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Andromeda is a tiny angel. Unproblematic to an extent it’s problematic. I want to filet this man.
Which is an insane concept.
Because I’ve been vegetarian my entire life.
Keeping it together, I say, “I’m assuming that Willow isn’t Meda’s mother…” Simply because Andromeda is black. And both Willow and this man aren’t.
“She doesn’t have a mother,” he says. “It’s a sensitive topic, so I suspect that’s why she’s never brought it up.”
My chest tightens. “So she lives alone with you?”
Pollux stares for a long moment, as though he’s trying to figure me out, as though he knows I would put him in prison if I could just get the stupid system to confirm all the raging red flags I’ve witnessed.
Finally, he says, “No.”
“Who else is in the home?”
“Alexios.”
“Alexios?” What is with this family and all their crazy names? “Who is that in relation to Andromeda?”
Pollux’s mouth opens, closes, and opens again. “She…kind of seems to consider him as her older brother?”
“But he isn’t?”
“They…don’t share blood, and older is a relative term for us?”
My smile stretches a little harder. Because. Hahaha. That little girl is living with two men. Two older men. And, right this second thanks to a striking lack of genetic resemblance, I’m not certain she’s related to either of them.
Pollux shifts in the chair again. “On the phone, you said you had concerns. Is Meda…biting the other children…or something?”
“No. She behaves very well for her age.”
Pollux grumbles, “So…what’s the problem?”
“Mr. Strakh, I’ll be blunt. I’m concerned about Meda’s home life.”
His eyes narrow. “Her home life?”
“It’s very unusual for a child not to mention anything about their home, or their family. Instead, she talks about adventures in dark woods and playing with the strange monsters that live there. She says she’d show us her magic, but her magic isn’t pretty like the new faerie princess’s…” Letting out a breath, I open my desk drawer and get Andromeda’s sketchbook. Opening it, I place a scrawled horror between us. “I’m worried that something is troubling her. At the very least, I’m wondering if she is accidentally being exposed to material that isn’t age appropriate. Perhaps her…brother of sorts…watches horror movies in front of her?”
“We don’t have a TV. I only have the phone because…” Pollux clenches his fist so hard his knuckles crack. “…because of Willow.” He swears and scrubs his face.
“Who is Willow in relation to Meda? When she applied here, it was as her guardian.”
A humorless laugh puffs from Pollux’s nose. “Yeah. No. I have no idea what Meda considers Willow in her family tree.”
I purse my lips, remember myself, and continue smiling. “So…she’s a friend of the family?”
His shoulders sag. “…yeah…I…guess.”
“Do you have her contact information?”
“I should probably get it. She kind of just shows up whenever she wants to. I’m honestly not sure why I’m even keeping the phone she gave me charged.”
Mm. Delightful. Disorder and chaos among the adults in my little’s life. My favorite.
Pollux massages his temple. “So…maybe I’m not following…Meda isn’t misbehaving. She’s doing well in this…school. She’s not biting the other kids. But you think she’s troubled? Is it because she doesn’t think her magic is pretty? Self-esteem concerns?”
