Ellisandre
Ellisandre laid the printout on Linda’s desk and sat on the edge, facing her. “New help.”
“Help?” Linda raised an eyebrow.
Ellisandre rolled their eyes. “We’re not childless anymore. And my other activities are getting more demanding. You need help.”
“You bought Tristan suits.”
“And hired Tristan an assistant. Hal is randomizing your meal service to avoid anyone slipping drugs into the shipments and increasing the frequency so Alice and Ash aren’t trying to cook all the time. The two of them are already doing too much. Also, we missed Ash’s birthday. He’s eighteen now.”
Linda frowned. “How did we do that? And when was it?”
“January second. Alice found out he was trying to keep it quiet because he didn’t want to be asked to move out.”
“Did you yell at him?”
Ellisandre sniffed. “Me, yell? No. I set up a brokerage account in his name. And bought him a new phone. It’s been added to our family plan. Next step is microchipping him.”
Linda rolled her eyes. “I suppose chipping someone would help them feel like they are wanted. But I’m not sure what that will do with Ash’s trust issues.”
Ellisandre mock grimaced. “I know. The parenting handbook said injectables were child abuse. So I told Alice to buy him a leash and collar and put a chip in the collar. We can solder it shut so he doesn’t lose it.”
“Ellisandre,” Linda groaned. “Tell me you did not.”
Ellisandre smirked, enjoying Linda’s soft torture.
“What? Why not? Besides, Alice has too much of you in her. She turned me down and ordered him a shirt that says “D’s favorite monster” on one side and “Best Voice in the World” on the other. It’s tacky, and weird, and she and Dana are going to add their handprints to it.”
“I’ll join them,” Linda said, like it was now set in stone.
Ellisandre sighed. “I knew it. So I put my prints on it first. That aside, Alice is getting dinner reservation suggestions from Damian, and wherever she chooses, we’re going on Thursday to celebrate. I did not buy you anything to give to him. You wouldn’t approve of my ideas.”
“Assign Alice all future gift buying for Ash, unless it’s clothes.” Linda narrowed her eyes at Ellisandre. “But I can find something for him myself. Is Alice helping babysit Damian’s nieces and nephews tomorrow?”
That was a whole storm that wasn’t finished, though it was calmer after Sevastyan had helped them deliver Damian’s corrupted soul of a father figure to the police.
The children were still living out of hotels due to not having access to their family home.
Damian was working with a team, including Jun’s group mates, to renovate an old house he owned for the children to live in long term.
Alice and Ash had been helping with childcare for weeks in between the rest of their commitments.
Jun was doing the bulk of it along with the family of one of Richard’s security guards.
It was no wonder a birthday had been forgotten in the mix.
Ellisandre checked the calendar on their phone. “Yes. Dana will be with you and I until evening, and then she’s going to stay with Ash at his office. He’s running an after-hours scan and plans to be there all night. We can pick her up after the awards ceremony.”
Linda squinted at the calendar over Ellisandre’s shoulder “Oh, I like that awards ceremony. I thought it was next week.”
“Next week is the one you don’t like.” Ellisandre shrugged. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there for that one. And I will dress to annoy the host as much as possible.”
“How are you doing that this year?” Linda’s eyes sparkled.
“An orange zoot suit, maybe with my hair rolled up big in the front.”
“Oh, they’ll have a fit.” Linda grinned. “But I love the nod to history. Fits the theme.”
Ellisandre waggled their eyebrows. “Good. Because I already ordered the suit and have a fitting tomorrow. Managed to find a shop that used to make them in the nineteen thirties and still had some of the patterns. Oh, and I took in two of your old suits in to be adjusted for Alice,
so she’ll be ready for next month. She can be your second assistant behind Tristan when the ambassador from Canada is visiting.”
“The tour, with the governor. Yes, I finished the itinerary. Give me the security assessment.” Linda rummaged through her tabs on her computer and pulled up a document.