Angel on Earth

Chapter Ten: Do You Like Him?

Monroe's POV

"They're really sweet, if a little crazy," I said as I pushed my dinner around my plate. 

After Axel's...recounting of events, I spent the day with them watching movies. Axel made me promise not to treat them any differently, so I haven't. I still destroyed them at Uno as I usually would and talked to them like normal. 

"How so?" Mom asked as she took a sip of her water.

"Well, there's four of them, and they're all the same age―Are you okay?" I asked Dad when he began to choke on his water. 

He rubbed his chest as he looked at me with an inscrutable look. "There's four of them? And they're all the same age?" I nodded. Dad leaned back in his chair as he looked at Mom with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. He turned back to me. "How old are they?"

"Six," I answered as I took a bite of chicken. 

"How old are their parents?"

I cringed slightly. "They're being raised by their brother."

My mom's expression turned to one of understanding before she replaced it with a smile. "Well, how old is their brother?"

"Nineteen. What's that look for?" I asked when I saw my mom give my dad a knowing glance.

"Oh, nothing. Just wondering," she said with a smile faker than the Desperate Housewives's personalities. 

I narrowed my eyes slightly. "What are you thinking?"

"Do you like him?" Dad asked.

"Like who?"

"Like the brother of the kids you're babysitting," Dad said as he took a bite of his food. 

Now it was my turn to choke on my water. "What?! No! He's technically my boss! That's inappropriate! Besides, I'm not a gold digger!" I said with a blush.

"Oh, so he's rich, too?"

"Mom!!"

She laughed. "I'm just teasing you, sweetie. Besides, it's not like we're going to be mad at you if you do like him. That would be the most hypocritical thing we could do," Mom said as she looked at my dad. 

I tilted my head. "What?"

Dad turned to me. "Did we never mention how we met?"

I slowly shook my head. Dad beamed at me before saying, "Well, when I was new to the department as a detective, we got a horde of interns to sort and file cases. Each person in the force was assigned an intern, and your mother just happened to be mine. I knew we weren't allowed to have...relations...with the interns, but your mother was...different."

"Different how?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to hear the answer.

Mom laughed. "I rejected him. Many, many times. But he never gave up. Each day, at the same time, for three months―"

"Three months?! Holy cow!" I said.

Mom laughed. "Yeah, I guess in that way your father was different from every guy I had ever met. Usually, they would give up after the second or third attempt, but not your dad. He was determined. So every day, for three months, he would invite me to have lunch with him. One day, I finally agreed."

"After that, we were inseparable. Even when I was supposed to be working on a case, somehow your mother always found me."

Mom rolled her eyes. "He forgets I'm the one who hands him cases for the day."

Dad chuckled. "Yeah, I can't complain too much, though. She saved my life."

"What?! How?!" I asked.

Mom winked at me. "Another story for another day."

"Anyway, the point of the story is, we're not going to be mad if you like him. We would completely understand," Dad said. "So if you ever need to talk about...stuff, we'll be there."

I nodded, not wanting to ask what he meant by stuff. "Thanks, Dad."

Once I was up in my room, I sat at my desk trying to do my schoolwork. However, my efforts were in vain. My thoughts kept drifting back to the Bianchi family. 

I can't imagine what they must be going through. I wouldn't know what I would do if my parents died. At least the kids have Axel.

A frown tugged at my lips. But who does Axel have?

I sighed as I thought about Axel. 

Now that I think about it, he seems tired all the time. I figured it was because of Jay's night terror, but maybe it's because of his parents. He doesn't really have anyone to talk to about what happened, either. 

Well, that's not true. He has me now. Even if I won't be able to reassure him, I can at least listen.

Satisfied, I nodded to myself. Yeah, Axel has me now.

I got ready for bed and turned off my light after putting my complete homework in my backpack.

Axel. God, what a hot name for an equally hot person.

I shook my head to get rid of the unwelcome thought. Now was not the time to be fantasizing about him.

Though I do see how someone could get carried away thinking about him. It's not that hard. After all, he's caring, compassionate, he wants what's best for everybody, he's hard-working, and―

Oh my God I like him.

Oh, God. Okay, whatever. I like him. I like Axel. Does he like me back? Is he even ready for a relationship? He has a lot on his plate right now, I highly doubt he needs to add a boyfriend on top of that. Is he gay? Should I look it up?

I immediately banished that thought from my head. No! If I want to know something, I'll ask him. If he doesn't want me to know, then I won't invade his privacy by looking it up.

Nodding to myself, I quickly fell asleep.

***

"So, how was your sleepover with your boss?" James asked as I sat at the lunch table. 

"It was...eventful," I eventually said. When I saw the look James gives when he wants details, I shook my head. I wasn't going to tell him.

"You know, you've never given any details about your boss other than he's hot. So, what's he like?" James asked as he planted his elbows on the table and leaned towards me. His knees were on the bench, his butt on display for anyone and everyone who happened to look over. 

I made eye contact with William as he walked over. He picked up his binder and slapped James on the butt with it. "Sit down. Girls are ogling you," he said as he plunked himself down.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," James said as he sat down anyway. "Anyway, Monroe was just telling me about his boss." William looked at me, interest showing in his gaze.

I exhaled through my nose as I thought of what to tell them. "Well, his name is Asher Monrico," I began, using the alias Axel had given me when we first met last Monday. "He's the brother of the kids I'm babysitting. He's nineteen, and he's caring, especially when it comes to his siblings. He's a hard worker and you're right about him. I do really like him," I said.

James blinked before grinning. "I knew it! I knew you would get the hots for your boss!"

He leaned forward before saying, "You know what you have to do now, right? You have to go get your man!"

I blinked. "How am I supposed to do that?"

***

I hope your winter break went well! Mine is already basically over; we have classes again on Wednesday >:(  Needless to say, no one in my house is happy about that.