Khol (Rescued by the Alien)

11. Nancy

Chapter 11

Nancy

“ N o,” I cried, shooting Khol a sharp look. “We would never eat Santa’s reindeer.”

Thankfully, Flora believed me and stopped crying. She shoved her nearly finished bowl of cereal away and slid off her chair. “I’s done. No TV. No toys. No books. What am I gonna do, Mommy?”

She sounded so dejected that I left my chair and gave her a hug. “We’ll find something that’ll be just as fun.” I had no idea what it might be.

Khol was a bachelor Zuldruxian, and he lived alone here on this island. I doubted he had many visitors, let alone those with children. Why would he keep toys around?

“I’ll finish my tea, and we can sit on the sofa,” I said. “I’ll tell you a bunch of stories.” It was a good thing I was creative, but I suspected story time was going to be the only entertainment I could offer .

Where would she go to school? If I had books, I could teach her, but I didn’t see one in sight.

This place didn’t appear to offer dental care, a hospital or doctor’s office, let alone a supermarket. I wasn’t like my ancestors who could survive on the windy plains, living inside a sod house, eating only what I could grow or catch in the wild.

Flora climbed onto the sofa and stretched out her legs. She stared around. “I wanna have fun, Mommy. Make it fun!”

“She’s used to going to daycare,” I told Khol, explaining what that was. “There, she can play with her friends. They have lots of toys and books. Janet sits them down a couple times during the day to teach them their ABCs and how to write their name. Flora’s smart. She can read some of the simpler picture books already, though that could be because she’s memorized them. I’ve read to her every night since she was little.”

“I have some ideas for her,” he said, his lips curling up in a sweet smile. He really was gorgeous, if in an alien way. His muscles were drool-worthy, and he was so tall and broad. I suspected if he held me, I’d feel like nothing could ever harm me. If this was just me, I’d be sorely tempted to think of myself as his new mate and see where the idea took me.

But I had my daughter with me, and her needs had to come first. I’d been careful when I dated, never introducing her to any of the guys. Until one wanted us both equally, I didn’t want her to get attached to someone only to have us break up and him disappear from her life .

My heart couldn’t take something like that either, so I’d rarely gone out with anyone. Why risk being hurt again?

“Could you give Flora some toys like she might have in her home village?” Khol asked.

“Oh, I don’t have anything like that.” I frowned. He’d seen me arrive, the pod we’d flown in splashing into the water. It sank quickly. Even if I’d brought things for us, they’d be resting at the bottom of the sea.

“Very good,” he said, his smile growing wider. “You’re amazing.”

I followed his gaze to Flora, who squealed and slid off the couch. A wooden box I would swear hadn’t been there a moment ago now sat on the table in front of the sofa.

Flora reached inside and pulled out a pile of books, dropping them onto the cushions. “Magic, Mommy.” She added a bunch of toys and even a blankie like the one she’d carried everywhere inside her princess backpack. Who knew where that had gone when the robocops took us?

Flora hugged the blanket to her chest before laying it on the couch. After climbing up beside the good-sized pile of “magic,” she tugged a book onto her lap and started to flip through it, exclaiming about the pictures.

“This isn’t possible,” I said, my voice shaky.

“My clan water spirit is quite kind. They were so welcoming when my boat washed up onto this shore that I knew this was where I belonged. I hope . . .” His soft gaze met mine, and he swallowed. “I hope you’ll feel at home here too, if only for the short time you’ll be with me.”

“I don’t understand.” Shock filled my voice. “I mean, I saw clothing appear from the floor last night, plus the dirty dishes somehow slip down into the kitchen counter.” I flicked my hand to the perfect-appearing donuts I hadn’t yet dared try. “My daughter’s calling this magic.”

“This shows the spirit’s kindness.”

“It doesn’t make sense,” I said shrilly. Last night, when I couldn’t find a way to turn on the water in the tub, I’d grumbled something about it under my breath. Water started gushing, the perfect temperature for a bath. Flora and I had bathed together, and I’d tried not to notice how the tub emptied after we’d stepped out—all on its own. “There’s no such thing as water spirits performing magic.”

“Yet they do things for us,” he said softly. “I think they’re an alien lifeform much like you. Me, too, I suppose, though I was born on this planet. They adore being kind, and all they ask in return is that we thank them. Honestly, we got used to it quickly. How could we not when they would give us clothing or food or the toys Flora’s playing with at our request?”

It was much easier to accept this was some kind of symbiotic alien species than a god or a spirit. How could I complain when an alien lifeform was eager to cook my meals, wash my clothing, and give my precious daughter enough toys to keep her occupied for hours?

My heart rate slowed, and I told my mind to stop racing. This would work out—somehow. With or without Khol .

Did I dare trust his water spirit to make our lives better?

It was the season of hope and joy, and maybe, just maybe, I should let some of it into my heart and see what happened.

Trust bloomed inside me, for Khol and this precarious situation, and I was going to cling to it for now. He wasn’t asking me for anything other than my company, I supposed.

He mentioned a storm was coming, that he’d take me to the other women after it ended. They’d explain everything, and then I could start figuring out what I wanted to do with my life.

As for Khol . . . He was thoughtful and treating us better than most would even if they didn’t think I was their “fated mate,” but I couldn’t let myself start over with someone new.

Could I?

There was no need to decide now. I’d just met him. Settling into a new life on this planet needed to be my only goal.

With renewed purpose, I walked over to the table, where I lifted a donut and took a big bite, savoring how perfectly it matched the flavor of donuts back home.

Home?

I’d always felt that home was where the heart is.

Was there a place for my heart to bloom here on Zuldrux?