by I. T. Lucas
Ronja was getting discharged in the afternoon, and after further deliberation, they’d decided that a hotel room was not the best place for her to continue her recuperation. She needed a comfortable place and a bedroom to herself.
“It looks like a barn.” Lisa opened the back passenger door and stepped out. “I hope it’s nicer on the inside.”
“It is.” Sari followed her out. “You’ve seen the pictures. Besides, it has four bedrooms and two baths, and that is what’s important.”
“I call dibs on the bottom bunk,” Magnus said as the driver popped the trunk.
Bowen shook his head. “I can’t believe that we are sleeping in bunk beds. That’s just humiliating.” He pulled out two suitcases, put them on the driveway, and reached for Sari’s carry-on.
“You could have gone home.” Sari pulled out the two shopping bags full of items they had picked up for Ronja in a local clothing store.
The only thing the rescue crew had taken from the couple’s car was her purse, so she didn’t even have a change of clothes to wear when she got discharged. They had to drop one complete set at the hospital before heading to the Airbnb.
“We are just following orders.” Magnus carried the suitcases to the front door. “Kian wants us to stay and help you with whatever you need.”
Bowen took the rest of the luggage and the grocery shopping bags out of the trunk, tipped the driver, and joined them on the front porch.
“I appreciate it. I’m sure we could have managed on our own, but thank you for staying.” Sari punched the numbers into the lock and opened the door.
The place looked precisely like the photos on the website. It was basic, but it was spacious and clean.
“Sari, this house is gorgeous.” Lisa walked into the kitchen and started opening cabinets. “It’s like Dr. Who’s Tardis. It’s bigger on the inside.”
Sari smiled. “I’m glad that you approve. Do you want to check out the bedrooms?”
“Sure. What time is it?”
“It’s twenty minutes after three. We have about an hour until David gets here with your mother. That’s plenty of time to get everything ready for her.”
“I want to make dinner.”
“Can you cook, lass?” Bowen put the shopping bags on the counter.
“I know how to make a few things.”
“You can cook tomorrow.” Sari put a hand on her arm. “Today, we are ordering takeout. Come, let’s put your mom’s things in her bedroom.”
Long after they were putting everything away, and the four of them were relaxing with a cup of tea, the text from David arrived.
“They are on their way,” Sari said. “They will be here in about ten minutes.”
“I wish we had a welcome banner.” Lisa opened the front door and stepped out.
Sari joined her on the front porch. “I just wanted to say that you are handling all of this like a trooper.” She put her arm around Lisa’s waist. “You are very brave.”
“I’m not. I’m scared, and I’m sad. But I’m glad that you are here.” She leaned on Sari’s shoulder. “You are like the awesome big sister I always wished I had, only better. How did David get so lucky?”
“Maybe I’m the lucky one.”
Lisa sighed. “You both are because you’re in love. But come on, you are a demigoddess. David is a great guy, and he is a real hunk, but you are the daughter of a goddess, the leader of your community, and you are smart and capable and gorgeous. Can I be you when I grow up?”
“You’re pretty awesome yourself.”
“Do you have a sister? You only mentioned a brother.”
“I have two. Alena is the eldest, and she lives with our mother. She’s her companion. Amanda is the youngest, and she lives in Kian’s community. She’s a neuroscientist, and she researches people with paranormal abilities in the hopes of finding dormant carriers of immortal genes. So far, she’s found only two, but she’s not ready to give up.”
Lisa frowned. “I don’t have any paranormal abilities. Does David?”
“Not that I know off. That’s just one possible indicator. The other is affinity, but that’s really difficult to test scientifically.”
“If she found only two, where did the others come from?”
“The Fates brought them to us.”
“Again with the Fates. That’s like saying God did this or that. It just means that you don’t know how it happened.”
“I don’t blame you for being skeptical because I was just like you. But some of the Dormant stories are so improbable that I have no choice but to accept the possibility of divine intervention. The universe is full of mysteries, and we know so little. We should keep an open mind.”
“I would love to hear some of those Dormant stories.”
“Except for David, they all live in the village, so if you want to hear their stories, you will have to visit there.”
“I have no problem with that. On the contrary. I just don’t want to meet Parker the compeller.”
29
David
“Ready to go?” David put his hand on his mother’s shoulder.
She took a shuddering breath and wiped her tears. “Can we come back tomorrow?”
“Of course.”
Watching her with Frank had been difficult. She’d insisted on seeing him before leaving the hospital, and the tears she’d shed while holding on to her husband’s limp hand smelled like goodbye.
Out of all the gifts of immortality, the new sensitivity to scents was David’s least favorite. His entire life he had struggled to control his empathy, and the last thing he needed was to have even more insight into the subtle nuances of suffering.
“Did you rent a car?” she asked when he wheeled her out the hospital’s front doors.
“I did.” He pushed the wheelchair toward the parking lot.
“I can walk.”
“I know. But I want you to take it easy today.” He opened the passenger door for her and helped her to get in.
“I’ll return the wheelchair and be right back.” He handed her the keys. “You can turn on the radio.”
“That’s okay. I’ll wait for you.” She looked up at him. “Thank you for coming. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
“You’re my mother. That’s what family does for one another.”
A new tear slid down Ronja’s cheek. “There isn’t much left of ours, which is why I’m so glad that you met Sari. She seems to come from a big and close-knit family. I need to thank her again for all the help. She even rented a house so I could be comfortable. It’s so thoughtful of her.”
“Sari is the best.”
“I was worried about you being still single at your age, but she was worth the wait.”
“I’m glad that you approve.”
As David rolled the chair back to the hospital entrance, his thoughts wandered to Stacy and how short she’d fallen compared to Sari.
He was so damn lucky that Stacy had left him, sparing him a lifetime of mediocrity and clearing the way for the ultimate prize.
His Sari was the jackpot.
Where Stacy had been dependent on him to make all the decisions and take care of her, Sari was a natural leader who took control assertively and capably.
In fact, she was the stronger pillar in their life partnership. Some men might have felt threatened by a woman like her, but all David felt was immense gratitude. Taking the secondary role to her wasn’t a demotion.
It was a promotion.
The Fates deserved a big thank you from him.
Back in the car, he pulled out his phone. “I’m letting Sari and Lisa know that we are on our way.” He turned on the ignition. “Two of Kian’s men are staying with us to assist in any way they can. I hope that’s okay with you.”
“Of course, it is. But don’t they need to go home and take the helicopter back with them? I’m sure Sari’s brother needs it. We can book a commercial flight when we are ready to leave.”
He
cast her an amused sidelong glance. “Are you afraid of flying in a helicopter?”
“No, not really. I just don’t want to impose even more than I already have.” She looked at him from under lowered lashes. “How rich are these people that they have their own helicopter, and what do they do that they need a crew of bodyguards?”
David stifled a chuckle. That was the mother he knew and loved. Ronja had a suspicious and creative mind, and she was somewhat of a conspiracy buff.
“Sari’s family owns an international business conglomerate. I assume that they are rich, but I don’t know precisely what they do. All I know is that they invest in new technologies.”
“And that necessitates a private militia? Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for their help, but if they are drug dealers or traffickers, you should be careful. I hope that Sari is not involved in any of it. She seems like such a refined lady.”
David laughed. “Obviously, you are feeling better. I promise you that all of their businesses are legit, and that they are not doing anything immoral. When we get to the house, we will have dinner, and then Sari will tell you more about her family.”
“Can I ask you another question?”
“Go ahead.”
“Why the rush? I get that Sari is beautiful, and smart, and apparently incredibly wealthy, but is there another reason for the hasty wedding?”
“It’s not a pregnancy if that’s what you’re thinking.”
Ronja sighed. “That’s a shame. I would love to have a grandchild.”
“Fates willing, you will.”
Hopefully, it would happen during his mother’s lifetime. Sari had mentioned a new fertility treatment that promised to help immortals conceive faster, and if Sari agreed, David intended to explore the possibility.
Ronja didn’t have eternity to wait for a grandchild.
And that was a real shame. If she’d been found twenty years ago, she could have had it.
30
Sari
“Welcome to your temporary home, Mom.” Lisa wrapped her arms around Ronja’s middle and led her to the couch. “We ordered takeout, and it should get here any minute. Are you hungry?”
“I am.” Ronja patted her belly. “All of the time.”
Magnus walked over to the couch and offered his hand. “I’m Magnus.”
Smiling, Ronja took his hand. “What a lovely Scottish accent you have. I’m Ronja.”
“A pleasure to meet you.” He turned to the other Guardian. “This is my friend Bowen. We are at your service.”
She shook Bowen’s hand as well. “I understand that the two of you work for Sari’s brother.”
“We are a family, and each member does what she or he is best at.” Bowen straightened and squared his shoulders. “I happen to be an exceptional fighter.”
Sari clapped him on the back. “And so modest too.”
As the doorbell ringing interrupted the banter, Magnus opened the way for the delivery guy. “Right on time. How much do I owe you?”
“$227.” The guy handed him the bags.
As Bowen took care of the bill, Magnus brought the bags to the dining table.
Lisa’s eyes darted between Magnus and her mother as if she couldn’t decide who to help first.
Sari solved the dilemma for her. “I’ll help set up the table. You’ll help your mother.”
“I don’t need help.” Ronja slowly pushed to her feet. “I need to start using my leg muscles, or they will atrophy.”
When everyone was seated, Ronja turned to Sari. “I want to thank you and your brother for your help. I know that words are not enough, but right now that’s all I have. When I get home, I’ll cook a feast and invite you over to properly celebrate your and David’s engagement.”
Sari doubted that she could stay long enough to take Ronja up on her offer. She’d dropped everything to help David, but now that the emergency was over, she should go back to work.
Still, there was no reason to bring it up just yet.
“We would love to celebrate our engagement with you.”
Ronja smiled. “You two seem so much in love, but what’s the rush, if I may ask?”
“Mother.” David scowled at her. “We’ve already talked about that.”
“We did not. You said that pregnancy wasn’t the reason, but you didn’t say what was.”
“Why wait? Sari and I are not young kids. We know that we were meant for each other and that we want to spend the rest of our lives together. When it feels right, it’s right.”
Ronja chuckled. “Not always. I married your father two months after I met him, and I also believed that we were meant for each other. Evidently, we weren’t.”
“You got pregnant with Jonah and me. That’s why you married our father.”
Sari hadn’t known that.
Ronja smiled sheepishly. “That’s true, and your father wouldn’t have proposed to me if I weren’t, but I would have married him regardless. I was in love.” She turned to Sari. “I wanted to be a nurse, so I volunteered at the hospital. Michael was the chief cardiologist, single, handsome, commanding, and all the nurses were vying for his attention.” She grimaced. “Unfortunately, not only the single ones, but I digress. Anyway, I was nineteen and quite a hottie, if I may say so myself. I couldn’t believe it when he asked me to have a cup of coffee with him. One thing led to another, and I found myself pregnant with twins.” She rolled her eyes. “Talk about a shotgun wedding. We were married a week later.”
Sari wouldn’t have asked if Ronja hadn’t brought it up, but now that it was out in the open, she was curious. “What happened? Was it the age difference?”
“You would think so, but no. I didn’t mind that he was old enough to be my father.” She smiled. “I guess I had a bit of a father complex. I loved Michael to distraction. I worshiped him. But he didn’t love me with the same passion. He wasn’t married to me. He was married to his job.”
As Ronja closed her eyes for a moment, Sari smelled the tears she was stifling.
Surprisingly, David’s mother was still hurting over a failed relationship with a man she had divorced twenty years ago.
Ronja sighed and looked down at her plate. “I could have tolerated being a mistress to his work and raising our children practically alone, but I couldn’t accept not being the only one. Evidently, the nurses didn’t stop vying for Michael’s attention even though he was married, and I wasn’t willing to put up with that. I held on until David and Jonah left for college. I filed for divorce a week later.”
Lisa patted her mother’s arm. “But then you met Frank and got me.”
“Yes.” Ronja’s eyes brightened, and she clasped Lisa’s hand. “You brought sunshine back into my life.”
“What about Dad? Didn’t he make you happy?”
“Very. Frank’s job is not his entire life, and he’s never given me a reason to suspect him of infidelity.” Ronja chuckled nervously. “Loyal is Frank’s middle name.”
A tear slid down Lisa’s cheek. “I hope that Dad makes it.”
“I hope so too, sweetie.”
31
David
After dinner, Bowen packed the leftovers into two boxes. “If you don’t mind, I’m taking what’s left to Charlie.”
“Of course, I don’t mind.” Sari pushed to her feet. “Poor guy is all alone in the hotel.”
“We are heading out.” Magnus took the car keys off the counter. “Call if you need us.”
“Enjoy your evening.” Ronja gave him a little wave. “And say hi to the pilot for me. And also tell him that he doesn’t need to be all alone in the hotel. He can join us here and sleep on the couch.”
“We offered him the option,” Magnus said. “He preferred to stay in the hotel.
Good night, everyone.”
As Bowen opened the door, a cold blast rushed through the room, and Ronja shivered.
“Do you want me to bring you a blanket?” Lisa asked.
“You are fussing too much over me.”
Ronja patted the spot next to her. “Come sit here and hug me. That will keep me warm.”
“Would you like some tea?” Sari asked.
“You are all spoiling me. But yes, I would love some.” She looked up at David. “Don’t just stand there, come sit with me too.” She patted the couch on her other side. “Having my children with me is the best medicine.”
Sitting next to his mother, David wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired, worried, but also content. I missed you.”
“I’m sorry about not visiting more often. I promise to do better from now on.”
“Given that you are marrying a Scottish heiress, that’s not likely. I doubt that Sari will agree to leave her family estate behind and move to live with you at Stanford. You hardly ever visited when you were living in the same state.”
Leaning forward, Lisa arched a brow. “I think it’s time to tell Mom.”
“Tell me what?”
David wasn’t sure his mother was in any condition for more shocking news. “You wanted to know how Sari and I met.”
“You told me. Her cousin introduced you.”
“Right. I did.” He’d forgotten that.
“Here is your tea.” Sari handed Ronja a steaming mug. “Be careful. It’s hot.”
“Thank you. I will.” She blew on the surface and took a small sip. “Were you planning to have the wedding in Scotland?”
“Sari’s mother and her siblings were already there to celebrate a different occasion, and we thought it was a great opportunity to have them all at our wedding. But apparently, it wasn’t meant to be, and they will all need to get together again.”
Ronja cast Sari an apologetic glance. “I’m sorry for ruining your plans.”
“Perhaps it’s for the better. Now we can plan a grand event and invite the entire clan.”
“How big is your family?”
“Over five hundred and sixty strong.”
“Oh, my. That’s really a clan and not a family. You’re lucky.”