Khol (Rescued by the Alien)

10. Khol

Chapter 10

Khol

A fter I left Nancy in the bathing area with Flora, I heard water running and assumed they were taking a bath. They emerged from my bedroom a while later with damp hair and wearing matching pink nightgowns, courtesy of the water spirit. My needs were small. The spirit must be excited to have others to give gifts to.

Nancy helped Flora settle into her room before returning to my bedroom and shutting the door.

I ached to be with her when I shouldn’t. But no matter how many times I reminded myself of the shame I’d felt after Weela was murdered, of the sadness I felt while betraying my friend, I couldn’t let go of the feeling that I should pursue Nancy.

It was too soon. There may never be a time for us. And I was going to accept that .

Thankfully, the house spirit expanded the sofa to accommodate my large frame. I slept relatively well, waking as dawn cracked open the world and let light shine through. Birds chirped in the jungle nearby, and the low ripple of the stream made me eager to go for a swim in the pool at the base of the falls.

I sprung up and smiled as the couch resumed its original shape.

“Thank you. That was wonderful,” I said, and a splash rang out from the water flowing beneath my snug home. “I have a plan. I have a plan.” And I was repeating myself, but oh, well.

Would Nancy help? If not, I’d do it alone.

The plan was for Flora. Such a sweet youngling, so curious and excited. I couldn’t wait to see her eyes sparkle with joy once more. While her mother and I might never form anything together, I could make the next few days special for this child. Then, when I left them at the Indigan Clan to begin their new life, I could finally feel proud for having done something to balance what happened.

Flora emerged from her bedroom, yawning while rubbing her eyes. After scooting into my bedroom to use the bathing area, she returned, walking over to stand in front of me, frowning. “Blue man.”

“That’s me. Blue man, though you can call me Khol. Good morning.”

Her head tilted. “Are you my daddy?”

“Oh, no.”

Yet I longed for it to be true. What would it be like to claim this child as my own, to show her how to survive in this new world, to help raise her to be a strong, independent person ?

Her sigh rang out. “I’s want a daddy.” She climbed onto the sofa, stretching out her legs, and peered around. “Where’s da TV?”

“What’s a TV?” I sunk down onto the sofa beside her.

“I wanna watch my shows.”

“Could you construct a TV?” I asked the water spirit.

Nothing happened.

“We don’t have one,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

She nodded sadly. “Books? Toys?”

I didn’t have any of those either, but I held back the words, fearing her eyes would give way to her sadness and create water like the day before. My clan spirit was infinitely wise. Look at them gifting me with two beings who used water to show their emotions even if I couldn’t include them in my life moving forward.

“Would you like to eat?” I asked.

She squinted up at me. “Cereal? I like cereal in da morning.”

I rose. “Let me see what I can make in the kitchen.” I could cook. I’d done so when I lived with my old clan. But the water spirit loved crafting new dishes, so I let them handle my meals. I walked over to the counter. “Could we have some . . . see-re-elle?”

A bowl full of creamy-colored squares emerged from the counter, along with a small pitcher holding white liquid. I took it over to the table.

“Here you are,” I told Flora. “Come sit, and I’ll tell you a story while you eat. ”

“Okay.” She slid off the sofa and climbed up into the chair that had to be six times her size. Like last night, it shrunk to accommodate her petite frame.

I added an eating implement, then went to the counter again. “Tea for me, if you please.” One of the humans had recently introduced tea to Zuldrux, and it was so tasty that many of the clans had started brewing the herbal liquid to sip in the morning. I particularly enjoyed one of the varieties that had a slightly spicy-sweet flavor.

The water spirit accommodated my wish with a full mug swirling with steam that I carried over to the table.

Flora stared at her see-re-elle but didn’t appear to have eaten any.

“Can I get you anything else?” I asked.

“Mommy always pours my milk.”

Was that what the white stuff inside the pitcher was called? I lifted it and dumped some of the liquid over the see-re-elle, watching as the squares floated to the top. Such an odd food, but if Flora wanted it, she would have it. Thankfully, the spirit appeared able to fill her needs.

While I sipped my tea, she dug in, scooping up a mix of the liquid and squares, shoveling them into her mouth. She wiggled and hummed while she chewed.

“Tell me a Cwis-mas story?” she asked.

I needed to figure out griss-maas fast. Perhaps Flora could help me, then I could put my plan into place.

“Let’s tell a story together. Tell me about . . . griss-maas. ”

“Cwis-mas,” she said, taking another bite. “Der’s Santa and stockings and da twee. And Pwesents. I love pwesents.”

Presents, I could handle. The water spirit would help. “Who’s Santa?”

“He drives da sleigh wit pwesents.”

I could do that. “What else?”

“Der’s reindeer and a big sack a toys for all da good girls and boys. He wears a red suit.”

Was Santa real or was it a made-up story?

“Santa usually comes on Christmas eve,” Nancy said, joining us in the dining area. She still wore her pink nightie, and I gaped at her long, slender legs and the way the thin fabric hugged her lush frame. This woman was the prettiest person I’d ever seen.

My heart hollowed out because I couldn’t have her or whatever life she might offer.

She paused beside the table, her gaze sliding from Flora’s meal to my mug. “I don’t suppose you have more of whatever you’re drinking?”

“Tea,” I said. “Amanda shared how to make it.”

“Amanda?” Hope lifted her voice. “Is she one of us?”

“She’s from your planet like you, but she’s one of us now too. She’s mated to Xax of the Ulistar Clan.” A wise male would take her to them right away. He wouldn’t sit here hoping he could find a way to show Nancy she belonged here. “A storm is coming. The sea will be too rough to cross until after it passes, but we’ll travel after that.”

She glanced toward the front window. “How big a storm? ”

I shrugged. “Not too large, I don’t think. We’ll weather it fine here. I’ll get you some tea.” I rose and strode to the counter. “Do you want see-ree-elle also?”

She frowned at Flora’s bowl. The youngling kept eating, wiggling and humming in her chair. “Is that what that is?”

“The water spirit made it for her.”

“Right.” Her lips thinned. The sooner the spirit convinced her of its existence, the better.

I returned to the table with a second cup of tea, plus doo-nuts I requested as an alternative to see-re-elle. Their sweetness had captured me the night before, and I suspected they’d do well for the morning meal. I placed the plateful in the center of the table and dropped back down in my chair, nudging my head toward the other chair and her tea. “Tell me more about Santa, Flora.”

Nancy sat and lifted her cup, blowing steam off the top of her tea before taking a tentative sip. Her eyes widened. “This is delicious. Caffeine? Please tell me there’s caffeine in this brew.”

Fortunately, Amanda had explained about coo-fee and the burst of caffeine it gave those who drink it.

“Yes,” I said, and Nancy’s eyes widened. She wiggled in her chair like her youngling daughter and sipped more of her tea. “I can tell you about Santa,” she finally said, lowering her mug to the table.

She shared a tale about a jolly male who dressed in bright red clothing with white trim. He visited younglings all over her world on one night alone to deliver presents. The Earth village the women came from must be small to make such a thing possible .

I wasn’t exactly sure what reindeer were, but I’d hunted fleet-footed creatures in the jungle that sounded similar.

“Do you eat reindeer?” I asked once the Santa tale was finished. “I could hunt for one later, and we could eat the creature’s meat tonight. Our gods only provide vegetables, grains, and fruit, never meat.”

Flora’s lower lip trembled, and she gave way to her clan-appropriate water emotion, allowing it to trickle down her cheeks. “Are we gonna eat Woo-dolph?”