Tracey: Well, Roxton doesn't have any supernatural powers, so I don't know about them communicating directly. Thanks for the review!
Keys: Thanks for the vote in confidence, but I don't think it's going to be all that great.
JG: You love how my brain works? That's scary, sis. Honest.
Taya: I like William, too. And I like all the angst that he causes Roxton.
Svata: Thank you for the boost.
Zeusfluff: Summer vacation, uh? That's cool. You mind if I ask what grade you just finished?
Panda: They do kind of act like sibs, don't they? laughs This is a good thing, right? I mean, they are in-laws.
Chapter Sixteen
Confession
"You know, Johnny was quite the lady's man up until he came to the plateau. I, on the other hand, was really quite too busy to be bothered with…"
"I don't care," Marguerite lightly stressed, tossing up her hands to fend him off as she sped walked through the trees. "I don't want to hear another story about your so-called unfair life. You have no idea how lucky you had it. At least you had a family and a home and a name."
"Right. Quite so."
Marguerite came to the clearing where Veronica and Roxton were slaving away in the garden, sweat glistening off their tan skin as they yanked out stubborn weeds. She was dismayed to see her husband working alongside Veronica. She had hoped to talk to the jungle witch privately. "I thought you'd be thirsty," she announced gaily, holding up the canteen of water. "I figured you may have drunk all of yours by now."
Roxton smiled up from his crouched position by a tomato plant. "Well, that was very thoughtful, my love." He reached up, taking the offered drink and took a long swing before handing it over to Veronica. "Who's with the twins?"
"Malone. Challenger is stashed away in his lab as usual."
She felt something brush her side and she jerked, yelping. The two farmers peered at her oddly, questioningly. Marguerite laughed nervously and waved them off. "Sorry. Thought there was a bug," she lied. She could sense that it had been the spirit, obviously trying to make a more direct connection with her.
"I can't believe it," William's voice was laced with ancient pain. "Look at my dear baby brother. He's older than I remember. Then again, it has been years since…Marguerite, you must do me a favor."
Marguerite clenched her teeth, smiling tightly. "What," she whispered.
"You say something, Marguerite," Roxton asked, digging his hands into the dirt for the roots of a particularly obstinate weed.
Veronica laid down her shovel, wiping the perspiration off her brow. "I'm better get on with the hunting," she said after noticing Marguerite's odd behavior. Roxton usually did most of the hunting, but Veronica took her occasional turn. "I'll see you back at the tree house." She glanced at Marguerite, asking with her eyes if the heiress was all right. When Marguerite nodded, Veronica vanished into the surrounding jungle.
A faint haze appeared just to the right of Roxton, hovering over her husband. Marguerite could nearly make out William's features, but the sun shined through him and cast a glare. She watched as the older brother tentatively reached out to John, but never touched him. "Tell him it's ok."
"He'd think I'm crazy," she hissed.
"Too late for that, Marguerite," Roxton bantered. "I already do. Now what's going on? You're starting to sound like Challenger, always muttering to himself."
"Please, Marguerite, tell him it's ok. I was meant to die."
"What do you mean," she probed gently.
Roxton, thinking she was talking to him, laughed. "You know how George is. He's always talking science mumbo-jumbo to himself."
"If he hadn't killed me, he never would've come to the plateau."
"So? Isn't that a good thing?"
"Well," Roxton considered. "I guess it is."
"No. If he hadn't come, he wouldn't have met you. You would've been dead by now; and never would've given birth to William and Lillian."
"What aren't you telling me?"
Roxton looked perplexed. Rising to his feet, to stared at her strangely. "I don't know what you mean, Marguerite."
"Don't you get it? You never would've found your powers. Lillian wouldn't be around to have hers."
"Just tell me, damn it," Marguerite snapped.
Roxton slowly, cautiously approached her. "Marguerite, I don't know what you want me to say."
"Lillian must be protected."
"Damn it, William, enough of this," she shrieked, staring off past Roxton's shoulder. "Just tell me what the hell you're talking about!"
Roxton now looked extremely concerned as he gingerly grasped her shoulder. "Marguerite, my love, who are you talking, too?"
Marguerite's eyes finally landed on him and she exclaimed: "Your brother!"
End Chapter Sixteen
I've only got two more months. Whoo-hoo!