“Oh my, where did she take my love?” She said that they’d find out. “I don’t want to lose her. She’s my other half, my love. I can’t—”
Jazzie slapped him. “Get a grip. You’re scaring the crap out of me and Joey.” He nodded and took Joey from her. “I have to change him. Get him cleaned up.”
“No, I know it’s bothersome, it is for me too, but the boys will want to smell it. They can get a better scent if you leave it on him. I wonder where he was to get so.... Do you think he was trying to help his grandma?” Jazzie agreed with him, because that was what he seemed to need. “There’s my boy. I knew you were going to be like me the moment I saw you. Never leaving a damsel in distress.”
The two of them walked into the living room, Kelley being careful not to touch the bloodiest areas of Joey’s clothing. As soon as the family started to arrive, she realized that she’d not checked the house. For all she knew, Sara could be out somewhere, simply hurt because she’d fallen or something.
It took them nearly an hour to go over the grounds and house. Sara wasn’t anywhere to be found. While they didn’t find any more blood, they did find the shopping cart at the building that Jazzie had seen her at. She was beside herself with worry, and when Tyler took her hand into his, she knew that he was going to tell her something horrible.
“I got all the gifts for the auction set up today. And the ladies are ready to go tomorrow with the food. I think we’ll have enough to eat and drink. I also was able to borrow some coffee urns from the local church. They said that it was the least they could do since they were going to benefit from this too.” He said her name. “Not yet. Just let me talk. I was able to get all the tables and chairs set up as well with a big help from the high school kids. They were having fun, I think. And the money that is being donated to the school for the trip is going to go a long way to making it possible for a lot of kids. I was able to get someone to donate cases of water to the band as well on football nights. I guess they sell it for a buck, and all the money is profit for new uniforms and band equipment. And Quinn’s father bought them three buses to be outfitted for the kids to make trips. I had no idea that they used the camp out where Harley goes. It’ll be much nicer for them with the air conditioning and more showers. Okay, I’m ready for some of it.”
“Mom is going to be fine. No one is able to reach her because she’s unconscious. Once she wakes—” She asked him if they were sure she would. “Yes, love. She’s immortal, remember? And a wolf. When she wakes up, she might just take care of Glenda all on her own.”
“That would be good, don’t you think?” He nodded at her. “I’m sorry that I’m being such a wuss. I never wanted anyone to get hurt. How do you suppose she didn’t find Joey?”
“I don’t know. He had to be on this level of the house or he’d not have been in the blood. We were able to find where the incident occurred, simply because we knew that he couldn’t go up and down the stairs. Joey slipped a little in it in the kitchen, nowhere else in the house.” She said that she had seen it too. “Are you all right? You want to wait a bit more?”
“I don’t know. Is it bad news?” He shook his head. “Can it wait? I mean, good news would be wonderful, but I might need it more later. Right now, I’m not sure that I’d enjoy it as much.”
“I understand. Okay, let me tell you what I’ve been doing today. Do you remember me telling you that Gabe was asked to be Caleb’s enforcer? Well, he’s asked to step down and asked that I take the job. I said that I would. I have a bit more free time than Gabe does anyway.” She asked him if he was going to have to travel more. “A little. But with you and Joey with me, it’ll be much nicer. Also, since I’m going to be the enforcer, I’ll get a paycheck. I thought that we’d put that away each time for the kids to be able to go to any college they wish.”
“I like that idea. What’s the good news?” He said that he’d gotten her a car that was big enough to carry all the stuff that Joey would need for an outing. “Really? I love the little one that you have given me to use. But you’re right, it’s a bit small to have a car seat and all his toys. Before I forget to tell you, your mom asked me to be the organizer for the committees that she is on. All of them. I thought that I’d hate this one for the charity, or at least be burnt out, but I’ve really enjoyed keeping things all nice and neat.”
“Mom told me that you did an amazing job. And the fact that you involved the community in donating more things, she said that it might be much bigger than she’d ever dreamed it would be. And the layette set that you and I are donating is a huge hit. I guess we have seven breeding women in town right now.” She cautioned him on calling them breeding. “Yes, I guess that’s not politically correct.”
Kissing her on the mouth, he got up to find his dad. He’d been rocking Joey and talking to him since they’d gotten home. Also, Kelley had changed his diaper as well as his outfit. When she was in the kitchen just now, she noticed that it wasn’t in the laundry where she’d thought it would be, but in the trash. That was just what she had been planning to do with it.
Carmen appeared in the living room with her. The vampire scared her sometimes, knowing that she was very powerful as well as old. But when she sat down and smiled at her, she was almost afraid to ask her what was going on.
“I found something for you.” She nodded. “I didn’t know that Sara was missing—I’m sorry about that. She will return soon, hale and hardy. But this thing that I have found for you, I think you will enjoy it too. Here you go.”
She looked at the picture, then back at Carmen. Jazzie didn’t know who the people were in the photo, but they looked like she should have known them. Looking at it harder when Carmen said to, Jazzie recognized the dress. It was the one that she’d worn at her own wedding.
“It’s the great-great-grandmother of Tyler. I knew that I’d seen the dress before, when I saw you in it. And I did some research. I’m very well connected, you see.” Jazzie laughed, but was touched by the thought too. “It was a picture that was in the newspaper a great many years ago. It was the announcement of Jazmine Jane Lytle marrying her long-time beau Joseph Alexander Winchester. I nearly fell over when I saw the names. That is yours, correct? Jazmine?”
“It is. Do you think that I could find the newspaper article that went with this?” Carmen handed her the entire paper. “Oh, Carmen, I don’t know how to thank you for this. I’m going to have it framed as a gift for Sara.”
“I know that you are having the other pictures framed as well, and thought that this would be a lovely addition. She will love it and you all the more for it.” Jazzie told Carmen that she’d let her know that she’d helped. “No, I’d rather you not do that. They will think that they owe me, and it is I that owe them so very much. No, say that you asked me to find it as a favor and I did. That won’t be enough to have them not thank me or think they owe me, but it will not be as much.”
They both laughed, and Carmen hugged her. It was a warm hug, and she looked at the woman that until now she had been afraid of. She hugged her back this time, telling her how much she was glad that she was part of the Winchester family.
~*~
Sara woke up to find herself strapped to a chair. There wasn’t anyone around her, not even that woman. Glenda had barged her way into the kitchen from the dining room and hit her. She wondered if she’d found Joey, and decided that she hadn’t, or Sara would be dead and the two of them would have left the area by now.
Joey had been playing on the floor near the Christmas tree in the living room. He’d been so captivated at seeing his reflection in the colorful balls on the tree that he laid his little head down and fell asleep on the tree skirt. Taking several pictures of him lying there, she’d covered him up with a throw. Running into the kitchen to get a cup of tea, she’d been planning to send the pictures to Kelley and the rest of them when she’d seen Glenda standing there.
“Where is he?” Sara, knowing full well who she was looking for, waited. “My grandson, little Ryan.
I want you to give him to me.”
“I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about. I was about to have a nice cup of tea. Would you like some as well? After that, I’ll call the police.” Her head exploded in pain and she turned to look at the woman. “What do you think you’re doing?” After that, everything blanked out.
Trying to reach her family made her ill, and she had to stop. The pain in her head would heal, she knew that, but Sara wasn’t going to be sick where that woman, as she decided to call her from now on, could see it. And when the light came on and she saw her there, all she could think about was the years had not been kind to this woman.
“You fucking bitch, you’re going to get me my grandson back.” Sara said that she wasn’t going to do such a thing. “You’re sure of yourself for someone that is my trade off.”
“I’m sure that you think so, but you’re not going to lay a hand on my grandson.” She came at her with what looked like a hammer. “You can’t kill me. Yes, you may hurt me, but then you will surely seal your fate in not getting Joey back.”
“His name is Ryan. He’s going to come to me, and I’m going to raise him in the image of his wonderful father.” Sara snorted. “You don’t think I’m going to get him? I will, you watch and see.”
“Your son was no more a wonderful father or even a wonderful man than you are sane. You are insane, you know. Nutty as a fruit cake. Why would you want to take that little boy from his mom? Jazzie is doing a wonderful job with him, and Tyler just loves him like he’s his own blood.”
“But he’s not. He’s mine.”
Sara opened her mouth and saw Carmen there with Jazzie. They were in shadows, and she was sure that they were going to rescue her. But when neither of them moved, Sara figured that she needed to bait that woman more. “His father was a good man until that bitch got ahold of him. Why did she have to lock him out? He should have been the man of the house. The one that showed his son how to be a strong and upstanding man.”
“The only thing that he could have done was shown him how to be a bastard and an abusive person. Joey is lucky to have someone like Jazzie in his life.” Glenda was pacing, and they all watched her. Whatever was going on, Sara was going to be a part of it or she’d kick some butt. “His plan had been to take his current whore to the hospital to meet his wife and son, but he was killed. What sort of person does that? An idiot. I’m glad that he’s dead, otherwise I’d have to kill him myself.”
Glenda drew back to hit her again, but only dropped the hammer. When she walked out the door and waited on the other side, just stood there, Sara looked at the others. Sara had no idea what had just happened, but she’d wait until they told her rather than jump to conclusions.
“I was asked to bring her to you but not allow her to hurt you again.” Nodding as they cut the strips off her arms, Sara asked what the plan was. “You are going to get medical treatment, and I’m—”
“I most certainly am not. You allow me to be a part of this, or so help me, I’ll...I’ll never babysit again.” Both Carmen and Jazzie burst out laughing. “Well, I won’t enjoy it so much if I can’t help.”
Jazzie hugged her when Carmen disappeared. “You’ll help. But you have to promise me that you’ll do just what I tell you. You see, I have a plan.” Sara smiled; whatever the plan was, she was happy to be a part of it and told Jazzie that. “Good. Just promise me you do what I tell you, all right? And by the way, I told the family that I have you. I told them that you were still bleeding, and Gabe told me that might be why you’ve not contacted them.”
“It is. I have a sick belly because of it. Oh my goodness, child. Joey? Is he all right? I left him under the tree, and when I—” Quinn and Rayne appeared in the room with Carmen. When she disappeared again, Sara looked at Jazzie. “You’re all going to kill her?”
“Nope. I’m going to have a Glenda-meets-the-new-Jazzie-Winchester meeting with her. You are going to stand right here and not move. No one is moving but me. Okay?” Sara nodded. “All right. When the rest of them are here, Carmen will call Glenda back. She didn’t hit you because Carmen told her not to. I had no idea that anyone could do that. And when I get home, I’m going to be changed into something powerful. Being last man out with no special magic is starting to piss me—”
Sara put her hand over Jazzie’s mouth and hugged her when she quieted down. She had noticed that Jazzie did that, talked fast and a great deal when she was nervous or upset. Sara thought this one qualified for both.
“You are special, child, and you have so much magic in you that it makes you shine. You love. Everyone. And with the fact that you’ve been such a good mom to Joey and so good to my family, I think your magic outshines even the strongest of people.” All the other women agreed with her. “See? You have it all. It’s just waiting for a time to show itself. Now, let’s get this party started. What do you want me to do?”
The rest of the women showed up in pairs. Carmen asked them all to move back against the walls when she told them to, and she would hide them in the shadows. This was Jazzie’s show, and when she called their names, one at a time, they’d be free to step forward. Nothing was going to happen to any of them, Carmen assured her.
Carmen laughed when Jazzie sat in the chair Sara had been in. It looked like she was posing herself, trying to look casual when Glenda came back. After about ten minutes of that, she finally picked the pose that Sara thought she looked the best in—one leg up and over the arm of the chair as she leaned back, looking bored.
When Glenda entered the room, she had a diaper bag, a car seat, as well as a few bottles of what looked like some kind of sugary drink. It wasn’t until she put it all in the corner that she noticed that Sara was gone and Jazzie was there. The look on Glenda’s face was priceless, and Sara was so happy that she’d gotten to see it.
“Where is that old bitch?” Jazzie said that she was going to have to deal with her. Sara was offended that she’d called her old, when she looked much better than Glenda did. “This might be better anyway. Where is little Ryan?”
“I think that Ryan is dead. Actually, I’m sure of it. Did you know that he came to see me, after he was dead? Wanted me to help him find his girlfriend, the one that he died with.” Glenda said that he was always a good boy, concerned about the welfare of others. “No, I don’t think that was why he was looking for her. He wanted a fuck buddy.”
“So? You stopped putting out when you were fat with my grandson. I asked you where he is. Where are you hiding him?” Jazzie told her that his name was Joey. “Not when I get him, it won’t be. He’s going to be Ryan, named for his father.”
“Not going to happen, Glenda. He’s my son, and you’re never going to touch him, much less change his name.” Glenda growled at her. “Yeah, well, I have a husband that does that too. However, when you do it, it sounds sort of like you’re gargling your throat. I don’t think you’re putting enough belly into it.”
When she showed her what she was talking about, Sara was impressed. Not only did she sound just like a wolf, but a strong one as well. When Carmen touched Sara’s hand, she looked at the other women, being careful that she didn’t mess with her magic.
She and Tyler, they could be pack leaders. I don’t know if Caleb is aware of that yet, but when she comes into her own, I’m going to suggest that he use her as his enforcer sometimes. It will give her the confidence that she thinks she doesn’t have, as well as she would be very good at it. Sara looked at her daughter-in-law with new eyes. She is very brave, strong, and has a good head on her shoulders. It would do all of you a great service if you were to tap into that should you need something. This idea? It was all hers. And when you see what she does at the end, you will not believe how much she has grown as a human.
Jazzie was still talking to Glenda, and the angrier Glenda got, the calmer Jazzie seemed to get. When Glenda lashed out at Jazzie, she took the punch and the cut of her lip like it was nothing at all. Watching them carefully, Sara reached for her husband.
Yes. Better than I could have thought. She was telling me just before Glenda came here that she wasn’t much of a human, much less magical. If you could see her now, Kelley, you’d think she was the most powerful being in the world. My goodness, she’s scary calm too. He told her that Tyler was too, playing with the baby and making him laugh. Oh, I have some just lovely pictures of Joey that I took. As soon as this is over, I’ll send them to you. Are you coming here to get me?
When I get the okay. That girl of Tyler’s, she told me to sit my butt down and to behave or she’d kick me all over the place, then threatened me with no Joey. I had to stay, love. I didn’t want her to be upset with me. Sara told him she’d done the same to her. Yes, well, these here kiddies, I sure do love them.
I do as well. But I’d better pay attention here. I don’t want to miss my que. This is so much fun. I mean, she has to die, that woman, but I think this will be good for the lot of us. He agreed. I love you, Kelley Winchester.
And I love you with every fiber of my being. I’ll be right here when you come home. But don’t get hurt no more. My heart nearly stopped when I saw that blood.
She told him again that she loved him, and they closed the connection. This was about done, at least Sara hoped so.
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