Disclaimer: Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer
This chapter is dedicated to Noble, Fadewind, M-Bianca94, Alphabloodwolf, Cara Gracious, Patricia, Lsb123, and BellaNessieCullen
Aiden was crying, he was grumpy from lack of sleep and disagreeable with being poked and prodded by the doctor and unhappy with having to lie on the cold examination table.
"It's chickenpox." The doctor said as he examined the rash behind Aiden's ear that was beginning to spread to his neck and his chest.
"Chickenpox?" I asked in alarm. "Is it dangerous because he's so young?"
"Not really, he's already had his first lot of jabs." The doctor said with a smile as he went to his computer and began typing, I realised that I was to dress Aiden now. "It's just a little harder to comfort him. With older children you can explain to them why they mustn't scratch and it's easier to give them fluids and something to bring down their temperature, but we can find something suitable for Aiden."
"What do you suggest?" I asked, lifting Aiden from the table and soothing him gently as I went to sit in the chair at the side of the doctor's desk.
"I'll make you out a prescription for some cream to help reduce his itching and something to help reduce his temperature, but you have to follow the instructions and only use it when it's needed because you don't want to overload his system yet." The doctor warned as Aiden stopped crying and settled for grumbling lightly against my shoulder instead.
"I understand." I replied as I tapped Aiden's back in comfort. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Yes. Keep him cool, preferably in a well-aired room. Loose cotton clothes will reduce irritation and scratch mitts will stop him scratching." The doctor advised.
"Thank you doctor." I said with relief at knowing there was something I could do to help my son.
"And if you're worried about him getting enough fluids you can try him with some boiled cooled water. Not too much though and don't be tempted with juice or adding sugar, his stomach can't digest it yet."
"I will remember that." I said as I held Aiden to me, wishing to protect him from the world, but how could I protect him against something that was invisible to me?
"Have you ever had chickenpox?" He asked.
"No." I replied without thinking, for I had never had chicken pox but the doctor didn't know it was because I couldn't get sick.
"Oh well you've already been exposed now. You'll have to keep an eye on yourself over the next couple of weeks too, getting chickenpox as an adult can be worse than as a child." The doctor explained.
"Oh sorry, I have had chicken pox, when I was very young, I forgot for a moment, I am simply worried about Aiden." I invented quickly, although the latter half of the statement was not a lie, I was worried about Aiden. "I have no idea where he could have picked up the virus, we were still in America ten days ago and nobody back home has it."
"Well maybe they didn't know at the time. You should check with them and if not warn them that Aiden has chickenpox." The doctor stated.
I nodded.
"Very well Mrs Llewellyn, just take this to the pharmacy next door and they'll make up your prescription. Once Aiden is feeling better you will have to make an appointment for the baby clinic so we can make our own assessments, his records seem to be in order, but we need to make our own to keep our records updated."
"Of course." I replied as I rose to my feet and moved Aiden to a more comfortable position for walking. "Thank you doctor." I added as he handed me the script.
"It's good that you came to seek help, better safe than sorry." He said with a smile.
I nodded, returning his smile and turned to leave. I paused at the door.
"Where do I settle the bill?"
"There is no bill." The doctor stated. "Aiden is under eighteen, therefore his treatment is free."
"Oh yes." I remembered, they had a National Health Service here. "Thank you." I said again and left.
I carried Aiden through the reception area that was still packed full of people and out through the automatic doors. The Boots pharmacy was next door. It occupied a private lot with the surgery that clearly set it apart from the rest of the street. The door looked heavy and I didn't want to risk pushing it with Aiden in my arms in case it swung back, but luckily there was a button with the picture of a stickman in a wheelchair. I pressed the button and the door swung open.
I stepped into an air-conditioned store that smelled clinical and clean. There was a small store area to the right that stocked medication and bathroom items, directly ahead was a high counter. So high in fact that I could not see over it. I made my way to the far right of the counter where there was a lower section, possibly for those in wheel chairs.
The Asian man in the white coat noticed me, and he came to take the script. He wasn't long in finding what I required and had the ointment and medicine ready on the other side of the counter. He checked over the script before giving it to an older lady with frizzy brown hair who checked over the script herself. She placed the items into a paper bag and sealed it with a sticker.
"Aiden Llewellyn." She called.
"Here." I said, still at the lower section, they would not see me at the normal part of the counter, which was well over five foot.
She came over to me, clearly inspecting me a moment before determining that I was a full-grown woman and not a child.
"Address?" She inquired.
"Hafod Uchaf Farm." I replied.
She checked the sticker and nodded.
"Apply the cream once in the morning and once before he goes to bed, or after you give him a bath. If he has any rash in his nappy area then apply it whenever you change his nappy." She instructed.
"Very well." I replied.
"As for the medicine, only give him two point five mil when he has a temperature and only after or just before he's fed." She stated.
I nodded.
"Thank you." I replied taking the bag from her and waiting for the price.
"Thanks." The lady said and then turned to go and serve the next customer.
I stood for a moment looking at the bag in my hand and at the lady who was attending to the next customer. Had she forgotten to ask for me to pay? Then I remembered the doctor saying treatment was free, did that extend to medication too? As I wondered I saw an old lady leave the counter with a paper bag full of pills and she hadn't paid. Obviously it was the case and so I ensured Aiden was safe in my arms once more before leaving the pharmacy. When they did not call me back I knew I had done the right thing.
I went to the car and strapped Aiden into his seat. I placed the medication on the front passenger seat and I returned to the farm. Once home I took Aiden from the car and carried him into the house. Mal was entering the kitchen his hair ruffled from sleep but he was looking worried.
"There you are." He said, sounding relieved, "Where have you been?"
"Aiden hasn't settled all night and I noticed a blister behind his ear when I was dressing him this morning. I managed to secure an emergency appointment and took him to the doctors." I explained. "He has chickenpox."
"Chickenpox?" Mal asked, frowning.
"Yes." I confirmed.
"How?"
"I have no idea, I will have to phone home and inquire about it." I stated.
Mal nodded and then frowned.
"So why didn't you wake me to come with?" He asked.
"It has been an exhausting few days and you had passed out. You clearly needed the sleep and I saw no point in both of us attending the surgery."
"Liza I should have come." Mal stated.
"You can take him next time he's ill." I promised.
"Well you could have told me before you went, I was worried when I woke up and you were gone." He said as he came up to Aiden and I and embraced us.
"I left a note." I stated and pointed to the fridge where I had pinned it with a magnate.
"I guess I would have seen that when I got down here, but I was already starting to panic when I couldn't feel you in the house."
"Sorry to worry you, but I had to know what ailed Aiden." I said sadly.
"I know." Mal said and kissed my forehead. "So what did the doctor say?"
"That Aiden has chickenpox." I stated, and then realised Mal was referring to what we were to do to help Aiden. "We must keep him cool and dress him in loose fitting cotton. He also provided me with an ointment and medicine, although the latter must only be used if he has an excessive temperature." I said, holding out the bag and Mal took it.
"Ok." He said, reading the label on the bag, but it stated nothing more than Aiden's name and address. "What do we do now?"
"We will apply some of the ointment and change him into something loose fitting. Then I do not see why we don't allow him to do that which he would on a normal day. If he is disagreeable then we will look for something else." I suggested.
"Ok." Mal replied. "But do you want me to sort him while you catch up on your sleep? You promised me you'd go on the ferry and you never did and by the sounds of things you've been up all night."
"I got a few hours sleep." I stated. "Aiden did sleep last night, it was only this morning that I found the beginnings of the rash and acted accordingly. Besides I have not gone through the great emotional upheaval that you have experienced these past few days."
"Are you sure?" Mal asked.
"Yes." I stated. "And if I do feel a little tired this afternoon then I will nap when Aiden does."
"And if he doesn't go down you will nap anyway." Mal said firmly. "I can look after him you know?"
"I know." I replied. "It is merely that he is ill and that worries me."
Mal hugged me for a moment.
"He'll be alright bach." He assured me. "Do you want me to go get his clothes?"
"Perhaps you'd best undress him while I go find something suitable." I said as I handed Aiden over.
"I'll be in the room." He stated.
I nodded and went up to Aiden's bedroom, or at least it would be Aiden's bedroom when he was old enough for his own room, and found one of the larger cotton sleep suits and a pair of scratch mitts. I decided to leave his vest off for today in order to keep him cooler.
When I went down to the parlour, Aiden was lying on his changing mat, stripped down to his nappy, trying to catch the keys that Mal rattled above him. The rash had spread now, the red spots vivid against his pale smooth skin. I felt like crying to see my baby in such a poor state, but Aiden himself seemed content as he reached for the keys, shouting at Mal in his baby coos for teasing him so.
I sat down beside Mal and he handed the tube of ointment to me. After reading the instructions I went to wash my hands before returning and applying it to the places where the little blisters were visible. Aiden complained, he didn't like being pulled about, but this was to help him and so I ignored his cries until he was in the sleep suit that hung from him because it was meant for a six to nine month old baby and his scratch mitts.
I then held him for a while before pulling out his baby gym that had buffers about the side to keep Aiden within a safe area should he wish to roll over. Mal and I watched him for a while as he batted at the red plastic parrot that said several phrases when moved. It was Aiden's favourite of the colourful animals that did different things when hit.
While Aiden played I decided to inform Mother. I checked the time, it was nine, that meant it was one back home, but Father would answer the phone should I ring at such a late hour. I picked up the landline; we had taken a special package, which meant calls to Tregarran would be charged at a local rate.
I called home; it rang several times before Father answered.
"Hello?"
"Father, I know it is the middle of the night with you, but this cannot wait." I stated.
"Now Vela, you know you can ring us anytime. And I know that you would not ring at this time unless there was an emergency." Father replied. "What's happened?"
"Aiden has chickenpox." I stated.
"Chickenpox?" He repeated in disbelief.
"Yes. He must have contracted it before we left. But none of us can be ill." I stated.
"True, however is it not possible to believe that you dhampir could carry the virus." Father suggested.
"Would our raised body temperature not kill off the virus?" I countered.
"I suppose." Father conceded. "Well Devon visited Billie not long before you left, I will ask Gloria if it happens to be going around his school."
"Thank you." I replied and then I remembered other humans who had been in contact with us. "Perhaps you should ask Bob too, he was at Lilly's with Oggy when we visited her two days before we left."
"Oggy is at playgroup." Father observed. "That is the age group more likely to be passing it about. I will phone him in the morning."
"Thank you." I replied.
"I'll let you know what I find out. I will call you as soon as I know anything." Father promised.
"No matter what the time?" I queried.
"As soon as I know I will phone you." He said firmly.
"Thank you." I said again.
"How are you?" He asked.
"Worried. Anxious. I am not familiar with illness. The most I've witnessed has been in old people and that generally marks death." I admitted.
"Please fear not Vela, he will get through this. Every child has chickenpox at some point." Father said soothingly.
"I know Father." I replied. "But he is so little."
"I think you need the comfort of family." He observed.
"We cannot come back merely because Aiden is sick, besides would they allow him to travel with chickenpox?" I wondered.
"I was thinking that someone come out to visit with you." Father said. "Perhaps Mother or I, we cannot both come because Billie is in school."
"I would rather you all visit together when Aiden is of better sorts." I stated.
"This is for your comfort Vela, not for our vacation." Father chided me slightly.
"I know Father, but it would not bring me much comfort to separate you and Mother so." I explained.
"We can spend a few days apart you know." He said with a chuckle as if I thought they could not.
"I know, but I would rather not have you do that. It would not bring me much comfort." I insisted for it would not do me good to separate Mother and Father, besides Billie required them more than I at present.
"Then what if someone else were to come out to you? I know Edward and Bella were planning to visit with you, perhaps they could move their trip ahead a week or two." Father suggested.
"I would have to speak with Mal first." I stated for although I knew Mal was unlikely to say no, I still had to consult about such things with him.
"What's up?" Mal asked.
"Father wonders if we should ask Edward and Bella to visit with us sooner so that we have company during Aiden's illness."
Mal looked thoughtful for a moment, then shrugged. "I got no problem with that."
"Then we would be delighted for them to move their trip forward if they are willing." I informed Father.
"Then it's another phone call I will make." Father observed.
After a few more words I hung up.
"It'll be a good thing to have their help." Mal said, placing his arm about me when I went to sit beside him where he was watching Aiden still batting at the parrot to make it talk.
"It will." I replied.
"And what's more, we don't have to worry about whether they get infected or not." He observed.
"That's true." I replied, and then something occurred to me. "Will we have to put a quarantine on the house? Warn people away?"
As if the universe wished to play sick games with me there was a knock at the back door. Mal shrugged and stood up.
"All we can do is tell them." He said before he went to answer the door.
It was Mair and I heard Mal warn her, but she brushed the thought aside and said she'd come to visit me and see the baby since we'd been keeping him from her. That was not completely true we'd merely been preoccupied with planning our trip to Ireland and working through a minor case of jet lag to go visiting the previous week.
I called to Mal to inform him that Aiden was fine to take visitors; Mair was always welcome in my opinion. Although I did warn her about the chickenpox once more, but she shoed it away as nonsense as she entered the room stating that a case as a child then nursing three children as well as several grandchildren through the disease had left her super immune.
"Aw look at him he's so big." She cooed, as she peered down at him playing with the parrot. "But I suppose I am still thinking newborn when he's three months now. Has it really been so long that you were away?"
"The time is flying by." I observed.
"You find that with new babies." She stated. "So you have chickenpox babi bach."
"Yes. And we have no idea where he picked it up from because none of the family has it, and we're all immune. Father is asking about our friends, there are couple of them with young children, it is possible one of them passed it on." I replied since Aiden could not.
"Well I suppose you're getting it out of the way." She said as she reached toward Aiden and tickled his chest.
Aiden made the noises that I was certain now were the beginnings of his laugh.
"And you not grumpy about it are you. No you not, you happy little chappy." She cooed and Aiden smiled as he kicked his legs.
"He does appear to be taking it in his stride." I conceded. "However he does have his moments of grumpiness."
"Ah well, that's understandable." Mair said with a shrug. "So what did you call him after, I know you were still deciding on a name before you left, you gotta have one now."
"Aiden." I replied. "Aiden Lucas Llewellyn."
"Aiden Lucas Llewellyn? That's a bit of a mouthful." Mair observed as she continued to smile at Aiden and tickle him.
"Perhaps, but he is named for his lost uncles." I stated.
"Oh right." Mair said.
Mal came into the room carrying a tray with three cups of tea.
"Thought we could do with a drink." He said as he set the tray down on the coffee table and as far away from Aiden as possible.
He took his cup of tea and settled down next to Aiden once more, placing his cup on the hearthstone. I tried not to chastise him for not using a coaster, I would tell him about it later, after all the hearthstone was as old as the house and he should respect it. Instead I went to retrieve my cup and handed Mair's cup of tea to her. She took a sip as she watched Mal cooing over Aiden.
"So how do you feel, Dad?" She asked.
Mal looked up and smiled.
"Fantastic." He replied happily.
"Used to the sleepless nights?" She inquired.
"We get as much sleep as we used to." Mal said with a shrug. "Don't we bach?" He directed at me with a wink.
"That is inappropriate." I chastised, although I couldn't suppress my giggle.
"Well there's no need to show off now." Mair teased. "Although why haven't you told me anything about him? I didn't even know his name never mind stuff like his birth weight. I just know when he was born because your Billie told my Arwel."
"I'm sorry we neglected you. Our family is vast and we still haven't got around to informing all of them as yet." I stated.
"Oh I understand how busy it is when you've got a newborn." Mair said dismissively, "Although a brief email saying, he's born, he's called Aiden would have been nice."
"When our next one is born we will remember to do that." I promised.
"Well you'll be better prepared." She said with a wink. "So let's get a hold then."
Mal smiled and lifted Aiden from his little play spot and carried him over to Mair. Mair accepted him with a smile and turned Aiden so that she could look at him. Aiden looked up at her, a stranger to him, with curiosity. He reached out toward her face and Mair's smile grew in response.
"Who's a clever boy then." She crooned. "Who's a friendly clever boy?"
Aiden cooed.
"Oh and a chatty boy too, yes you are." She continued in a singsong voice.
Aiden smiled further.
"And he's a sturdy boy." She directed toward Mal and me. "Very sturdy for only three months. He'll be walking before you know it."
"Everybody keeps telling us that." I replied. "But I feel somewhat impatient."
"Don't be." Mair said. "When they start walking that's when they start giving you trouble, yes they do." She joked.
"Either way I can't wait." Mal replied as he took Aiden back and held him up in a sitting position. "We'll have a lot of fun then won't we bach."
Aiden placed his hands on top of the one Mal had about his waist and wrapped his gummy mouth about it as if he were trying to bite.
"Looks like someone will be teething soon." Mair observed. "Hopefully he'll be over the chickenpox by then."
"Indeed." I agreed. "I should hate for him to suffer both."
"A week or two and he'll be right as rain." Mair said, tapping my shoulder.
"I hope so."
"Well if there's anything you need just give me a ring." Mair said as she rose to her feet. "Although you seem to have everything under control. I am willing to confess that on my first I was still a wreck at this stage, took me a while to settle in like."
"Don't let appearances fool you." I said as I rose to my own feet. "I'm like a swan, I may appear calm on the surface, but underneath it is hectic."
"Well even seeming calm at this stage is a step up from me." Mair said as she hugged me. "I'd stay longer but I left Arwel with the shop and it's only so long I can do it."
"Thank you for visiting us." I replied.
"Ah well I had to get me a look of Aiden." Mair stated. "Now don't be a stranger, bring him to visit any time."
"You will be sick of the sight of us when Mal returns to work." I promised.
"Oh I hope so." Mair said with a laugh and then I walked her to the door.
When I returned to the parlour Aiden was grizzling, but it was his hungry cry and I was not surprised, it was nearing twelve and he was due for his feed. Mal passed Aiden to me as I settled into the comfortable armchair and began to feed him.
"I'll crack on with lunch." Mal observed.
"Very well." I agreed.
"What would you like?" He asked.
I considered for a moment then shrugged.
"Surprise me." I said.
"Righty-o." Mal said cheerfully with a salute as he disappeared into the kitchen.
Immediately I felt a wave of worry, when Mal was being overtly cheerfully he was usually compensating for a deep down worry that he wasn't yet ready to discuss. We would discuss it however, later once Aiden was down for the night. I knew that what worried him at the moment was our discovery in Ireland. He had to unburden himself before it began to drag him down. We would talk.
And that we did, although it was much later that day. Aiden was down for the night and although he would still sleep in our room in his cot I felt confident enough to leave the room until I was ready for bed. I could keep my ear out for him, my hearing was sensitive enough, and for double insurance there was the baby monitor.
We were sat down in the parlour watching one of those inane talent shows where they seek to find the next big singer, actor, model, dog juggler or some such. I wasn't really paying attention I was waiting patiently for Mal to begin talking or else to look for the perfect juncture to raise matters myself. Mal was not watching it either, he was brooding and I wished he would speak to me, or else look for distractions, but brooding could lead to darkness.
I managed to encourage him to lie down with his head in my lap. He sighed almost with contentment as I stroked back his hair and ran my fingers over his cheek.
"That's nice." He said softly. "But now you're going to ask me how I feel."
"We should talk about it." I replied.
"I'd prefer not to, but it's because I feel so stupid." He said lowly.
"You're not stupid." I said and placed a kiss to his forehead.
"I know I'm not stupid, I got a degree that proves it." He said with a brief smile that quickly turned to sorrow. "But I do feel stupid. I should have listened to Brendan and never gone there."
"Is that how you truly feel?" I asked.
"I don't really know. At the moment I can't seem to settle my mind on what I really feel. At this second yeah I think I shouldn't have gone, but then I think about how I felt before. The not knowing was bad, it was gnawing at me and so going to find out was the best thing to do, even though it didn't turn out how I expected. Then I think about how they were, did I really want to meet them?"
"It is the price of curiosity my love." I said as soothingly as possible as I reached down to take his hand. "But you shouldn't feel bad about finding out. Now you know what they are like and you need never wonder again."
"Yeah. But I don't like them." Mal said looking pained. "I can't say I hate them because I don't know them well enough for that and they didn't do anything actually to me…" He trailed off with a sigh.
"But that's not to say they wouldn't?" I ventured.
"Well look at all the stuff Michael said about Brendan. Brendan his own son! I would never in a million years talk about Aiden that way, no matter what he did to us, he'd still be our son and I'd forgive him because of that." He said with conviction.
"He is a horrid man." I stated. "However I have given it some thought, although it doesn't excuse his behaviour, it does make some sense."
"What have you been thinking?" Mal asked.
"Do you recall my observation yesterday about the fact Brendan was born but six months after their wedding day?" I began.
"Yeah."
"Well if that were so then it would be evidence that Michael was weak, if only for one moment, he gave into the weakness of the flesh and lay with a woman who was not his wife. Whether he planned to wed Orlaith or not is immaterial, Brendan may have been born in wedlock, but he was conceived out of it. He was a constant reminder that Michael had broken one of God's laws. Judging by how staunch he appeared to be and how much value he put in the view of others I wouldn't be surprised if he saw Brendan as his punishment for straying from the path of righteousness. He is the proof that he strayed for all to see and know."
"That's stupid." Mal said sadly.
"It is." I agreed.
"And he is such a god damned hypocrite. Getting on Mam's case because she had sex before marriage when he'd done just that. And I don't care if they didn't have a problem if she just married Dom, he was a rat bag, even his own mam said that, did they really want their daughter married to him?"
"I think Orlaith would have preferred that even if she thought of Dom as nothing more than a man-whore." I said sadly.
"Man-whore?" Mal asked with a look of bemusement. "When did she say that?"
"We chatted when I went to feed Aiden." I explained.
"Wait? Did you plan that?" He asked, looking impressed.
"No. Aiden required feeding and when Orlaith remained in the room with me I thought I'd see what she would say without Michael there. I'm not certain if you noticed, but she was reluctant to speak in front of him." I explained.
Mal reached up and held my hand for a moment.
"So did she open up anymore without him around?" He asked after a while of thinking.
"There's not much more than what she said in front of Michael later, although it was more in-depth and possibly she only spoke in front of Michael in case I said something." I stated.
"How much more in-depth?" He asked.
"She told me that the O'Kellys put the blame on Zoë and that they wouldn't allow Aiden to be buried with Dom."
"And that was a lie too." Mal said sadly.
"Unfortunately yes." I replied.
"What's with all the lying?" Mal said frowning as he sat up and turned to look at me. "What's with all this secrecy surrounding my brother's body? Did they just bury him in the garden or something? Was he even dead from the accident or did they cause his death later?" Mal looked disgusted and distraught. "Is he even dead?"
"Why would they say he was dead if that did not happen?" I asked, reaching out gently to stroke his cheek.
"Didn't Brendan say that they told Zoë that she should be thankful that the slate was wiped clean?" Mal asked.
"He did." I confirmed.
"Then what if it wasn't completely clean but they just decided to put a new coat of paint on it?" He stated, but I had no idea to what he was referring.
"I don't think I follow." I admitted.
"They wanted Zoë to give him up for adoption but she wouldn't. She even moved out right? Well what if with Zoë out for the count and Dom dead they got the idea to adopt him without her knowing?" Mal ventured.
"I'm afraid you are clutching at straws my love." I said sadly as I stroked his cheek. "That does not happen in real life. Would they not need Zoë's permission?"
"Well they could have given him to the church." Mal suggested.
"I think the church has to go trough official channels too." I hazarded, although I wasn't sure.
"They could have said his mother was dead." Mal said with a shrug.
"Very well, let us say they managed to get the church to adopt him without Zoë's permission, how did everyone come to believe he was dead? Should they just take the Raymonds' word for it?"
"Well you saw how intense Michael can be. Would you want to call him a liar?"
"Well no, but it just seems too despicable." I said, shaking my head. "Why would they do that?"
"To have their daughter back, a little tarnished but able to be polished up and married off without fear of past baggage." Mal stated.
"That would be a reason they would do it, but I still cannot see everyone involved accepting the death without seeing the body. Did they not think to ask the doctors? What about the death certificate? I would wish to see that at the very least." I stated.
"Well it's not real is it?" Mal said a little testy before he sighed and he continued in a low voice. "I was just hoping and imagining but it's stupid to think about that. I just guess that the hope of him being alive somewhere is better than thinking of him rotting away alone in some unknown grave with nobody remembering him."
"I know my love." I said sadly as I pulled him into my arms and his head down to my shoulder. "You can have these happy imaginings if you so choose. I won't begrudge you them. Perhaps it was he who was listening at the door."
"What?" Mal asked, raising his head.
"When I was talking to Orlaith there was somebody listening in on us. A human somebody, but not Michael for he was still talking to you. I would have drawn attention to it but I thought perhaps I would bring trouble to the person. It was one of those few moments that I wish I had Mother's power." I explained.
Mal watched me for a long moment before smiling sadly as he shook his head.
"It would be nice to imagine that it was him and that he comes to find me, but that would be stupid. The plan was to wipe the slate clean so keeping him around wouldn't work. Where would they say he came from? And Mam would have known he was her son. And even if they did, well he'd be forty-one, would he still be there? Wouldn't he be a little old to be sneaking around listening at doors?" Mal asked in a way that made me think that he was asking me to disprove my theory.
"Probably." I said. "I keep thinking of him as a child, but yes he would be a man now. A middle aged man, which is even harder to imagine given that he is but a year older than you and look how young you look."
"That's cause we're dhampir bach." Mal said as he placed his arms about my waist and smiled at me and it was clear he was ready for a change of subject and I decided that we had discussed the situation enough for the time being and I would go along with what ever conversation he chose. "I mean I should look forty and you're only twenty three. By rights you should see me as a hideous old man."
"Firstly, forty is not old, I would go so far as to say it is hardly middle aged these days. Secondly you are but sixteen years older than I, that is hardly anything when one considers the eternity we will spend together. Thirdly, if anything, it makes us to be one of those Hollywood couples would you not agree?" I asked as I placed my arms about his shoulders and sat across his lap.
"Well I can hardly disagree with that logic." He replied as he grinned, placing his forehead against mine.
"Besides, when one considers that women mature much faster than men then really we are the same age." I added with a grin.
"Is that so?" Mal asked.
"Oh definitely." I replied.
"Then I guess if I'm immature I should perhaps do this." Mal said before he began tickling me.
"Stop it." I said, attempting to tickle him back and we fell in a mass onto the sofa. "You're not giving much evidence to prove me wrong." I giggled.
"Maybe I don't want to prove you wrong." Mal said, as he began kissing at my neck.
"Oh but this is grown up stuff." I said as I brushed my fingers into his hair and pulled his lips up to mine.
"Then I'll be grown up." Mal murmured against my lips before he settled his body against me, both of us moving slightly until I was more comfortable.
It was wonderful and I found myself melting into this kiss, into thoroughly enjoying it as I ran my hand down his side, to the bottom of his t-shirt. I began to pull it up, to pull it over his head. He sat up and discarded it on the floor. I smiled as I sat up too, feeling my body awaken to the sight of him as I moved my hand to his chest, to caress it lightly. I followed the familiar lines as if they had been denied me for years as opposed to only a few weeks. Even though we had made out now and then since Aiden was born and I had traced Mal's chest in such a way I had not burned as much as I did now. Oh lord I wanted him so badly.
Mal took my hands gently and kissed my fingertips. I looked up at him and he was watching me with an intense look that made me shiver deep within. I was looking into the green of his eyes, caught up in that emerald clarity that made my heart swell. I could feel the draw of his lips and I moved closer.
"Ok, so what are we doing?" Mal whispered.
"We are alone in our home while Aiden is safely upstairs in his cot. The monitor will alert us should he need us, but he will not be witness to anything." I replied, whispering also.
"I see." Mal said, his fingers running up and down my back either side of my spine that left fiery ice in their wake. "Then unless you want Aiden to have a little brother or sister immediately I'll have to pay a visit to the bathroom cabinet."
"Of course." I said, placing my forehead to his shoulder and laughed. "I had forgotten about such things for the moment."
"I'll only be a sec." Mal said and placed a kiss to my neck before he placed me gently onto the sofa and ghosted from the room.
I lay back with my head on the arm of the chair. I closed my eyes and smiled as I imagined what the next hour might bring us. I was falling into the fantasy as the reality was drawing ever closer. Then a reality much more urgent presented itself. Aiden's cry came across the monitor.
I groaned as I rose to my feet and almost bumped into Mal, as he was about to enter the parlour.
"I will go see to Aiden and then return." I stated.
"You want me to do it?" He offered.
"He might be hungry. It would be pointless for both of us to have to go up." I replied.
"Well yeah, but I don't mind." Mal stated.
"He is waking even further the more we discuss this. I will go see to him while you make the room comfortable for us."
"Well I can do that." Mal said.
"Then do so my love and I will be right back." I said and kissed his lips briefly before I made my way upstairs.
Aiden was wailing now and as I reached for him he felt hot to the touch. I lifted him from the cot and held him to me, although I was certain this might be counter productive given my raised body temperature. I carried him over to the bed and lay him down loosening his clothes to cool him.
"Mal could you come up please." I said, knowing he would hear me with or without the monitor. "And could you bring Aiden's medicine."
Mal was up the stairs in commendable time as I attempted to soothe Aiden without warming him too much with my hands. It was working somewhat but there were also hints of hunger to his cry. I wanted to bring his temperature down somewhat before I attempted to feed him and expose him to the heat of my skin.
"Perhaps I will leave him in only his vest for a while." I said as Mal prepared the mouth syringe with two point five millilitres of medicine. "So how do we do this?"
"Pass it here." I said and took the syringe.
I went to place it to Aiden's mouth but his hands got in the way. I took them gently in my right hand before holding them safely against his chest. I placed the syringe to his mouth once more and pushed the plunger until the pink syrup went into his mouth. He swallowed it as he grimaced, then cried more; he had not liked the flavour one bit.
"There, there dear one." I said softly as I picked him up and placed him to my shoulder, stroking his back until he settled down to sighing.
He then began making the noises that meant he was hungry so I settled into the armchair Mal had carried up to the room for night feedings and settled down to feed him.
"He should be fine now." I told Mal. "Go and wait down stairs and I will be down shortly."
"Are you sure?" Mal asked.
"He should be good now he's had some medicine and a feed." I stated. "He merely needed to cool down a little."
"Ok. I'll go wait downstairs then." Mal said and left the room, taking the medicine with him to store back in the fridge.
Aiden fed for a few minuets longer. Once he was finished I was left with the dilemma of whether to leave him in his vest and risk him catching a chill and putting his sleep suit back on and risking him being too hot. In the end I decided to dress him but open the window and allow him fresh air. I would check on him every half an hour to ensure that he was fine.
I placed him back into his cot and after a moment of complaint he settled once more. I watched him for a while longer until I was certain that he was happy asleep before I went downstairs. Mal was sat back on the sofa and although he looked as if he was relaxed I knew that he had been sat on the edge of the seat up to the moment before he heard my steps on the stairs ready for if I needed him again. He'd replaced his t-shirt earlier when he's brought Mal's medicine up the stairs and hadn't removed it since.
I settled down beside him, settling into his side as he placed his arm about me.
"He is sleeping again." I stated. "I will check his temperature in half an hour."
"I'll check on him in half hour and you can do the half hour after that." Mal said with a smile.
"I suppose we should take it in turns."
"It's only fair." Mal observed.
I laughed as I cuddled further into his side, taking in his scent and revelling in his presence. It was good to have him here, a solid warmth beside me, it was a reassurance that whatever befell Aiden we would face it together. There was something that spoke to some inner primal Liza that liked the thought of this strong handsome man, father of my son who was here to protect us from harm. It was mighty alluring and I felt the heat of desire descend on me once more.
I turned to him, placing my hand upon his cheek as I moved in to kiss him. I was prepared to move things back into the realm we had occupied before Aiden's call, but Mal pulled back.
"Should we be getting into this when Aiden might wake up at any moment again?" He asked.
"Perhaps we will not go as far as I intended earlier, but I see no problem with indulging in kisses once more." I stated as I kissed him once more.
"Do you want me to take my top back off?" He asked against my lips.
"No." I said, shaking my head. "I wish to do it."
"Is that so?" Mal asked moving his lips to my neck.
"Yes." I said as I began to push up his t-shirt and pulled it over his head again.
"Now what?" Mal asked.
"Oh I don't know." I said, kissing down his neck and along his shoulder. "I thought to merely see where it leads."
"Well if it helps, I like where this is going." He said as I was kissing down his chest.
"Don't be crass." I said, lifting my head and placing a kiss to his lips. "Did I not say kissing only?"
"Well how about I kiss you instead?" Mal asked as he placed his hands on my hips and made ready to turn me onto my back.
I laughed and shook my head at his proposal.
"What? You don't like my kisses?" He asked as began kissing at my throat, following a line down into my cleavage.
I gasped lightly and pulled away.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"Oh nothing, I was merely anticipating the tenderness once more." I stated, sure that was the reason.
"Ok. I'll leave them for now then." Mal said although he did brush his nose gently against my breast and that wasn't so bad.
"Well perhaps if you are gentle…" I suggested.
"Well as long as you're sure." Mal said as he placed a kiss to the point below my ear and I felt as if I would melt.
I pulled his lips back to mine as I made to lie back on the sofa once more. Although I only had intentions to make out this time, with the potential of heavy petting, it was still intense and the rushings that came to me seemed much stronger than ever before, as if my body was anticipating something, which had been denied it for a long time. Mal was beginning to unfasten the buttons of my shirt, preparing to kiss down my body and I was willing him on.
The phone rang and at first I endeavoured to ignore it until I remembered I was expecting a call from Father. I sat up quickly, almost head-butting Mal as I did so.
"Leave it." He said.
"It is likely Father." I stated as I quickly buttoned my shirt and picked up the phone, answering on the fourth ring. "Hello?"
"Just like old times." Mal half mused, half grumbled as he pulled on his t-shirt.
"Hey there Lamb, how's our ill little man?" Mother asked.
"Hello Mother, he is fine for the most part. Under the weather but no worse for it. He is asleep now, although he did have a bit of a cry earlier, but that was due to his being too hot." I replied.
"Oh well he's ok now?" Mother inquired.
"I opened the window and loosened his clothing. We will check on him every so often to ensure that he doesn't become too cold." I informed her.
"Talking of which." Mal said as he rose to his feet and left the room, no doubt to check on Aiden.
"Well I guess you got it covered." Mother observed. "Anyway, turns out it was Oggy who passed on the chickenpox, it's going around his class at the moment but Eloise didn't tell Bob, well there was a mix up in communication and now Oggy's covered in spots too. Bob is worried because he's actually never had chickenpox and if he'd known he would have got inoculated, but it's too late now if he's already been exposed. I guess Eloise just assumed that Bob would have had it already; most people get it when they're kids. Even I did apparently, I don't remember of course. It went round me, Harry and the Twins when we were three. Nessie even had a picture of the four of us bundled together under a blanket our faces covered in red spots, clearly ill but all of us smiling. It was taken by Daphne and she passed the photo onto Mom recently. I would have liked that before now just as proof that at least once in my life I was ill. Because I can't remember even having a cold."
"You will have to send the photo to me." I stated. "I wish I had been ill at least once in my life."
"Why?"
"Because I may have a better grasp on what Aiden suffers now." I explained.
"I think kids and adults experience illness differently anyway." Mother replied. "And could a human twenty four year old remember what it was like to have chickenpox when she was a baby anyway?"
"I suppose not." I conceded.
"You don't need to understand what he's going through to care for him Lamb. You'll just do it because you are his mother." Mother stated.
"Thank you." I said with a smile.
"Well I'm your mother and I'm here for a pep talk whenever you want, no matter what the time. I would have spoke to you last night if Tobias had just given me the damn phone." She grumbled.
"Were you not asleep?" I asked.
"Well yeah, but I'm hardly gonna chew him out over waking me about something so important." She replied.
"You would not." I agreed.
"But I guess there's not much I can do about that now and I probably would have been on the first plane out there if he hadn't gone behind my back and made arrangements with Bella and Edward first."
"He went behind your back?" I asked in shock.
"I guess he did just want to get things moving, but let's say he's in the dog house for not waking me and discussing it with me first. Am I that unreasonable that things have to be planned around me and pen me in before I make a scene?" Mother demanded.
"No." I stated.
"Well it's not important, he'll make it up to me by the end of the day." She predicted. "This is part of it, that I'm talking to you."
"I see." I said with a slight chuckle.
"I also need to tell you that Bella should be phoning you in about twenty minuets to go over the details with you. I know they were looking to grab the first flight that would have a night time departure and landing, or else finding a way around it."
"Then I will await her call." I stated.
"It won't be too late for you will it?" Mother asked with concern.
"It is but nine now Mother, should I wait another twenty minuets it will still not be late." I assured her.
"I know, but what with Aiden and all I thought you'd be grabbing sleep when you could." She replied.
"He is fairly good through the night now, waking once only for his feed. Even on our trip to Ireland he went to sleep at his accustomed time." I stated.
"So you went after all." She observed.
"Yes."
"Did you find Mal's grandparents?" She asked.
"We did." I confirmed.
"What are they like?" She asked enthusiastically.
"It is not my place to say." I said carefully.
"That bad huh?" Mother asked, realising my tone.
"I can say no more Mother, it is Mal's tale to tell." I stated.
"I'll do it now." Mal said, holding out his hand for the phone having returned from seeing to Aiden.
"I'll put the speaker phone on." I stated because I wished to be part of this conversation too.
"Ok." Mal agreed.
I pressed the speaker button and replaced the receiver in the cradle.
"Hey Ess, I'd like to say that I finally found the missing piece of my ancestry, well I can say that, but I kind of wish I hadn't now." Mal said with mirthless laugh.
"It wasn't a good piece?" Mother asked.
"Not at all. Is it wrong that I don't like them?" He asked.
"Well I can't really say since I haven't met them. " Mother stated. "What do you think Lamb?"
"It is not wrong for Mal to hold them in low esteem. His grandfather especially said some terrible things about Brendan and Zoë, such hate filled words one should not equate with ones children. After spending mere minuets in his presence I could begin to understand why Brendan was happy to have nothing to do with them." I stated.
"Is that how you feel Mal?" Mother prompted.
"That's just the tip of what I feel about the whole situation, but I won't go into it now, I'll wait until we're face to face, or I'll put it all in an email to save your phone bill." Mal stated.
"We can afford the phone bill Mal." Mother said flatly.
"I know, but I'd rather do this face to face or in a letter, the phone is a bit too in-between for me." He replied.
"Ok. Well I guess it is up to you when you feel like sharing." Mother stated. "So you don't like them, that's all I need to know for now. Did you find out anything about your brother?"
"They didn't tell us where his grave is, but we did find a memorial." Mal replied. "His father's parents included a pot for him on his father's grave."
"That's nice of them." Mother said softly.
"It was." Mal said. "They showed much more care and love for him than the ones who took custody of his body. And that's a strange thing too, only they ever saw the body."
"You're right that is weird." Mother replied and it was clear from her voice that she wished she were near us so that she could employ her gift to get a better feel of the situation.
"That's all we know anyway." Mal said sadly.
"I want to say keep me posted…" Mother said and trailed off.
"But you are doubtful we will find anything more on the subject." I stated.
"Well the only ones who know what really happened are the grandparents and it doesn't sound as if they're much into sharing." Mother explained.
"They are not." I confirmed.
"I'm sorry Mal, I wish it could have worked out better for you." Mother stated.
"Yeah." Mal replied. "But what can you do. It's pointless dwelling on it, just put it into the pile of things I'll never know about my past and move on."
I took Mal's hand and stroked his cheek gently as he looked down sadly at the floor. He was deeply upset, greater than I had realised judging by the rumbling that I could feel in the soles of my feet.
"Mother we will have to say goodbye now to clear the line for when Grandmother phones." I said softly.
"Yeah, sure. I was just about to say the same thing. Well I look forward to hearing from you, every day. I love hearing about your time out there, even if it seems mundane." She observed.
"We will communicate daily." I promised.
"Right, well night both." She said.
"Good day Mother."
"Bye Ess."
Mother hung up and I pressed the speaker off button to end the conversation our end.
"Right Malachite, no messing or changing the subject with sexual advances or playful shenanigans, you will talk to me." I said firmly.
"About what?" He asked, as if my question came from nowhere.
"What bothers you so?" I asked softly as I placed my hand to his cheek.
"They're my grandparents." Mal whispered. "My grandparents. I'm their flesh and blood. There's part of them in me somewhere. Somewhere deep down inside me there's a seed of them and…and…and…"
"Mal, you are not like them and you never will be." I said firmly as I placed my other hand to his cheek and looked deep into his eyes. "Is Brendan like them? Was Zoë? No they were not and you are closer to Zoë on the gene scale than you are to Michael and Orlaith. If it's any consolation I do not believe Orlaith is as bad as Michael, she is merely weak willed, or perhaps blindsided by him through whatever love she felt for him once upon a time. I think she could have been a better person had she married someone other than Michael. It is her potential that both Zoë and Brendan inherited; only they have Michael's backbone too and thus able to stand by their convictions. You have that too, the steely determination but you are also a gentle, kind, considerate soul. In a sense you are like Prue, she is a bitch but she uses her powers for good."
"I'm a bitch?" Mal asked, his eyebrows rose.
"Well of course not. You have never done the slightest bitchy thing in all the time I have known you. You are the most caring person, but if anyone should threaten those you love then you have no qualms of letting them know you are unhappy with them and in no uncertain terms you can deal with them. There have been a few times you have lost your temper on my account and once you were close to severely injuring the offending party."
"When?" Mal asked with a frown.
"That time in college when Gobbo and Trick were hassling me about the whereabouts of Malcolm. You were scary that day, although not to me, but I could see how others would perceive you that way in that moment." I explained.
"Ok. But I don't think I'm following you."
"I'm not explaining this well." I said with a sigh. "There is a part of Michael in you, it is the steely core of your being that has the potential to be monstrous, but you also have the tempering factor of Orlaith and then there is Jeremy's side of the family. There is so much within you more than Michael's wrath and scorn; you have deeper feelings and empathy. Yet the wrath that you inherited from Michael gives you fire when you need it, directed toward people who would harm those you love."
Mal looked thoughtful and then he smiled and it did seem as if a pressure was lifted from room.
"I like your explanation." He said and kissed me.
"Have you been worrying about that all day?" I asked, stroking back his hair.
"Yeah. It's part of the whole deal right? I went to find my roots and found that they were rotten. What if it extends to the rest of the tree?" He asked.
"One rotten root won't affect the rest of the tree." I said. "I'm sure, were I given the ability to travel back to the time of my father's family I would find questionable things there."
"Yeah, but you could put that down to the times, what excuse does Michael have?" Mal replied.
"On the other hand Michael appears to be stuck if not in the middle ages then at least two centuries ago. You have grown up in a different realm to him and therefore you will never be like him." I stated emphatically.
"I hope you're right." He said sadly.
"You know I am right." I said firmly, "And if I happen to be wrong, well do you think that I would allow you to become such a vile person?"
"No." Mal said. "You'd totally kick my ass."
"Then you have nothing to fear." I declared with a smile.
"Thanks my Eliza you don't know how much this really does help me." He said as he reached up and stroked my cheek.
"We're a team Malachite, forever we will be together and we will see each other through whatever the world may throw at us. We must always remember this." I whispered as I leaned closer to him.
"We will." Mal said as he entwined his fingers through mine.
We sealed it with a kiss that deepened until the ringing phone disturbed us once more.
"Definitely like old times." Mal said with a smile as I reached out to lift the receiver.
"Hello?" I answered the phone as I smiled at Mal's comment.
"Hi Liza? How is Aiden now?" Bella asked without preamble.
"He is as well as can be expected." I replied. "Sleeping soundly as we speak."
"He went down ok?"
Mal motioned to me and mimed that he was going to check on Aiden once more while I carried on with my conversation.
"Yes." I replied.
"Good." She observed.
"You were calling about details of your trip?" I asked to move the conversation along.
"Yeah. We've managed to book two tickets; we fly out tomorrow and will arrive at Cardiff airport early the next morning. Around about four." Bella stated.
"Mal and I will come to meet you. Have you booked a hotel?" I asked, wishing to ensure that they were catered for.
"Not yet." She said.
"Then feel free to use Aiden's room for privacy for the time being, he is still in our room until he is a little older." I replied.
"Ok. But really we could book into a hotel if it's easier." Bella stated.
"There is no reason for you to do so, although you have made me think now." I said as I thought of something. "Would you ask Grandfather to bring his architect licence?"
"Why?" She inquired.
"There are a few ideas I have for creating more room without damaging the original aesthetics of the building, but I will require planning permission and a viable blueprint for the conversion." I explained.
"Oh right, well yeah I'll tell him to bring his licence and his sketch book." Bella promised.
"Thank you Grandmother." I replied.
"I'll let you get to bed now and see you in two days."
"Yes." I replied. "If you would care to email the exact times we can know when better to meet you."
"Will do." Bella promised. "See you in a few days."
"See you Grandmother."
After a further goodbye I hung up.
Mal hadn't returned from upstairs and I was feeling tired. I turned off everything in the parlour and went to the bathroom to wash and brush my teeth. I reached the bedroom to find Mal sat on the edge of the bed merely watching Aiden as he slept. I knelt behind him on the bed and wrapped my arms about him, looking over his shoulder at Aiden too. Mal took my hand and kissed my palm but made no other acknowledgement of my presence for a full minuet before he spoke.
"This is more confirmation I will never be like Michael." He stated. "I can't picture him just sitting down like this quietly appreciating the family that's grown around him. He'd be too busy trying to spot the sins."
"The more you think about this the more you realise this yes?" I asked.
"Yeah." Mal agreed before pulling me around into his lap. "Do I smell toothpaste?"
"I am ready for sleep." I stated. "We will have another long night ahead of us tomorrow when we go to retrieve Bella and Edward from the airport."
"Well we'd better turn in then." Mal said, kissing my forehead before depositing me on the floor. "I won't be long cleaning my teeth." He stated then left the room.
I used the time to change into my pyjamas and check on Aiden, he was cooler now and so I closed the window. I then climbed into bed to await Mal's return. I did not have to wait long, he returned and changed into his shorts and t-shirt. He climbed into bed with me and I snuggled closer to him as the lights went out. We spent a while kissing, then finally happy; at least for the time being, we drifted to sleep.
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