Choux Cream Cake

N'Yim

His face was what I saw morning to night. After three months, you'd think I'd get sick of it, but it was actually something I kind of looked forward to- seeing his rosy cheeks and gummy smile were the highlights of my day whether I chose to admit it or not. Sitting on the couch, my body would find itself closer to him than it had been at the start of the show, gradually, subtly gravitating to him. The kitchen was where I went when I wasn't too busy, whether to help him out or just stay and talk to him while he would be covered in flour or just waiting for the oven to ding.

Occasionally though, we'd have a certain dark-haired regular come in every couple of weeks or so just at the timing when P'Saint had his break. They'd chat and laugh, all caught up in their own little bubble. Despite what P'Plan said, I was not 'salty' or 'scaring away customers with my death glare', I was simply being cautious- knowing what I did about that guy. He surprised me one day, though.

He came in with a kid.

The entirety of the time was spent convincing the shy girl, height reaching just above their knees, to interact with P'Saint. Who knew you could get jealous of a kid, being all wrapped up in his arms like that. What I didn't like was the sweet look in Zee's eyes when he watched them play, god forbid I all but lunge the damn coffee machine at him. He didn't get to look at P'Saint like that, he hasn't earned the right. As far as I was concerned he never will.

After he left, P'Saint came to me, "Is it okay if she comes over to the house this weekend? She's all alone in the house because her babysitter isn't free and P'Zee has to go on a business trip."

He was asking me to temporarily house the child of his ex, his ex who I didn't like on account that he was an asshole- he was in my head anyway. I almost rejected him... but I thought of the kid, the innocent girl had nothing to do with her father hurting P'Saint in the past or barging in again after six years without apology or warning, I had no reason to reject her from coming into my house.

That's how I ended up answering the door Saturday morning to see Zee carrying a toddler in his arms, his smile fading as his eyes laid upon me. Needless to say, he wasn't expecting to see my face. "You…" he said, "Why are you here?"

"I live here," I couldn't help but carry a slight tone of sarcasm.

"Where's Saint?" He adjusted the little girl in his arms, getting suspicious.

"Sleeping, he forgot to set an alarm." A smug look found its way up my face. It was as if I was staking my claim, showing my possessiveness which I had no right to have because P'Saint was mine as much as he was Zee's- he wasn't.

After a quick staredown, Zee gingerly handed the child to me along with the small backpack he had that carried the necessities for the child, Yim. He briefed me on what I needed to know then he left with a disappointed look on his face. Perhaps he was hoping for some conversation with P'Saint, hoping he'd wake up in the short five minutes we'd been talking to say hi. He didn't though.

The kid seemed quiet, more behaved than most toddlers I'd seen before. Even if I found the racket they made a nuisance, I didn't know if the extreme opposite of lack thereof was a good thing. I laid the backpack down on the sofa and sat her on my lap. She laid limp in my arms and looked up at me, curious, yet saying nothing.

I showed a small smile, then touched her soft cheeks, "Are you scared of me?" I laughed softly. She shook her head vigorously in response. Hoping to get some type of verbal response from her, I asked, "Have you eaten breakfast?" She shook her head again, "Want to have some?"

"Where?" I smiled- she wasn't mute.

"Here, of course," she squinted her eyes at that, then she tilted her head.