“That’s a shame,” Edie said.
“She would also be horrified that we were talking about her,” Audrey said.
“We won’t saying anything, will we, Mark?”
“Nah, I wouldn’t want to embarrass her. She has been really good to me. You all have. Do you think it would alright if I brought her flowers?”
Edie couldn’t hide her amusement.
“You know, I think she would like that. She should be home in an hour or so. Ted has to finish up and won’t let her out of his sight.”
“They are so cute together,” Edie said. “Mark, don’t get your heart broken.”
“Ah, Gran, I don’t like her that way.” Mark blushed.
Audrey felt for the boy. One’s first crush is so hard, it makes no sense. “I’m going to head back and help take down the awning and tape off the house. It really is dangerous. I cannot stress enough that you should not venture in it at all costs.”
“I won’t, Audrey. As Grandpa Sam says, ‘I’m not a damn fool.’”
“Oh my,” Edie said. “I have to have a word with that man.”
Chapter Twenty-five
Mia sat uncomfortably in the padded lounge chair on the deck. Ted’s treatment of ice packs had eased some of the swelling, and her birdman gene was healing her at a faster rate, but muscle tissue needed time. Brian was playing down beside her in a carefully constructed playpen that Cid had made for him. As godfather, he didn’t want to see his godson in a jail, but he did seem to understand that Brian needed solo time out of the arms of his parents to use his imagination and entertain himself.
Mia closed her eyes a moment and thought about what the touch of, what Murphy called, a negative elemental felt like and how it had increased her ire. She needed to talk to someone more experienced than her.
“Brian, I need to call your great-grandfather.” She slid her feet around, and no sooner did she set a foot on the deck, when Murphy arrived.
“Ted says you have to rest.”
“I need the cottage phone. I need to talk to Orion,” Mia said.
“I’ll get it for you.”
“Thank you, Murph.”
Murphy left, and Mia considered what the best way to get ahold of Orion was. Angelo would know where he was. She knew that with each connection with Angelo, she risked starting up all that nonsense, but a few uncomfortable moments wasn’t a lot to pay when the result could save an innocent or two’s life.
Ted walked out the door with the portable phone. “Murphy said you wanted the phone.”
“Yes, I need to talk to Orion, and I’m not sure how to get ahold of him,” she explained.
“So you were going to call Angelo?” Ted asked.
“I could call Father Santos or Gerald, and they could call Angelo for me,” Mia said thoughtfully.
Ted leaned against the railing and looked down at his wife. “Why don’t you call Angelo directly?”
“Because I don’t want to open up a humongous can of worms,” she answered.
“You know that he likes you,” Ted said.
“I thought it was a phase and it would pass, but I can see it hasn’t.”
“You still don’t trust him, do you?”
“It’s not that exactly.” Mia fought to find the right words. “He doesn’t think the same way we do. I don’t want to pin solipsism on him because of the way he cares for the innocents of this world, but he broods when he doesn’t get his way. And this is when he is most dangerous to me, to us.”
“I’ll call him,” Ted said.
Mia melted. “Would you, please?”
Ted pulled out his cell phone, found the number and punched in the digits on the landline handset. “Hello, I’d like to speak to Angelo Michaels. Theodore Martin. Yes, I’ll wait.”
Angelo was grooming when his driver knocked on the door. “Yes?”
“There is a Theodore Martin on the…”
“Give it here,” Angelo ordered, fearing the worse. “Is she safe?”
“Calm down, there was an incident, but Mia is alright. She needs to contact Orion. She needs his guidance. Do you have a number, or do I need to have Murphy send smoke signals?”
A very relieved Angelo laughed. “Actually, he’s here. Let me get him for you.”
“Orion is at Angelo’s,” Ted said, handing Mia the phone.
“Hello?” Orion’s voice called out.
“Sorry to disturb you,” Mia started, “But I need your advice.”
“On the phone or would you like me to fly over?”
“I’m not at home,” Mia explained. “We are…” Mia explained where they were. “I’m over-my-head, injured, and can’t think straight.”
“Mia, I’m on my way. I’ll have Angelo’s driver bring me. We don’t want to frighten the locals.”
“We’ll make room,” Mia said. “Thank you, I owe you a big one.”
“Nonsense, you are my granddaughter. I’m honored you called.”
Mia handed Ted the phone. “He’s driving up.”
Ted squatted down and wiped a tear from off of Mia’s nose. “Minnie Mouse, why are you so sad?”
“I’m not sad. It’s just, the moment I heard his voice, I started crying.”
“I think it’s relief. What happens when you hear my voice?”
Mia lifted an eyebrow.
“Oh. Well, there will be none of that until you’re well,” he told her. “I’m not just a sex symbol. I have other uses.”
Mia laughed. “You make handsome, smart children,” she said, looking at their son who had managed to stack the rings upside down.
“My worry is that the boy only thinks outside the box.” Ted reached in and picked up the offered toy and looked at it. “Brian, your mom’s granddad is coming for a visit.”
“Gee pop,” Brian said, smiling.
Mia shook her head. “He calls you Da De and just about everyone else by name, but I’m…”
“Ah am,” Brian said, handing Ted a plastic ring to give his mother.
Ted gave it to Mia. “It must mean something to him. Like Minnie Mouse.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” Mia said, putting the large yellow ring on
