I love my nieces more than I ever expected to. They're two and four, with chubby little hands, easy smiles and mischievous eyes. Because of my brother's job, they live abroad in Taiwan, meaning I don't get to see them as much as I'd like, but every time I do I feel that familial bond tugging at me, shocking me with how much it's possible to feel for these tiny little humans who call me aunty.
My sister-in-law and I have never really been close; whether it's because of the distance or just a mismatch in values, she's never seemed particularly interested in getting to know me or our other siblings. Even my parents say they feel like they don't really know her.
Watch: Speaking of in-laws, the Mamamia team confessed the worst thing they said to their mother-in-law. Post continues after video.
Last month, for the first time, my brother told us he'd be bringing his girls over to Melbourne for a visit while his wife stayed back in Taiwan to work. We were thrilled with the opportunity to spoil the kids. They're the only grandchildren of my parents so far, and we immediately set to work planning a week of fun activities.
Because my brother and sister-in-law work full-time jobs, they have a live-in Nanny, Aria*, who helps take care of the kids. She travelled with my brother and the girls when they came out last week, and we immediately clicked. I could see how much the girls adore her and she them.
I'd organised for the girls to come over for a sleepover at my place on their third night in Melbourne - partly so my brother could have a break, but mostly because I wanted to give them as much unfiltered aunty time as possible.
Aria brought them over in the afternoon, and the plan was that she'd help settle them in, and if they were comfortable, she'd have a night off. If they needed a familiar face around, I'd set up the other spare room for Aria to spend the night as well.
We had a blast painting nails, building cubby houses and making ice cream sundaes, and the kids were right at home. It was about 6:30pm, and I was winding the kids down with a book before bed when Aria stuck her head in to let me know she was getting ready to leave.
"Are you sure you're okay with them on your own?" she asked me.
I told her I was just fine - we were going to finish the book and then maybe read one more before I tucked them in for the night.
Aria's face clouded.
"I think maybe just finish that one and then bedtime," she began.
"Okay," I laughed, "although I can't promise they won't twist my arm to read another!"
Aria didn't laugh. She looked to the corner of the room, then back towards me, and said "Miss Norah* would prefer they went to sleep after this book."
As she turned to leave, I followed her out of the room, leaving the girls in their room for a moment.
"Miss Norah texted me to ask me to tell you to finish up with the reading," she said apologetically. "She is strict on their bedtime."
"Ah," I responded, realisation dawning. I didn't want her to get in trouble with her boss. "Well, no problems, we'll finish up reading now and I'll put them straight down."
Aria lingered, looking as though she was debating with herself about something, then blurted out: "She can see you through the monitor."
I whipped around and stuck my head back in the door of the bedroom. There, resting on the side table, was what I had assumed was a simple baby monitor for me to check on the girls once they were asleep. Instead, it was a Nanny cam that my sister-in-law, at home in Taiwan, could log into.
"Has she done this before?" I blurted to Aria, shocked to discover my sister-in-law had been listening to every word in my home for the duration of the visit.
The nanny nodded nervously, then begged me not to say anything about it.
I thought back to the time my parents had come home from a visit to Taiwan after our youngest niece was born, hurt and confused because my sister-in-law had refused to let them look after our eldest without a nanny present. We'd thought she was just an overprotective mother in the throes of the postpartum phase, ready to give her the benefit of the doubt.
But setting up a hidden nanny cam without telling me? Not only is it illegal, it's deceitful. I still haven't decided how to broach the matter with my brother in a way that protects Aria from any repercussions, and I'm hesitant to create an issue with my sister-in-law in case she decides to stop the kids from being able to come and see us again.
I do know, however, that a large, bulky bag made its way to the side table, directly in front of the 'monitor', shortly after Aria had left the house. And that the cord somehow managed to dislodge from the power point too. You know how it is with technology - you just can't trust it!
*Names have been changed due to privacy.
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Feature image: Getty.
