breakdown. My truck, and emotional." The girl says.

"Actually, our mama died two years ago." Tuck says.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." The girl says.

"Jesus, Tuck, stop making her sadder than what she already is." I spit. Dylan elbows me.

"And thanks for showing up, Nanny-" Brody starts.

"No, Bailey. Just Bailey. I just need to use your phone, call a mechanic, get back home, wherever that is." Bailey says.

"You forgot where you live? Did you check the tag on your backpack?" Chloe asks sweetly.

"Honey, I wish it were that simple. Never date a musician." Bailey says. Then, there's a clap of thunder and the lights go out.

Chloe clutches onto Bailey. "Oh, honey. It's ok. It's ok. I just need to use a phone. Cell phone. Home phone. Xylophone." Bailey says as the lights come on.

She begins to walk with Chloe still on her leg. "Oh, is that a phone?" She asks.

"It doesn't matter. Storm knocked out all the phone service." Tuck says.

"Of course it did. Why do you hate me?" Bailey asks the sky, causing another clap of thunder to boom through the house.

"Look how good she is with children!" Brody exclaims.

"She's straight up Mary Poppins, bro. I think nanny number ten is a winner." Tuck says.

"Ten nannies? What is wrong with y'all?" Bailey asks.

"Her." I state as I point to my little sister, Cassidy coming down the stairs. "She's got some anger issues."

"Are you kiddin' me? We're not hiring her just 'cause you fools think she's hot." Cassidy says to our brothers making me chuckle.

"You fools think I'm hot?" Bailey asks the boys.

"Smokin'!" Tuck exclaims.

"So hot." Brody says. Dylan just stands there.

"You have no idea how much that means to me. You can't imagine what I've been through, and for y'all to think-"

"Résumé, ma'am." Cassidy interrupts.

"I - I don't have a résumé, because I'm-"

"Because you think you can just stroll through life on your good looks?" Cassidy asks.

"No, because I'm not equipped to do anything." Bailey says.

"Tell you what, we'll double whatever you were making at your last job, unless, of course, we find out you were fired, in which case we'll have to cut your salary in half and strip your bonuses until you prove yourself. It's called playing hardball, people." Dylan says.

"It's called a hustle, Dyl." I point out. Another thunder clap making Chloe jump out of her chair.

"Sweetie, you mind sittin' next to me? I'm a little scared of thunder." Bailey says.

"Well, I guess if you're scared." Chloe says as she runs up to the couch and jumps onto Bailey.

The door opens and dad walks in with his girlfriend. "Lord help me, another brother?" Bailey asks.

"Ah! You flatter me. I'm actually the daddy of all these." Dad says.

"And I'm the daddy's girlfriend of all these." The blonde bimbo says. Honestly, I never bothered to learn her name.

"Well, you are early for your interview, and I like that." Dad says.

"Oh, actually, Mr-"

"Beau." Dad says.

"Mr Beau-"

"No, Beau's my first name." Dad says as he shakes Bailey's hand.

"Beau Beau?" Bailey asks.

"Just Beau." Dad says.

"Just - just my Beau." Blondie says as she walks between Dad and Bailey, holding onto him for dear life. "And who might you be?"

"Oh, I'm Bailey. I was-"

"Our new nanny." Cassidy says making me raise my eyebrows. "Bailey, Summer. Summer, Bailey."

"God, you are evil." I whisper to Cassidy.

"I know." She whispers back.

"All right, let's go, Daddy. Can't be late. See ya after school, Nanny." Tuck says as I pick up my backpack.

"Whoa, hold on there, Tuck. Your daddy hasn't even checked her references yet." Summer says.

"She thinks I look like their brother. You're hired." Dad says.

"Why are we wasting time? She's young, she's pretty, shes great with kids." Cassidy says.

"I'm not a nanny!" Bailey exclaims.

"That will greatly reduce your salary." Dylan says.

"Bailey, if you're not a nanny, what exactly you doin' in our house?" Dad asks.

"Well, it all started last night, when me and my boyfriend, Boone, were singing at Tootsies. Our bands been playing that club forever, but last night, Mr Sam Gold from Sam Gold Records was coming to see us. He's one of the biggest producers in country music. If he like you, it can change your whole life. And not to toot our own horns, but we crushed it." Bailey says. "Turns out, Mr Sam Gold didn't think we crushed it the way I thought we crushed it, and I was crushed."

"So, why are you in our house?" Dad asks.

"Well, needless to say, I was pretty devastated, but Boone didn't wanna wallow in our misery. He wanted to talk about our future. He picked none of me." Bailey says.

"Oh, you poor thing. I am gonna call you an Uber this minute to take you home." Summer says.

"I don't have a home. Me and Boone lived together." Bailey says.

"So that's why you were driving all night in this storm? You had no place to go?" Brody asks.

"No. Can you believe it? In one night, I lost my home, my career, and my man." Bailey says, now sounding annoyed.

"So, you're single?" Tuck asks. I grab the collar of his shirt and pull him back.

"Listen, if someone could please just give me a ride to the service station-" Bailey says, but she's interrupted by a thunder clap and the tornado alarm.

"Tornado!" Chloe exclaims.

"All right, come on. Y'all know the drill. Everyone in the basement." Dad says as we all start walking through the house.

We get down to the basement and start lighting up lanterns. "So, this is how it all ends." Bailey says. "What's under there?"

"It's the last nine nannies." I joke. Bailey chuckles, then her face turns serious.

"You're kidding, right?" She asks. I lay down on the floor and put my headphones in, listening to Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana.

I can't even hear the others talking. I can just see their lips moving. Then, I see everyone standing up because a window broke.

I sit down on one of the seats and see Bailey pick up a guitar. But I don't want to hear her sing. I want to hear Nirvana.

"Stop!" I hear Cassidy scream. That gets my attention. I take out my headphones and see Cassidy running off with Bailey's guitar.

She runs into a separate room and I stand up. "She doesn't like the Everly Brothers? I can do Doobie or Jonas." Bailey says.

"Cassidy?" Dad asks as he tries to open the door. "Cassidy, baby, open the door."

"What's happening?" Bailey asks.

"Honey, please." Dad pleads.

"I got ten bucks on her not opening it." Dylan says.

"Sweetheart, this has gotta stop." Dad says.

"What's gotta stop?" Bailey asks.

"You keep saying you're fine, but this is not a good indication." Dad says. "Honey, it's been almost two years since your mama passed. Please, just stop shuttin' us out. Baby?"

"I think maybe she needs a woman's touch." Summer suggests.

"I'm uppin' it to fifty." Dylan says.

"Mel, you're up." Tuck says as he pushes me towards the door. I roll my eyes and walk up to the green door Cassidy locked herself behind.

"Cassidy, open the door!" I order. It doesn't happen. "Cassidy Rose open the god damn door or I swear to god-"

It opens and I walk in, locking the door behind me. "Cassidy." I say softly as I sit down next to her.

"You need to stop." I whisper. Tears fall from her eyes and she hugs me. "Cass, we lost our mama too. Bailey didn't know. Cut her some slack."

"No." Cassidy states.

"Cassidy. Stop. You need to listen to me. I miss mama too. All right? But I don't run off crying when I hear music or when I hear her name. I drown myself in that, because it stops the hurtin'. Just, tell me when you miss her. Talk to me. God, we'll even make a secret signal so we can leave a room with no one knowin'." Cassidy chuckles. "Wanna go back out there?" I ask.

She nods and we both stand up. Cassidy opens the door, guitar in hand and looks at everyone. Then, she runs up the stairs crying.

"Cassidy!" I exclaim. We all start arguing and Bailey runs up the stairs.

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^outfit^