Glenda had finished packing and drifted down the stairs to look for her son. Mike wasn’t around, but Altair was there in his earthly form shelving books.
“You’re a very efficient librarian.”
Altair looked at the older woman and smiled. “I was looking for a book and was pleased to see it was still here, just shelved wrong.”
“So, what do they have you doing these days?”
“They?”
“Mike mentioned you’re into protection.”
“I’m not thrilled. I started off in world building and pissed off my boss.”
This tickled Glenda. She liked raw language, especially if the person using it was unexpected.
“Mrs. Dupree, how are you liking living in the city?”
“Things are handy. Mike for one. I should have had other kids.”
“It wasn’t to be,” Altair said.
“No, but no use crying over spilled vodka. Speaking of, you’ve got quite an appetite for it.”
“I prefer whiskey, good whiskey.”
“Too much of a bite for this old woman.”
The outside door opened, and Mia walked in with Varden. “Hospitality,” she called, holding up two bottles of Grey Goose.
“Woka,” Varden announced.
“I get a kick out of that,” Mia said. “So did the liquor store owner.”
“You took your baby to the liquor store?” Glenda asked.
“Yes. Tell them what we bought, Varden.”
“Visky and Woka,” the tot announced.
Mia reached into the diaper bag and produced the expensive bottles of whiskey Mia knew Altair liked.
Altair smiled.
Glenda studied the unspoken language going between the two. Her worries that this handsome creature would displace her son in Mia’s heart were unfounded. He looked indulgently at Mia. There was more of sibling vibe between them. She didn’t know why Mike still wanted Mia, but she would do everything in her power to make it happen. Why? Because that’s what mothers do.
“Mia, I have to talk to you about the way you’re shelving these books,” Altair said.
“Stuff Brian could destroy the world with stays on the top shelves,” Mia insisted, picking up a book and looking at it. “This is the book isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Should it be under lock and key?” Mia asked. “After all, I have birdmen in and out of this place all the time.”
Altair shook his head. “I thought I’d give it to Orion.”
“Really?” Mia asked, surprised.
“He earned it.”
Mia set Varden down in the play area and proceeded to put the bottles away. She walked the vodka over to Glenda.
“I’ll just take one home and leave the other one here,” Glenda said.
“I can’t guarantee that it’ll be here when you come,” Mia said, nodding over at Altair.
“Does he have a drinking problem?” Glenda asked in a low voice.
“No, but he will tie one on occasionally.”
“I can hear you,” Altair called over.
“I figured,” Mia said. “Anyway, he’s a responsible sot.”
“Mia Cooper Martin!” Altair scolded.
“Hero!” Varden shouted back.
Mia giggled.
Mike walked in, followed by Burt. Mia looked at the two men. Twenty years had changed them on the outside, but inside they were pretty much the same.
“Ma, are you ready to go?” Mike asked.
“Yes, my bags are upstairs,” she said. “You can add this to my tote, please.” Glenda handed Mike the bottle of vodka.
“Sure. Be right down.”
Burt walked over and watched Altair on the ladder. He was reading a book while he stood ten feet up. “You guys don’t get vertigo, do you?” he commented.
Altair looked down and shook his head. “I only get a little motion sickness if I have to fly next to that one,” he pointed to Mia.
Mia looked up from the book she was reading to Altair and stuck her tongue out.
“Very mature,” Altair said.
“I fingerprinted the candle,” Burt told him.
“And?”
“Aside from mine, there were Orion’s – probably happened when he bought the thing – and a very young Cid – which happened when he had control of the candle.”
“It doesn’t mean someone didn’t handle the candle with gloves on,” Altair said, climbing down.
“There is that,” Burt admitted.
“Burt, what do you think of Gerald Shem?”
Burt put his hand through his hair before he spoke, “He’s very useful, but a bit too connected to Angelo for me to completely trust him.”
“You don’t trust Angelo?” Altair asked.
“I haven’t since the first time he took off with Mia.”
“Sariel respects him but warned us that he felt strongly that Angelo has his own agenda which no one really knows,” Altair said.
Mia tried not to listen to the two, but when her name came up, she couldn’t help tuning in. Varden patted the book. “Sorry, peanut, now where were we?” she asked.
“Puppy,” Varden told her.
“Very good,” Mia said and tuned the men out so she could enjoy her time with Varden.
Mike came down the stairs with the bags. He had changed his clothes. He dropped the bags, walked over, picked up Varden, and gave him a kiss. “You take care of your mom,” he said before handing Varden back to Mia. He nodded to the men and walked over and gently shook Glenda awake. “Come on, Ma, I have reservations for dinner.”
“Coming,” she said. “It’s been a pleasure. Next time you have one of those candle thingies, make sure I get it.”
Chapter Twenty-five
Varden yawned. Mia took him over to the rocker and sat down and rocked, enjoying how much her youngest son enjoyed being cuddled.
Altair and Burt continued on with their discussion, forgetting Mia was still within earshot.
“I think that we’re all so interlaced with each other that it’s hard to really get a true read.” Burt lowered his voice, “Take Mike for example. He really thinks he stands a chance with Mia.”
“He doesn’t?” Altair asked.
“No. Mia’s had it with insecure males.”
“Mike doesn’t seem insecure…”
“Trust me.”
“I have to agree that I don’t see Mia with anyone but
