Crossroads

by Alexie Aaron [Aaron, Alexie]

Murphy saw the problem from the outside. He motioned to Enos to move away from the glass. He took a swing and broke the glass on one of the doors. Burt, Enos, and Stephanie climbed through and ran to Burt’s car.

  Marty stood watching as the Monroe campus security blocked off the exit from the main parking lot. These people weren’t going anywhere.

  Ted and Cid were driving the rental out of the auxiliary lot when they saw that Burt was being detained.

  Cid slowed the truck as they drove by, rolled down the window, and shouted, “Hey, you!”

  The security team turned around.

  “I just saw someone drive a van through the side windows of the lobby. You may want to check that out,” he said.

  The men jumped in the electric cart and drove off.

  Murphy disabled the wooden gate, and Burt and company drove through. Murphy jumped in the truck with the guys and tipped his hat at Marty who was standing alone in the lot, trying to figure out what just happened.

  “You better double up on security tonight. I think he recognized me,” Murphy said.

  Burt got on the expressway. “Stephanie, do you have someone you could spend some time with who doesn’t live in Big Bear Lake?”

  “My grandmother lives in Rockford. How long would I have to be gone?”

  “I’ll call you if this winds up sooner, but give it a week.”

  “Fine with me. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had it with ghosts.”

  “Can I ask you to keep this quiet until we are sure the dangerous entities are neutralized?”

  “As long as I get an exclusive,” Stephanie said.

  “Wouldn’t you rather appear on an episode of PEEPs?” Enos asked.

  “No. I’ve had it with ghosts,” she repeated.

  “You can have the exclusive,” Burt said.

  “Good, now I’ve just got to find a hook.”

  “You were just chased by ghosts,” Burt pointed out.

  “No one believes in ghosts anymore. This Gloria is lying through her teeth. I’m going to see what I can find out about her. Life coach my ass!”

  “Do you think the police are going to ask Burt questions?” Cid asked Ted.

  “Why?”

  “Murphy broke a door, but no one could see him,” Cid said.

  “I’m betting that Gloria is going to want to hush all this up. I wouldn’t be surprised if she shows up at the preserve tomorrow.”

  “The demons and the gold are gone.”

  “But she doesn’t know that,” Ted said. “I bet Gloria still thinks she has a chance of obtaining the demons’ treasure.”

  “I’d take that bet, but I have a strong feeling you’re right,” Cid said.

  “Me too,” Murphy said.

  “What are you wearing to the christening?” Cid asked, changing the subject.

  “I don’t have much choice,” Murphy said.

  “I was talking to Ted.”

  “Ralph’s got something lined up. My sisters are coming in Saturday at the airport. I’ve got to pick them up and take them downtown. My parents are going to be pulling in later that afternoon. Quentin is picking up the cost of the hotel. Baxter said Mia was looking a little frayed from all the company.”

  “Does it bother you that Quentin and Ralph have hijacked the christening?”

  “Not at all,” Ted said. “I know you were looking forward to making thousands of canapés, but we’re tired.”

  “You mean Mia’s tired.”

  “No, all of us. Murphy too.”

  “Too much going on and too many people,” Murphy said. “I haven’t had time to finish the baby beds. Soon the girls are going to outgrow their bassinets. I had all that work to do on Ed’s house or I’d be finished.”

  “Altair and Ed were moving furniture out of the portal before Mia, and he flew to the preserve this morning,” Ted said. “Altair looked like he was reevaluating his life after the last load.”

  “Okay, I’ll admit we’re all tired,” Cid said.

  Brian was running around the yard flying a model plane when Ted pulled in. Noah was skipping behind Brian, pulling what looked like a cloud. Varden and Adam were whispering back and forth and laughing. Mia was feeding Maeve on the porch, and her father had Genevieve over his shoulder patting her back.

  Ted and Cid decided to leave unpacking the rental until the next day. They pulled it into the garage just in case one of the deputies came nosing around.

  Burt pulled in and looked around for Paula.

  “I think she’s in the house making supper,” Cid said. “It smells too good to be Mia or Lazar’s cooking.”

  “I didn’t marry Mia for her cooking,” Ted said.

  “We know, we know,” Cid said.

  “I heard Mia married Ted for your cooking,” Burt said to Cid.

  Enos kept his comments to himself. “I’m going to start moving my stuff into the aerie,” he said, climbing the stairs to the apartments.

  “How can he have any energy?” Ted asked, leaning against the truck.

  “He’s young. Do you remember being that age?” Burt asked.

  “Faintly,” Ted admitted.

  “Hello!” Mia said, strolling into the garage with the twins. “How’d it go?”

  Burt and then Cid gave Mia a report. Enos walked by carrying two big duffle bags.

  “I’m going to shut this place down early tonight. I fear we may have angered a few ghosts and a medium,” Ted said.

  “Fine with me. Dieter is at Mark’s for the night. Lazar has already gone home, and Ed, Judy, and Adam are going to have an early day moving the rest of their things into the house.”

  “Mia,” Charles said as he walked in. “Paula says supper in fifteen minutes.”

  “Thank you, Dad. You heard the man. Burt, you’re invited. You may want to hang here under the protection of the force field.”

  “I’d like that. I’ll take Enos’s place.”

  “We have a constant revolving door of men,” Ted said.

  “As long as everyone does their own laundry and I don’t have to cook, I’m not complaining.” Mia’s phone buzzed. She looked down and smiled. “Judy’s contractions have begun. I’m going over there after alerting Nanny Berta. Ted could you be on twin duty?”

  “I’ll walk the ladies there, bring back Adam, and help you out, Son,” Charles offered.

  Ted smiled. Charles had never called him son before. “No problem. I think, between all us inept males, we can handle two babies.”

  Jake was in his Bugs Bunny persona wearing scrubs as Mia walked through the office. She smiled. “Wash up, I’ll meet you in the OR.”

  He became the Little Red Hen and ran off the screen.

  “Thought so. Murphy’s not afraid.”

  “I’m not afraid of what?” he asked, appearing.

  “Childbirth.”

  “It’s not like I wanted to be a part of it,” Murphy said.

  “But you were there for me. Thank you.”

  Murphy smiled and followed Mia, Nanny, and Charles as they walked down the road to Ed’s new house.

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  Charles Cid Cooperson came into the world with a demanding cry and pissed all over Mia, much to the delight of Nanny. He was a perfect robust baby. He wanted to be fed, and Judy did so. Ed kissed his wife and child before he walked outside with the afterbirth. He walked to the place where Murphy had buried Varden’s and gave thanks to Mother Nature for the health of his wife and sons before he buried it.

  “Charlie looks like trouble to me,” Mia said. “He’s going to be your prankster.”

  “You only feel that way because he pissed all over you,” Judy said.

  “Wouldn’t you?”

  Judy smiled. She loved that she would be living, for the most part, close to Mia. She still wanted to travel with Ed and Dr. Cooper with the boys until they had to attend school. Having a home of their own to return to between digs was a bless
ing she never thought that she and Ed would have realized.

  “Adam told me that he learned about defending the nest from Sariel,” Judy said.

  “Sariel was concerned that our small sons needed to know that hiding and fighting another day is just as gallant as taking on a foe as a toddler.”

  “It’s difficult when their role models are fierce fighters,” Judy said.

  “Maybe I let Victor have too much say in raising Varden.”

  “No, Mia, you’re the warrior your son looks up to,” Judy said.

  “She’s right,” Nanny said. “But you’ve not just raised a warrior, you’ve raised an artist, a soft-hearted boy who would exchange a kiss on the cheek for a sword any day.”

  Mia didn’t know what to say.

  Paula walked into the house carrying a feast. “I passed Ed on the way. He’s going to wake up Adam so he can see his brother.”

  “Poor little tyke, he had such a full day yesterday,” Judy said.

  “Noah enjoyed playing with the little boys,” Paula said. “Although he is over the moon with pretending he’s a big brother, he will be attending summer classes with Brian starting Monday.”

  “You mean…” Mia started.

  “The marshals have determined that there is no further threat. They are still kicking me out of the house, but I don’t have to be relocated.”

  “That’s wonderful!” Mia said, hugging her.

  “There’s more,” Paula said. “I went yesterday to put the deposit on the place near the elementary school, and the owners said I could have the house sooner if I didn’t mind that it hadn’t been repainted.”

  “And…”

  “I move in Tuesday. This way, I don’t need to kick Burt out of his home.”

  “Um, Burt’s the one who wants to leave,” Mia said. “No one was kicking him out.”

  “Oh dear, I guess I got that wrong,” Paula puzzled.

  Mia finished with Judy and gathered all the laundry she could find and took it with her. Paula walked with her. Mia seemed deep in thought.

  “Did I step in something?” Paula asked.

  “No. I was just taken aback. You see, I’ve let Burt live in my house mostly rent free since I moved in with Ted. He always planned on paying me back, but since I’ve always found a way to make ends meet, I never asked him for rent money. Now he wants to move on and take care of himself, which is wonderful. He and I used to live in the house together, so I understand he’d like to put that behind him. But for the record, I’m not kicking him out.”

  “Maybe his glib comment was hiding something he and I should talk about,” Paula said.

  “And what would that be?”

  “His and your relationship.”

  “There is no relationship outside of friendship, and at times, he’s my grumpy boss. Sure, it’s hard being in that house with him. There are wonderful memories there. He’s a fantastic person to be with. But it ended. I got over it. He got mad at me because I did.”

  “Why didn’t you insist on rent being paid?” Paula asked.

  “Guilt.”

  Paula laughed. “Oh, Mia, it’s nice to know you’re human. Tell me, how much has this guilt cost you?”

  “I lost count long ago. But, Paula, I would like you to know this - and I want there to be no misunderstanding. There’s never going to be a Burt and me. Not in this life, my next life, or the one after that. He’s a fantastic lover; he helped me to accept my gifts; and I love working with the bastard, but I’ve found my knight with the shiny pocket protector. If you enter a relationship with Burt, I’m going to warn you that he’s very slow to commit, but he’ll make you a very happy women in other ways.”

  “How happy?” Paula asked, holding back a giggle.

  “Legendary.”

  Mia took a shower before she crawled into bed with Ted. He massaged the kinks out of her shoulders and whispered endearments in her ears. She turned to him and kissed him. Her eyes shone and connected with his.

  “Are you happy, Minnie Mouse?” Ted asked.

  “Yes. You?”

  “Ecstatic. I’ll be happier after Sunday is over.”

  “Me too.”

  “Next summer, I’m going to be renting that house on Wolf’s Head Lake,” Ted said. “I’ve already put down a deposit.”

  “Really?”

  “This time no PEEPs.”

  “Good.”

  “The girls will be more manageable, and I need time to just be lazy Ted with burnt-the-bacon Mia and our five children.”

  “Are you sure our teenage son will want to go?”

  “Mark will be there with his grandparents. We’ll never see Dieter, but that’s the way with most families who have teenagers, I believe.”

  “I think it’s a great idea. It’ll give us something to look forward to. I may even brush up on my can-opening skills.”

  “I love it when you get all culinary,” Ted said, pulling his wife closer.

  “Wait until you see me handle a whisk.”

  “I’ll give you a…”

  Mia silenced Ted with a kiss.

  ~

  Mia bounded down the steps carrying her shoes. “I’m coming!” she shouted.

  Lazar thought about making a derogatory comment, but since he was surrounded by young boys, he kept it to himself.

  “The summer school express is ready. Noah, you’re starting on Monday. Since you’re a free man, would you like to come with me and the kiddos to drop off Brian? After, we are going to the art store.”

  “I’ll ask my mother,” Noah said, pushing away from the table. “Don’t leave without me.”

  Adam was a bit sleepy-eyed. Mia hugged the little boy. “You don’t have to go if you want to stay here and sleep in Uncle Ted’s hammock?”

  As tempting as that was, the little tyke wanted to go with the other boys. “I’m going.”

  Mia picked up her phone and dialed. “Red Leader, this is Bacon Burner, over.”

  “Go ahead, Bacon Burner.”

  “I need four car seats installed in the SUV. Two big kids and two shrimps, over.”

  “On it,” Ted said.

  Noah arrived with his shirt tucked in and his hair slicked back. Brian was going to make a comment, but Mia gave Brian a glare that stopped the words from coming out of his mouth.

  Mia led them out of the house. Lazar watched them from the door. Nanny stopped and asked, “What are you watching?”

  “Mia and her fan club. She looks like a mother duck and her ducklings.”

  “Lazar, take this from a place of caring. Don’t refer to any woman as a duck, goose, or any other waterfowl.”

  “Yes, Nanny.”

  ~

  Gloria opened the door of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. She waited until her intern ran around the luxury SUV with her boots. Gloria slid her feet into the expensive boots and drew on the gloves that were handed to her. She looked up at the sky, pleased to see the rain that was forecast wasn’t happening.

  “We’re going to wait here for the engineers.”

  “Ma’am, I canceled the engineers,” Amy told her.

  “First, don’t call me ma’am. Second, why the hell would you do that?”

  “They said they wouldn’t be able to use explosives here until a full inspection of the area’s natural gas reserves was done.”

  “Some people have no vision,” Gloria said. “Come on, Nancy.”

  “It’s Amy, ma’… Ms. Monroe.”

  Gloria plodded towards the center well and frowned. She didn’t see the pathetic misty creatures that her spirit thugs liked to feed on. She smiled, turning slowing in a circle to see that the big trees were indeed gone. She had tried to enter the realm of the primal demons herself and couldn’t get past the roots that filled the passageways.

  Stuck in the middle of the stone-filled well was a stake, and nailed to the stake was a red warning sign.

  Amy walked over and noticed an enve
lope tacked to the sign. She peeled it off. “Ms. Monroe, it’s addressed to you.”

  Gloria held out her hand, making no effort to walk to shorten the distance Amy had to traverse. Amy put it in her hand and waited.

  Dear Gloria Monroe,

  Alas, the gold you seek is gone. I understand that the inhabitants have left you something to remember them by. I would suggest you leave this place and take your spirit guides with you. It is not safe for you to continue in your assault of this place.

  Kind Regards,

  Mrs. Mia Martin

  “How dare she!” Gloria shouted. “I know the gold is here. It’s Monroe land and Monroe gold.”

  “According to the deed of property, the Monroes do not own any mineral rights,” Amy said, looking at her iPad.

  “Listen, Nancy!”

  “Amy.”

  “You’ll never get anywhere if you follow the law. Who the hell is going to know any better? Besides, it’s not like we’re going to dig it out. Where are my goddamn ghosts?”

  Amy, who still maintained that her boss was a loon, hunched her shoulders.

  “Marty, get your sorry ass here and bring numb nuts with you!” Gloria called out.

  The convicts appeared before Gloria. Marty liked the young woman who refused to see him. He kept inching his way towards her.

  “Marty, so help me, I’ll have your astral balls on a plate if you don’t stop that,” Gloria warned. “I want you two to scout out things down there.”

  Marty shook his head.

  “I’ve been assured that the demons have vacated.”

  “They couldn’t have. Where would they go?” Marty asked. “We were only gone an hour yesterday. How could anyone pack up and leave in an hour?”

  “Do I look like I work in relocation?” Gloria asked.

  Marty and his cohort had no idea what a relocation was, so they just stared back at her. “Send one of your women down there first,” Marty said. “I don’t wish to be disemboweled again.”

  “Fine. Nicki! Elenore!”