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Tenet 62
Be friendly, but not a pushover.
- Dr. H. VynFleet, 132 Tenets of Childcare & Maintenance
Emilia
Later that night, Emilia smiled at the sight of the kids asleep beside her on the family room sofa.
Mimi was lying partly in her lap, her little mouth half-open as she slept.
Dyrk leaned on Emilia’s shoulder, the occasional flicking of his tail telling her he was dreaming.
An old holo-film played quietly on the family room disc, but Emilia was having a hard time watching it because Ra’as was sitting in the big leather chair beside the sofa, gazing at her.
“Pile of kittens,” he said with a half-smile, glancing at the kids.
“It’s the fresh air and exercise,” she told him. “They worked hard in the garden.”
“The dinner you made didn’t hurt either,” he said.
His voice had a low, teasing quality.
“The children did a good job on the sandwiches,” she agreed. “But it was their grandmother’s soup that made the meal.”
“Do you always do that?” he asked, leaning back, his big hands behind his head.
“Do what?” she asked, having a hard time holding onto the thread of the conversation at the sight of his shirt stretching over the muscles of his biceps.
“Deflect compliments,” he said.
She blinked at him, completely lost.
“Emilia,” he said, savoring her name in his mouth, “I’m trying to tell you you’re doing a great job - getting them outside, cooking for them.”
“Thank you,” she murmured.
Her bracelet buzzed on her wrist, and she saw it was the number of the agency.
“Oh, wow, I should probably take this,” she said apologetically.
“Let me help you,” he offered, rising and lifting his sleeping daughter onto his shoulder.
She slipped out from under Dyrk, who leaned back on the sofa without waking up.
“Thanks,” she whispered, dashing off to the foyer and heading upstairs.
“Hello,” she said, touching her bracelet when she was sure she was far enough away not to wake the kids.
“Emilia,” Janice’s familiar voice said happily. “How’s it going over at the Hunk-of-the-Month Club?”
“You are so lucky I left the room before I picked up,” Emilia hissed.
Janice cackled and Emilia couldn’t help but smile.
“Look, I hate to just cut to the chase,” Janice said. “But I’m calling because we’ve got a new nanny having a meltdown and she’s not that far from you.”
“Do you want to patch her through?” Emilia asked.
