Unlicensed Babysitter

Step Light

Mariam plops down next to me and crosses her legs at the knee. We watch as a bodybag is taken away to be disposed of properly, and I wonder if the guards will put it in the morgue area of the hospital or if they have other plans for the body. I can't imagine they'd want the body to be discovered.

"He was, in fact, trying to kill Emma," Mariam murmers. She shakes out her arm and tufts of air like dandelions make my nose scrunch. "He had a gun on him, plus a few other nasty weapons. We checked his other belongings for anything to identify him but we didn't find anything. How did you know what he was going to do?"

I rub my nose. "I talked to him and described Emma as a red head. He didn't correct me. Then I told him how much she hates reading and he agreed with me." I shrug and stifle a sneeze.

"Smart. Good job."

Sure, it was, until I lost control. But there's no point in bringing that point up. It's over. "Should we tell Emma?" I ask instead.

Mariam sighs. "Richard is doing it right now." She adjusts her glasses and turns her head slightly to look at me. I bob my head as she studies my expression. "Do you want to talk to her?"

Kind of. Maybe. I don't want to see how she views me, though, after Richard informs her of what happened. I don't know how much detail he's going to give or if she'll ask to know everything. But I need to face her. People are going to try to hurt her and if I'm going to put my sanity on the line with every attempt on her life, I need information.

"Yeah, actually, I do," I say finally. "I want to know why people are trying to kill her."

Mariam hums in agreement. "That's something I'd like to know, too. The General didn't tell me and it wasn't in her file. How about we go in together?"

It was asked as if I had an option, but really, there isn't one. I am still coming down and Mariam needs to be around me. I appreciate her attempt, though. She stands and waits for me to get up, too, before we make our way to Emma's room together. She even allows me to enter the room first. I thank her in whisper then step through the doorway, my breath held.

Inside, Richard is sitting in my seat, talking gently to Emma. Neither of them notice me nor Mariam, so I wait for a lull in their conversation to let them know they're not alone. It takes a while but eventually I have my opening. I cough to make my presence known and they look over at me. Richard stands up and smoothes down his shirt, and I wonder just what he told Emma. Did he tell her I was a danger? That I'm to be kept just on the fringe of things? Did he describe my vicious acts so she'd know to be wary of me? I avert my eyes, my face suddenly hot.

"I want to talk to you," I say simply. No one reacts and I realize that my words were directed at the wall. Clenching my jaw I make myself focus on Emma so she knows I mean her.

She stares at me for a moment, then nods and waits for me to say more. What was with the hesitation? Maybe Richard did tell her I was a monster. I don't blame him, but still. Emma needed to trust me if I was going to protect her. She can't be afraid of me.

"Why are people trying to kill you?" I ask bluntly, brushing everything else out of my mind. I have no time to be mopey. I have a job to do.

Emma looks down at her hands and doesn't respond. I sigh in irritation and look to Mariam for help since she's the sensitive one, but she offers only a useless shrug. Running a hand over my hair, I frown at Emma. "Just answer the damn question," I tell her. I'd rather know what I'm dealing with.

Raising her eyes, Emma gives me a frown of her own. "I don't know."

"Of course..." I mutter.