Apologies at the end.
Chapter 8:
Since a few of you have asked, here are my definitions…
Caol Áit: Celtic concept of 'a thin place'—a place where the boundaries between this realm and the other(s) becomes almost transparent and beings can pass through to the other side(s)
Leanai: Irish: Plural form of leanbh, baby or child
~BE~
Elizabeth Masen gently guided her son up the stairs to the front door of 4545 Paulina Street, her arm wrapped around his waist. The emotional pain and stress had already started to fade, but she could sense the exhaustion pouring off of her only child and whispered soothing words to him.
"Just a few more steps, Edward," she murmured, opening the front door and leading him in.
Zafrina hustled into the foyer, her eyes wide at the sight of her friend leaning so heavily against his mother. Edward appeared weakened and frail.
"I believe it is merely a relapse of the influenza, Zafrina," Elizabeth said firmly, gracefully kicking the door behind her. "If you would telephone Dr. Cullen and have him come over to verify this, I would be most appreciative."
Zafrina bobbed her head and ducked into a quick curtsey before spinning on her heel and ventured back toward the kitchen.
"Brew a pot of tea. Black. Steeped for three minutes. And in the Wedgwood pot. With the dark green cup. The one with the chip. And bring a few fresh cloths and a bowl of cool water up to Edward's bedroom, please," Elizabeth called before moving toward the stairs.
"I can do this, Mother," came a soft growl as Edward tried to free himself. "I'm not a child."
He recognized the description of the cup as his favorite from the time he had been able to sit in a regular chair at the dinner table. Edward also knew the pot she referred to. He had spent many a meal gazing at the scene portrayed in white and imagined himself a participant, rescuing a fair maiden from evil.
"Would you like me to change the order?"
The petulant 'no' was closely followed by an exasperated sigh.
Elizabeth smiled to herself as she felt her son become more like the man she had last seen almost a hundred years before.
"True as that may be, you will always be my child, Edward Anthony, and I will not waste a moment I've been granted to take care of you."
With a strength greater than her size, Elizabeth ushered her son upstairs.
"Dr. Cullen should be here momentarily. Into bed with you," she ordered gently, turning to give Edward some privacy.
A few minutes later, she heard the soft rustle of a coverlet being pulled back and the creak of jute ropes stretching as Edward climbed into bed.
"You did not have to turn around, Mother," Edward said with mild exasperation.
"You are a grown man," Elizabeth replied gently, turning to find her son tucked into his bed, his white with dark blue striped pajamas slightly rumpled and one half of the collar sticking straight up.
She smiled and gently fixed his collar before running one hand through is hair.
"You've become a fine young man, Edward," she said softly, her eyes shiny with held back tears.
He harrumphed a reply and settled further down into his bed.
"I'm not sick," he finally muttered. "I'm just tired. Too much work."
"Dr. Cullen will verify that for me."
As if on cue, a light rap at the door announced the good doctor's arrival.
Elizabeth turned to greet Dr. Cullen only to find he was not alone.
"Oh, my," she exclaimed, taking in the short, dark-haired woman at Carlisle's side. "I did not mean to have an entire medical team called to check on Edward."
"My niece just wanted to sure everything was alright," Carlisle assured, stepping into the bedroom. He tried his best not to stare at Elizabeth but failed.
The woman before him looked every bit like the one who had ordered him to change Edward.
"We were talking when Zafrina called."
Elizabeth nodded as her eyes went back and forth between the couple before settling on the doctor.
"It has been a long, long time," she said quietly, offering her hand.
Carlisle quirked an eyebrow before accepting her greeting.
"I truly have appreciated everything you have done for my son."
"I…"
"You saved him. That is all I asked, and you gave him so much more."
Alice looked up at Carlisle in confusion.
With a broad smile, Elizabeth straightened herself to her full height, shook out her skirts and turned toward Alice.
"Come, Mrs. Whitlock. Your uncle and my son can do their thing while you and I talk downstairs."
Elizabeth gently took Alice by the arm and guided her out of the room.
"Can I provide you with any refreshment?" the older woman asked as they entered the downstairs parlor.
"I believe I am fine," Alice replied, watching Elizabeth with curiosity.
"I know you do not need one, but please take a seat."
Now it was Alice's turn to quirk an eyebrow but did as she was asked. Elizabeth settled into her favorite chair near the window that faced the street. She gazed outside at the houses and even watched a couple walk down the broad sidewalk.
"You did an amazing job converting this into the old neighborhood," she finally murmured, not turning back toward her guest.
"Thank you. L did most of the research."
"Talented woman, she is. A bit of a ding-bat, but her heart is in the right place."
Alice snorted delicately at the description.
"I understand you told her she needed to go away."
Elizabeth turned to face Alice and nodded.
"Just for a time."
Elizabeth saw Zafrina begin to ascend the stairs with a tray and the hot tea.
"Zafrina, please bring that in here. Edward is with Dr. Cullen, and I do not wish for them to be disturbed."
Silently, Zafrina brought the tea into the parlor and placed it on the table next to Elizabeth. She bobbed a quick curtsey before gliding out of the room.
Elizabeth picked up the chipped cup and examined it, a wistful look on her face. She laid it down, poured herself a cup of tea and carefully added sugar and cream. The blissful sigh that followed the first sip was the only sound other than the grinding of a clock on the mantle. She placed the teacup back on the tray and turned back to Alice with a wan smile.
"Nothing else to add?" Alice finally asked.
Elizabeth grinned.
"I knew your curiosity would finally win."
She picked up the cup and took another sip.
"This isn't a game, Mrs. Masen. That is my brother upstairs, and I will not have someone … anyone … put him in harm's way."
"I never said it was a game, Mary Alice Brandon Cullen Whitlock. And I would never harm my son."
Elizabeth sat up a little straighter in her chair, her face losing its calm ever so slightly. A moment of silence gave her time to relax.
"No. This is not a game. It is a gift. Situations were just right and a Caol Áit was created when L set in motion this experience. Pregnancy hormones, I believe you call them."
"Caol Áit? I am unfamiliar with the term," Alice replied.
"Thin place. Liriope's hormonal changes mixed with her own magic created a short-lived thin place between this realm and mine."
"The afterlife?"
Elizabeth shrugged.
"It is called many things. Afterlife. Heaven. Ether."
"So you're an angel?"
"No," Elizabeth said with a thin smile, shaking her head. "My faith system did not have people becoming angels when they died. I suppose the closest is ghost."
"Are you permanently here?"
Elizabeth shook her head slowly.
"Sadly, no. Just until the twins are born."
"Twins?"
Alice gasped just before the image of L and Will each holding a swaddled child filled her mind's eye. She grumbled slightly at the cloths that were both white, giving no indication to sex of the children. That would make shopping just a little more difficult.
"Long enough for Edward to properly spark with Miss Swan and gain that sense of closure."
"And then?"
Elizabeth gave a graceful shrug.
"I suppose then I return to Edward, Senior, and continue to spend the rest of my days there. Edward, Junior, will go back to being his normal self as well. I really don't know for certain but that is what I feel will happen. The circumstances bringing me were most unusual and likely to never happen again."
She lowered her chin slightly and stared straight at Alice.
"I dare say they probably should not happen again."
"Are you threatening L?"
"Oh, my no. I am ever so grateful for her talent. I just think she should know that the manipulation should cease. And I dare say again, I believe she will be quite busy enough with her family to be concerned with working through her past. It is her future she needs to focus on.
And heaven knows, no pun intended, what might happen if any of her or William's talent gets passed on to the next generation without proper instruction on how to temper it."
"True enough," Alice conceded, images of storms both real and imaginary bounced through her mind.
The sound of footsteps in the hallway brought their attention to the door as Carlisle entered the room.
Elizabeth rose to her feet.
"How is my son?" she asked.
"If I did not know any better, I would say he is exhausted. Perfectly healthy but exhausted. And at peace. He seems to have completely accepted his role, even though he is not entirely sure where some of his urges come from."
Relief flooded Elizabeth's face.
"I knew sending Liriope away would help. A good rest and he will be fine, correct?"
"If he were human, I would completely agree."
She smiled broadly at Carlisle and received a grin in return.
"Then perhaps, Mrs. Whitlock, you and Miss Swan could join us for supper tonight. To further discuss the social, ostensibly."
Alice nodded in agreement as flashes of brushing hands and shy smiles filled her mind.
"Wonderful. I shall arrange everything, taking completely into consideration your dietary restrictions."
Elizabeth politely ushered Carlisle and Alice to the door.
"You heard?" Alice asked as the two descended the front porch stairs.
"Yes."
"And do you believe her?"
"I have no reason not to. Everything she said makes sense. Do you see any reason not to?"
Alice pondered for a moment before silently shaking her head.
"I don't see any deception. Just a fabulous romance. The only thing I can't tell is whether L and Will have boys or girls."
"Then until things change, I say we let Bella's plan go on."
A slow smile crept over Alice's face as she saw what Edward would conjure for their first date.
"I do think she will like this. Quite a bit."
~BE~
Thank you for your patience. RL has been … well, let's just say I have a 13 year old & a 10 year old & my 13 year old has been a DREAM. The 10 year old … not so much.
Next week is Spring Break & I have company coming for part of it. Also, 4/1 is the release day for THE KING (Black Dagger Brotherhood), and I have an autographed copy coming so it probably will be 2 more weeks before the 'sparking' begins (I love that phrase!)
If you're a BDB reader, who's your favorite? I'm partial to Rhevenge, but have a soft spot for a few others of the Brothers.
What stories have you hooked? I'm truly loving the following:
DrOtuno's Masen Manor
JenRar's A light in darkness (9/11 trigger warning)
PattyRose's Swing & sway
Thanks for reading!