§ § § - April 13, 1982
The first rover arrived with Paul Todd and Elizabeth Drake, who stepped out and beamed at their hosts. "Mr. Roarke," Todd said, "we would like to thank you for all your help." He smiled at Elizabeth as he spoke.
"I am only sorry that you lost the greatest scientific discovery of your life, Dr. Todd," Roarke said with sympathy.
"It's all right," Todd said, gazing down at Elizabeth. "I found something even more important." She brightened, and they smiled at each other.
"If only we could have communicated with the creature," Elizabeth said wistfully.
Roarke observed, "It was thirty million years beyond its own time, Miss Drake."
"It belonged to the fire that created it," Tattoo added.
As Todd nodded thoughtfully, Roarke inquired, "Dr. Todd, where is your colleague, Dr. Mason?"
"Oh, he's taking a later flight." A smirk crossed his face and he said suggestively, "Two is company."
Tattoo grinned. "Boss, I'm not gonna say three's a crowd."
"Good thing," Leslie pitched in, and everyone laughed and exchanged goodbyes; they waved, as always, one final time, then turned to the next rover, from which Greg Randolph handed out his new wife, Delphine.
"I've learned two important things, Mr. Roarke," Greg remarked. "That strength of character is a lot more important than conforming, and that my wife is even more special than I ever thought."
Delphine turned to her godfather and said wholeheartedly, "There's so much to thank you for, uncle. You've given me self-discipline, control over my own life..." She smiled.
Roarke smiled back and said, "I am very happy for both of you, Mr. and Mrs. Randolph. My dear, your parents would be proud of you. Don't be afraid to use the gift they bequeathed you."
Delphine blinked at him in shock. "But you said—"
"When it can achieve something truly worthwhile," Roarke added, smiling.
"The world needs all the magic it can get," Tattoo added.
"That's right," Roarke agreed, and once more they bid one another farewell and watched the Randolphs make their way briskly toward the plane dock, returning their final waves of goodbye. Then Tattoo turned to Roarke.
"Boss," he said, "what's gonna happen to Mr. Zachariah?"
"And that creepy Madame Cluny?" Leslie put in.
"The Prince of Magic has officially announced his retirement, Tattoo," Roarke said, "and at the same time found himself a new partner." He eyed Leslie as he said this.
"A new partner? I don't get it," Tattoo said, scowling in perplexity.
Roarke grinned. "He is now half owner in a small local business—"
"Oh!" Leslie blurted, and chorused along with Roarke and Tattoo, "Madame Cluny's Curio Shop!" Laughing, they watched the plane taxi out of sight across the lagoon.
§ § § - October 5, 2009
"So that's how it happened!" Julie said thoughtfully. "I always wanted to see my brother-in-law's face when he first found out that Delphine really did have magical abilities. He's so used to them by now, I guess he thinks it's normal."
"Is your family one of the clans also?" Christian asked her.
"Nope. Ask Leslie to explain it sometime. I told her and her friend Frida exactly how the MacNabbs came to get their magical powers, and in the process I had to tell her why it was that I don't happen to have them. It made me kind of mad for a long time, but I've come to terms with it." Julie smiled.
"And is that curio shop still here?" Anna-Kristina wondered.
"Not anymore. It stayed in business for another seven years or so, and then closed down when Madame Cluny retired and she and Zachariah relocated to Las Vegas." Leslie grinned at Christian. "It was in a very familiar place—it used to occupy half of what's now your office." Christian's brow popped up and they all laughed.
They settled back for a few minutes; then Christian consulted his Rolex. "Well, I think enough time's gone by that that e-mail should be here. Let me check." He dropped a kiss on Leslie's cheek before arising and going to the computer. Julie checked the grandfather clock, decided she needed to get home and thanked them for the story before hurrying out the French shutters.
Christian sent the computer chair twirling to face Roarke. "According to the castle doctor, Anna-Kristina has never had any adverse reactions to an anesthetic. He's attached a few pertinent papers, but I think his word is enough to go by."
"I suggest you print the papers in any case, so that there is proof for the hospital," said Roarke, and Christian nodded and set about doing so. To Anna-Kristina he said, "It appears you can tolerate anesthesia with little problem; so it's up to you as to whether you wish to go ahead with your request to be placed in a coma for at least the next few days."
The princess pulled in a deep breath and nodded. "Yes...I think I'd prefer that. I'm already terrified of whatever I might dream about tonight, otherwise. Besides, the nightmares wake me with screams, and I've been interrupting everyone's sleep. I know Uncle Christian and Aunt Leslie understand why, but I don't think they're any happier than the children about being ripped from a sound sleep in the smallest hours."
Christian and Leslie laughed, and Roarke chuckled, nodding a few times. "Very well, then we will make the arrangements as soon as Christian has those papers printed."
Ten minutes later they had admitted Anna-Kristina and gotten her set up in a room by herself; nurses were preparing the needed equipment while a doctor explained that they were going to fit her out with a urinary catheter and attach nutritional and hydration solutions to her via IV so that she could remain under for a prolonged period. "We'll keep you under normal anesthetic for the first twelve hours," the doctor explained. "If you don't have any reactions, we'll sedate you further and keep you there for no more than five days. At that point we'll awaken you and find out how you're doing, and decide what happens from that point."
Anna-Kristina nodded. "That's fine. I ask only one thing—please put me under before you insert all the tubes, will you?"
They all laughed, and the doctor agreed, then turned to Christian and Leslie. "I'll let you two have a last few words with her," he said, and left the room.
"This will be a relief," Anna-Kristina admitted before her aunt or uncle could speak. "I know you'll have it worse than I—I won't know anything while I'm unconscious, and to me it will be only an instant before I'm awake again."
Christian sighed gently and let a reluctant smile creep across his features. "That's true enough, but you should know that we'll be leaving instructions for the staff here to notify us when they're ready to bring you back out of the coma. So we'll be right here when you wake again, Leslie and I. And I have to hope you're lucid and alert when you do."
She smiled. "I think you should be optimistic, Uncle Christian. Mostly because if you aren't, it'll make me nervous."
Leslie grinned when he snorted. "She does have a point, my love. Anyway, Stina, we'll see you sometime on Saturday. Have a good rest."
"I know I will," she said with a smirk, and this time Christian rolled his eyes with exaggerated motions. "Oh, stop teasing, Uncle Christian! I'm sure you don't tease your children half as much as you do me!"
"I can't help it—your reactions are just too much fun," Christian informed her with a wicked little grin. "All right, enough. Rest well, brorsdattir, and we'll be back here when you wake. Leslie, my Rose, let's go tend to the baby and find out what's for lunch."
She agreed, but in the end they found themselves lingering at Anna-Kristina's request, watching her being sedated. She breathed deeply as the doctor fitted the gas mask over her face and nodded approval. "Very good, Your Highness. Sleep well, now." That made her smile; the expression faded out within another minute or so and her eyes slid shut, and she relaxed into silent slumber.
On their way out of the hospital, Christian remarked, "She's been asking for fantasy memories since she got here. Something tells me that, if she's lucid enough when she wakes, she'll ask for another."
Leslie grinned. "Well, heck knows we have plenty of them. Let's go pick up Anastasia and head for home." He smiled at that and wrapped an arm around her, keeping her snugly at his side all the way back to the main house.
I'm really excited about the story coming up, and I hope you will be too, because Christian and Leslie will be learning new things about each other! I hope to have it complete and ready to post soon, so keep watch for it...