An Office Alien Christmas Collection by V. C. Lancaster

Author:V. C. Lancaster [Lancaster, V. C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-02-01T05:00:00+00:00

2

Because they lived so close to the office, they left at five to pick the kids up and take them home, and wait for Xin. Lois took the opportunity to change, wanting to get ‘dressed up’, as she called it. Zir didn’t really see the difference. She wore more make-up and brighter colours, maybe, and showed more of her chest. He was of the opinion that he should be the only one to see her like that, but he accepted that it was a human practice for even mated people to show themselves to their best advantage at parties. Even so, Lois had stopped him the one time he had tried to participate in his traditional Volin outfit. She’d said he needed to wear a shirt, so he suspected there was something of a double-standard at play.

He looked after the children while Lois was in the bedroom. From the way they behaved after school, it was as if they had been away from home for a week, being starved. The girls were big enough to get their own snacks. The boys, not wanting to be left with nothing, leapt onto Zir in attempt to steer him in the right direction.

“Zir, I’m hungry,” Taz whined, clinging to Zir’s thigh while Bor struggled to stay on his back, slipping until he dragged himself up to his shoulder, Zir’s shirt askew and probably full of holes now. He held back a sigh. Climbing was instinct for the Volin, and at least they behaved well enough not to do it to Lois, whose skin could bleed under their tiny, needle-sharp claws.

“I want a snack,” Bor demanded, making sure his needs were not forgotten either.

“Please,” Zir reminded him.

“Please.”

Lia and Nia saw them coming and left the kitchen, their haul of nut bars and dried fruit pressed protectively to their chests. Zir didn’t know why they acted like he wanted them to be hungry. Most days, he or Lois would make sure they didn’t eat too much before their dinner, but they let them have something. The kids just acted like they had crossed a desert to get there.

He put the boys down on the counter, prising them off him, and pulled open the snack drawer. He kept them busy with a bag of dried mango pieces coated in yoghurt, then set about cutting up some apples and pears for them. Dinner would be later than usual today, because Xin would be cooking after Zir and Lois left for the party. Zir almost pitied him for that, but he was too relieved to be spared the task for a night. Cooking for the kids was not easy when they insisted on liking different things, and Xin didn’t feel he had the authority to be stern with them. Zir might suggest take-out.

Bor and Taz got their plate of fruit and quieted, so Zir went to collect lunch boxes, empty and wash them all. He wondered if he should eat anything. There would be food at the party, but hors d’oeuvres wouldn’t substitute dinner.

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