Pale Green Stars
Val Marie Morgan
Summary and Disclaimer* When one of Jeannie's relatives abandons a child on Major Nelson's doorstep, Jeannie decides to take it in. What can possibly go wrong? When the child's mother is Jeannie's scheming older sister, everything. While this story was conceived years ago, it was written in the hospital, on a combination of steroids and fried rice. Thank you, fried rice and drugs.
Rated PG 13 for adult themes.
Jeannie, Tony and Major Healey are the creation and property of Sidney Sheldon, but the story of Omari is mine. Thanks to Eric for inspiration along the way, Carpet for patience and Jamie for gently teaching me the finer points of using the paragraph.*
CHAPTER ONE "Family Honor"France, 1790
It was the coldest night of the year.
Outside it was pitch black, the ominous gray clouds signaled the start of another winter storm as the wind whipped through the bare branched trees, pounding against the glass windows with all its might. The thick crust of snow covering the dead ground became heavier as snow fell, picked up and swirled about, dancing in the wind before being pulled up and into the sky again, merged with the blackness of night as it drifted away.
Outside, the temperature was well below freezing.
But inside, in the large brick house on the hill...
Everything in the house had been carefully chosen for its beauty and elegance. From the floor length glass windows and heavy red curtains, to the warm, rich wood floor and the paintings hanging on the walls, to the ivory keyed piano, everything was perfect. It was a freezing November night, just like any other. Except for one thing.
In the upstairs bedroom, on the top floor of the house, the lady of the house was in labor with her first child. It should have been a happy time for both mother and father. But this time it was different.
The young woman sitting up in the cherry wood bed looked to be about nineteen, maybe twenty at the oldest.
Her face was as fine boned and delicate as a porcelain doll, her piercing blue eyes framed by thick black lashes, her dark hair piled high on her head, exposing her slender neck and the tops of her creamy white shoulders. At one side of the bed was an older woman, bearing strong resemblance to the girl giving birth. She was whispering gently to the girl, smoothing her hair with one hand as she comforted her.
At the other side was a young man, a few years older than herself. He was dressed in silk and fine linen, and he paced back and forth by her side, a sour, saddened look on his face as he took a long sip out of the glass of wine he was holding, and set it down on the bedside table. He laid his hand down on her pregnant stomach and tapped his fingers impatiently. "Will this be over soon?"
"Do not touch me." She growled, pushing his hand off her belly.
He backed off, picking up the glass of wine again. Regarding it for a moment, he downed the last in one gulp, and settled down in a chair beside his young wife's bed. After a long silence, he spoke.
"Demon witch."
"Have you ever seen an orangutan with two heads?" She replied, her voice turning icy. The girl sat up in bed with some effort, pushing a stray lock of hair away from her eyes. Her glare was menacing.
"Go back to birthing your bastard offspring, witch, if you need me for something I will be in the parlor downstairs." Without another word he turned and walked out, closing the heavy wooden doors behind him with a slam. She briefly considered going after him, but another sharp pain in her belly made her double up, smothering a scream of pain into her pillow.
"It hurts! It hurts it hurts it hurts!" She whimpered.
"I know, love." The older woman soothed. "Try to be patient, this will all be over in a matter of a few minutes. I know how hard he's made this for you. What are you doing? Get back in bed!"
"I changed my mind. I don't want this baby at all!"
She pushed her aunt away and struggled to her feet but with little success, as her guts twisted again and she collapsed back into bed, both hands clutching her stomach.
"Well it's a little late for that, my angel." Her aunt replied.
"Bemiri eenshalah…In'al yomak…" She managed, a whimper of pain escaping her lips.
"All right, darling. You're doing a beautiful job." Her aunt said. "Only a moment more and you will be finished."
"I do not want to wait another moment!" She cried back. "I never wanted this baby, never! I didn't want it when I got pregnant, I didn't want it the whole nine months and I don't want it now!" The rest of her sentence was lost in unintelligible cursing as with one last, painful effort, it was done. The girl collapsed, exhausted and breathing heavily.
She did not open her eyes to look at her child.
"Congratulations, darling." Her aunt said grimly. " You have a beautiful baby girl."
And the sound of one child's wailing filled the house, echoing out into the cold, dark night.
The day had started like any other January day in Cocoa Beach Florida, cool and wet. It had been raining all day, and the sky was a mass of gray clouds, with no blue in sight.
At the breakfast table, Major Anthony Nelson was completely engrossed in his newspaper. He was paying little attention to Jeannie, who was pacing back and forth in place, twirling the telephone cord anxiously around her fingertip as she talked.
"Yes, aunt...Yes, I know, but-"
"Do you mind, Jeannie? I'm expecting a call."
Jeannie nodded absently.
"Yes, Aunt I understand why, but you must understand-but wait! Aunt, he will not like this-" Jeannie was abruptly cut off, and looked to her master helplessly.
"She hung up."
"What was that about?" Tony asked.
Jeannie hesitated, biting her lip anxiously. "More coffee?"
"Don't change the subject, I want to know what that was all about, right now."
"Right now?"
"Right now!"
"My aunt is coming to visit, and she is bringing somebody with her."
"Who?" Tony asked.
"She would not say over the telephone-more coffee?"
Tony nodded as Jeannie poured him another cup of coffee, and began to gather up the dishes from breakfast.
" I imagine she has found a new husband after all these years, and she would just like to show him off a bit before she announces the wedding."
With that she blinked, and the dishes vanished.
Tony looked her up and down suspiciously. His mind was trying to work through every possible option, but it was obvious Jeannie was not telling him something.
"Jeannie...you're leaving something out of this story."
Jeannie smiled. "Master, do not be silly! What would I leave out?"
"That's what I'm worried about." He sighed, and stood up from the table. "Now, I promised Dr. Bellows I would stop at his office for a quick meeting this morning, only an hour and I'll be back. You can amuse yourself around the house until then?"
Jeannie nodded.
"Of course. Is Major Healey still coming over for dinner?"
"Mhmm. I'll see you in a few hours."
He bent over and kissed Jeannie lightly on the cheek, and a smile of pure bliss took over her worried face as she reached up and returned the kiss, only this time finding his lips instead of his cheek.
"Jeannie...I have to...go..."
He broke the kiss, and Jeannie sighed in disappointment as he released his grasp on her arms, and pulled away from her.
"Goodbye."
Jeannie smiled reluctantly.
"Goodbye, Master. Be careful in the rain."
Tony barely nodded as he gathered his things and hurried out, slamming the door behind him.
For a minute, Jeannie settled down by the window, and stared out into the pouring rain.
"I am worrying for nothing. I hope..."
In Major Nelson's office, Dr. Bellows and Tony sat discussing the results of Tony's latest experiment. So far the day had not been a good one, with traffic making him later, not to mention slipping on his way into the building and soaking himself in a puddle. His office, at least, was dry and warm. The last thing he was looking forward to was going back out into the rain.
"-Now as you can see, the results from the last simulated flight are very promising. There's a drop in your oxygen levels that concerns me a little, but we'll have it looked into."
"Well I'm sure it's nothing serious." Tony replied. "Probably a glitch in the equipment, or-"
The ringing phone interrupted Tony, who looked over at it with mild annoyance.
"Can you excuse me for a moment?" he said.
Dr. Bellows nodded.
"Major Nelson here." He recognized the dulcet voice on the other line before she even spoke his name.
"Master, how much longer will you be?"
"I told you not to call me here." Tony said.
"I know I promised but this is an emergency!"
"What? I've been gone all of twenty minutes, how can there be an emergency?"
"Please master, I do not have time to explain. Do you promise you will come home soon?" She pleaded.
"As soon as I can." Tony promised.
"Is there something wrong, Major?" Dr. Bellows asked.
"Wrong? No, nothing wrong. Is there any way we can finish this up tomorrow, Doctor?"
"I suppose-"
"Thank you." Tony said, turning and sprinting of the door before Dr. Bellows could protest.
The drive home was a blur as Major Nelson tried to think of every conceivable emergency that could have arisen, every problem serious enough that Jeannie, in all her magical ability, could not handle it on her own. Tony's mind was racing almost as fast as his heart as he fumbled with the keys and then realized the front door was unlocked, and he threw the keys to the ground, and rushed inside.
"Jeannie? Jeannie, are you all right?" There was no answer.
If anything happened to her…As he entered the next room, Tony sighed in relief.
She was sitting on the floor in the dining room, when she saw him, Jeannie sprung up and ran to her master, and hugged him fiercely.
"Oh, master. I am so glad you are home." Jeannie said, kissing him on the cheek.
"You're all right?" Tony asked in amazement.
"Of course I am all right, master. What would be wrong with me?"
"You said there was an emergency."
"Emergency?" Jeannie looked up at Tony, and let go of him, backing up a step.
"Yes, emergency. As in this is an emergency master, come home right away."
"I missed you?" She ventured.
Tony threw his hat down on the couch and spun around to face Jeannie.
"You missed me? You called me home because you missed me? I left a meeting, Jeannie, because you…"
His voice trailed off as he looked down, and saw a small face peeking out from under the dining room table.
Tony smiled, and knelt down to get a better look at the child.
"Master, this is Omari. My aunt Milama…forgot her." Jeannie said.
Her voice grew softer as she looked to the girl.
"Omari, this is my master."
Omari slowly stuck her head out, staring up at Tony for a moment. She could not have been more than seven or eight years old, with porcelain skin and wide blue eyes that seemed to have the expanse of the starlit sky reflected in their distrustful gaze.
Her hair was just past her shoulders, thick raven curls that were barely contained into a messy ponytail.
As she looked around, Omari gradually crawled out from her hiding place, and Tony was able to get a better look at her. Somebody had tried to dress her up, in what was an obvious attempt to make her look pretty, but it had not worked. She was painfully thin, so small she could have passed for a five year old, and her hair was matted and tangled.
"She's a cute kid, isn't she?" Tony said.
Omari scooted backwards, glaring hatefully at him.
"I'm not a kid."
Tony frowned.
"Nice kid."
There was a knock on the door, and Roger Healey walked in, looking from Jeannie to Tony to the child, then back again. "Who's the kid?"
Omari whirled around, pointing her finger at Roger and instantly turning him into a mongoose.
"Omari!" Jeannie cried. That is a very naughty thing to do! Change him back right now!"
Omari shook her head.
"Omari, I mean it. You change him back this instant, or I will-"
Sighing, Omari changed Roger back to his human form.
"Jeannie," Tony said, "Did that little girl just change my best friend into a mongoose?"
Jeannie hesitated. "Yes, master?"
"Jeannie, how did that little girl do that?"
"I can do magic just as good as anyone else." Omari spoke up. "And I changed him back."
There was a long silence before Tony spoke again. "Jeannie, what is she?"
"A Djinni, master. Well the proper name for her would be Jinniyah since she is a girl, but-"
"I don't care what the proper name for her is, Jeannie. She's not staying another minute here."
"But-"Jeannie protested. "-Master, I do not know where my aunt went! She could be anywhere on Earth, and she does not like to be called upon when she is busy."
"Sort of like when you interrupt an important meeting to tell me I have to come home right away, and then let my best friend get turned into a rodent?"
"You are yelling at me!" Jeannie said in a quavering voice. As Tony looked up at her he realized tears were welling up in her blue eyes, and he felt a stab of guilt.
I certainly didn't mean to make her cry.
"Come on, Jeannie." Tony said. "I didn't mean that. She can stay for dinner, all right?"
Dinner that night was awkward, to say the least. Omari devoured anything that was put in front of her instantly, as if she hadn't been fed properly in weeks, and her manners left much to be desired.
Roger, still a little stunned from his sudden transformation, barely touched the food, he just sat staring at the little girl.
"She's a good eater, I'll give her that."
Looking up, Omari mumbled something to Roger through her food, then went back to cramming an entire piece of garlic bread in her mouth.
As she reached across the table for another piece of bread, Jeannie gently stopped her hand.
"Omari, dear, do not eat so fast. You will make yourself ill."
The girl shrugged, slowing down enough to finish the piece already in her mouth, then reaching over the table again.
Anthony looked absolutely appalled by the whole thing.
He spoke harsher to her than Jeannie had, and pushed her hand down off the table.
"You finish what's on your plate and then get more bread."
Omari glared at him, shaking her head and reaching for the bread again, and Anthony pushed her hand off the table. Before Omari could raise her hand to turn Anthony into something, Jeannie reached over both Major Nelson and Omari, taking a piece of bread and breaking it in half, and setting the larger half on Omari's plate.
Omari smiled for the first time all night, and Anthony simply stared at Jeannie, who smiled sweetly back at him.
Dessert was not much better. The cake lay largely untouched, other than the piece Omari had taken and was now hovering over protectively.
"Well," Jeannie said as she cleared the dishes away, "I suppose she will have to stay the night."
"What?" Tony cried. "No! This is not an orphan home for lost djinni, do you understand?"
"Oh please, master?" Jeannie bit her lip. "It will only be for this one night, I promise! And in the morning I will find my aunt Milama and we will straighten everything out. I promise!"
Tony sighed. "Are you sure you can get her home by tomorrow?"
"Oh, master!" Jeannie reached up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you so much!"
She turned to Omari.
"Do you know how to change to smoke, darling?"
Omari nodded.
"Well, why do you not change to smoke, and come inside my bottle with me. Then you can change into pajamas and get ready for bed, hmm?"
Nodding again, Omari crossed her arms over her chest, squeezing her eyes shut tight. Jeannie chuckled at this. The child was still so young, changing form was hard for her.
When the little girl had disappeared into the bottle, Jeannie followed.
Inside Jeannie's bottle, Omari stood, her eyes wide with wonder as she looked around. Jeannie smoked in just behind her.
"It's pretty," Omari half whispered, not taking her eyes off the jewels embedded in the walls of the bottle. She reached up hesitantly, stroking the wall lightly with the tips of her fingers. "Did you do all this yourself?"
Jeannie nodded. "I had two thousand years to decide what I wanted to do with my bottle. Do you have a bottle yet?"
Omari shook her head.
"Do you have anything to sleep in?"
There was a long pause, and Omari shook her head again. "Just my dress."
Jeannie settled down on the edge of the purple sofa, and thought for a moment. "Well, for now you may sleep in something of mine, I suppose."
Pointing at the smooth pink nightgown that Jeannie held out, Omari changed from her faded cotton dress into the soft silk. It fit her perfectly, and as she looked down at her new nightgown, Omari's face burst into a grin. It was the first time Jeannie had seen her smile all night. Then, as quickly as it had come, the smile was gone, replaced once again by the shy, nervous half-frown that seemed to be her usual facial expression.
"If you wish, you may sleep here in my bottle tonight, Omari."
Yawning, the young girl flopped backwards onto the downy cushion of the sofa-bed, rubbing her hands up and down the velvety fabric and smiling as she closed her eyes.
"I...I think...I should sleep here tonight." Omari said.
Her voice trailed off as Jeannie reached over, blowing out the oil lamp that sat on the nightstand.
Jeannie yawned widely, laid back and pulled her blanket closer.
As she closed her eyes, a soft voice perked up in the darkness.
"Jeannie?"
Jeannie sighed deeply , rolling over onto her side.
"Yes, Omari?"
"Thank you…for the bread."
"You are welcome. Try and go to sleep now, mm?"
"Jeannie?"
" Yes, Omari?"
" Do you think we can have the same dinner tomorrow?"
" We shall see, Omari."
There was stillness for a second, as Omari adjusted her pillow and pulled up her blanket, squirming to get comfortable.
"Jeannie?"
Jeannie sighed. " What is it?"
"Is it always this dark in here?"
"Yes, Omari."
"Oh."
Omari said nothing else. The only sound was the little girl's breathing, and the rustling of blankets as she rolled over onto her stomach.
Gradually Jeannie drifted off, her dreams taking over her thoughts, the worries and troubles of the long day fading away.
Tony Nelson lay in his bed, dead to the world.
Omari lay awake, knowing what Jeannie and Anthony Nelson could not yet know. That her Aunt Milama had not forgotten her, and that her Aunt Milama was not coming back for her.