Chapter Text
Bella sat at the bar next to Mama, as Uncle Husk refilled her glass of milk. She nibbled at her chocolate chip cookie, feeling pensive, and glanced up at her antennae. Bella smelled with her antennae, having had to explain this to both Niffty and Frank on separate occasions when they asked her if she had a nose. According to a book she read, antennae also helped moths fly.
But Bella had also learned from this book that boy moths detected pheromones from girl moths with their antennae. She also had recently learned Papi could detect pheromones or other chemical signals from her, sensing when she was scared or suffered an embarrassing accident.
It reminded her of a scary Roald Dahl book, one where witches hunted children. These witches could smell children, and found children stinky. They smelled a boy who was trying to hide from them and it turned out bad for the boy. Auntie Charlie and Mama were sorry for letting her read that one. Bella would stick to “Matilda”. Matilda had a happier ending than the boy in “The Witches.” That's why “The Witches” got put on the No-No List, along with other books, usually sent to her by Papi.
One of Papi's antennae was broken, but he could still detect her with his other one. A scary thought, even if Grandpa Luci and Auntie Charlie could keep Papi out of the hotel. Plus Papi hadn't bothered her or sent any bad presents to her since Halloween, but Bella had a feeling he'd be back, someday.
Angel worried the same thing. He regretted letting Bella read that bug book, and the witch book, or even telling her about what Valentino could do.
Cherri and Short King's Halloween prank on Val had been hilarious, but Angel also knew that Val would be bothering them again. It was only a matter of time. Having been Val's slave for decades, Angel knew it wasn't in his former owner's nature to just let people go. Angel still had no idea what to do about the pheromone thing.
Another of Val's former slaves-turned-guest showed up at the bar just then, almost like some sick joke. She was the same moth demon lady who had helped Angel understand how Val knew certain things about Bella, stuff that both he and Bella would have preferred to be private. Angel still hadn't learned the woman's name, as he'd rather keep his distance.
“Strawberry daiquiri,” the moth lady said to Husk. Husk grumbled, having viewed this as private time with Angel and Bella. He made the drink anyway.
“Hello, Angel Dust,” the moth lady said, having noticed him looking at her.
Angel gave her a quiet, tense, “Hi.”
Bella inched closer to her mama, and Angel put his arm around Bella.
“Are you still having problems with Valentino?” the moth lady asked. She had either not noticed or pretended not to notice the tension at the bar.
“Not at the moment,” Angel said coolly. His voice was lower and colder than he normally showed to his friends. He looked down at Bella, remembering the last time she had been this close to Valentino's moth guards, back when she was a baby. Not a good day for poor Baby Bella. The moth women's poor job at babysitting came more from inexperience than malice and Val had made them do it, but still...
The moth lady sipped at her daiquiri, then said, “I have something that might help her. It's shampoo and soap that will mask your daughter's pheromones. I promise, they work. It's one reason why he...usually...ignored me and my sister.”
A slightly haunted look came to the woman's dark eyes, one Angel had seen in his own reflection. He softened a little.
“They don't have coconut scent, do they?” Angel asked.
“I'm allergic,” Bella explained timidly. Then, she wasn't sure if she should have said that, because she had been taught not to tell secrets to outsiders. But Mama didn't look mad at her.
“No coconut, little one,” the moth lady assured her. “No lavender, no orange, lemon or grapefruit, and no peppermint.”
“Those are all yucky,” Bella said, feeling braver. “I don't even like peppermint at Christmas. Auntie Charlie likes peppermint but she never makes me eat it. That's why I like her, because she's so nice to me and helps me. I'm Auntie Charlie's lady-in-waiting so that I can help her, too.”
The moth lady chuckled slightly as she sipped more of her drink. Angel hoped she wasn't mocking Bella. Val had once texted him, after Bella had been Charlie's train-bearer, complaining of Bella being used as a servant. Val had texted all sorts of insults towards Angel, comparing him to fairy tale villains. Funny, in hindsight and less profane than many of Val's other foul names towards Angel, but Angel didn't want this woman making fun of Bella.
“I'm not laughing at her,” the moth lady told Angel. Angel wondered if her antennae could read minds.
Looking at Bella, the lady explained, “Valentino thinks my sister and I are here to be your ladies-in-waiting. He called us and texted us about it more than once.”
“Why?” Bella asked.
“Valentino wants you to be a princess,” the moth lady said. “He thinks he's a king.”
“Auntie Charlie is the princess,” Bella said seriously. “And Grandpa Luci is the king.”
The moth lady looked confused at Bella calling the King of Hell “Grandpa”.
“The king's her guardian,” Angel explained, “and a good guardian, too. You, uh, might find it funny what he and my girl-buddy did to Val on Halloween...”
The moth lady did give Angel the shampoo and soap. Floral scented, but not lavender. Angel hoped these products would work. He'd thanked the woman, but still hadn't gotten her name. Oh well, he'd ask next time.
“She's a nice lady, Mama,” Bella said as she took her bath and played with a rubber duck. Bella still liked to play with the duckies Grandpa made for her, even though a lot of seven-year-old girls would have outgrown them by now. She liked helping Grandpa with new duck ideas.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Angel said, focusing on his usual task of cleaning Bella's wings. Maybe he could finally forgive those moth women for dumping baby powder on Baby Bella instead of just changing her.
Bella added, “Next time she's at the bar and I'm eating cookies, I'll ask her if she wants some cookies too.”