Nanny for the Alien Lord by Tammy Walsh

Tauas

Elken was sufferingfrom a serious case of snix in her pants.

If the show didn’t start soon we would have to leave.

“Do you want me to take her outside?” Daynnis said.

It was the first time she’d spoken to me since our little painting disagreement.

But it was a good idea.

“Please,” I said.

I handed Elken over and Daynnis took her out of the hall.

Hopefully, she could find a garden where she could run and burn off some of her excess energy.

The show should have started already if not for some kind of delay.

There was movement behind the curtain and it sashayed as a figure stepped out from behind it and paused at the foot of the stage.

Belle raised her chin to peer out at the audience.

A hush fell over them as they hoped this would finally be the opening of the show.

Belle lowered her eyes to the floor and walked down the catwalk.

The audience returned to their murmured conversations.

But not me.

I had eyes only for Belle.

The rest of the audience faded away and a spotlight fell upon the woman of my dreams, the harsh light bringing out her smooth features.

Her dress might not be as showy as those coming up on the show soon but that only played to her advantage.

It was plain and simple and allowed her beauty to shine through.

Every few seconds, she glanced over at me and, my throat having turned dry, I swallowed what felt like sand.

When she descended the steps to the audience, she took her seat beside mine, completely unaware of the effect she’d had on me.

The low buzz of the audience’s conversations faded back in.

She was the most beautiful creature in the world.

I was glad everyone else here preferred to be blinded by the models and their fancy clothes.

It left her entirely for me.

I cleared my throat.

“How… How is your sister?”

“She’s fine now. Where’s Elken?”

“Daynnis took her out. She was getting a bit restless.”

I peered at the hand in her lap and desired nothing more than to take it in mine, to hold onto it and ask—and beg if necessary—to stay with me.

The only source of information I had about Belle’s plans was from Iatell, via Abbie.

She was going to leave tonight, after the show, and head back to Earth where she would continue her studies.

I felt sick to my stomach that she might leave so soon.

Despite that, I couldn’t bring myself to take her hand in mine.

I was too afraid she might say no.

Finally, the lights dimmed and Iatell stepped out on the stage.

“Welcome everyone,” Iatell said, smiling and nodding to some of the more important and influential members of the audience. “I’m sorry for the delay. There were some… technical issues. I’m very proud to introduce you to the greatest talent I’ve come across in these many years. Her name is Abigail Baker and she’s from Earth. She only considers herself an amateur but as you shall see, she is a great deal more than that. Without further ado, please let me introduce you to Abbie.”

She led the applause and a spotlight highlighted the corner of the stage curtain.

The applause grew but there was no sign of Abbie.

“Come on, Abbie,” Belle said through clenched teeth. “Come on.”

Her hands wrestled each other with nerves and she gnawed on her bottom lip aggressively.

Without thinking, I reached out and took her hand in mine.

Startled, she peered over at me, then down at my hand in her lap.

She hadn’t torn her hand from mine and I considered it a victory.

I capitalized on it and weaved my fingers through hers.

Her attention returned fully to the stage where, after another round of applause, Abbie wheeled uncertainly onto the stage.

The bright lights blinded her and the noise rattled her.

It didn’t occur to me what the problem was until I realized she hadn’t been outside her home in seven years, and now she was thrust in front of hundreds of judgmental eyes.

Belle’s hand grew tighter around mine.

I stroked the back of her hand with my thumb and it seemed to calm her.

Abbie’s eyes passed over the audience until she located her sister.

She managed a smile.

“You can do this,” Belle said under her breath.

“Thank you, Iatell,” Abbie said calmly. “I don’t think I am a professional designer yet but maybe with your help, one day I might be.”

She gave Iatell a nod and then focused back on Belle.

“Iatell Islah,” she said, shaking her head. “If you would have told me I would be standing on a stage with my idol a week ago, about to show you some of my designs, I would have called the men in white coats.”

The audience laughed.

They were putty in her hands.

Abbie seemed to take some comfort in that and her shoulders relaxed.

“As much as Iatell has helped me the past week or so, it’s really a different person who’s helped me more than any other. My sister, Belle.”

Belle’s fingers tightened around mine, almost crushing them.

I let her do it.

She needed the support.

“Seven years ago…” Abbie continued. “Seven years ago, we suffered a car accident. It killed our parents and took my legs from me. I lost everything that day. Everything, but my sister. It fell onto her shoulders to watch over and protect me. She gave up on her dreams so I could pursue mine. We came to this planet with very little in our pockets. We worked, got by, and every day, I drew inspiration from her. I looked at her and saw my mom. She’s always reminded me of her.”

Belle took a deep breath to try and calm her emotions that were already playing across her face.

“People have often asked me where I get my inspiration from. It’s from my sister. I pictured what my mom might wear to the important life events that she would never see. If she went to our university graduation days, what would she wear? Or how about a fancy New Year’s ball? Or the Christening of her first grandchild? Each time, I would design something for her to wear.”

Tears streamed down Belle’s cheeks.

It must have been news to her too.

“That’s why the show began late tonight,” Abbie said, pouring her heart out.

It was so quiet, you could hear the chairs creak beneath the audience members.

“I saw the models backstage putting on the clothes I’d designed for our mom. They looked nothing like her. They’re all beautiful, of course. Objectively more beautiful than my mom ever was… but they still aren’t my mom.”

It wasn’t only Belle with tears in her eyes now.

The entire audience was touched.

“I feel like I owe you all an apology for waiting,” Abbie said.

“You don’t owe anybody anything, my girl!” a haggard old woman sitting in the front row said.

She was known as the dragon of the fashion industry and if Abbie had even managed to crack her iron heart, the others would be close to blubbering messes by now.

The audience hooted and clapped their hands.

A couple whistled.

Abbie smiled but it was broken.

She wiped at her eyes, smudging her makeup.

“Thank you,” she said. “So, without further ado, let me introduce you to my first collection. I call it Spring because it’s the first stage of a new year where I come from. It’s where all things begin to bloom and blossom and grow—including hope. I hope very much that you’ll enjoy it.”

The audience applauded as Abbie descended the ramp and took her position beside Iatell.

Abbie glanced over her shoulder at Belle, who smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

Then the show began.

Belle removed her hand from mine.

“Thank you,” she said.

“My pleasure,” I said, and it really was.

Even as the models descended the catwalk, I couldn’t take my eyes from her.

I had hoped reaching out and taking her hand might have made her reconsider leaving, that somehow she might want to stay with me.

Instead, she focused intently on the show, and when it was done, the lights drew up and the audience applauded loudly.

Belle was the most energetic of them all.

She hurried over to Abbie and embraced her sister, each with tears running down their cheeks.

Daynnis returned only after the applause had abated, an exhausted Elken fast asleep in her arms.

“She’s a little worse for wear, I’m afraid.”

“It’s okay.”

I peered over at Belle shaking hands with Iatell and sticking closely to her sister’s side.

“The show’s over anyway.”

With a heavy heart, I took Elken from Daynnis, who mumbled something under her breath, and proceeded through the exit and returned home.

It was over.

And no amount of arguing or begging was going to change that.

We were over.