To Love A Myth - Book 1: Mr. Higgs and the Maid🎩✔️

4

Higgs woke up under the covers and moaned, pulling them from his face. He looked around the room and realized that he wasn't in his manor. He thought about it for a moment and remembered saving the men from the fire and then feeling the intense heat take over him. Then he remembered what happened afterward and sighed.
"I see... left again... Should have known." He said, slipping out of bed with the covers still wrapped around him.
He was about to leave when the door opened and the maid yelled.
"Master Higgs!" she yelled, her face flushing red. "You- you- you scared me!"
"Sorry, Lara. I didn't mean to..."
"I wasn't sure if you were still a child or not but I didn't want to disturb your sleep."
"You're fine."
"Your father is here."
Higgs turned his head a little. "Father's here? What for?"
"Huxley went to get him on behalf of your mother."
Higgs nodded and made a face. "And... where is Ms. Dunbrough?"
"She left not too long ago. We let her stay the night due to the chill in the air."
Higgs nodded again and smiled sadly. "Well, that's that..."
Lara made a face at him as he smiled again, a more fake and plastered look, and held out his hand.
"Are those my clothes?"
"Oh, yes, they are." She handed them to him. "Mr. Higgs, I don't think you realize what's going on-"
"Really, Lara? I think after nineteen years of this, I would get pretty used to it."
"But-"
"Off with you." He growled, pushing her out.
He closed the door behind the besom maid and then slid down to the floor. He leaned his head back on it and tried to keep his composure as he took in the fact that yet again, his curse caused another person to leave him. He didn't know why this particular time it was harder than the last ones, but it was. He breathed in and crossed his arms over his knees.
"Why can't I be normal?" he asked the empty room. "Why do I have to suffer the curse that someone from my past caused? It's not fair..."
He shook his head and leaned his head back again.
"Another transformation, another maid gone. I should be used to this by now but it still stings when I'm left here... and I really thought that Ms. Dunbrough was going to pull through. She was so headstrong and stubborn... Oh well..."
He got up off the floor and changed into his clothing.

******************

"Higgs, darling, come in and have some tea with your father and I." Margaret said as she saw Higgs passing the outlet to the hallway.
Higgs sighed but backed up and went into the room. Jamison turned to him and smiled nervously.
"It's been a while..."
"Yes, it has."
"How is the manor doing for you? Is it suitable to most of your needs?"
"It does what it has to as an inanimate object..." Higgs said, fixing his tea.
"You know what I mean."
"Yes, it does well. Why are you here? Don't you have something else to do besides try to be a husband and a father?"
"Higgs." Margaret growled.
"What? He never stays. He just leaves and puts burdens on others."
Jamison sighed. "We've gone through this before, Higgs."
"I know, I know, it's because of the changes and the safety of the family but did you ever think that maybe I needed you around to show me what was going on? To tell me that my life would be a living hell?!"
Margaret looked at her son in surprise as Jamison watched him calmly.
"I told you plenty of times that your life would not be easy-"
"A life that isn't easy is supposed to consist of maybe having to repay the long standing debts of a father who left or died, possibly a low ranking noble title that has had to scrounge for years in order to make a name for itself. A life that isn't easy shouldn't consist of losing maids and/or potential love interests due to a curse that was caused by an ancestor and turning into creatures that are not real!"
Jamison glared at his son. "Don't you think I have had my fair share of heartache and pain? You're not the only one cursed."
"Well thanks for having me."
Margaret cleared her throat and sipped her tea.
"Boys, must this be the same argument every time you meet? Your father had no control over it any more than you or anyone before him. It's not his fault that these things happen and it's not his fault that you were born."
"No, it's you. You got swept up in the heat of the moment."
Margaret set her teacup down. "I happen to love your father, despite what your cruel little heart thinks, Higgs. You also know the consequences of the mermaid."
"Obviously not enough." he snarled, slamming the cup into the saucer. "I'm going home."
He left and Margaret looked at Jamison.
"I'm sorry he says such hurtful words to you, Jami."
"I should be the one apologizing. You tried your hardest, but it takes a strong woman to do what needs to be done."
"He's losing hope."
"About this age is when that starts to happen. After seeing too many people leave you, you begin to regard yourself as everyone sees you: a freak."
"I don't think he knows about Merida."
"Then this will be a nice surprise for him. He needs that."