He remembered Kitty saying something about LeeAna (Ife) being a healer. He noticed she was still touching Nesta’s belly in that awkward hug. He wondered if something was wrong with Nesta and the woman was healing her.
“Of course I remember you. Good to see you again.”
“Yes, we will talk soon.”
Ian nodded. He felt a chill run down his spine that reminded him of the sensations Fox evoked. It was a feeling that hinted at a warning.
“But now I must return to California. I will see you all on Saturday, yes?”
“Saturday,” Nesta repeated.
“I’ll walk you to the door,” Dot said.
Ian knew Ife didn’t need to go to the door to transport, but suspected that Dot’s suggestion meant she didn’t want Ife to disappear in front of Nesta.
“How pretty are the women in Sacramento that you can forget meeting somebody who looks like my aunt?” she teased as soon as the women stepped out of the room.
“When I met her, she didn’t look like that, but you must know there’s no woman in California or anywhere else who can compare to you?”
Ian had been saying things like that for many years, but the words never felt truer, so much so they were difficult to hear when he realized he’d used variations of them with other women.
Although he’d never before intended the words as anything but harmless flattery, he felt shame for using them in the past.
He wondered how much anger Nesta would have for him, her parents, and everybody else involved when all the pieces of her life’s puzzle fell into place.
Her ready acceptance told him that one or more of the gods in her life had given her a suggestion of acceptance, but it would wear off.
When Dot returned, she asked Nesta if she was free to go shopping with her for party favors.
“Sure, but what’s Ian going to do while we’re gone?” Nesta asked.
“I’m glad you asked. Your father tore his list of “honey dos” in half and told me to give the other half to Ian. This is the stuff that has to be done in here, and he’s running the outside errands.”
“Mom, Ian’s a guest! What was Daddy thinking?”
“No, Nesta, I’m flattered to be considered part of the household.”
But he figured Kingsley was thinking he needed to be kept busy to keep his hands off of his daughter.
“Are you sure?”
“I am. Enjoy yourself with your mother.”
“Great,” Dot said. “All the cleaning supplies are in the laundry room.”
“Let me see that list!” Nesta reached for it, but Ian pulled it out of reach.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m a big boy— I can do whatever it is.” The fact that I’ve never done housework notwithstanding.
Both women looked pleased with his answer. Ian noticed they had the same open smile.
Ian and Nesta put the new and worn clothes in their bedrooms.
He waited until they left to look at the list. It was a half sheet from a memo pad that started with number seven, clean back windows, especially patio door. He thought about it. It made sense. The back part of the house was the logical portion to house a party, plus the drapes would be closed in the front.
He called Rico. “Hey, the clothes worked out well, thank you. I need your help. What’s involved in washing a window?” He waited for Rico to stop laughing. “Me. I’m going to wash some windows.” Ian waited again. “Because they’re dirty, dumbass!” He waited again. “I don’t know, I’ll go look.”
Ian walked to the laundry room. “Yes, it’s blue, right?” He picked up the bottle of window washing liquid. “Okay, what do I use to wipe it off, paper towels?”
“Why would newspaper be better?” Ian waited for Rico’s explanation. “Lint? Mmm, that makes sense. Yes, Rico, I wish you were here too, then you could wash them. Stay close to your phone—I might need you for something else.”
Ian’s phone rang almost immediately. “Up and down or circular wipes?” Ian asked, thinking it was Rico.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I was expecting someone else. This is Ian.”
“Ian, it’s Ife. Have Dot and Nesta left yet? If not, don’t let them know it’s me.”
“They’re gone.”
“What’s your drink?” Ife asked from behind him.
He tried not to show that her sudden presence had frightened him. He wondered how many years the sudden appearances of gods and goddesses had taken off of his life. “I wouldn’t mind a tall glass of lemonade.”
She handed him a glass of pink lemonade. He took a sip. “Very good.”
“It’s from a small café in Vermont. The best I’ve ever tried. I think they sweeten it with honey.”
Ian sat down next to her.
“Don’t stop working. We can talk while you work.”
Ian put the glass on the counter and went back to the patio door. “Are you here to threaten me too, LeeAna?”
She smiled. “Who else threatened you, Hunter?”
“Let’s just say you’ll need to take a number.”
“Do you require another warning?”
“No, I really care for her, more than any woman I’ve ever known.”
“Any woman you’ve ever known? You see, Ian, I’m not concerned with the ones you’ve known. I’m concerned that you might want to get to know more.”
“I have no such concerns.”
“Maybe we have cross purposes?”
“Do you love her?”
“As if she’s my own.”
Ian flashed on the image of their side profiles and wondered why. He trusted his instincts, but nothing came to him from that image. “I know it’ll sound foolish, especially considering a few months ago I was trying to hit on you, but I love her, LeeAna. I don’t expect you to believe that.”
“She is the most loveable human I’ve ever known; of course I believe you. What will you do about this love you feel?”
“I don’t know. All I know right now is that I don’t want to be without her.”
Ife nodded. “Good answer, Hunter. Are you ready to give up the hunt?”
Ian smiled. “For other women or Sangsue?”
“Both.”
He nodded. “I know for sure that I don’t care if I ever see another Sangsue, and yes, I believe I am ready to give up the hunt for other women.”
“Then you will live to see another day.”
Ian took another sip before he laughed. “Thank you. That answer sounds like somebody else I know.”
He hoped to see a smile, at least in her almond-shaped hazel eyes, but she was serious.
“Is she ill, LeeAna?”
“Nesta, ill? why do ask?”
“I thought the way you were touching her was awkward, like you might have been healing her.”
Again he was reminded of Fox. He saw a look in her eyes that he called Fox’s “rewind the tape” look.
“You’re probably very good at what you do, Ian. I imagine Ogo will have a hard time replacing you.” She then smiled. “No, Nesta is not ill. In fact, she is very healthy. I think the two of you will be bountiful together.”
“She must be as special as I suspect.”
“She is. I’m taking my leave. There’s a pitcher of the lemonade in the refrigerator, and you should wipe the windows in a straight up and down motion.” Flash, she was gone.
He stood back and looked at the patio door he had washed while talking with LeeAna. It looked good, but he could see that there were some prints on the outside.
Ian worked up a sweat washing the windows, but when he finished he stood back and viewed them with pride.
The next item on the list was to spot clean the walls with special attention to the light switches. In Ian’s opinion, they needed even less attention than the windows. Instead of calling Rico again, he used the window cleaner on the few spots he saw. The biggest problem seemed to be traces of nail polish near the occasional light switch. He didn’t under
stand what was required in the third task, check the recycle bins, and after that, he was to vacuum.
Kingsley returned while he was looking for the vacuum cleaner. “I am so glad to see you.”
His statement surprised Ian. “That’s good to hear. Do I dare ask why?”
Kingsley put the two bags he was holding on the kitchen counter. “Because I went overboard. It happens every time I go to one of those warehouse stores.”
Ian wasn’t tracking. He still didn’t know why Kingsley was happy to see him. “How can I help?” he said because he knew those words would work in just about any situation.
“Follow me.”
Ian knew all kinds of bad stories that started out with those two words, but he hoped Kingsley wasn’t crazy, even when it applied to his little girl.
He followed Nesta’s father through the kitchen and into the garage. Ian spotted the vacuum cleaner out there, near the door to the kitchen.
“With the two of us, we can probably make it in two trips,” Kingsley said as he opened the passenger side door of his car.
He wants me to help him take in the groceries. Again, Ian flashed on the many times he’d come across Rico and Tatiana, his housekeeper, carrying in groceries. He would certainly grab something if one of them asked, but it never dawned on him to volunteer. Normally if he was in that part of the house, he was on a mission to find or do something, and his task alone was on his mind.
“You take what’s left in the front seat, and I’ll get the back,” Kingsley said.
“Okay.”
They were able to do it in two trips. After the first trip back into the house, with mostly liquor of every variety imaginable, Kingsley said, “Well, that takes care of Dot’s sisters and brothers. Let’s go get the liquor for the rest of her family.”
Ian thought the statement was hilarious, but he didn’t know if Kingsley was kidding or not until he started laughing himself. Then Ian joined in.
After that, they spent the next half hour putting things away. Kingsley had an idea of how he wanted his wet bar stocked and, eventually, Ian left him to it and returned to his lemonade.
“How many people are you expecting?” Ian asked.
Kingsley shrugged. “That’s Dot’s department.”
The two men were sitting at the island bar drinking the lemonade. “Ife was here?” Kingsley had asked when he’d opened the refrigerator and noticed the pitcher.
“Yes, how did you know?”
Kingsley pulled out the pitcher and put it on a counter to make room for some new items.
“We must have at least a dozen of these crystal pitchers. I looked up the price, and one day I’m going to sell them on eBay.”
Ian wasn’t quite sure what sell them on eBay meant, but he’d heard the expression used on television, and he suspected it had something to do with an online auction of some sorts.
“Do you happen to know why Ife dropped by?”
“She brought clothes for Dot.” Ian thought he noticed Kingsley relax a little. He wondered what a visit from Ife usually entailed or what Kingsley feared about a new visit.
“Have you seen the outfit— should I be worried?”
Ian laughed. “No, I haven’t. I trust you don’t share her taste in clothes?”
“You know how you and most Hunters love Fox but hate and fear him in equal parts?”
Ian reluctantly nodded, hoping it didn’t mean a visit from Fox was due.
“That’s how I feel about that crazy woman. She’s Dot’s best friend and she’s done extraordinary things for our family, but she’s one spooky chick.”
“Until today, I had no idea she was a goddess. When I met her she was a short, cute woman with white skin.”
Kingsley laughed. “Ife with white skin; I’d like to see that! I saw her Asian one time, but never white.”
“See, I have a hard time thinking of her as the elegant black woman I saw today.”
“She and Kitty used to be close. I guess they still are.”
“Is Kitty coming to the party?”
Kingsley took a sip of his drink. “No, I didn’t think it was a good idea to invite her. Dot knows about my past, and for the most part she doesn’t have a problem with it. . .”
“Say no more, my friend. Kitty is the one person who can, shall we say, affect your peaceful relationship with your wife?”
“Yes—Ife knows I asked Kitty to marry me.”
Ian nodded, but he had to fight the urge to ask many more questions. “Speaking of marriage—”
“No, Hunter, let’s not speak of marriage. Wait until the end of the week, and then we’ll sit down in my office and have a conversation on that topic if it is still your wish.”
“Very well.”
Kingsley then excused himself, explaining that for reasons that made no sense to him, Dot wanted him to flip the mattresses in the house. “I believe she’s using the party as an excuse for a general cleanup.”
Ian found he enjoyed vacuuming. The carpet looked not only clean but new before the process, but the vacuuming gave the nap a satisfying lined arrangement. He was finishing when the women returned.
“Look at how the windows shine!” Dot said as she entered the kitchen. “Thank you so much, Ian.”
“Is he finished— can I steal him away now?” Nesta asked her mother.
Dot looked at the two of them suspiciously. “I’m going to be down here in the kitchen, but I noticed your father’s car is here.”
Ian thought her response was odd, but apparently Nesta understood. “What do you think I want to do?” Nesta said, and then she laughed. “I just want to take him to see my high school.”
Dot frowned. “You-want-to-show-him-your-high-school?” She shook her head. “Honey, have you noticed how cute this guy is?”
Nesta immediately covered her face with both hands.
Dot laughed. “I love doing that to her.”
“She’s always more outrageous after spending time with Aunt Ife!”
Ian laughed. He found he really enjoyed spending time with this family.
“That reminds me. What about this dress Aunt Ife brought? Can I see it?”
Dot smiled mischievously. “Of course you can, on Saturday night when I unveil myself for our guest.”
“Uh oh!”
“It’s very conservative for Ife. It’s more of an outfit than a dress.”
“Yeah, right.”
Ian thought about the woman he knew as LeeAna. There was nothing even remotely risqué about her.
Although he had heard that LeeAna had threatened a Hunter he knew. Apparently, the night his friend, Artest, met LeeAna and her friend, Jordan, Artest tried to charm Jordan. When Jordan went to the restroom, LeeAna told him she would hunt him down if he hurt her. Only a woman heavily armed or a goddess would be foolish enough to threaten a man Artest’s size.
Ian wondered if Ife had ever threatened Kingsley.
He couldn’t imagine what Nesta thought was so interesting about seeing her high school or why they needed to be in such a hurry to do so, but he trusted her for whatever she had in mind.
They pulled up in front of a high school that was large and relatively new, and on initial impression totally unremarkable.
“This is it. Where I went to high school.”
“Okay.”
She started laughing. He didn’t know what tickled her, but to him the sound was like pearls rolling around in a silk bag, he joined her.
“What is it you want me to see?”
“Nothing, I just wanted to get you out of there with the smell of ammonia and back in this car so I could smell your lavender.” She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. She took a deep breath.
“Do you know about the lavender?”
“I know my parents and Uncle Ogo get all goofy whenever it’s mentioned. It’s another one of their myths, isn’t it?”
He turned his face and planted a kiss on her forehead. “How did you learn to be so cool about all of this
strangeness?”
Scented Dreams ((A Dogon-Hunters Series Novel)) Page 25