Chapter Four

A Hangover and New Friends

Tali did indeed wake up with a splitting headache. What was worse, Lumierre had made a nest next to her, the sun was shining in her eyes, and Mort was whistling in the other room while he tried to work. She sneezed, not that it helped matters any. It caused her head to feel like someone was hammering a tent pin into it. And she was not too happy.

'I swear I am going to kill him.' she mumbled, throwing an arm over her eyes to black the sun. 'I swear I am going to kill him. Morton Rainey, you are a dead man.' Okay, so of course she was not going to carry out the threat. But at that point nothing he could say or do could make up for what she was feeling right now.

Cursing, she moved the cat, the fur causing her to sneeze again, and slowly got out of bed. Her head and muscles hurt, and she was feeling very nauseous. She quickly made her way to the bathroom. Through the open door she heard Mort chuckle. She stood over the sink for a few minutes just in case she threw up.

'Spilling your guts is exactly as charming as it sounds.' she recalled Nigel saying that after her first hangover two days before his wedding. They had gone to Canada to have a toast because she was too young to drink in New York. That was nine years ago. If Tali hadn't been feeling so terrible already she would have broken down into tears. How she missed her brother.

After a while the nauseous feeling subsided. She trudged back to the room for a clean shirt trying not to make any sudden moves.

'Need any help in there?' Mort called, gleefully.

Tali glared.

Mort had been sitting at his computer when he saw out of the corner of his eye Tali go into the bathroom. He chuckled. Maybe having the girl here wasn't a bad idea after all. He looked up as she came out of the room, in blue silk slacks on and a sky blue silk blouse which was open to reveal a blue undershirt. Apparently she spared no expense in her wardrobe.

'So, Mr. Rainey,' she said, squinting due to the headache, 'If you would be so kind as to tell me the time I would be very much obliged.'

I told her not to call me that. He thought before looking at his watch. Realizing he hadn't gotten it replaced after it had broken, he looked at the clock on his computer. 'Thirty minutes after ten.'

Tali groaned. 'Thank you, Mr. Rainey.'

He frowned. I told you to call me Mort. He silently call after her.

Tali looked down the stairs, which was not quite a good idea. But she needed to get to the first floor so she grabbed the railing and slowly made her way down. All she needed was a good cup of tea.

After tidying the kitchen, she went out to her car to get her laptop, which she took everywhere just in case she got an idea for a story. She really did not want to go upstairs to get her PDA which was in her purse. She plugged it in. While Windows XP Professional was loading, she went back into the kitchen to make a cup of Chai Tea. Back at her computer she opened a new document on Word.

It was a dark and stormy night and Darien was sitting at the table trying to do some paper work, when the door bell rang.

"Who would be calling at such an ungodly hour?" He thought putting his pencil down and getting up. The bell rang again. "Ok, I'm coming."

Tali's train of thought was disrupted by Mort. 'I don't see how you can work with a hangover. I surely cannot.' he called down to her.

'All people are affected differently by hangovers, Mr. Rainy.' She replied, taking off her glasses, which she only wore when writing. 'Is there anything I can get you?'

'No. By all means continue.'

'Thank you for the permission, Milord.' she said under her breath, getting back to her typing.

He opened the door to reveal a young lady in her mid twenties. Her gold hair was hanging limply and dripping down her face. She had on a white shirt, black jeans, and a black Jean coat. Standing next to her was a boy of about nine.

"I am sorry for bothering you, Sir, but my car broke down and the battery to my cell is dead. Your house looked the closest. May I use the phone?"

Darien was staring at the little kid. Something about his eyes caught had caught Darien's attention. They were an unusual shade of gray.

"Sure, come on in. I'll make you some hot chocolate to warm you up." He led them into the kitchen.

"Thank you." the girl mouthed. Then the line connected and she turned her attention to the person on the other line. "Hullo, Mum?"

The boy sat with his hands folded on the table. He didn't talk much even when Darien asked him his name. So they just had a staring contest. Looking into those gray eyes, Darien remembered where he had seen them before.

Tali leaned back and stretched. Her back was hurting from leaning forward for so long. She looked at her gold Rolex watch. It was one thirty. Her headache had subsided a bit, but it still lingered. She went upstairs to ask Mort if he wanted something to eat.

'If I do I'll make it for myself.' He commented.

'Ok, then. I am going for a walk.'

Mort nodded as Tali went back down. 'Be careful.' he called after her.

Tali came across Johnny fishing. He was also reading a book. She looked for who wrote it. It was one of Mort's.

'Isn't that book a bit advanced for you little one?'

'A bit. But there was nothing else to read.'

'I see. I'll make a note to bring you one of mine tomorrow.'

'Does it have dragons?'

'Good dragons, bad dragons, wizards, elves, warfare, knights, betrayal, princesses.'

'Are any of them you?'

Tali laughed, 'Now, that would be very conceited of me to make myself one of the princesses. I am the Empress.' As she made that comment she flung her arms out. Johnny was laughing as well. 'No, really, I am.'

Before he could make any comment the fishing pole began to slowly slide into the water. Natalie hastily reached for it, but was not fast enough. She stood up and ran after it, and slipped on some wet rocks causing her to fall in. "Well, I am going to have a bruise on my bum tomorrow." She joked

Johnny was laughing really hard that he fell off the stump he had been sitting on. At that moment his mother joined them.

'Johnny, didn't I teach you not to laugh at others misfortunes?' She admonished in a well cultured voice. 'Now go help the lady up and apologize.'

'Yes, mom.' Johnny said getting up and extending a hand to Tali. Tali took it. 'I am sorry for laughing at you.' His voice was solemn, but the twinkle in his eyes was unmistakable.

'And I am sorry for scaring away all your fish.' She replied just as solemnly. She turned to his mom who had come closer. So this is his mother. Summoning the professionalism her work required of her, Natalie held out a hand, 'I'm Natalie Farthington.' If she had one of her cards she would have handed to the other woman.

'Gabriela Webster.'

Tali involuntarily shivered from the cold. The sun was still out but a slight breeze had stirred.

'We should get you out of those clothes.' Mrs. Webster commented seeing her shiver.

'That would be nice, actually.' Tali said following Johnny's mom, leaving Johnny trailing behind with his fishing pole, and book. Tali turned back and winked at him.

The clock struck four and Mort got up and went down stairs. As he passed Tali's computers he tried not to look at it to see what she was working on. He resisted the urge and went into the kitchen to find some food. The next minute he was on the couch moving the mouse. Words scrolled across the screen.

Writers, alas, have to be fools in public while the rest of the human race can cover its tracks.

'That is very true.' He smiled. Moving the mouse again the screen flashed to reveal her desktop which had a picture of a little blonde girl with green eyes, and Natalie at the beach. Mort wondered who the little girl was. She didn't look anything like Natalie.

Bypassing the thought, he opened a folder labeled 'Works.' He scrolled through the many word documents and folders. Some labeled 'Children's', Romance, Mystery. He raised an eyebrow at a folder called 'Risqué.' He opened it. There was only one document. But it was pass worded. He opened the document she had been working on before she had left.

He hadn't really read any of her books, but this part was really quite good. As he was sitting there, he got an idea for where she left off. Leaning forward again, he began to type.

'Here you go, Natalie.' Mrs. Webster said placing a cup of tea in front of her.

'Thank you, Gabby." Tali said, taking a sip of the warm beverage.

'I hear you are staying with Mr. Rainey.'

'Oh, yes. I needed his help on something.'

'She is a writer just like him.' Johnny said.

'Really? What do you write?'

'Oh, I have tried my hand at several genres. Though the best I write is romance.'

'How did you get into writing?'

'Well, the irony is that in fifth grade I hated writing. Then one day I had a friend over and she and I got this idea to create crazy scenarios and mishaps for kids we didn't like in our classes. After that-.' Tali shrugged looking at her watch that. Somehow it had gotten to be 5:30. 'Well, I should be getting back. Anyway my clothes are done?'

'Yes, just a minute. Are you sure you won't stay for dinner?'

'I wish I could.' Tali said, stifling a yawn. Falling in the lake and still being tired from the other night where taking it's toll.

'Some other time then, I hope?' Gabby asked. For clearly she wanted someone to talk to.

'Some other time.' Tali affirmed taking her washed and dried clothes to the bathroom to change.