2. Hyacinth

Chapter Two

HYACINTH

The human, Marco, seemed to calm down once he entered. Thepapilionoidean pheromones effected humans the same way that they affected our own kind and I had doused the doorway in my most welcoming scent upon moving into this residence. It was best to avoid conflict and start on a peaceful foot when someone came to visit and was common practice back home. I hadn't given it much thought growing up on Sanctity; it was just one of our many customs.

But here on Earth, their behaviors and customs sometimes made me nervous, so I had started to rely on my home planet's traditions more and more since moving here.

For example, I was sure that Marco's staring for so long was not the way that humans normally behaved coming to someone's home. I was used to the opening pleasantries after living here for two years now. His stammering meant that he was nervous. I thought that was quite sweet considering that my stomach had been in knots all morning with the prospect of having someone new watch my children.

Then there was the fact that when I'd opened that door and seen the man I'd been considering, maybe even hoping, to date, I'd been at a total loss for words myself.

He was of average height, and I supposed average brown hair and eye color. Even his skin was the same medium brown-peach that many humans had. But he was such a lovely creature with expressive eyes and freckles across his nose. He was so exotically human. Like he was earth, whereas I was air.

These romanticized thoughts had a way of distracting me lately.

I cleared my throat and tried to remember how to socialize like a normal person.

"Thank you for coming," I said. "It's nice to meet you. I am Hyacinth."

"Marco," he said, smiling and offering his hand.

I took it, immediately taken by his warmth and shook.

"This way," I said, indicating the doors into the kitchen.

Marco followed without saying a word, accompanying me at the table with a tentative smile.

"I like your house," he informed me. "It's so normal."

His cheeked reddened when he said it and he grimaced.

"Not in a bad way, it's just, you know, because you're an alien."

He visibly winced.

"I'll stop talking now, sorry."

I had to bite back the urge to laugh. His fumbling was rather adorable.

Marco seemed sweet... and he looked just like his pictures but even nicer in person. His personality shone through his eyes. He was probably the type who couldn't keep any of his feelings hidden. I liked that.

"Thank you for coming today," I started. "You said that you have experience with children, right?"

"Uh, kind of," he said, blushing. "My sister is ten years younger than me and I used to babysit her."

"I see."

"I do like kids," he went on quickly. "I also used to volunteer with the kids soccer team at my high school..."

I nodded thoughtfully.

"The way you are with them matters more than your experience. I just need someone to care for them and treat them kindly while I am at work. Our previous help moved away to attend college and the children miss her dearly. Of course, I do too. I need the help."

"A single dad with kids and a demanding job, I can believe it."

I smiled warmly.

"Would you have a problem with staying here?" I asked. "Your food and accommodations of course, will be free. I would prefer live-in help, especially for the youngest."

He considered and then nodded.

"I don't mind moving in. But, um, how many of these kids are there?"

"Three," I informed him. "Azalea is in the first grade. Iris is three now, and Aster is one. The two of them stay home and require the most time… Would you like to meet them?"

I watched his reaction carefully. It was clear that he was nervous about caring for such young children. If it was too much for him, I would be able to tell straight away, but after a moment, he nodded.

"Yes, is she home?"

"Yes," I said, standing. "Follow me."

I led him up the stairs and down the hallway to the nursery my youngest shared. The moment I opened the door, his breath caught.

I glanced back, catching him looking around the room in awe. Our previous nanny had reacted in a similar way. It was unusual, I supposed for humans to see so many plants in one room. But for our kind, it was important to mimic our natural environment as much as possible in the early years of life. It was important for their development to be surrounded by the scents and sounds that would help them to be healthy. There were vines hanging, moss on the walls, two fountains gently trickling water and a mist in the air from the humidifier.

Against the back wall, a hammock hung, and in it, my sweet girl had been napping.

It seemed that she was awake now, though, as the top of her messy dark hair lifted into view, followed by two round green eyes peering out at us.

"Good morning sweetheart," I said, approaching. "Were you waiting for daddy to come get you?"

She reached her arms out in answer and I reached in, scooping her out.

Her small pink dress was all rumpled from sleep and her hair was standing on end, but she was as cute as ever, and Marco's bright smile when I turned and looked at him showed that he thought so too.

"Well, hello there," he said. "I'm Marco. You must be Iris."

She stared at him for a long time and then nodded, and then looked at me as though she was expecting an explanation but before I could say anything, our talking woke Aster.

His bedding began to shake first and a loud wail followed.

"Sorry, Aster," I said, approaching the small bed, tucked beneath Iris'.

I bent, lifting him into my other arm and he huffed, kicking his chubby arms, his still fuzzy dark hair in worse disarray than Iris'.

"They're adorable," Marco said, and they both turned and looked at him, clearly wondering what was going on.

"Remember how Justine had to move away?" I asked.

Iris nodded, while Aster listened.

"Yes," she said, still looking confused.

"I'm trying to find someone else who can watch you when I'm not home, and maybe if you like Marco, it can be him."

Her brows rose dramatically and then she suddenly wiggled until I was forced to set her down or else risk dropping both of them.

Without hesitation, she walked over to Marco, reached up for his hand and took it.

He gave me an amused look as she dragged him out of the room.

"Dis is da bafroom," I heard her say as I followed.

By the time they reached Azalea's room, I realized that she was giving him a tour.

"Dis is where Zalea sleeps," she said. "But sometimes she sleeps in daddy's room when she's scared."

"Oh, really?"

"Uh huh. Come on, I'll show you da playroom."

I followed like a shadow, just watching as she showed him around the house, eventually reaching the spare sitting room which had been taken over by an abundance of toys and games.

Unlike with the other rooms, she led him inside and immediately began showing him how to build her blocks up in the best way.

That was when Aster decided he'd had enough of me and wriggled until I set him down, promptly crawling to the other two to stack with them.

Marco didn't seem to mind. In fact, he seemed to lose track of time and the reason for his visit, which was to talk to me, not the kids, although I had wanted to see them together.

He never complained and simply followed her lead, laughing at her silly jokes and offering both her and Aster the pieces they wanted.

I leaned against the door frame, smiling as I observed them, and a feeling of peace and positivity washed over me.

Marco was lovely, inside and out. He was the perfect type of person to be a caretaker to my children. Perhaps even the perfect type of man to be my partner too. After all, that was what I had initially been seeking.

Perhaps we could get to know each other organically if he was here. We could talk, form a friendship and maybe more... I hoped.

The human way of dating was very convenient and very frustrating. I could meet ten people in one day and by the end of the day have had no conversations and lots of disappointment. I wasn't looking for a one night stand, I was looking for the one. Surely that fact meant it deserved time and attention and care with the people being considered. Very few on this planet seemed to agree with mypapilionoidean sentiments though, so I never pushed it.

But if Marco was on the same page as me, surely we would see that while seeing each other every day. I could only hope so.

Finally, he lifted his head and glanced back, seeming to only just remember that I was there.

When our eyes met, he blushed and gave me a shy smile and a shrug.

"You probably want me out of your hair," he laughed. "I'm sorry, I got completely distracted."

He pushed to his feet, bent and patted Iris and Aster on the top of their heads and then came over to me.

"Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

I nodded.

"Yes, when can you start?"