Chapter 7 #2
It wasn’t just a closet. It was a wardrobe room , complete with built-in shelving, hanging rods at multiple heights, drawers for delicates, and even a small bench.
Every piece of clothing she hadn’t taken to Mordnik was there. Organized by type, then color, all of it immaculate.
Her throat tightened unexpectedly.
“The bathroom,” Spence said, guiding her through another door.
It was gorgeous — all stone and glass, with a shower big enough for three and a tub that could double as a small pool. There was an acrylic organizer bigger than the one she’d had in her small bathroom upstairs, empty and waiting for her makeup and hair products, and two holders for her brushes.
Someone had taken the time to arrange everything just so. To make space for her in a suite that had been Zander and Spence’s for years.
“It’s perfect,” she said quietly, and she wasn’t talking about the bathroom.
When she turned back to the bedroom, Zander was watching her with that steady intensity she’d come to recognize as carefully controlled emotion.
“I’m still annoyed you didn’t ask first,” she said.
“I know.”
“But…” She looked around again, taking it all in. “This is really nice. Thank you.”
His shoulders relaxed fractionally. “You’re welcome.”
She nodded. “Yes, that’s it. I feel welcomed, and … fuck .” She walked to him and hugged him, and he wrapped his arms around her.
“I want this to be your home with us, and I’m genuinely sorry for spoiling the start of it. I promise to try to do better.” He took a breath. “And I’m also sorry that I’m needed one floor up. Spence will help you get settled in, and then he’ll need to check on the flock upstairs.”
He kissed the top of her head, and he was gone.
She looked around, and decided she most wanted to look over her notes before actually going to class the next day, and she wanted to try out the desk.
“Go check on the flock,” she told Spence. “I’m going to try out the new desk.”
He hesitated, then nodded. “Okay. They all came in on an earlier flight, I just need to make sure everyone is settled. One of the new flock members made chili today — vegetarian, but Rhea fried up five pounds of ground beef for the carnivores to dump into their bowls as needed. I need to introduce myself to the new people and get a feel for how they’re integrating with those who stayed and those who just returned.
You might want to check in on Felix tomorrow, since he’ll be missing Vex. ”
Two and a half hours later, Spence returned and started unpacking her suitcase. She’d lost track of time, and realized she should get to bed soon.
“Zander should be back in around five minutes,” Spence told her. “What time are you waking up in the morning?”
“Oh, that’s right. I need to text Delaney to let her know my schedule tomorrow.”
“Yes, and I’d like to know it as well, but mostly, right now I’m trying to figure out…
” He sighed. “With Zander awake twenty-four/seven in Mordnik, I slept nights with you. Here, though, I mostly stay awake at night and sleep when he’s down.
You remember me being up to cook breakfast some mornings — I went to bed after, when I did that. ”
She stared at him. “Oh. So I’ll be sleeping by myself?”
“I don’t know, long term, but in the short term, yes.
Since I’m used to sleeping at night, I’ll likely come to bed around three or four in the morning tonight.
Zander has several meetings he’ll need me present for, though.
Right now, the sun rises around nine in the morning and sets around five in the evening, so he’s only down from nine until around noon, and that isn’t enough time for me to sleep.
I’ll make the most sense for me to be in bed between five and six, so I’ll wake when he rises. ”
Right, because he’s Zander’s assistant as well as being in charge of the flock. He sleeps when the flock is in school.
Zander returned and walked to her to hug her. “We’ll figure it out.”
“My first class is at nine in the morning, so I’ll wake at quarter till seven.”
“Excellent,” Zander said. “There’s a small kitchenette on this level. If you let me know what you want for breakfast, I can cook it while you shower, and I can sit with you while you eat.”
“Oh. If I don’t have to cook, I can wake at seven.”
He smiled. “Seven it is, then. I’ll wake you at seven so your alarm doesn’t bother Spencer. You can shower and dress in the bathroom, then come out to the shared living area on this floor. What should I fix you?”
“Eggs and bacon. Maybe some toast with honey?”
He smiled. “Perfect, and maybe some steak? I know you’ll want to have breakfast with your friends some mornings, but I hope we can do this several mornings a week, to catch up with each other a little more, especially early on, while we’re figuring things out.
” He looked at Spence and back to her. “I’ll try to schedule my work meetings for after you’re in bed at night, so the three of us will have our evenings together.
Spencer can get you hooked up so you see my schedule, if you’d like? ”
“Yes, I’d like that. I can share my google calendar with the two of you.”
“Yes,” Spence said. “There’s a way for me to integrate your calendar into our software, so Zander can see it on his.”
“Speaking of schedules, when do I start my normal flock duties again? I looked on the schedule to see who I’m feeding the rest of the week, and I’m not slotted in for anyone.”
“They do not,” Zander said.