IN THE SUN
Chapter 36: Strange Things
Nick was back up on his feet; we were drying our tears of joy and hugging each other, and as I turned back to the stove to finish cooking, he put his arms around me. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you, too, baby."
The door swung open then, and it startled me.
"Morning, guys." It was Steve. He stopped and looked from me to Nick and back again. "You two okay?"
"We're great, Steve, yeah," I beamed.
Steve smiled and pulled on the flannel shirt he had with him, glancing out to the Solarium. "Is that Annie humming?"
"Annie, it is," Nick nodded. "Would you like some breakfast? I could whip something together, no problem."
"Oh, that won't be necessary, but thank you, Nick. Hey, have either of you seen Joyce?"
"Yeah," I nodded, shutting off the stove and serving out two plates of food. "She's out front, fiddling with her equipment. She looks exhausted."
"Indeed. And looking as if she last had a good night's sleep circa nineteen-seventy-two. I'd tread carefully if I were you."
"She's crabby?"
"Very. The video from last night was cloudy, the audio garbled.... no recorded telemetry of any use, I'm afraid."
It was then Steve noticed the wine cellar. Apparently, I'd forgotten to close the door from earlier in the morning. "What's that?" Steve asked, going over to the little room to poke around some.
"Oh," I grinned. "That's the wine cellar. Isn't it marvelous?"
"The door was open when we came down this morning," Nick told Steve. "Haven't you seen it before? Liza, you go ahead and eat." Nick got up and went to join Steve at the cellar door.
"No, never before," Steve answered Nick's question.
"Rose Red hasn't just woken up, it's become House and Garden's variant of Frankenstein's monster."
"That's ridiculous." Steve shook his head.
"Is it? Listen."
I looked up from my plate and strained my ears. It wasn't long before the sounds of building reached them.
"She's building again." I was surprised to hear it so early.
"Have you heard much of that?" Steve asked us.
"Enough to worry me," Nick nodded. "And Bollinger's persistent non-appearance worries me, as well. You'd think if he were still here-- here, and alive, I mean-- we would have seen him, don't you?"
"I have no idea." Steve began browsing the bottles as the two talked.
"And the longer we go without reporting him missing, the more peculiar it becomes, especially if he turns up dead-- or not at all."
Steve finally pulled out one of the bottles. "Dom Perignon, nineteen-forty-nine. It's a very good year."
"In my experience, they're all good years," Nick chuckled, taking the champagne to the counter and pulling down two glasses. Steve popped the cork. "Steve, would you like a glass?"
"Oh, no thanks." He turned to me. "What about you, Liza?"
Nick grinned at me. "None for you, I'm afraid."
"Nope," I grinned back. "Not for at least another nine months."
Steve stared at me, putting the pieces together. "Oh, my God, guys, why didn't you tell me? That's great!"
"Well, um--" I cleared my throat, making a face. "We just found out, like-- today, just found out. As in, minutes before you walked in, sort of a thing."
"But-- phone lines are down. How...."
I pointed to Nick. "Psychic."
"Oh, that is creepy, man....." Steve laughed, and the two of them came to sit at the table with me. Nick pulled up the chair next to me, sliding an arm around my waist.
"I'll take that as a compliment, Steve," Nick laughed, too. "Thank you."
"Here, Liza," Steve reached out towards me. "Let me take your picture."
"Wha...?" I laughed.
"What? Hey!" Steve laughed, too. "It's a happy day, you guys! Come on! Picture!"
I handed him the camera, and he took the shot just as I was laughing and Nick was kissing my cheek. It was perfect.
"Thank you," I giggled, pocketing the little camera.
"My pleasure."
We ate for a few moments before Nick turned the conversation to the house. "You know, Steve, this place is feeding off us, and although I'm sure it finds us all rather tasty, its primary sources of nourishment are little Annie... and you, too."
"Me? I'm not telepathic."
"Well, I don't know what you were before you came here, but I know now you're a powerful psychic transmitter, operating on Rose Red's wavelength. It almost had you once; it wants you back. It wants Annie, too."
"Oh, you're crazy."
"Crazy? Maybe. But I vouch Joyce is crazier, and I think she means to have her proof, even if someone has to die for her to obtain it."
As soon as those words were out of my husband's mouth, cold air washed over me. I shuddered, drawing in my jacket in around me. "I agree with him, Steve," I nodded, rubbing my arms. "I don't like it any more than you do, but...."
"You're wrong, both of you." Reaching into his jeans pocket, Steve pulled out the cell phone recovered from the solarium the day before.
"What are you doing?" I asked him.
"Trying to make sure Miller actually sent Bollinger here. If he did, I'll call the police and report him missing." He dialed the number and waited.
"Joyce may not like that," Nick shook his head.
"Well, according to you, she's not very happy anyway," Steve shrugged. "Hi, Professor Miller. Steven Rimbauer again. We were just checking in to see how Bollinger is doing. We actually wanted to clear up whether or not he came here on his own accord or if you sent him. Either way, it- it really doesn't matter, but.... we still need to talk. Call us back here. You must have the number; it's your cell phone." With that, Steve snapped the little phone shut. He handed Nick the phone. "You'll talk to him if he calls back?"
"I'd be delighted," Nick smiled.
"Great. Thanks." Steve got up and went out to join Annie and Sissy in the solarium. It was about then that Nick and I finished our breakfast, and as Nick cleared the plates, I went to stand at the window and look out over the gorgeous garden that was growing before our eyes. Steve was talking to Annie, and she picked up a Domino. Holding it in front of her, she focused, and within a second, the little rectangle was floating up above her, spinning and gliding through the air easily.
"Wow."
"What's up?" Nick's arms slid around my waist.
"Look at her, Nick."
We watched as the little Domino twisted and danced and finally came spinning down upon the rest of the Dominoes she'd set up in front of her. The spiral she'd created was destroyed from the outside in.
"She's incredible."
"Ugh," I threw myself back on the bed. "I wish I had my guitar with me." Gazing up at the ceiling, I studied the patterns of sunlight light that danced across the wooden paneling. We'd gone exploring enough that morning; waiting for Joyce to make up her mind as to what to do (much less come out of her grumpy state) was like waiting for grass to grow. I then remembered the good news from the morning, and my hands found my stomach.
Nick came from the bathroom to collapse on the bed next to me. He kissed my cheek, smiling. His voice was quiet as he intertwined a hand with mine. "Who do you think they will look like?"
"I think she's..... gonna look just like me, but with blonde hair and gray eyes like you. And he's gonna look exactly like you."
"Yeah, I think so, too." My husband grinned at me, leaning in to kiss me. I curled up in his arms. We were silent for awhile, enjoying each other's company and the idea of having children, when a name was on my lips.
"Her name is Margaret. Margaret Gwendolyn."
Nick lifted his head, smiling. "Oh?"
"I.... It just hit me. After Margaret Rachelle, a-and Gwen, too."
"Liza, I think it's perfect. We'll call her Maggie."
"Yeah..." I grinned. "Maggie."
"What about him?"
"Oh..... something will come to us, I'm sure."
Grinning, Nick leaned over and kissed me again, and I was positive that nothing could top that moment. I smiled, leaning into him.