questions best left unasked (part 4)

Vaggie sat cross-legged on the couch, keeping a watchful eye on Audrey, who was perched on the floor and busy scribbling something on a sheet of paper. Alastor lounged nearby, sipping a dark brew from a porcelain cup, his ever-present grin as wide as ever.

Audrey hummed cheerfully as she worked, her little tongue poking out in concentration. The scene was oddly domestic, but Vaggie couldn't shake the nagging questions in her mind. Finally, she decided to address the one that had been bothering her the most.

"Uhm..Hey, Audrey," Vaggie began, her tone unusually gentle, "do you know who your mom is?"

Audrey froze mid-scribble, her head tilting to one side like a confused puppy. "..Mom?" she echoed, the word foreign and unfamiliar.

"Yeah," Vaggie pressed, leaning forward slightly. "Your mom. You know..the person who—"

"Ah-ah-ah!" Alastor's voice cut through the air, sharp and bright like the crack of a whip. He set his cup down with deliberate care and turned to Vaggie, his smile still in place but his eyes gleaming with warning. "Now, now, my dear Vagatha, let's not fill Audrey's sweet little head with unnecessary concepts, shall we?"

Vaggie frowned, her brows knitting together. "It's not unnecessary, Alastor. She has to have come from somewhere."

Audrey looked up at them, her crimson eyes wide with curiosity. "What's a 'mom,' Daddy?"

Alastor's grin stretched impossibly wider. "Oh, don't you worry about that, darling! It's just one of those silly things people like to talk about, but it doesn't concern you."

Vaggie crossed her arms, her frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. "You can't just dodge the question forever, Alastor. She's going to wonder eventually."

"And when that day comes," Alastor said smoothly, his tone as light as air, "I will be more than happy to explain it to her—in a way that's appropriate, of course. Until then, I would appreciate it if you refrained from planting unnecessary ideas in my daughter's head."

Audrey blinked between them, sensing the tension but not fully understanding its source. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked softly, clutching her crayon tightly.

"Of course not, my dear!" Alastor assured her, his tone immediately softening. He knelt down beside her and placed a gloved hand on her shoulder. "You're absolutely perfect, just as you are. Pay no mind to these grown-up conversations—they're dreadfully dull, anyway."

Audrey giggled, her worries instantly forgotten. "Okay, Daddy!"

Vaggie, however, was far from satisfied. She narrowed her one good eye at Alastor. "You're hiding something. You always are."

Alastor straightened up, his expression unchanging. "Oh, Vaggie, must you always assume the worst of me? Perhaps I simply wish to protect my daughter's innocence."

"Or maybe you don't want anyone digging too deep into her past," Vaggie shot back.

Alastor's grin faltered for just a fraction of a second—so brief it was almost imperceptible. "Let's just say," he said, his tone carrying an unmistakable edge, "that some questions are better left unanswered. Wouldn't you agree?"

Vaggie held his gaze, her instincts screaming at her that there was more to this story than he would ever let on. But for now, she let it drop. Audrey didn't need to see them argue, and besides, there was no prying answers out of Alastor when he didn't want to give them.

"Fine," she muttered, leaning back against the couch. "But this conversation isn't over."

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it being over!" Alastor replied cheerfully, his grin snapping back into place. "After all, I do so enjoy our little chats."

Audrey returned to her drawing, oblivious to the undercurrent of tension in the room. Whatever secrets surrounded her origins, they remained locked away for now, guarded by the Radio Demon's ever-watchful smile.