by Robin Roseau
“Teigan?” Evaline said. “Teigan!”
She’d walked into the house in her human form, but by the time she reached me, she was in full-on demon mode, and she swept me up in her arms.
“Not too tightly!” Sue Ellen said. “Easy there, Big Momma. Easy!”
Evaline was always gentle with me, though. She kissed me. She kissed me deeply, and when her tongue asked to get involved, I opened for it and let her fill me.
We shared a searing kiss, but then Sue Ellen said, “Put her down now, and don’t you dare drop her.”
“Knock it off, Sue Ellen,” I said. “I’m not that fragile.”
Evaline did set me down, and then she began checking me. “Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m not hurt.”
“She’s pregnant,” Sue Ellen announced.
“Blabbermouth,” I muttered.
“Pregnant?” Evaline echoed.
“Twin goddesses,” Sue Ellen clarified.
“Blabber. Mouth.” I waved a finger at her.
“I get to be their big sister. Right, Mom?”
At that, the implications of what Sue Ellen was assuming settled in with everyone. Three adults put on very careful expressions.
“I think,” Evaline said slowly, “that first I should verify that Teigan represents the reason Marley called, screaming at me to get my ass home.”
“She does,” Marley said.
“Catch me up a little,” said the demon. “When did you get back, Teigan?”
“Maybe an hour and a half. Harriet Band Shell. Walked to Church. Talked to Grace. Sue Ellen drove me here. We’ve been here at least a minute and a half longer than you have.”
“And you’re here to stay.”
“If by ‘here’ you mean Earth, then as far as I know. If by ‘here’ you mean this house… A lot has changed.”
“No it hasn’t,” Sue Ellen said.
I turned to her. “When last I lived on Earth, I was a detective for the Minneapolis Police Department. I’m not going back to that. I’ve been gone for 26 years. I can’t get that time back. I was in my forties. Now, technically I’m nearly 70 but look 25. Back then, I was, as they say, hard as nails. Now, I cry at the drop of a hat. Oh, and I’m pregnant with twin demi-gods. And I let their mother know she better be part of their lives, or no deal. Let’s not get started on the effects of two decades as the personal property of a demon of Hell. So yes, a lot has changed.”
She winced and dropped her gaze.
“I’m sorry, Sue Ellen. That came out somewhat harsher than I intended. I’m only saying we shouldn’t make assumptions.”
“I’m happy to make assumptions,” Marley said. “Evaline, how do you feel about the making of this particular assumption?”
“Works for me,” Evaline said. “Sue?”
“Three votes for jumping straight to the assumptions. And we already know she doesn’t have a problem with how old Evaline is.”
“I don’t think it’s Evaline’s age that would be the problem,” Marley said.
“It’s not Marley’s, either,” I said. And then – damn it – I started to cry. I waved to my face. “But I keep doing this.”
Marley pulled me into her arms, holding me tightly. I felt demon hands on my shoulders, and then Sue Ellen was there, setting her chin on my shoulder.
“I’m not the woman I was.” But then I pulled away and I turned to the demon. I poked her in the chest. She put on an offended expression. “I don’t belong to you anymore.”
“We all belong to each other.”
“It’s not going to be like it was.”
“We’ll figure it out.”
“Put some clothes on,” I ordered. She shimmered, returning to her stunning human form. “I like both forms, but it weirds me out if you’re naked in front of Sue Ellen.”
“You’re right,” she said.
“Did I look shocked?” Sue Ellen asked.
I turned to her, paused, and then said, “You know what? I’m not your mom, and I think I have enough to worry about. But whether the members of this household are comfortable or not, in nine months I’m giving birth, and my daughters need to learn how to get along in polite society. That means a certain amount of modesty.”
Sue Ellen began smiling. “Big sister?”
“Maybe we should see how it goes,” I said. “You might all grow quite tired of me crying all the time. Bathroom?”
Sue Ellen pointed. I stepped past her and went to clean up. I took my time, and when I returned, they were waiting for me. Evaline took my arm and led me into the living room. We sat down on the sofa, and then Marley plopped down beside me. They both took a hand. Sue Ellen asked, “So. We’re seeing how it goes. I think we should start with dinner.”
“Dinner sounds good,” I said.
“Perhaps carry out Thai,” Evaline suggested.
“I love Thai,” I declared.
“I can order,” Sue Ellen said. “May I put this on my card?”
“Yes,” Evaline said.
“Great.” She lifted her hand, holding it in front of her, palm up. “Sabrina, Thai takeout for four, please.”
A hologram of a six-inch-tall woman appeared in Sue Ellen’s hand. “I do not recognize your guest, Sue.”
“Sabrina,” Sue Ellen said. “This is Teigan St. Claire. She lives here now.”
“Teigan St. Claire.” And the computer turned to look at me and even cocked her little head. “Ms. St. Claire, a search of public records shows no likely match.”
“Sue Ellen, do I want to know how you’re doing that?” I asked.
“It’s just a display device,” she replied. “Evaline gave it to me for my seventeenth birthday. Sabrina is the house computer.”
“Is the device built into your hand?”
“Oh. No. It’s the bracelet.”
“You remember: I told you I don’t know anything.”
She laughed. “I’ll teach you.”
“Thank you. Sabrina, if I help you find the proper records, does it become part of the public record that I am living here?”
“Only if you direct me to update your home address, Ms. St. Claire.”
“Is this safe?” I asked.
“Yes,” Evaline said. She was smirking. I waved a finger at her.
“Sabrina, does a public records search for Teigan St. Claire identify a former detective with the Minneapolis Police Department?”
“Yes, Ms. St. Claire. She has been registered as missing for 26 years.”
“She has returned,” I said. “And it’s a very long story.”
“Sabrina,” Evaline said. “Confirm. This woman is the former detective.”
“Confirmed,” said the computer. “Ms. St. Claire, how do you prefer to be addressed?”
“Please call me Teigan.”
“Very good, Teigan. Sue, would you direct your order?”
“Get our usual,” she said. “Teigan, what do you want?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Nothing spicy.”
“Sabrina,” Sue Ellen said. “Add two more fried egg rolls and the massaman curry with chicken, no spice.”
“Very good. Estimated delivery time is 75 minutes, but it would be available for pickup in 20.”
“I’ll pick it up,” Sue Ellen said. “Put it on my card.”
“Very good,” Sabrina said. “Will there be anything else?”
“No. Thank you, Sabrina.”
“You’re welcome, Sue. Welcome to the house, Teigan.”
“Thank you, Sabrina.”
The little woman disappeared, and instead a counter started showing 20 minutes. It began counting down. Sue Ellen dropped her hand, and the numbers disappeared.
“I have to leave in ten minutes,” she said. She plopped down in a chair. “I’m going to be upset if you tell them everything while I’m picking up dinner.”
“They can tell me what’s been going on,” I said. “I don’t really have that much to tell. To me, it looked like Evaline and I both
… um.”
“Ascended to Heaven,” Sue Ellen said. “You freaking went to Heaven.”
“Yeah, I guess. I think she talked to you first, Evaline.”
“Probably.”
“I understand she wagged her finger at you.”
“Yeah,” she admitted.
“Well, when she was done with you, she talked to me. She took my gun, my badge, and my wings.”
“Oh,” Sue Ellen said. “You’re not an angel anymore?”
“I don’t think I ever was. I was a temporary messenger.”
“With wings.”
“Okay, fine,” I admitted. “With wings. Then she gave me back to Alathea.”
“That’s the Greek goddess of Truth.”
“Right. And she kept me for a year, then got me preggers and tossed me back here. The end.”
“Yeah,” Sue Ellen said. “Why do I think you’re skipping a few steps?”
“I cried a lot?” From either side, Evaline and Marley both squeezed my hands a little more firmly. “I cried a lot. She held me a lot. We talked. We went for walks. There’s a lake, so we went swimming and boating.”
“And then she knocked you up.”
“Well, we talked about it first.”
“I think you’re skipping steps. You were gone a year.”
I shrugged. “That’s my story.”
“How can you compact a year away into two minutes? Are you waiting for me to leave so you can tell Mom and Evaline the details?”
“No, Sue Ellen. Darling, I spent twenty years in Hell. You saw the good parts version.”
“The good parts version? Those souls!”
“Yes, Sue Ellen. The good parts version. I’m fairly sure I didn’t experience the full potential of the bad parts version. And it wasn’t all bad, but some of it was pretty bad. I don’t really care to talk about it. I spent time before coming here recovering, and I did more recovering in those first few weeks with Grace. But then I pulled it together to do a job.”
“And fell apart afterwards,” Evaline said.
“Not really fell apart, but we spent a lot of time with Veritas just holding me. Maybe we talked. Maybe we went for walks. But maybe I curled into a ball and let a goddess hold me.”
“Oh,” Sue Ellen said. “I’m sorry, Teigan.”
“None of it’s your fault, darling.”
“I’m sorry I pushed.”
“You shouldn’t be. I don’t want to wallow in things. I’m trying to look forward.”
“If you need anyone to hold you, I’m here,” she said.
“Good. And if you need to be held, or to do any holding, I’m here.”
“Good. I think what we all need right now is food. Please don’t talk about anything important while I’m gone.”
“Is it okay if we do a little catching up?” I asked. “Things you probably know.”
“Sure. That’s okay, but not too much.” She stood up and headed for the garage then ran back to me, knelt down in front of me, and wrapped around me. “We all missed you so much.”
I leaned forward and laid my head sideways on top of hers.
* * * *
I waited until I was sure Sue Ellen was gone before I asked, “Are you two sure?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Marley said.
“It won’t be like it was,” I said.
“While we’re sorry you went through all of that, we don’t care. You’re back, Teigan. You’re back.”
And we sat for a minute, both of them holding me, Evaline stroking my back, and Marley caressing my arm. It felt nice, and I was more than happy to soak up some gentle attention. “Evaline…”
She placed fingers across my lips. “I know.”
I spoke past her fingers. “You have such tastes.”
“I have many tastes,” she said. “I admit that. And amongst those many tastes is this: I enjoy feeling nurturing.”
“You should have seen her with Sue Ellen as a baby,” Marley said.
“How long have you lived here?”
Evaline chuckled. “You may not recognize it.”
I laughed. “This is where we lived?”
“Not that you ever saw.”
“Marley, why were you living in that other house?”
“Because I couldn’t stand being here without Evaline, and Sue Ellen found Our Lady of Divine Truth. We really fought when I said I wanted to move, but I bribed her with that location.”
“Did you sell it?”
“We were renting,” she said.
“Ah. So is there still a cage downstairs?”
“We, um, sanitized when Marley was pregnant,” Evaline replied. “We turned it into a playroom. This year, we updated it. Sue Ellen has slumber parties once a week, sometimes just Lisa Jean, sometimes a few more kids. Sometimes they ask us to hang out with them. There’s a home theater for movies, and a game room with air hockey, a couple of old-fashioned console games, and a pinball machine.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” Marley said. “Cards, board games, all that stuff. By modern standards, the console games are pretty hokey, but the kids think they’re fun. We have adult parties once a month or so. Grace and Karen come. The guys.”
“Hyacinth?” I asked. “I should call her Helen.”
“She answers to either,” Marley replied. “And isn’t at all offended. Yeah, she and Jake are doing well.”
“Good.”
“They’re talking about adopting a kid. Maybe an older kid.”
“I suggested they foster,” Evaline added. “And if they get one who works out, they could talk about adoption.”
“I told Grace I wanted to get together with everyone.”
“I know,” Marley said. “She and I are already on it. Dinner here tomorrow, if you’re okay with that.”
“Totally okay. Could I get a tour of the house?”
“Sure.”
Evaline was first to her feet, and she helped Marley and me up. Then I found my hand held by Marley, and there wasn’t really room to hold Evaline’s too, but I could tell there was going to be plenty of touching in my future. I was entirely okay with that idea.
It wasn’t as grand as I thought Evaline’s house would be, but still, it was quite nice. We actually started at the basement, the rooms I’d seen before, but they were entirely different. The decorating was fun. Marley called it, “Retro woman-cave.” I agreed and decided I loved it.
The main floor held common rooms. Living room, dining room, and a quiet office. There was even a modest dance floor. I smiled at that. “Do you still dance, Marley?”
“I won’t say every day, but yes,” she said.
The second floor held bedrooms. I recognized Evaline’s bed from downstairs. Sue Ellen’s bedroom looked like a typical teenager’s bedroom, although neater than mine had been when I was her age. Another bedroom was set up as an office, overlooking the street. “This is Evaline’s,” Marley said. “Mine is the one downstairs.”
“Marley gets the better one?”
“I have offices at each of my businesses,” Evaline said. “But Marley handles all the household business.”
“I like it,” I said. I led the way back to the master bedroom and turned around slowly. “I like it,” I repeated.
We made it back downstairs just as Sue Ellen was setting sacks of food on the counter. “What?” she said. “The table isn’t set?”
“I was getting a tour,” I said. “I jumped on your bed.”
“You did not,” she said. “Angels shouldn’t be able to lie.”
“Thus proving my point: I’m not an angel. And even if I was, that was only for the mission. No wings. Is that the only reason you like me?”
“Don’t be daft.” She pointed. “Plates are there. Don’t make me do everything.”
* * * *
Over dinner, Sue Ellen asked, “So. Are you going to go back to being a cop?”
“No,” I said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.” I looked down. “I
don’t eat much.”
Evaline extended a hand. “Money is not something we’re going to worry about.”
“I’m accustomed to carrying my own weight. I’ve been an adult since long before I was an adult.”
“You’re an old lady,” Sue Ellen said. “Retired.”
“I’m not retired!” I waved a finger at her. “Alathea said people are living well into their hundreds. I bet Congress raised the age of retirement a decade ago.”
“The economy is quite a bit different than it was,” Marley said.
“At the start of the industrial revolution, everyone thought it would destroy all the jobs,” Evaline said. “People were doom and gloom for nearly two hundred years. Finally, they did.”
“Oh, shit.”
“No,” Marley said. “People who want jobs can find them. There’s a universal basic income. It won’t pay for a house like this. If you’re on UBI, you’re in an apartment. You get an apartment appropriate for your real needs, food, clothing, and a little spending money.”
“Healthcare?”
“Universal,” she said.
“Finally.”
“There are limits on that. People with means also have private insurance.”
“That’s what people in the UK do. Did. You know what I mean.”
“They still do,” Evaline said. “About half the adult population is employed in some fashion that generates income.” She laughed. “Jobs pushing money have disappeared.”
“Computers kicked their asses to the curbside?”
“Totally,” she said. “Oh, there are still some people employed in the financial services industries. Some people like the human touch. But most of the decision-making is computerized. There are still financial funds managed by people, but the person who supposedly is the manager does whatever his computers tell him. There were holdouts, but they all deeply under-performed.”
“AI for the win?”
“Yep. There was turmoil, because, of course, it was only the rich that had access.”
Marley laughed. “It was the GNU project that blew that apart.”
“Open source financial management?”
“Yep,” she said. “And they came out with a new software license for it. You could use it all you wanted, however you wanted, just like all their software. You could modify it all you wanted, too. That was what they had always done. But their new license said if you made any modifications, you had to share them, even if the modifications were for private use only, plus you had to share any other related systems. Everything it touched had to be open sourced.”