Page 7 of Manny for the Alien
The sounds of the kids carried down the hall. I already recognized Iris and Aster’s sweet voices. The more mature, slightly bossy voice that rang out saying “Daddy’s going to be really mad if he sees you doing that!” I took to be the eldest, Azalea.
Hyacinth glanced back suspiciously, but didn’t veer toward the kitchen to see what the kids were up to, instead continuing to lead me upstairs to my new bedroom.
The shimmery black ends of his tails swished back and forth, but that didn’t stop my gaze from drifting down despite myself, and watching the sway of his ass. Lord help me. He was perfecteverywhere.
Swallowing, I forced my eyes up to the back of his neatly trimmed dark hair as we reached the second floor.
After seeing the nursery, I was curious what my room would look like, but when he opened the door, I was surprised to see a plain, spacious, spare bedroom. It had a double bed against the wall, a wardrobe and beige walls and carpets. On the far side, a door led into a washroom.
It was a relief to see that I would have my own space. I would need that, I was sure, since I had never even lived in a house with four others, let alone with my boss.
Finally, I realized that Hyacinth was waiting for me to respond, perhaps worried that I didn’t like it.
“It’s perfect, thank you.”
He looked relieved.
“Great. I’m glad this will do.”
There was a loud shout from downstairs, followed by “Daddy!” hollered at top volume and he grimaced.
“I will meet you downstairs,” he said.
“I’ll be right down,” I reassured.
He left hastily and I stood there for a moment, looking around. I wasn’t exactly going to unpack right now. Not when he needed me to start as soon as possible.
With a fortifying breath, I turned and went after him.
The scene I met in the kitchen was basically exactly what I would expect to find when three small children were left unattended. There was orange juice all over the floor, Aster’s entire body seemed to be covered in peanut butter and jam and Iris was eating cheerios off the floor, first dipping each one in the spilled milk.
“I thought I already made you a sandwich!” Hyacinth said, exasperatedly.
“I wanted cereal,” Iris pouted as he lifted her back into her booster seat.
“I would have poured it for you,” he sighed.
“I tried to tell her,” Azalea said. “But she wouldn’t listen to me.”
“Next time, you listen to Azalea,” Hyacinth told Iris sternly and she preened.
Out of all the children, she looked the most like Hyacinth. The other two were paler, Iris was almost pearly white, but Azalea had the same shining blue skin and almond eyes as her father. Even her wings glittered with the same colors. But when she glanced over her shoulder and saw me standing there she glared.
“Aren’t you supposed to be cleaning up instead of my Daddy?” she demanded. “You do work for us now, right?”
I’d never been chastised by someone so small and nearly jumped out of my skin because she meant business with that tone.
“Right. Sorry,” I muttered, cheeks heating as I bent to take the towel from Hyacinth’s hands.
He let me have it but straightened and gave Azalea a hard look.
“You be kind to Marco,” he said sternly and she pouted, turning her attention back to her breakfast.
Hyacinth sighed heavily.
“She’s supposed to be at school in fifteen minutes,” he said. “Normally I drive her, but I don’t have time today. I ordered her a car, but she can’t go alone. It’ll be here in about ten minutes. Will you be able to take her?”
I nodded, already feeling flustered.
