“Why does she need a nanny? I mean, you’re clearly competent, and it’s obvious you care about her. Why not… do it yourself?” She stopped, her cheeks flushing crimson. “Forgive me if I overstepped.”
“No, it is a fair question. To answer, I cannot do it alone much longer.” So as not to disturb Pip, I kept my voice low. “I was in the military, Special Operations. I resigned my commission to adopt her, but I still do contract work. My work requires my physical presence and sometimes takes days at a time.”
“And you can’t bring her.” Danielle nodded.
“If I worked less dangerous assignments,” Andrek shrugged. “Perhaps. But an infant Yxian into combat zones? No.” I lookeddown at Pip’s sleeping face. “I have been turning down contracts for months. My savings are adequate for now, but they will not last indefinitely. I need to work. Which means I need someone I can trust to care for her in my absence.”
“Someone who doesn’t run away screaming.”
“In an ideal world, yes.” I met Danielle’s eyes. “You have not run away yet, which means you are ahead of the last three candidates.”
She laughed. “The bar is low.”
“It is,” I agreed, standing, keeping Pip stable against my chest. “Would you like to try holding her?”
I watched the color drain from Danielle’s face. “Now? While she’s sleeping?”
“In truth, it is the easiest time to practice. When she is awake and distressed, there is less room for error.”
“What if I drop her? What if she wakes up? What if…?”
“Danielle.” I kept my voice gentle but firm. “If you cannot hold her while she sleeps, you cannot be her caregiver. This is the first test. There will be many others.”
She looked at Pip, then at me, then her gaze flicked back to Pip. I could see the war happening behind her eyes.
Finally, she stepped forward. “Tell me how.”
Relief flooded through me. “Sit in the chair. Support will make this easier for your first time, and you will not fall.”
Danielle sat, her movements stiff and awkward. She arranged her arms the way I indicated, one supporting Pip’s lower body and the other cupping her head, both positioned to maintain contact with her fur. Yxian young needed near-constant tactile stimulation. Isolation distressed them on a neurological level.
“Ready?” I asked.
“No. Do it anyway before I change my mind.”
I transferred Pip, keeping one hand on her back until she settled in Danielle’s arms. Pip shifted, made a small noise, andI prepared to take her back. But then Danielle did something unexpected. She hummed a soft melody that was nothing like the resonance I produced. To my surprise, Pip settled.
I stepped back, giving them space, and watched as Danielle looked down at the infant in her arms. Her expression had transformed from fear to wonder.
“She’s so warm,” Danielle whispered. “And soft. Her fur is like touching a cloud.”
“Her coat requires daily brushing to prevent matting. I will show you the technique.” I pulled up the schedule on my data pad, projecting it into the air between us. “This is her routine. Feeding every three hours is the worst part. She requires a specialized formula that I have stockpiled, but we will need to order more within two weeks. Brush her fur twice daily. Temperature check every four hours to ensure she is not becoming hypothermic. She needs tactile stimulation throughout the day and vocal interaction to aid in language development. You must not leave her alone for more than thirty minutes, or she will become distressed.
Danielle stared at the schedule, her eyes wide. “Woah.”
“Yes.”
“And you’ve been doing this alone for eight months?”
“When I first brought Pip home, my sister visited for three weeks. But she has her own nest-clan to care for, and her own responsibilities.” I dismissed the projection. “Since then, yes, mostly alone, with varying degrees of success from temporary caregivers.”
“What happened with them? The nannies who left?”
I considered how much to share and decided that honesty had worked so far, so I might as well continue. “The first lasted two days. She could not tolerate Pip’s crying. Yxian infants cry frequently. This particular nanny found it ‘grating’ and ‘impossible to endure.’”
“That’s horrible.”
“I thought so as well. I screened more carefully for the second candidate. She lasted five days before admitting that she found my appearance too disturbing to work with. Apparently, Torzi made her nervous, and she refused to touch Pip.” I kept my tone neutral, but the memory stung.
