Owl Monster: Milton (complete)

My family owned and operated a little Asian market where a gas station used to be. We didn’t sell gas, but we still had the old pumps standing there, so of course, we had people coming to get gas, then getting pissed off when we had no gas. It was a constant cycle of ‘I’m mad at this, but I want to try this weird Chinese candy’.

We not only worked at the store, but we lived in the apartments above it. With the seven of us; Mom, Dad, Grandma, Me, and my three little brothers, it was cramped and stuffy. My room had once been a walk in closet, meanwhile, my brothers got the biggest room in the house and my Grandmother got her own bathroom. I knew I had a responsibility to my family, but now that my little brothers were growing up and helping out more with the store, I decided it was my time to find my own wings and fly to a new nest.

I found a job offer in the newspaper, one that provided room and board, as well as decent pay. It seemed too good to be true, and when I called to inquire about it, I was shocked to find the position hadn’t been filled yet.

I scheduled an interview with the man who answered, a man named Milton J. Henson. He lived out of town and down the scenic route where the buses didn’t go. I ended up having to borrow one of my brother’s bikes so I could make it to the interview.

“You should take this with you, princess!” My grandmother hands me a hammer.

“For what?” I ask as I look it over.

“There is a knife hidden in the handle. If this man gets too handsy, you just jab him a few times and come home.” Grandma grins as she bobs her head.

My grandmother has always been a bit on the weird side, but this really takes the cake. “If I wanted to do that, why would I take a knife encased in a hammer?” I ask her.

“Everyone likes hammers!” Grandma grins.

I put the hammer in my bag just to make her happy, although I doubt I will ever actually need it. 

The ride to this place goes down several winding paths. I go by huge mansions and sprawling estates that are hidden behind iron gates and privacy hedges. The road swoops down and it begins to narrow. The trees on either side both close in more and grow taller the further I go. Eventually, the path becomes so narrow that only a single car can drive on it comfortably. I come to the end of the road, where the dead end is the address I am going to.

The wrought iron gate is tall with giant stone pillars one either side. In the center of the gate, there is a big circle where an owl face glares from the iron. I look around, feeling a strange sense of being watched all around me. There is a button on one of the stone pillars and, when I press it, I hear what sounds like a church bell ring. The gates then creak open, swinging inside and opening onto a new path. I huff and make my way up the steep hill to the massive house at the top. 

I step off the bike to gawk at it. No one would have to share a room or bathroom in this place, that’s for sure. I tuck my hair behind my ear, taking in the stone work that makes the exterior. It looks like a castle with all the stone and masonry gone into it, but it looks like an old mansion from one of the picture books I had as a kid. There are tall pillars all around the outside and the stairs that lead to the door have two tall statues on either side. They’re Grecian women hearing helmets and armor with owls perched upon their shoulders. 

I lean my bike against the stairs and then make my way up them, taking each stair at a time as I weigh my options. I also notice how quiet everything is. My house is always so loud and busy with people always filling it and coming through. Yet here, I can hear the rustle of the trees, the songs of the birds in them, I can even hear myself breathing. I also see that the windows are all dark, covered by curtains, or perhaps there isn’t even light inside.

I step up to the front door and raise my hand to knock. I spy a button at the edge hidden in the mouth of an iron owl. I look around myself, as if expecting someone to appear. I press the button and the church bell rings again. It comes from above, possibly the high tower at the peak of the house.

As I’m looking up, the front door opens and I look into the empty foyer. “Hello?” I ask, not seeing anybody.

“Down here.”

Just under my knees, there is a little girl with a crown of flowers on her head. She’s grasping a teddy bear in one hand and the doorknob in the other.

“Oh,” I gasp .”Hi!” I wave.

“Hello,” the girl holds the teddy bear in front of her while she speaks. “You can come in. He’s waiting.” 

I step inside and the little girl closes the door behind me. She races ahead, going up a set of stairs. “This way!” She waves the teddy bear’s paw for me to follow after her.

Everything is dark inside, except for some dim lights flickering here and there. I go up the staircase, following the young girl as she leads me down a long hallway. She opens a door at the end and races inside.

I follow close behind, coming to stand in a magnificent green room. The walls are packed with books all the way to the ceiling. Everything inside the room is green. The marble floor, the shelves, the furniture, the walls, even the drapes that hang from the ceiling to the floor at the very back of the room.

At the feet of the curtains is a desk and there is someone sitting at it. The little girl plops down beside the desk, where she and her toys are the only things in the room not green.

I stand in the doorway, afraid to move, afraid to step further inside since I was wearing yellow and not green.

“Welcome,” the man at the desk says. “You may have a seat by the fire, if you like. I’m not used to being up this early, so give me a moment.”

It’s very nearly five in the evening, but I am too afraid to say anything. “Take your time.” I sit down in one of the high backed green chairs before the fire and place my bag in my lap. It’s heavy from the hammer knife my grandmother made me take along.

“Ms. Lee correct? One L, two E’s?” The man asks.

“One L, one I, actually,” I reply. 

“Oh,” the man lifts his head from being hunched over. “I never got your first name. What would that be?”

“I go by Bing,” I answer. “But my full name is Bingqing.”

“Whoa,” the little girl’s bright green eyes widen.

“Athena,” the man warns gently.

The little girl stands up and comes over to me, holding her teddy bear in front of her face. “Where are you from?”

I smile. “I’m from here. Where are you from?”

“Good question,” she waggles the teddy bear. “I don’t know. I’m Athena.” She stretches out the bear’s paw.

“Nice to meet you, Athena. You can call me Bing.” I take the bear’s paw and shake it.

Athena peers over the top of the bear’s head at me. “Are you a princess?” She asks.

I furrow my brow a bit. “I don’t think so. Why do you ask?”

Athena goes quiet then as the man rises from his desk. He’s tall and lithe in figure. As he turns around, his face is pure white with two black eyes. His face is flat, expressionless and hypnotizing. He stretches out his arm, which is a wing of white and pale brown.

“Pleased to meet you, Ms. Li. I am Milton J. Henson.” He bows his head to me. “I’ll be your employer, should you choose to take this job.”

I can’t help but stare at him. I’ve never seen anything like him at all. Not many creatures like him live in our neck of the woods. Most have gone on to big cities where they are more accepted, more likely to have their own communities. 

Milton sits down across from me. His legs are so long, I can’t help but wonder where he gets pants. He folds his wings in his lap and I see each is tipped by a taloned hand.

“Let me explain to you what your duties here would be,” he starts. “First and foremost, Athena would be your main duty. You would get her to school on time, make sure she has meals, pick her up from school and anything else she might need. She won’t be too much of a handful, she’s resourceful in her own right, but she’s still a child.”

Athena looks so small, I wouldn’t assume she would be in school. “How old is Athena?” I ask. “I have three younger brothers, so I’m used to taking care of kids.”

“Athena is eight.” Milton places a hand on top of Athena’s head. “I know what you’re thinking. Athena is quite special, you’ll come to learn. What she lacks in size, she makes up for in brilliance.” Milton nods to me. “She’s in advanced schooling.”

“Oh,” I gasp. “That’s amazing, way to go, Athena.”

She smiles bashfully up at me. “Thank you.”

“Along with helping take care of Athena, there are errands during the day I will need you to run for me. I am not active before seven P.M. As such, I need as much help as I can get these days. When my last employee left, I was at a loss. Not having help around here was hard enough. Now that I have Athena, it is even harder.”

I am used to running errands and doing everyone’s busy work. That had been my job since I was thirteen years old. Doing it for only one person would be an improvement. “What would all that include?” I ask. “I assume shopping and the like.”

“Shopping would be the biggest task, aside from Athena.” Milton’s head twists to the side so that his face is now sideways. “I also have business dealings I would ask you to attend to. Meetings I would need you to record. Papers to collect and all that sort of thing.” His head twists back into normal position. “Would you be able to handle that?”

“It will be easier than my last job,” I chuckle. “It often felt like I had six hands back then. This sounds better than I thought.”

“Who did you work for before?” Miton asks.

I sigh and let my shoulders slouch. “My family.”

Milton raises a hand. “Say no more.” He then stands up. “If you’d like, I’ll give you a tour of the house and show you the room you’ll be staying in.”

“I’d like that, thank you very much.” I follow after him and Athena. 

Milton is so tall, I don’t even come up to his sloped shoulders. I’ve always been short, but Milton makes me feel downright miniscule. He’s also so thin all over, I bet my thick thigh is bigger around than his narrow waist.

The place is huge, but it isn’t difficult to navigate. For the most part, it’s going up stairs and walking in circles on landings. The interior is a corkscrew where the center is hollow and you can see all the way down to the entrance you came in.

On the third twist, Milton stops and opens a door. “This will be your room.” He says as we step inside. The room is quite bare, minimal furniture and there is no bed. “I’ll get you everything you need, just make a list for me.” He then motions to a door at the left of the room. “That leads into Athena’s room. That way, you both have access to one another.” He then points to the right side of the room at the very back. “That’s your bathroom.”

I feel silly that I am excited to have my own personal bathroom. 

“I hope this is enough. I know it is quite small compared to some of the other rooms.” Milton tucks his arms behind his back. “But I wanted you to be near Athena if she needed anything.”

“If you knew my old room, you’d know this is quite the step up for me.” I look up to Milton and smile. “This is perfect for me.”

Milton sighs in relief and nods. “The kitchen is downstairs and in the basement. As is the laundry room. There is a dumbwaiter for groceries, do not let Athena play in it.” Milton looks down to Athena and gives her a scolding look. “During the day, I am not to be bothered. If anyone asks for me, turn them away or have them wait. You and Athena are the only ones allowed to bother me and it is only for emergencies. Athena is also allowed to come in if she is scared or wants to nap.”

I can’t help but melt a little bit at how cute and sweet that is. The way Milton looks and talks, he seems so staunch and traditional, he wouldn’t allow such sweet things. But hearing this makes me feel all the better about working for him.

“Those rules do not apply to you, Ms. Li,” Milton winks and I’m shocked by his candor. 

I then laugh and nod. “Note taken, Mr. Henson.”

“Like I said, make a list of things you need and I will get them for you. What size bed you prefer, furniture you’ll need, and other supplies you’d like stocked at all times in the house.” He hands out a notepad from inside his vest pocket. “Your family can visit, but make sure to clear it with me first. I don’t mind if they come during the day as long as you keep them in the parlor downstairs. I can’t hear anything from there.”

“Thank you, that’s very gracious.” The pad he handed me has gold filigree on it and the little pen attached is made entirely from gold.

“I’ll let you and Athena get more acquainted and you can make your list. I have some work I have to finish.” He pats the top of Athena’s head and leaves the room in an elegant sweep.

Athena tugs the hem of my dress. “I’ll show you my room.” She takes me through the door that connects our rooms. Her room is filled with shelves that are stacked high. She has a tiny desk in the back with stacks of books on it. Her bed is covered by stuffed animals and pillows. But it looks very tidy and neat.

I look over her bookshelves, seeing languages from every corner of the earth. Athena sits down on her bed and takes a book from under her pillow.

“What’s that?” I ask her.

“It was my mom’s.” She clutches it close.

I go and sit down beside Athena. “It must be something very important then.” I smile at her. “Can I see it? Or am I not allowed?”

“Are you a princess?” Athena asks me. “Because you can see it if you are.”

“My grandmother calls me princess,” I tell her.

Athena pouts then hands over the little book. “Then you can look at it.” She sits patiently as I glance over the little green book. The gold lettering has faded away and the impression of a small gown is indented there. Inside is mostly pictures of castles, fairy tale artwork, and the like. Each picture has a small description with them.

“This is so nice,” I tell her.

“Did you know that only princesses can save princes?” Athena asks me. “I know it sounds silly, but it’s really very true.”

I smile down at her. “Is there someone you want me to save?” I ask as I hand her the book. “Did you trick me, Athena?”

“A little, but only because I needed the truth.” She hugs the book again. “Will you save my dad?” She asks. 

“Milton?” I arch a brow at Athena. “Is he really a prince?”

“He’s handsome, lives in a palace, and he’s very chivalrous and smart!” Athena spews the words in a rush. “Of course, he’s a prince.” She then frowns at me. “You think I’m just doing little kid talk, don’t you?”

“Your dad said you’re very smart. So I don’t think you would say this for no reason at all.” I pat her hand on the book. “But what does your Dad need saving from that you would need a princess?”

“He’s cursed,” Athena whispers to me. “He thinks I don’t know. But I put all the pieces together.”

“Cursed?” I tilt my head. “What sort of curse?”

Athena looks around cautiously as if she’s worried someone is listening. “I told you, he’s a prince and yet he’s always so alone.”

Oh no, Athena is being underhanded and playing dirty. She’s trying to play matchmaker for her dad and I.

“He’s been cursed since my mom died,” she pouts. “Ever since then, he’s been trapped here by himself. He says he’s ok, but I don’t believe him because even I get lonely here.”

“I’m not sure if I, alone, can help,” I tell Athena. “Sometimes, it takes more than the princess to save the prince. The prince has to want to be saved first.”

“Just try. Promise?” Athena holds up her pinky.

I hook my pinky with hers and shake. “Fine. Promise.”

I am moved in not long after that. Milton provides me with the things I requested, which even includes the fancy cosmetics and toiletries I had written down just to make the list longer than the bed and chest of drawers I needed.

My first day is a Sunday, so in the morning, I get up and make breakfast for Athena and myself. She stands in the kitchen with me, watching in awe as I use chopsticks to cook with.

“How do you do that?” She’s standing on a stool beside me.

“That’s just how I was taught,” I reply. “I used to stand and watch my grandmother cook, just as you’re doing.”

After we have breakfast, I take Athena out for a walk. Usually, I take my walks in the park near the store, but the land surrounding Milton’s place is twice as big as the park. There are small, stone pathways leading around the house, some cut through the trees and others lead to various gardens. There is even a small swing set where Athena and I play for hours.

After lunch, I tuck Athena in for a nap and I am left to my own devices. Sundays are the off days, as Milton calls them. If I so want the day off, I just have to inform him so he’d be prepared to care for Athena. If I so wish, I can spend the day with Athena, which is what I decide to do since it is my first day.

On Monday, I get Athena up for school and make her breakfast. Afterwards, I take Milton’s mail to the post office. I stop by the office of his attorney and pick up paperwork, then I go to the bank to pick up his weekly statement. After that, I have lunch to myself, then go to the market to pick up things for dinner and then fetch Athena from school. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are about the same, give or take a few different places. Thursdays after I drop Athena off from school, I record meetings at a strange office building for Milton. He has his fingers in lots of pies. He doesn’t just have a business, he has an empire. Fridays I go grocery shopping. Saturdays are Athena’s day and Milton will wake up early to spend the day with her.

Milton usually wakes up at seven, just enough time to have dinner with Athena, help her with her homework, and read her a story before bedtime. Sometimes he’d still be awake in the mornings and join us for breakfast. 

It is during the evenings after Athena goes to bed I can go over the daily log with him. I would deliver him his mail and whatever paperwork I collect throughout the day. I would go over anything about Athena with him, including school reports and the like, then I would show him whatever expenses I had during the day and he would reimburse me. On Thursday evenings, I give him the recordings of the business meetings and then we will sit down and discuss the grocery list for Friday.

“Athena doesn’t like lemons,” Milton argues with me.

“She likes my lemon chicken! I’ve told you this. She’s even told you this.” After a few weeks, I had become comfortable enough with Milton to argue with him. Before, I would agree to whatever changes and additions he wanted to the shopping list I made. Now, I don’t mind bickering with him a bit.

“When have you made lemon chicken?” Milton scoffs. “I don’t recall this.”

“Athena went nuts for it. Now, we have it every other Wednesday. You know this! We had it yesterday.”

“Is that the stuff with the sauce?” He mimes pouring sauce over a plate, swirling his arm back and forth.

“Yes! That stuff with the sauce,” I grin at him. “It calls for lemons.”

Milton’s usually blank face narrows as he glares down at the list. “But Athena doesn’t like lemons.”

I want to use the hammer knife to bash my brains in. “Just let me buy them!” 

Milton scoffs. “Ok, fine!” He grumbles something under his breath as he shakes his head. “You’ve been going through a lot of groceries.”

“Just me?” I ask and shake my head. “I am cooking for all of us. I also cook extra so that the leftovers can go with Athena for lunch.”

Milton does that weird tilting of his head where his face goes sideways. “Is that why you are so heavy handed with portions?”

“I’m also used to living with six other people. Now I’m down to half of that.” I pour tea for both of us. It has become our little ritual. I’ll drink a tea to soothe myself before I go to bed while he drinks a tea of coffee to wake him up.

“I’m just glad Athena is gaining a healthy appetite.” Milton scribbles something down on the list. “I haven’t seen her eat this much since she was born.”

I had never inquired to either Milton or Athena about her mother. All Athena ever said was that she was gone and called her a princess. Milton never even uttered a word about her.

“Is that why she’s so small?” I ask.

Milton shakes his head. “She was born premature. She was very fragile and sickly, so she just never quite grew right. When she got healthy, she was fine, but she just stayed so small.”

“Her mother never quite recovered the way Athena did.” His voice is heavy and he slouches forward. “She got so sick and was confined to bed most of her life afterwards.”

“Oh-” I whisper and place my hands on my knees. “If you don’t wish to talk about this, then you don’t have to.”

Milton goes quiet and passes me the grocery list. He’s not changed much, mainly added a few things of his own.

I am told I can go anywhere in the house I wish, except for the top floor which consists of Milton’s personal space. I also can’t just barge into Milton’s bedroom, which is on the floor just above Athena and me.

I find out there are four libraries. There is the green library, where Milton tends to work the most and houses the brunt of his collection. The blue library, which is mostly reference books and where Athena likes to study. There is the yellow library, which also houses a greenhouse and the books are mostly about music and science. Then there is the purple library, which soon becomes my favorite. It is on the third floor, across the way from Milton’s bedroom. The Purple library houses fiction books from every corner of the world and beyond. There is also a wall of just cookbooks and I have been copying recipes down in two journals for my grandmother and me.

One day, as I am reading, Milton comes into the library. It is still quite early, Athena hasn’t even woken up from her nap. He looks a little dazed and confused. His feathers around his face are ruffled up in a perturbed fashion.

“Is everything ok?” I stand up, closing the curtains so it isn’t so bright for him.

“I had a nightmare,” his voice is low and timid. “I saw the light coming from here and-” he looks around the library. “I just didn’t want to be alone.” His eyes blink slowly and he looks back at me. “Where’s Athena?”

“She’s still taking a nap.” I lead him over to the sofa and have him sit down. “Let me go get you something to drink.”

Milton holds tight to my hand. “Please don’t go.”

I ease back to his side. “Milton, you have to tell me what’s wrong.”

He grips tightly onto my hand with both of his. His expression is sullen and drawn. He’s exhausted, but painfully awake at the same time. “I stare death in the face so often. Yet I could never face hers.”

“Milton,” I squeeze his hand back. “That is the creepiest thing I have ever heard. I know you’re tired and freaked out, but you’re freaking me out now.”

His feathers smooth down around his head and he sighs. “I know you’re not clear on what I do. But in the evenings, I perform surgeries at the hospital.”

“Oh,” I gasp. “That’s amazing, why haven’t you said anything?”

“It didn’t seem important.” He leans back on the sofa and stretches his long, long legs out. “I mainly wanted you here for Athena. I didn’t think you and I would bond as well.”

I smile at him. “You know,” I start and move closer to him. “Athena asked me to do something when I first came here.”

“What was that?” Milton folds his arms on his lap.

“She asked me if I was a princess,” I look down at the sofa and trace my finger over the pattern. “If I was, then that meant I could save a prince. She wanted me to save a prince from a curse.”

Milton’s eyes narrow. “What prince?”

“You,” I chuckle.

Milton sits up. “Me?” He scoffs. “She thinks I’m a prince?” He shakes his head, “She thinks I’m cursed?”

“She doesn’t understand why you’re alone. Even if she is so very smart, she doesn’t quite get that, because she loves you so much.” I place my hand over his. “You wanted me here for her, she wanted me here for you.”

Milton sighs and his shoulders relax again. “That silly child,” he whispers. “There is no need for you to save me from such a curse. It doesn’t exist.”

I shrug. “Maybe not literally. But you do seem quite lonely. Aside from Athena and I, I’ve never seen anyone else in this house.”

“I prefer it that way. I didn’t much like inviting you in, but I had to. Now, I enjoy having you here. You’ve done wonders for Athena, more than I ever could have hoped.” He sighs and his eyes brighten. “You’ve really made a change here for us.”

“I’m glad.” I squeeze his hand. “I really enjoy it here as well.” We look at one another and, for a moment, my heart ceases to beat. Milton brushes his fingers across my cheek and tucks my hair behind my ear. My heart beats again, this time wild and fast. We draw closer and I place my hand on his chest.

That’s when the phone rings.

“Who is calling at this hour?” Milton grumbles.

“It’s not even three yet,” I tell him. I pick up the phone and answer it. “Mom?” I gasp. “Mom, calm down...Mom...Ok, I’ll be there!”

Milton rises from the couch. “What’s wrong?”

“I need to go.” I’m in a state of shock for the moment. “My grandmother, she’s in the hospital.” I leave the library and rush down to my room. 

“What happened?” Milton follows after me as I sloppily pack a small bag.

“I don’t know. Mom was talking so fast-” I frown and try to force the bag closed, but everything inside spills out and all over the floor. “Oh no!” I whine as I kneel down and try to pick up everything. “She just kept yelling at me and I don’t-”

Milton stills my hand and helps me pack the bag. “Take the car. Go see what’s wrong. Take as much time as you need away.”

“I can’t do that-” I try to argue, but Milton stops me.

“I’ve taken care of Athena by myself before. I can do it now. If your family needs you, that is what is important now.” Milton coaxes me. He pecks the top of my head and hands me the keys to his car.

I drive to the hospital. There, I find out my grandmother had suffered a stroke. She is doing well, but the doctors are keeping her for observations. My mom is in the midst of a panic attack so I help her calm down. Once Grandma can come home, mom disappears into taking care of her, so my dad asks me to stay and work in the store for a few days. A few days turns into a couple of weeks. 

One day, the phone rings while the store is packed. I’m busy running the register by myself and no one is answering. I finally manage to grab the phone and answer it.

“Bing? Is that you?” The small voice on the other end asks.

“Athena,” I gasp. “Hey, yeah, it’s me, sweetheart.” I feel a sense of calm and worry come over me. I force one of my brothers to take the register and I take the phone to the office, where it is moderately quiet. 

“When are you coming home?” Athena asks.

“I’d like to soon,” I reply. “But my family needs me.”

“We need you too!” Athena argues. “Dad’s not doing well.”

A shooting pain goes through my heart. “Is he not cooking well?” I ask.

“No, I mean he’s sick too,” Athena replies. “He didn’t want me telling you, but I think you should know.”

“Sick?” I whisper. Outside, my brothers are yelling for me. I hear my dad whining about something not being stacked right. My mom is knocking on the office door, asking me how to fix the radio.

“Yeah, but...You sound really busy, Bing. If your grandmother is still sick, I’m sorry to have called you and worried you.” Athena sounds so tiny on the phone.

“I’m coming back,” I tell her. “You shouldn’t have to look after your father alone. My grandmother has a whole house now. You just keep doing what you have been and I’ll be back home soon.”

I leave the office in a hurry, blowing past my parents and siblings. I gather my things and, before heading out, I turn to them.

“I have to go back to my job,” I tell them. “I’ve been away too long.”

“But we need you here!” My brothers whine.

“No,” I laugh. “You really don’t. You just need to stop being lazy.” I make my exit quickly and drive back home.

When I walk back into the house, I see Athena coming up from the kitchen, trying to carry a heavy tray by herself.

“You’re home!” She sets the tray on the floor and runs to me. I wrap her up in my arms and hug her tight. “I’m so glad!”

I hug her and kiss her forehead. “Is that for your dad?”

She nods and I pick the tray up. She’s somehow made soup for him, but it doesn’t look too appetizing. “You look tired,” I tell her. “Have you napped at all?”

She shakes her head. 

“Then go lay down for a bit. I’ll make us a great big dinner after I see your father.” I walk her upstairs to her bedroom and tuck her in. Her head hits the pillow and she’s out like a light.

I go up to Milton’s bedroom, not sure what I am going to find there. His room is dark and very warm. There are feathers everywhere, dusting the floor, stuck on the furniture and the walls. As I walk, the feathers flurry around my feet. 

Milton coughs and wheezes. “Who is there?”

I sit down on the edge of the bed. “It’s me.”

Milton’s expression is soft and tired. He grabs hold of my hand and touches my face. “You came back,” he whispers.

“Of course I did.” I brush my fingers along his forehead, downy fluff gets stuck to my skin. “I had to.” I smile down at him. “What happened?”

He coughs and turns his head away from me. “Just a cold,” he whispers. “Probably something from work.”

I sigh with relief. “Oh, thank goodness.”

He chuckles. “What, did you think I was dying?”

“A little.” I fluff up a pillow and stick it behind his head so he’s propped up more. “When Athena called me, I feared for the worst.” I lay down beside him, resting my head on his chest.

Milton puts his arm around me. “I told her not to do that. You had much more important things to worry about than my sad cough.”

“No,” I murmur. “Everything is ok at home. This is where I was needed the most.”

Milton runs his fingers through my hair. “I hate to be selfish, but I am glad you’re back as well. Seeing your face again is good medicine.”

I snuggle close to him. “Give me a moment,” I sigh. “I want to stay like this for a bit more and then I’ll make you something good to eat.”

Milton chuckles. “It’s been sandwiches and leftovers since you left. I’m afraid Athena is trying to cook now too.”

“She made some sort of soup.” I clutch his hand tight. “She loves you, she is trying.”

“I’m not complaining,” he laughs. “I’m just happy she’s alright.”

I think we fell asleep, because the next thing I know, I wake up with Athena between us. She and Milton are sleeping happily and I get to watch them. I kiss them both, tucking them in nicely as I go downstairs to the kitchen.

The kitchen is a war zone. Poor Athena had been manning the trenches all by herself. I clean up what I can and I set to work on making lemon chicken for dinner. It is Wednesday, after all.

I carry the tray upstairs just as Athena and Milton are both sitting up. Athena bounces excitedly and greedily snatches her bowl away from me.

Milton kisses me as I set the tray in his lap. “Thank you,” he whispers to me.

My heart is beating wildly out of control. “I would do anything for you two.”

“You broke the curse!” Athena cheers. “You did it!” She springs up and hugs me tight. “You saved the prince!”

I smile to Milton, whose dark eyes I see are really a deep, lovely brown. He wraps both Athena and I up in his wings. “That she did,” he whispers to Athena.