23rd December, 2014

Juniper Lodge was quiet in the mornings. Despite having an over-active ten-year-old in the place, it was rare for the inhabitants to be up before half past seven, and so they never saw Lisbeth enter the house at six and begin preparing the day for them. Lila was certain that Lis was magical, always able to prepare food at a moment's notice, no matter what was requested, and even Brynne had to admit that the packed lunches had definitely improved since Lis took them over. During the holiday, there was no need for packed lunches, however, and so Lis was slowly but surely tackling the tougher jobs in the early hour before the house woke up. This morning she was scrubbing at the inside of the oven while the coffee brewed, the scent disguising the smell of the chemicals that were scouring six months of food grime from the metallic interior.

The hot cocoa that had been promised the night before had never taken place, as Edward had fallen asleep in the midst of a chapter of Harry Potter, unable to keep his eyes open any longer. It was there he remained all night, settled in his niece's bed. Someone - most likely his sister - had taken the book from his hands and the shoes from his feet, pulled a blanket up over him and kissed his cheek to wish him a good night, unwilling to wake him from such a much-needed and peaceful sleep. It was the smell of coffee that had woken him at last and stirred him from his sleep. For a moment, he forgot where he was, groggy and disoriented, before remembering what he'd been doing before he'd fallen asleep. It wasn't long before he was creeping down the stairs, shoes in hand, hoping not to wake anyone to see who was making coffee in the kitchen.

Of course, Lis wasn't immediately visible from the doorway, down as she was on her knees, head and shoulders inside the oven, and of course, the sound of the brush against the metal walls of the oven made certain she couldn't hear a thing, either, oblivious to the approach of the Mr. Granger she had been briefly introduced to the night before.

Thankfully, he'd made a brief stop at the bathroom to make himself at least halfway presentable, though there wasn't much he could do about the tangle of curls on his head. He was still wearing the sweater and jeans he'd arrived in the night before, but left his shoes near his bags for later. "Hullo?" he inquired quietly, so as not to wake the entire household. It was still dark out, with night just turning to morning - far too early for Lila or Brynne just yet, but he was used to early hours such as these.

The quiet call came just as Lis paused in her scrubbing, and she jumped in surprise, clonking the back of her head off the top of the oven in her haste to stand up. "Oh! Mr. Granger ....I did not disturb you?" she asked hopefully, still worried even after three years with the Grangers that she was going to lose her job over something so trivial.

He winced when he heard her clunk her head against the metal of the oven and he automatically reached for her to make sure she was all right, gentle fingers searching the back of her head for a lump. He was a medic, after all, and it was mostly second nature. "Are you all right' I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

Drawing her own hand away, she tensed a little as his more experienced fingers searched for a lump on the back of her head, a little startled to find how lovely felt to have her hair sifting through his fingers as he did. She bit down on that feeling quickly; fancying one of her employers was not a good start. "I-I am well," she assured him, gently pulling away. "It is nothing, just a bump. You would like coffee" Or tea" Miss Granger left me a note to say you prefer it."

He frowned at her a moment, not looking convinced, but not wanting to embarrass her by fussing over what was just a minor bump. "Coffee, I think," he replied thoughtfully, before reaching into the cupboard to search for a mug. "Something a little more invigorating than tea."

Sparkling dark eyes just a little wary, Lis moved away to the coffee pot, checking its heat before she took sugar and cream out to set beside the mug when he eventually found it. "I hope I did not disturb you with the cleaning," she apologized quietly, pouring out the coffee automatically. "I am not usually so loud in the early hours."

"No, of course not. I'm sorry I startled you," he apologized for the second time, feeling just a little awkward, but not quite sure why. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't used to having servants around, or maybe it was just that she was so ridiculously beautiful. Beautiful women always made him just a little nervous. "You weren't loud at all. It was the coffee that woke me," he explained, watching as she filled his mug.

"It is okay," she assured him with a smile that lit up her face. "I was nearly done, anyway." She pushed the jug and sugar bowl toward him, moving to set the pot back in place. "Are you hungry' I can make you something to eat. It is what I am here for."

"I seem to recall promising someone pancakes," he said, though that certainly didn't have to happen today. He sipped the coffee black, preferring it that way most of the time. Sugar and cream was to hide the flavor of bad coffee, but this smelled divine. "Perfect," he said, regarding that sip. "You don't have to cook for me, Miss..." He trailed off, forgetting her last name again, if it had even been shared. "I'm quite capable of making my own breakfast."

"It is my job, Mr. Granger," she pointed out gently, but she wasn't going to force him to eat her cooking if he truly wanted to cook for himself. Her smile deepened a little as he trailed off. "I am Lisbeth Espinoza," she introduced herself. "But people call me Lis. You may, if you wish."

"And I am Edward Granger, but people call me Edward. You may if you wish," he echoed with a friendly and slightly amused smile, switching the coffee cup to his left hand so that he could offer her his right. "Brynne tells me you're from Venezuela." He wasn't going to argue with her if she insisted on cooking, but he wasn't going to demand it either.

She laughed at his echo of her words, her own right hand wiped on her apron before she shook his. "Thank you, Edward, I will," she nodded, seeming to relax a little as she had been given permission to call him by his first name, even if it did feel a little awkward on her tongue. "I am from Venezuela, yes," she added, moving to crouch and finish wiping the oven clean as she spoke. "But I have been in Rhy'Din for ....twelve years. It has been a long time since I went home."

He leaned against the cupboard, sipping at his coffee as he watched her thoughtfully. She had been away from home nearly as long as he had, perhaps just as long when he considered in the time he'd spent at university. "I'm not trying to pry, but what brought you to Rhy'Din?" he asked, with curious interest.

He looked back at her, a soft smile on his face as he noticed her blush. "No need to apologize. I understand you just fine. I know a little Spanish, if it helps. I've always been rather good at languages, for some reason. My mother claims I was practically born speaking."

"It is a gift, to be able to speak more than one language with ease," Lis nodded, smiling herself, grateful he had not laughed at her struggling for the word that just wouldn't come. Of course, she could be excused perfect speech, given that she was cooking at the same time, two pans were now set on the stove. Various meats, together with tomato and mushrooms, filled one, sizzling away happily; the other held the egg mixture, to which she had added the chives and a little cheese, which she was scrambling. "Will you go back, when you are well again?"

That was the big question, wasn't it' And it brought another thoughtful frown to his face. "I don't know. I can't really see myself doing anything else, but..." There was that uncertain shrug again. "Brynne tells me I should worry about getting well first, and think about what to do with the rest of my life later." He seemed a little embarrassed suddenly that she was cooking for him, while he sat there doing nothing, even though that was what she was being paid to do. "Is there anything I can do to help" With breakfast, I mean?"

"Your health should come first, yes," Lis agreed with his sister's assessment, looking up in surprise at his offer. She hesitated for a moment before answering, as though expecting him to find her reply amusing. "It ....it is pleasant to have someone to talk to," she said quietly, looking down at the pans as she agitated the eggs. "You are already helping, but if you truly wish something to do, there is toast to prepare."

"Yes, well, I don't plan on being sick forever," he said, smiling at her again, feeling oddly comfortable in her company and enjoying the moment of quiet before the rest of the house came awake. "I can do that!" he declared, taking a final sip of his coffee before setting the cup aside and moving to his feet to fetch a loaf of bread for the toaster.

She laughed quietly, surprised by his enthusiasm to join in with a task she had performed alone, without company, for almost three years now. Occasionally Lila would stay in the kitchen, but mostly Lis worked alone. "Tell me about your work?" she asked curiously. "It sounds very of interest. Interest-like?"

He chuckled a little at both the question and the way she had phrased it, having no problem understanding her in the least. "It's not all that interesting, really. We provide food and medicine and clothing to those in need, but I'm sort of a medic, which basically means I'm a little more than a nurse but less than a doctor. It's rewarding work, but it can be heart-wrenching. Especially the children," he added, turning away to slip a couple of slices of bread in the toaster.

"Interesting," she repeated to herself under her breath, wishing she had her notebook to hand to be able to write it down. Listening to his explanation, she smiled faintly, understanding more than what he said aloud. "I should like to help people in that way," she said quietly, tucking an escaping strand of black hair back behind her ear. "You would recommend it?"

He furrowed his brows thoughtfully at her question, unsure how to answer it. It was a hard life, but a meaningful one. "Like I said, it isn't for everyone. It's difficult, exhausting, and heart-breaking, but if you want to make a difference, then yes, I'd recommend it," he replied, as honestly as he could, but the thought of her going off somewhere and never seeing her again made him feel sad for some reason.

"It ....interests me," she nodded thoughtfully, moving to fetch a plate from where it had been warming in the oven. "I would not simply up and leave, obviously, but ....such things are what I wanted to do when I first trained. I did not know it was possible to do it."

"Well, you have to go through a screening process, and then there's training, but I don't see why you wouldn't be accepted." He waited for the toast to pop up before adding two more slices to the toaster and buttering the slices that had popped up. "To be honest, I'm not sure they'll let me go back."

She frowned curiously. "Why would they not allow you back?" she asked, genuinely befuddled by the thought. "You have worked with them for many years, so Lila tells me. That you have been sent away to recover from illness does not mean that you will not be able to work as you did before."

"I don't know," he replied, for what seemed like the hundredth time. It was as if he wasn't sure of anything anymore. Falling ill and being sent home seemed to have robbed him of his conviction and certainty regarding his life's path. "My sister has dutifully pointed out that my current course is not very conducive to family life, though it hardly matters."

"There is only truth in that if the one you love and choose to build a life with does not wish to be a part of such a compassionate mission," Lisbeth pointed out mildly. She didn't mean to be handing out advice to someone she barely knew, but he seemed to need it, somehow. "If the people you care for are able to raise a family, then there is no reason why you should not be able to do the same."

"Yes, well, that is easier said than done, I'm afraid," he replied as he buttered yet another slice of toast and laid it on a plate. "I have not yet met anyone who seemed agreeable to that lifestyle." The truth was, he hadn't met anyone who seemed agreeable to anything in a very long time.

"Well, it is not for everyone," she pointed out. "Such professions, they call to a certain type of person, and they do not always put the most combative people in the same situations." Possibly that hadn't been the word she'd meant to use.

"Combative?" he echoed with an arched brow. "I think perhaps you mean competent," he suggested with a smile. He picked up his cup and took a sip of his coffee, an idea coming to mind. "Would you like to see something?" he asked vaguely, but with something in particular in mind.

She blinked, mentally running through her previous statement thoughtfully. "Ah, I see," she nodded, beginning to serve up the meal that had been created. Her portioning was close to perfect, evidence of a few years at work here. "Thank you. And ....If you would like to show me something, then, of course."

"Yes," he heard himself saying, though again he wasn't quite sure why he was sharing this with her. Why had this one little girl touched his life in such a profound way, opening his heart to the concept of unconditional love" "Her name is Zahan," he said, still gazing on the photograph, his voice rough with tears he dared not shed. "She was an orphan in my care for a while before a family was found for her."

Lis smiled once again, compassion in her dark eyes as she looked over at him, drying her hands on a cloth. "She is a beautiful child," she said quietly. "And to know she is well-placed, with a family who will love her ....that cannot be so very bad to know."

"No, I suppose not," he admitted, carefully tucking the photograph back into the notebook and resting his palm against the cover once it was closed shut again. A year and more of memories that would never come back. He said nothing more, not telling her how he had become ill and unable to say good-bye. She was gone now and he would never see her again, but Lis was right - at least, she was in a better place now, with a family who would love her and care for her and keep her forever safe from harm. It was more than he could have ever done for her on his own.

A pot of tea, complete with cup and saucer, milk jug, and sugar bowl, was placed in front of him, and a gentle hand touched his shoulder. "She will not forget you," she said softly. "Love leaves a mark that can never be washed away."

"Perhaps," he admitted, though he wasn't too sure. He thought that once she got on with her new life, he would be as forgotten as her old life, but maybe it was better that way. After all, he only wanted her to be safe and healthy and happy, and she would have that with her new family. He swiped an errant tear from his cheek, hoping she hadn't noticed, grateful for both the tea and her companionship. Was it any wonder he was so attached to Lila, when children had been such an important part of his life for nearly the last decade" "It doesn't really matter, does it?"

"If it touches you so deeply, then it matters," she said simply, shrugging. "You cannot dismiss the heart so easily as the head, Eduardo. And in truth, I do not think you would want to. There may always be sadness when those memories come, but there will always be happiness, too."

"I would have adopted her myself, if they'd let me, but they thought it would be better if she had a family - a mother and father, a stable family life in a safe and healthy environment. I could not offer her that, and then I got sick." It was his turn to shrug.

"Is this why you feel concern about whether you should continue as you are, or settle down?" she asked curiously, not wanting to pry too deeply, but wanting to understand him a little better. This quiet interlude would be over soon - she was expecting the whirlwind that was Lila to come bursting in at any moment.

He furrowed his brows, seemingly contemplating his tea, though his tea was the furthest thing from his mind. He had never thought of it that way before, never made the connection or realized that maybe that was what this was all about. For years, he'd been surrounded by people who needed him, and though he had been welcomed and accepted, he had not been one of them. So many lives had touched his. Many of their names he'd forgotten, but there were a few he remembered and Zahan was one of them - the daughter of his heart. "I don't know," he replied, as uncertainly as before. "I only wish I could have said good-bye."

"You know which family she has been placed with, yes?" Lis asked, assuming he did. If he had been involved with her so deeply, she doubted Edward would not have gotten the family's address. "You could write to her. It will mean something, to have words from someone she knows well while she is still learning how to be a child again."

"I'm not sure I should," he said with a frown. He'd had little time to consider it, and even then, he wasn't sure it was something he should do. She should be learning her new life and family and not holding onto the old one.

"Perhaps she needs the goodbye as much as you do," she suggested softly, but didn't push it any further. It wasn't her place; indeed, most of this conversation had crossed over the line between employer and employee, something she wasn't sure would be allowed by others in the household.

He made no reply for a long moment, seriously considering her words and finding wisdom in them. "Lis, can I ask you something?" he started, knowing as she did that Brynne wouldn't like how he'd crossed the line with her cook, but he had been gone too long and seen too much to care about protocol between social classes.

"Of course," she nodded to him, absentmindedly wiping down the counter, more to keep her hands busy than for any real purpose. Brynne had been absolutely right about Lis and dust; the house was spotless.

"Would you go to dinner with me sometime?" he asked, spontaneously and without hesitation. And why not' She was the first woman he'd made any kind of connection with in years. So what if Brynne didn't like it' So long as Lis did her job satisfactorily, he didn't see how it mattered.

She blinked in surprise, touched to be asked at all. And despite her reservations, mostly about keeping her job, she found she didn't actually want to say no. Her smile gentled as she nodded. "I think I would I like that, Eduardo," she agreed softly. "Very much so."

"I'd like that, too," he said with a smile, pleased with her answer. "And don't worry about Brynne. I'll take care of Brynne," he added, though he wasn't sure how he was going to explain or make her understand. He didn't want to make her angry, but he wasn't going to deny the strange connection he was feeling with Lis. Even if all that came of it was friendship, he'd be happy with that.

Whatever she might have said in answer was cut short as a dark-haired whirlwind in bright pink pajamas burst into the kitchen. "Turn the radio on!" Lila demanded with bright enthusiasm, and Lis moved to obey, laughing. She hit gold on the first try, and Edward was treated to the sight of his niece and "the help" dancing around the kitchen, singing along to All I Want For Christmas (Is You) into a pair of wooden spoons.

He brightened at the sight of his niece bursting into the kitchen and Lis playing along, wondering if Brynne knew what went on in her kitchen when she was still sleeping. He hoped she'd be happy to see her little girl laughing and having fun, and maybe she'd even join in herself, but that was yet to be seen. Edward found himself laughing at their antics and forgetting his sadness, for a little while, at least.

As Mariah's dulcet tones filled the kitchen, overlaid with the slightly less dulcet tones of a hyperactive ten-year-old screeching into her wooden spoon, there could be no mistaking that this was definitely a family household. Whether she was just the help or not, Lis had found a place here she wouldn't have had anywhere else. And indeed, despite the looming disapproval from the formidable Miss Granger, she would never have met Edward without coming to this house. Even if she lost her job over a burgeoning something with him, it would be worth it. It would certainly be a Christmas to remember.