It wasn't looking too good for Emily's mom. They'd gone through quite a few house keepers that day, and it didn't look like they'd have any luck today.
And it didn't help that Emily and Murdoc were downstairs while she was interveiwing the possible maid.
"Emily? Do you think you two could go outside and play? Just for a while?" Her mom asked from the large living room. Her voice echoed slightly.
Emily peeked around the corner and looked at her mom. "Why?" She smiled a little tauntingly. "I thought I was grounded."
Her mom seemed to get a little irritated. "Because, Emily, you're annoying the guest..." She gestured to the young lady sitting across of her, completely ignoring the rest of what Emily had to say.
Emily was getting ready to go off, but the lady spoke first. "No, it's fine, Miss Sawmiller."
Emily smiled sarcastically at her mother and said, "I like this one, mom." She then turned around and jumped up onto Murdoc's back. They walked around the house, laughing loudly. Her mother sighed and rubbed her right temple for a moment.
"So... are you interested in hiring me?" The young lady said, fiddling with the material of her dress nervously.
"Katherine, if you can put up with those two, I think you'll be perfect for the job. My twin daughters are pretty much little angels."
"Those two seemed nice." Katherine motioned for the spot Murdoc and Emily were.
"Well, the large one isn't a whole lot-" She shuttered as she heard something glass fall to the floor and shatter, followed by Emily's laughter. "-to look at..."
"Oh, well, that doesn't bother me." Katherine said, laying her hands flat on her lap. "However I am curious..." She leaned in, whispering. "... why does he look like that?"
Emily's mother ran a hand through her own red hair. "I guess he was created in a lab or something..." She shook her head and smirked a little. "Either that or my daughter is a pathological liar. She's told wilder tales than... well, her father. Trying to outdo him even in death, I suppose..." She got lost in thought.
"Miss Sawmiller?" Katherine asked after a few moments of silence.
"Oh, yes. Yes, you can have the job if you think you can handle it. You're room is upstairs and to the left - go ahead and unpack if you wish."
Katherine smiled exitedly and stood up, her long, golden blonde hair bouncing. She was almost out of the room when Emily's mother called to her.
"Oh, and Katherine? Call me Tess."
----- ----- ----- -----
Katherine was almost done getting settled in when Murdoc and Emily came up to her open bedroom door.
"Hi..." Emily said.
Katherine gasped very quietly at her voice, and turned around. "Hello." She smiled sweetly. Almost too sweetly.
Emily was curious. She looked at Katherine's body, crossing her arms over her chest. "Hey, how old are you anyway?"
Katherine seemed a little taken back by the question. It was pretty rude of Emily to ask, but she answered anyway. "I'm twenty-two... why? How old are you two?"
"I'm fifteen... we're not sure how old Murdoc is."
"Well, does he talk?" Katherine asked politely.
"Yes... it's just that over time, he lost track of... well - time. He doesn't quite remember his earlier days of life."
Katherine nodded and placed a picture on her nightstand. She walked up to Emily and Murdoc, smiling way too sweetly once again. She was a little too cute for her own good. She extended a hand to Emily. "My name is Katherine."
"Emily." She answered somewhat plainly, shaking her hand.
Katherine and Murdoc shook hands, but didn't exchange names. Katherine smiled at the both of them again. "I need to make a run into town." She walked out of her bedroom and headed downstairs towards the front door.
Emily watched her from the stair well with suspicion. She looked over at Murdoc, almost forgetting that he was even there.
"I don't trust her..." Emily muttered.
