Refugees

Everyone's eyes shot over to Misty. She shifted under their scrutiny, uncomfortable at suddenly being the center of their attention.

"Misty!" Sheena was the first to jump up from her seat and rush over to her. She gave her a quick hug before spinning her awkwardly around as she checked to make sure nothing had happened during her ordeal. "You seemed to have recovered nicely."

Jay was right behind his mother and Kason wasn't far off. Misty could see the worry in their eyes, and she could feel her heart go soft for them. She may not know them very well, but these men obviously cared for her.

"I am fine, now." Jay reached out for Misty's hand and guided her over to her seat while Kason followed behind her, his hand in the small of her back. Jay's mothers couldn't help but notice the intimacy and looked at each other in bewilderment. Jay, seeing their confusion, sat next to Misty and gestured to Kason.

'Mothers, I want to be the first to tell you that Kason is joining our family." Qiya and Haphor's eyebrows shot up. Sheena had already seen Jay's mate mark and knew that Misty had the dominate mark, but she seemed surprised that Kason was one of Misty's mates. Misty shifted anxiously at their shock and shot a glance at Jay. Kason clasped her hand in his as Jay gave her a reassuring squeeze. Qiya was the first to recover.

"That's…" Qiya struggled to find the words for a moment but then she grinned widely. "Wonderful!" She looked between Jay and Kason before settling her gaze on Misty. "Both Jay and Kason have had a hard time finding a mate. To think it was because they hadn't met you!" Sheena chuckled and nodded to herself as if she were laughing at an internal joke that had just occurred to her.

"You are only excited because you won the bet." Haphor grumbled. If it was even possible, Qiya's smile got even bigger as she held out her hand. Haphor smacked it away. "I'll give it to you when we get home." Misty remembered the two betting on if she would be alright looking Leon in the eyes. Qiya had won then too.

"That's enough," Sheena said, shooting a glare in Qiya and Haphor's direction. "Misty, Jay, Kason, we are very happy for you. Now that you have found each other, may Tamult bring you order." Misty teared up at the sincerity she felt behind their words, and she smiled at Jay and Kason in contentment.

"Thank you, mother." Jay beamed at his mother until Chez cleared his through and Jay remembered what Misty said as she walked I the door. "Back to the refugees, are you sure, Misty?"

"I'm sure." She nodded. "They need a place, and we need staff."

"Many of them were there due to their connection with the Malkin Merchants." Chez said. "But as many are women with young children, I'm not sure how they will do their work."

"What do you mean?" Misty asked.

"Who will watch their children?" Misty scrunched her forehead, confused.

"Don't you have daycare here?" The mothers and her mates looked at her in confusion. Misty tried to ask the encyclopedia in her brain, but nothing came up for daycare. Could it be that they have never had a concept of childcare in this world?

"Daycare, you know, like a school where you take your children for the day while you go to work. When you get off, you can pick them up."

"We don't really have that." Sheena, Qiya and Haphor exchanged looks. "Most families have members that take up that responsibility while others in the family work.."

"But a lot of these women and men no longer have that, right?"

"From the looks of it, many of them with dominate marks had their mates killed and ones with subordinate marks, their families were wiped out." Misty could hear the sadness in Sheena's voice at the plight of the refugees. It made sense in a culture where families were larger that the concept of people outside of the family watching their kids may not really be needed. But in this circumstance, where so many people were left without that typical family structure, they would need more help.

"Then let me explain. For the people who do want to come here, we offer them a home and we offer them childcare during the day while they work. We pay them a wage and they can build up their own funds. Since their children would be taken care of here on the estate, their minds will be at ease." Misty knew that the trauma of their ordeal was bound to follow the victims for the rest of their lives. This estate seemed to be surrounded by walls that made it easier to protect.

"We can also hire guards for the estate to protect us and the people who live here. From what I hear, Cixin is bound to try to come after us and them." Misty could see Jay nodding.

"Chez, in our original plan, we didn't include the possibility of the refugees coming here. We should update it." He looked over to Misty. "for the daycare, who would be the person in charge?"

"That can be one of the jobs we hire for. Additionally, older children can be taught if they are capable and if they want to can also help around the estate." She remembered that in her world, child labor had been a problem throughout history. She didn't what to bring that here. "But not too much, we should restrict it so that they have time to play and don't have to grow up so fast. They have already been through enough."

Kason smiled. If it hadn't been for Jay and his family, he might have had a different childhood. Poor families often had older kids work for a living and not many children received the kind of education he had benefited from. He stared at Misty and could feel his chest still from his adoration. Not many women would think to help the children of other families.

"Then it is settled, we shall offer them a job here if they would like one and arrange for daycare for their children. We shall take the request to Leon." Haphor, Qiya, and Sheena stood and began to head out of the study, Chez leading the way. Before they got too far, Sheena turned back.

"Misty?"

"Yes?"

"What were the results of your assessment?"

Misty looked over to Jay and Kason. They both nodded their heads. Misty told Sheena about the results of the assessment. The mothers took it a lot better than her mates. After they left, she plopped back down on the couch. Both Jay and Kason came to her side but didn't speak. She could feel the awkwardness between them.