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TENET: 94
Don't cross boundaries.
- Dr. H.VynFleet, 132 Tenets of Childcare & Maintenance
YASMINE
Yasmine slipped out of Pia’s room an hour later.
After an exciting day, it had only taken a warm bath and a familiar story for the four-year-old to fall fast asleep. Yasmine had watched her slumber for a few minutes, taking in the sweet peace on her little face.
There was something about providing comfort to a child that left her feeling the same satisfaction she had when she taught a Tai Chi class back at the nursing home, as if maybe her past didn’t matter quite as much if her future looked like this.
She tapped on Jax’s door next.
“Come in,” he said quietly.
She stepped inside to find him sitting at his desk, a pencil in his hand.
“Are you still doing homework?” she asked, feeling a little horrified at the idea.
“Nah, just drawing,” he said, covering over what he was working on with his elbow.
“That’s really cool,” she said, not wanting to press. “Do you need anything before bed?”
He shook his head, looking a little mystified. Was he not used to being checked on at night? That couldn’t be right. He was the size of an adult, but most definitely still a kid.
“Okay, well I’ll see you in the morning, Jax,” she said. “I’ll wake you for school.”
“Good night,” he told her.
She slipped back out of his room and closed the door behind her. He was a teenager, and though she would have welcomed a chance to get to know him better, she knew he didn’t really want to hang out with the nanny.
But that meant there was only one more person to say good night to.
Unfortunately for her, it would be the hardest one.
She padded downstairs to the kitchens, praying that she could figure out how to warm a plate of dinner.
As soon as she calmed down, she had started thinking that it was unlikely Kreed had eaten anything. He’d clearly gotten an alarming comm, then dealt with a new nanny, and then the comms went off again just as his blood sugar dropped. It wasn’t an excuse, but it did make his behavior a bit more understandable.
If she wanted to keep her job, she figured she’d better offer him an olive branch. And her mother always told her that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach.
A droid rolled up to her as she reached the kitchen.
“How may I serve you?” it asked.
“Did Ruler Kreed have his dinner?” she asked, wondering if the droid would even know.
“His plate will be held in the cold box until morning,” the droid replied.
That turn of phrase made her think this was a common occurrence, and that he was unlikely to come get his dinner. It was a sad idea that gave her a pang of sympathy for the Ruler, in spite of her fears.
“I’d like to warm it and bring it to him,” she said.
“Wait here,” the droid said.
She stood patiently in the darkness of the empty kitchen for what felt like an eternity. Finally, the droid rolled back to her, with a tray holding the Ruler’s steaming dinner.
