“That’s a very simple equation.”
“Yup, I’m a genius,” Audrey said and slid into the water and swam out to play.
“And so, it’s the nerds on the dock. Or is it?” Ted said, sliding into the water.
Brian gasped as his diaper got wet. Ted swirled him around in the water. There was a soft lapping of water as Mia made her way to her men. “I’m a gator looking for a Brian McNugget.”
Ted moved Brian out of the way. “Go away, he’s my McNugget. You get your own.”
Brian giggled. He felt the love between his parents.
There was a distant rumbling, reminding them of the approaching storm. Mia waved the others in. Ted and Brian waded out of the water and up to the house. Mia ran ahead and started a warm bath for daddy and son. She washed up at the sink while Ted and Brian enjoyed the bubbles. Mia slid out of the bathroom, reminding Ted that Audrey would need to shower off.
Audrey was on the deck drinking a full glass of wine. Mia tucked her towel securely around herself and joined the researcher.
“Ted will be out soon.”
“No worries. I’m enjoying being irresponsible, sitting in my wet clothes, imagining what I must look like at the moment.”
“Your hair is springy, and your eyes look smudgy in a sexy way.”
“My mascara has rubbed off,” she said.
“You have beautiful tiny freckles,” Mia said wistfully. “I love freckles.”
“You did marry the freckle king.”
“Yes I did.”
Ted stuck his head out the door. “Bathroom’s free. Mia, put some clothes on. Mike’s not going to let that towel stay on,” he warned.
Mia popped up. “Whoa, I wasn’t thinking. See you on the flipside,” she said to Audrey.
Audrey laughed. Whether it was the wine she drank or the love in the air, she felt good and complete. Who needed Matt and Matt’s rules?
Chapter Twenty-two
Cid enlisted the help of Mia and Audrey, and soon he had a giant pot of sloppy joes. Bags of chips would have to do as the vegetable for the evening. Mia would head out early to grocery shop. Cid had already made up a list for her. She would drop Audrey and Mark off at the library to do research. Tonight’s plans were a night of D & D in the boys’ RV, and Glenda had invited the girls over for a movie. Mia had declined, being pretty tired from the day’s activities. She would stay in the cottage with Brian, hopefully getting some quality sleep.
Those were the plans. However, Mother Nature had other ideas. A crack of thunder woke Brian. Mia was quick to pick him up. She changed him, grabbed a bottle and headed to the rocker. She sat with Brian snuggled close as she watched the lightning light up the sky. She shivered.
“Are you cold?” Murphy asked.
“Yes. Is that you or has the temperature dropped?”
“I can’t tell. Let me get you a blanket,” he said. He found an afghan draped over the couch. He pulled it off, insisted Mia stand up, and wrapped it around her and Brian before she sat back down.
“Thank you,” she said. “So how was your evening?”
“Fine. I walked Maggie until the rain started. She’s in the trailer with Cid and the men. They are playing a game with a lot of talking and dice.”
“It’s a role-playing game called Dungeons and Dragons. It’s a nerd staple,” Mia explained.
Murphy nodded as if he understood, not really interested in what they were doing. “Glenda and Audrey are drinking, crying, and watching what Glenda calls chick flicks.”
“Audrey and Matt are having problems. Glenda, I’m sure, is giving her the benefit of her experience. I tried to give her advice, but what do I know about men?”
“You’re surrounded by them,” Murphy pointed out.
Mia nodded. “I never thought of it that way. It’s nice. I’m not complaining. What else did you do? Come on, regale me with your adventures.”
“Nothing special. Checked out the woods. Looked around the old house. I can see the family inside. They are living as if the house is whole.”
“To them, it probably is. From what I saw, it was a comfortable home.”
“When the storm got fierce, I came here. I didn’t want you to be afraid.”
“I was. Lightning is one of my weaknesses. I try to watch it and see the beauty, but I still wince when it crashes close by,” Mia admitted.
“Nights like these give me more energy. I haven’t had to use a cube since I arrived. The ley line fuels me, and I suspect it fuels that house.”
“I don’t think the house intended to hurt us. It was showing me something important that Audrey and Mark are going to look into. I was overwhelmed. I haven’t been myself since the aerie.”
“Did Angelo monkey with your works again?”
“Oh, I hope not. I think, when the Gray Ladies reset something, I became more sensitive. I can see details I never saw before. Like your hair. It always looked gray, pewter gray, to me, but now I can see that the gray is mixed in with a soft brown and black.”
“I had dark hair as a lad.”
“I know where your sweetheart is buried,” Mia said quickly.
“Chastity has moved on…”
“No, the woman in the locket.”
“How long have you known?”
“Since I returned from N’awlins. I met a relative of hers there who looks just like her. The resemblance is amazing. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner but…”
“She remarried.”
“So you know. I didn’t want to hurt you with the information.”
“I knew. She made a good match. I hope she was happy.”
“I could take you there if you want. Or Cid if you think I’d been in the way.”
“I’m not sure I want to visit. She wouldn’t be there. She would have risen.”
“Did you hear her call to you from the light?”
“No, just Mother.”
“Then she’s not there. Murphy, from the little you’ve told
