Page 8 of Manny for the Alien
“Great. The car seats are all in the closet by the front door,” he said. “Her friend lives around the block and her mother usually walks them home.”
He went to each of them as he spoke, taking the time to place a kiss atop each child’s head before heading for the doorway where he paused and looked back at me.
“Thank you and good luck. Call me if you needanything.”
I barely had a chance to nod before he was gone, running off to do some important medical work, probably saving lives.
For a moment I stood there, feeling so overwhelmed as I took in the sight of the messy toddlers and imperious child.
They all expected me to take care of them. I didn’t think I could do it. I’d made a huge mistake.
“Marco!” Iris said, drawing me from my thoughts and I looked down to find her offering me a soggy cheerio.
I took it, heart warmed as though it was the most thoughtful gift I’d ever received.
Then I took one of the kitchen cloths, wiped Aster down while he tried to chew on the fabric, picked him and Iris up, took them to the front door and then went back for Azalea.
“Ready?” I asked her.
She nodded.
“You have your school bag somewhere?”
She lifted it off the back of her chair.
“Lunch inside?” I asked.
She nodded again.
“Great.”
Somehow, when the driver arrived, we were all outside, wearing shoes, car seats ready.
Watching Azalea run off to her school friends, made me feel like I’d accomplished some amazing feat. Like I could do anything in the world.
Even coming home to the mess wasn’t so bad.
I found markers and coloring books and Iris and Aster colored happily while I straightened out the kitchen.
They took a lot of entertaining. We played in the playroom, watched a bit of TV, ate a quick lunch and then went back to playing.
By the time Azalea came home, accompanied by a school friend’s mother, I was tired but proud.
“How was your day?” I asked.
She shrugged.
“Fine.”
Without saying much more, she went into the living room and a moment later I heard a kids show start playing.
Choosing not to push it, I set the other two on the couch with her and went to the kitchen to start dinner.
Hyacinth had said that he didn’t like human food very much, but I still wanted to make something nice for him and the kids, especially after a long day at work.
Since the kids were occupied, I searched through the cupboards until I found enough ingredients to put together into a vegetable curry.
When it was ready, I set the table with a spot for each of the kids and then went to get them. To my chagrin, both Aster and Iris were fast asleep.
