by Wilson, Maer
Thulu and I didn't have that level of protection, so we stayed low-key. Opening the business up to include off-worlders was one thing. Waving a red flag in front of the government was quite another. If they found out we were real, I really didn't trust them to let us go free. I'd never forgotten Nana's lesson all those years ago. Even the thought was enough to freak me out a bit, and I felt my hands shake. I excused myself, saying I had to check on dinner.
This was always a sore topic with me. Partly because I felt guilty, I admitted to myself as I did a cursory and unnecessary check on dinner. While much of the help we gave was not important in the grand scheme of things, it did help our clients and their loved ones. The ones I felt guilty about were the missing kids. The dead children, and we'd had seen quite a few, we were able to deal with. It was emotionally draining, but the actual process of helping them was usually easy.
The missing kids were another matter. Thulu often found them easily, but the trick was revealing their locations to people who would help without bringing any attention to ourselves. Thulu would have preferred to call a police station and tell them where a child was, but even he knew we would be looked at more with suspicion than gratitude.
Reo came into the kitchen a few minutes later. I guessed he lost the coin toss. He came over and took my hands in his.
“I'm sorry, Fi. I wasn't thinking. I know how you feel about going public. I swear to you right now, I won't ever make a move that would harm you or Thulu. I swear. Any decision I make will be one the three of us can agree on. Okay? I promise. And you know I don't make promises I can't keep.”
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
“Bad idea, Okay?”
I smiled weakly. He gave me a tight hug and a kiss on top of my head. I let out a sigh of relief. A Reo promise was one you could take to the bank. I took a deep breath and shook it off, continuing with dinner.
Reo stayed in the kitchen. We talked about ways to try to convince Mason to wake up. I hoped that the introduction of another telepath, one who wasn't human, would add some weight. I wondered if Carolyn was awake yet. I'd forgotten to ask Jones earlier. I got out the tablet and made a note to do just that the next day. Reo agreed to push for waking her, if Jones hadn't already done so.
I was pretty sure Jones was psychic. He called right at that moment to say that he was on his way to the clinic and that Carolyn should be waking up soon. I put him on speaker, so Reo could hear, letting Jones know.
“Apparently they were in a bad car accident when they were run off the road in a narrow mountain area. I found them off the side of the road and immediately got medical attention for them. The child was killed instantly and did not suffer. Carolyn's injuries were superficial, but the shock of losing her child caused her deep trauma. She has been sedated until she can handle her situation without causing harm to herself. Mason is in a coma due to a severe head injury, which is now healed.”
I shook my head in disgust. Reo gave me a one armed hug.
“La Fi, do you hear me?”
“Yeah, Jones, I hear you loud and clear.” I might be disgusted with him, but I didn't have a better idea. Nothing was going to make this a good situation. And losing a child in a car accident had to be better than having her murdered by a creature from a fairy story. I looked around, hoping Jenna would stay in the other room.
“I am doing as you asked, La Fi.” Was that a tiny pleading note in his voice? Couldn't be. I shook the idea off. I was very conflicted where Jones was concerned.
“I know.” Begrudgingly.
“Reo,” Jones said. “Will you agree to this story?”
Reo paused before he said, “Yeah, Jones, I don't like it, but maybe it will let them heal. I take it there were no witnesses, and no way to know who had run them off the road?”
“Exactly,” said Jones. “Their past is the same right up to just before my men showed up at their apartment. They had gone on a sightseeing trip outside the city and were run off the road. Any details you don't know, just say so and refer them to me. We can have the other telepath there tomorrow morning. Will that work for you? Before the barbeque?”
“Sure.” They arranged a time and disconnected the call.
I took a deep breath, hiding my irritation. I was determined to not let Jones ruin my dinner. I finished up, grilling asparagus, putting rice on to boil and making cinnamon carrots. I sliced tomatoes and cucumbers for a light salad. Rolls went into the oven to heat up, while Reo made himself useful and put whipped butter in a bowl and got a bread basket ready with a heavy linen cloth.
When the chicken was ready, I pulled it out of the oven and moved it onto a platter, surrounding it with the celery and mushrooms and parsley garnish. The lemon butter broth went into a gravy bowl with a ladle.
Reo and I carried the various dishes to the dining room, placing the hot bowls on brass trivets. I called in the others as I made the final trip in with the rolls.
It wasn't a fancy meal, but I hoped it had enough variety to be pleasant. Thulu and Reo requested it often enough to make me think it was good.
I had set us up at one end of the table, with the other three chairs left vacant. Jenna and Parker stayed in the other room. When I asked, Thulu said Parker was teaching her to play checkers on a board he'd materialized.
I offered to help the goblins onto their chairs, and they accepted. Romeo was sniffing appreciatively. We passed dishes around and filled our plates. Thulu poured wine into crystal glasses. I looked around, rather pleased with myself. The china gleamed, the crystal sparkled, the silver shone, the food sent up tantalizing aromas and people were smiling. I ladled the lemon butter broth into a small dipping bowl on my plate. Thulu raised his glass, looking around at all of us with a big grin, dimples showing.
“To friends, old and new. To the new era. To loving and being loved.”
We all smiled, clinked glasses and sipped the wine. It was a good dinner. Juliet, especially, enjoyed the food, praising each dish as she tasted it. She even raved over the rolls, although I told her they were store bought and I couldn't take any credit.
We talked about light topics, nothing too serious. Juliet told several funny stories from her days as a dog. By choosing to be the very small breeds with long life expectancies, she was able to stay with an owner for about ten years. She didn't want to push her luck and have vets become suspicious at how healthy she was by staying much beyond that. She'd been with her last owner eight years.
“One time when I was a tiny Yorkie, my owner took me on a trip. She had decided to breed me and somehow I missed the conversation that would have warned me. Have you ever seen a dog try to cross her hind legs? I'm telling you. It isn't easy. I finally made my escape, with my tail tucked firmly between my legs. Needless to say, I found a new owner after that. And never went Yorkie again.”
Even Romeo was laughing hard – probably in relief.
She again mentioned that she wanted to help the woman who had been such a good friend to her. She was sure she'd be lonely without her “Prinny.”
“You cannot imagine how many times I've been Princess this or that,” she laughed.
Reo told stories about people who had come to his show. Over dessert, Thulu and I shared a couple of stories of former clients. Even Romeo chipped in a couple of stories.
While the separation was obviously not easy for either of them, I got the impression that Juliet had dealt with it better. Maybe because she had one of those sunny dispositions that can make lemonade out of even the sourest of lemons. Maybe because she had faith that she'd find her husband eventually. Fifty years is a long time, though. I asked about that, and both of them laughed.
Juliet reached for her wine glass and said, “Oh sweetie, fifty years is nothing. Goblin life spans can be several thousand years, unless we're killed by an outside source. Romeo and I have been married for four hundred years.”
We gaped at the little goblins.
“I bet you guys could really give good advice on how to have a suc
cessful marriage,” Reo said. Pointing at us, he continued, “These two found the recipe, but there are lots of people who don't have it.”
Romeo and Juliet laughed. Thulu and I smiled at each other. For a moment I saw a flash of sadness in Reo's eyes. Thulu isn't psychic, but he caught the look, too. “You'll find someone too, Reo. I know he's out there.”
“Promises, promises.” His tone was light.
“Sooner than you may imagine, my friend,” Thulu said. “I feel the time is getting closer.” Reo and I exchanged a look. This was new. Usually Thulu was just open-ended cryptic on this topic.
After dinner, Reo, Thulu and I cleaned up, refusing help from the goblins. “Nope,” I said, “You two are on vacation. The back porch is screened in, if you want to sit there and enjoy the evening. You should be fine from prying eyes.”
They liked that suggestion and headed out holding hands.
The three of us loaded the dishwasher and put everything else away. Thulu and Reo went into the family room as I went upstairs. I did a quick check of the guest room next to Reo's on the second floor.
The room held a brass bed with a hand quilted comforter, several plump pillows, two night stands and a bureau. I kept it clean with fresh sheets in case any members of our extended family stayed over.
I pulled out thick towels and wash cloths from the hall linen closet and carried them to the guest bathroom. I looked at the old-fashioned claw tub in the guest bathroom. Hmmm. I looked at the shower, mentally measuring the faucets.
I decided I'd offer mine and Thulu's shower in the master suite and carried the towels into our bathroom. I thought Juliet would probably appreciate it. At least she and Romeo could reach the wand controls. Also I wanted to show it off.
I went back downstairs, pretty pleased with myself. Thulu caught my mood and asked me what was up. I told him about letting the goblins use our bath. He laughed and gave a drawn out “Oh, yeah.”
Reo said he was leaving for the night. He wanted to get his mind clear for the next morning. I gave him a hug and kiss good night at the door, locking it after him.
We turned on the TV to see what the latest news was. Everything was still amazingly calm. No sign of Gabriel. Shots of the different portal locations showed that each one had been closed. All former portals were still guarded, and a watch was kept for new ones.
The cities felt like they were in a holding pattern. Few people were out and about, and those who were seemed subdued and quiet. I imagined people staying home, glued to their big screens.
Other than that, there were rather boring reports of elves meeting with high ranking officials in various governments. Everything was almost too placid. I wondered how many empaths were keeping the more volatile situations under control.
Romeo and Juliet came into the room and asked if there was anything new. We quickly brought them up to speed.
“The elves are natural leaders and well respected on many worlds. With them heading everything, it should be relatively smooth,” said Romeo.
“I have a question for you,” said Juliet, looking at the kids, who were still playing checkers. “Do they stay here all the time?”
I lowered my voice. “Jenna is new, but Parker has been around for about four months. I don't know why he hasn't moved on, but Jenna is part of the Jones situation.”
“Jones?”
“Dhavenbahtek.”
I explained briefly the Mason situation. Juliet looked thoughtful, but didn't add any insights. I offered to show her and Romeo to their room and said they were welcome to use our bathroom.
I led the way upstairs. I showed them the guest room and offered them T shirts, which they accepted. I grabbed two fresh ones from my closet.
Flipping on the lights, I showed them into the master bath. The gasps and looks of wonder said I'd made the right choice. I pointed out the sunken tub and the shower, both of which should be easier for them to handle.
They thanked me, and I accepted graciously. Having them as guests at our family gathering was going to be more than thanks enough.
“Sweet dreams when you get there,” I said as I left the room, shutting the door behind me.
I stepped into the closet and retrieved a small step-stool. I took it to the guest room and placed it by the bed. I turned on the table lamps and gave the room a final inspection.
I went back downstairs and called Thulu's parents to let them know we might be having “special guests.” Mama Deb answered and seemed suitably intrigued, but I didn't give it away. I went into the family room to watch the news with the kids and Thulu.
The lack of a major reaction from humans was intriguing me. Humans were just not that civilized. Even knowing that empaths were containing the major situations didn't seem to cover it all for me. There just seemed to be more to it.
My brain kept poking at the lack of response. I looked at it from every direction, but I was at a loss. I wanted to know exactly how Earth could be “invaded” and so few people raise hell about it. Not that I wanted them to.
I had an indefinable sense that I was missing something.
The vocal minority was not being nearly as vocal as I'd expect them to be. Of course, not everyone was quiet. There were some who were doing their usual rabble rousing, but they almost seemed half-hearted about it. Their fiery passion and yelling and obnoxiousness were toned way down. And their rabble wasn't rousing to their rants.
Where were the marches and demonstrators with signs? Where were the people who always had something to say about everything, whether they knew anything about it or not? And where were the people who believed in anything supernatural or alien? They should be out in force, celebrating their vindication. Yet, Earth remained relatively calm and quiet. I didn't like it, and I certainly didn't trust it.
It kept nagging at me. The longer they stayed quiet, the more curious I became. Maybe part of it was shock, maybe even fear. Except usually that would be enough to set the fringe people off, in spite of empaths.
I wasn't exactly worried, but damn it, humanity should be a lot noisier. Keeping things calm was appreciated, but it wasn't – human. The media barely mentioned, except in passing, how civilized we all were at handling the situation. But the Wacko Factor was missing, and that was a mystery I wanted to solve.
I told Thulu what was on my mind. “I'm not crazy, Thulu. I really believe there's more to this. Something else is going on and not just empaths and shock.”
He was quiet for a while as he thought it over, but he didn't have any ideas either.
“Sounds like a Reo issue, Fi. Run it by him tomorrow. Although, with the portals closed, things should stay calm.”
It sounded like the best idea to me. I made a mental note to do just that.
Chapter 29
I stood up, did some stretches and told Thulu I was going to contact Emily and Seung. We usually didn't do business at home if we could avoid it, but I didn't want to wait until Monday. I'd already procrastinated on this, and it was time to bite the bullet. We moved to the study, and I sat on the sofa in one corner. I took a deep breath and called for Emily.
She came in wearing a nice summer dress, white with small yellow zigzag patterns through it. Her long dark hair gleamed, and while she still seemed shy, she also had gained confidence somehow. I always found it fascinating that the dead continued to grow as people after they died. Emily had blossomed; there was no other word for it.
“You look beautiful, Emily.”
She smiled shyly, but also seemed grateful for the recognition. The air carried the scent of honeysuckle to me.
“I have some news for you. Did you want to sit with us?”
She nodded and took a seat on the sofa next to me. I sat sideways and wished I could take her hands. I told her what Jones had told us, explaining that the being who currently inhabited that body was not the same as the one who had killed her.
I also briefly told her about Jones's true nature, the Light Ones who had opened the portals, the importance of the r
elics and what we were facing. I wasn't sure why I added these details, but I felt awful not being able to find her body. She took that very well, simply nodding when I said it had been moved to another world. She smiled sweetly when I told her that Jones had offered to give her a lovely memorial service.
“That would be great,” she said. I waited, but she didn't add anything. I asked her if she had any questions, and she said she didn't. Finally I couldn’t stand it any longer.
“Emily, you seem very different. Has something happened?”
I would have sworn a ghost couldn't blush, but she managed it. She dropped her voice in a confidential whisper.
“Well, Devon Parrish has been kind enough to help me out. I’ve been lost all these years, but he's been showing me around and helping me adjust.”
“Really? Wow, Emily –” I stopped, at a loss for words for a moment, but quickly recovered. “Emily that is simply awesome.”
“I know! He's very nice. And he understands what it's like to be dead. I mean being dead himself and all.”
Yeah, I thought, that would be a good way to know about being dead.
“So, please tell Mr. Jones – the replacement one, I mean – please let him know that there's no hurry. Anytime is fine with me.” She paused. “In fact, I think Devon plans to hire you guys, so I may wait until that's resolved. If that's okay.”
“Absolutely. I'm sorry we weren't able to do more, Emily.”
“You found out what happened to my body. That means a lot. And I'm having fun.” She paused again. “You don't think that's wrong do you?” She frowned slightly.
“To have fun? No, Emily, I highly recommend fun.”
“Well, thanks, La Fi. Good luck with all the portal stuff you're doing. I don't know if Devon and I can help, but if we can, please let us know, okay?”