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CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

Saturday afternoon – 1:05 P.M.

“I thought they’d never crash,” Valerie whispered. “They’ve been spinning in circles for at least an hour.”

She set Paddie Hargreaves down on their bed and began changing him.

“Too much sugar and chocolate,” Mike whispered.

He set Katy down on the other side of their bed. He took off her pretty shoes.

“What do you think about the dress?” Mike asked in his soft voice.

“See if you can take it off,” Valerie replied in the same tone. “Katy will cry if something happens to her wedding dress. Colin gave me some extra clothes for Paddie. Do we have PJs for Katy?”

“I didn’t think to get some,” Mike said. “She can wear one of my t-shirts.”

Valerie slipped Paddie under the covers. He opened his eyes for a moment to say, “Katy?”

“I’m sleeping,” Katy said. Mike helped her under the covers.

“I’m so glad,” Paddie said. His eyes drooped.

Mike beckoned Valerie out of the room. Before they were out the door, Katy and Paddie were sound asleep. They left the hall light on.

“What would you like to….” Valerie started.

Mike lifted her from her feet. His lips devoured her mouth. With her legs wrapped around his hips, he carried her into their sitting area.

“Bath?” He asked.

“Kiss me,” she said. “Just kiss me.”

“What about your fancy dress?” Mike asked.

With a flip of her hand, Valerie unzipped her Marchesa gown. Her dress dropped to her waist. Mike continued his exploration of her mouth. When his mouth strayed from hers to kiss her neck or shoulders, she begged him to return.

“I don’t know what it is….” Valerie’s mouth was less than an inch from his.

“Sugar and chocolate?” He asked.

“Makes me very hot….”

Mike fingers worked her nipples. His mouth pulled at her lips.

“Impatient….”

Mike moved to pull the rest of the dress from her.

“My body aches for slow, easy… hot.”

Mike laughed.

“Do you think they spiced the Captain Crunch with Viagra?”

She laughed. Holding his chin in her hand, she kissed his lips.

“You’ve never needed….”

And she was lost.

~~~~~~~~

Saturday afternoon – 1:05 P.M.

Delphie was showering in his bathroom when Sam came in. He went into the bathroom to say ‘hello’ then began changing out of his tux. He was exhausted, worn out and charged up at the same time. He’d ever seen a more beautiful wedding or enjoyed a reception more.

“Can you believe they fed each other Captain Crunch instead of cake?” Delphie laughed from the bathroom. “The pictures are going to be fun.”

“Very Jacob,” Sam said. “Very Jill.”

“Do you think Candy was offended? She really worked her butt of making that gorgeous Crunch Berry cake.”

“She didn’t seem to be,” Sam said. He pulled off his tie. “You were truly wonderful.”

Delphie came out of the bathroom wrapped in a lime green towel. She wore in another towel in a turban around her hair.

“Thanks,” Delphie said.

“Would you….” Sam started.

He furrowed his brow at her then went into his walk in closet to hang his suit. Puzzled, she followed him to the closet.

“What’s up, Sam?” Delphie asked. “A moment ago, you seemed so happy. Now…?”

“Would you ever want to do this?”

“Do what?”

“Get married,” Sam said.

Delphie laughed.

“I’m serious.”

“I know,” Delphie said.

“I don’t ever want you to feel… second best or taken advantage of… when….”

Delphie put her arms around his neck. She held him close.

“Do you love me?” Delphie asked.

“Yes,” Sam said. “I do.”

“And Celia?”

“I love her too,” Sam said. “Miss her. I….”

“Shh,” Delphie said. “When it’s all said and done, she and I will have split your life. How do you feel about that?”

“There are a few years when I didn’t know either of you.” Sam smiled.

“Yeah? How many?”

“Ten glorious years.” Sam laughed.

“You and Celia met when you were ten years old,” Delphie said. “I met Celia when I was twelve years old. She rescued me when I was sixteen.”

“You had Celia for….”

“Thirty-seven years,” Sam said.

“I’ll marry you on our thirty-seventh year,” Delphie said.

“What if I die before that?”

“What if I die before that?” Delphie shrugged.

“I don’t want you to feel taken advantage of or be alone in your old age or….”

“I have no family. At least any I’ve seen in almost fifty years,” Delphie said. “You, Celia, the kids have always been my family.”

“The kids think of you as family,” Sam said.

“Isn’t that wonderful?” Delphie asked. “It’s like a dream come true for me. If you die before I do, I’ll have our family. But I’ll miss you desperately.”

Sam held her to him.

“Do you feel second best?” He said in her ear.

“To Celia?”

“Yes.”

“I am second best to Celia,” Delphie said.

Sam shifted away from her to look into her face.

“Celia was….” Delphie shook her head. Tears sprung to her eyes. “The best person I’ve ever met. I owe her my life. I’m second best to Celia because everyone is.”

Sam held her close again.

“I miss her too, Sam,” Delphie said. “And I love you. Both things are true for me.”

“I just don’t want….”

“What do you want, Big Sam?” Delphie asked. “Because I have everything I want – home, love, family, friends, good work, gardens, bees….”

“Thirty-four more years?” Sam asked.

Delphie laughed.

“I’ll tell you what, Mr. Lipson.” Delphie helped him out of his shirt. “When I want to get married, I’ll tell you. I will ask you for what I need. Will you promise me the same?”

Sam nodded.

“There is something….”

Delphie dropped her towel.

~~~~~~~~

Saturday afternoon – 1:05 P.M.

“Big day,” Jazmyne said.

Candy Roper rolled on to her side in their bed. She stroked Jazmyne’s bare shoulder.

“Your fabulous cake got you a real job at a bakery,” Jazmyne held up one finger.

“Colin Hargreaves offered me the job,” Candy said. “I have to meet the other owners. He said they would set up a baking interview this week. This time next week, I could have a real paying job.”

“Yes,” Jazmyne kissed Candy’s hand.

“We went to our first family function.” Jazmyne held up a second finger.

“Together,” Candy added. “And no one thought a thing about it.”

“We even danced together,” Jazymyne said.

“A lot,” Candy said. “Hey doesn’t that get a finger?”

“Sure,” Jazmyne held up a third finger.

“You spent the day with your mother.”

“Yesterday,” Candy said. “And you met her and liked her.”

“She’s a gorgeous, amazing person,” Jazmyne said. “Like her daughter.”

“And I was right that she wouldn’t care,” Candy said.

“She wants you to be happy.”

“Yeah,” Candy said. She moved Jazmyne’s forth finger up.

Jazmyne’s hand popped open to five.

“What’s the fifth?” Candy asked.

“Mike said he would father a child,” Jazmyne said.

“YOU ASKED HIM?” Candy blushed to the edges of her hair. “What did the beautiful wife say?”

“She said it was a great idea. Candy, we could be pregnant by the end of the year!”

“Wow,” Candy said.

“You need to get over your Valerie complex,” Jazmyne said. “She’s not the person they say she is on Entertainment Tonight. She adores your brother. She’s quite friendly. And so gorgeous. Plus, she paid for your Chef school and never asked for anything in return.”

Jazmyne turned onto her side to look at Candy. Candy seemed lost in thought.

“Are you mad? Say something!” Jazmyne said.

“We’re going to be Mommies!”

~~~~~~~~

Saturday afternoon – 1:05 P.M.

“Kids asleep?” Sandy asked from his living room couch.

“Finally,” Aden said.

He held his hands out to her. She took his hands then let him pull her into his embrace.

“It’s all that Captain Crunch,” Sandy said. “Was that their first wedding?”

“The first one where they know the people,” Aden said. “Jake’s been such a big part of our lives. Jill is your best friend. She has special status. God, Noelle went on and on.”

“About what?”

“Everything.” Aden kissed her lips. He squinted his eyes.

“What?”

“I’m wondering how I can get you into bed,” he said.

Sandy laughed.

“How asleep are the kids?”

“Nash is completely out,” Aden said. “Noelle was just dropping off. You know how she talks until she’s asleep. What did you have in mind?”

“Hot tub. We’ve never….”

“It’s snowing.”

“No nosey neighbors.” Sandy kissed him.

“I love the way you think.”

Undressing as they went, he dragged her through the kitchen. Naked, he wrapped her in a bath sheet. He was reaching for a towel when he dropped to his knees.

“ADEN!” Sandy screamed.

He looked up at her and took her hand.

“Promise me, you’ll think about marrying me,” he said.

“You really scared me!” Sandy said. She swatted at his head.

“Promise me. Please.”

“I will.”

“You will what?”

“Marry you.”

“WHAT?!”

“I’ll marry you,” Sandy repeated.

“Today? Because I bet Delphie….”

“Soon,” Sandy said.

“I have to work tomorrow….”

“I’m working fourteen hour days until Christmas,” Sandy said.

“You’ve given this a lot of thought!”

Aden hopped to his feet. He pulled her into his arms. Sandy nodded.

“I don’t have a ring,” Aden said. “Oh crap, Sandy, I’m sorry.”

“No rings,” Sandy said. “Let’s just play it cool.”

“Cool. I can play it cool,” he said. “Are we telling people?”

“Oh, do you want to?”

“Yes, I want to tell everyone! I want to shout it to the world! I want ….”

Sandy kissed him.

“Slowly,” she said. “For me. Ok?”

Aden nodded. He opened the door and the wind blew a blast of cold onto them. Sandy shivered. With his arm on her shoulder, he led her to the hot tub.

“Aden?”

“Yes, Sandy?”

“You’re naked and it’s snowing.”

He jumped into the hot tub. In a flash, he stretched his arm out and snatched Sandy’s towel off. She squealed and ran to get in the hot tub.

“You’re the very best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Aden said.

“Prove it.”

As the snow fell into the hot water, he rose to her challenge.

~~~~~~~~

Saturday afternoon – 1:05 P.M.

MJ held Honey’s hair while she threw up in the toilet.

“Are you sick from all that Captain Crunch?” MJ asked.

“I don’t think so,” Honey said. “I think I’m pregnant.”

“WHAT?” MJ said. “How is that possible?”

“The egg is released from the ovary. It travels down the fallopian tube where it meets the sperm….”

“But I thought we couldn’t. You couldn’t. I….”

“They said six months,” Honey said. “It’s been about five months since I was injured.”

“Wow.” MJ leaned against the sink.

“Could you get me a wash cloth? I can’t really get it myself.”

“Oh. Yeah. Sure.” MJ wet a hand towel and gave it to her.

Honey wiped her face and hands.

“You seem lost in thought,” Honey said.

“You’re sure? I mean about a baby. You’re sure.”

“No, I’m not at all sure,” Honey said. “It could a combination of the Crohn’s and three bowls of cereal.”

“Oh,” MJ said.

“Oh?”

“Let’s make sure.”

MJ carried her back to bed.

~~~~~~~~

Saturday afternoon – 1:05 P.M.

“What do you mean?” Blane asked. “What did he say?”

He was laying with his head on Heather’s lap. Heather was sitting against the headboard on her queen sized bed.

“I don’t care if he is the Lipson CFO, he’s very rude,” Heather said. “Someone should teach him some manners.”

“What did he say?”

“He said that I couldn’t be married to you because you’re gay. Then he, kind of, went on and on. I got so mad. He implied that you weren’t good enough to be my husband.”

“I am gay,” Blane said. “You’re straight. And we are married.”

“We were arguing when Tanesha told him to shut his pie hole. She told him that only a real asshole would get a pregnant woman so angry. She dragged me away from him.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to do the same.”

“What’s his problem?” Heather asked. “Is he like the marriage police?”

Blane shrugged.

“What?”

“I used to date his brother.” Blane’s face dropped with sorrow.

“What did his asshole brother do?”

“I thought…. Anyway, it didn’t work out.”

“You thought what?”

Tres Sierra had pushed Heather’s loyalty button. She was mad.

“I thought he was the ‘one’. You know, like Sam and Celia, Val and Mike….”

“Jill and Jacob,” Heather said.

“Yeah.”

Blane’s face set hard as stone.

“We were together for a few years… three I think. Dated off and on, then seriously for a while. We lived together for nine or ten months.”

“What happened?” Heather asked.

“He found out about me.”

“He found out you were gay?” Heather asked.

Blane laughed.

“I would think he would know you were gay,” Heather said.

“He found out about how I…. You know….”

“I don’t,” Heather said.

“Promise you won’t divorce me if you find out? Our family, strange as it is, is the best thing I’ve ever….”

“I don’t care what you did in the past,” Heather said. “You’re a good husband, Blane. Now in the present. Honest, loving, kind. You just give me your checks so I can run out household. You even buy me little presents or things for the baby. I’d be a fool to divorce you for something you USED to do.”

“You’re a good wife, Heather,” Blane said. “You’ve really made a home, not just for you but for us. I have space for myself, my studies, and space to hang out with you. I wouldn’t be able to get through this medication stuff if you weren’t taking care of me. You’ve taken the chaos of my life and made everything work. I’m really happy.”

“It works for us,” Heather smiled. “What did jerk-off find out about you?”

“When I was twelve or so, I got addicted to drugs,” Blane said. “It’s like one of those after school movies. I’d been in foster care all of my life. Abused. Used. I mean in foster care, everybody uses you for something – sex, money from the state, vent their anger, whatever. Drugs were a great escape.”

“What kind of drugs?”

“Everything. I didn’t like hallucinogens – LSD, XTC – but… everything else.”

“What did you get addicted to?”

“Heroin. In the end, it was only heroin. That’s how I got interested in acupuncture. It helped me kick it.”

“That’s why you have so much pain,” Heather said. “And won’t take pain pills.”

“Right.”

Blane was silent for a while.

“You were telling me about something, but I’m not sure what,” Heather said.

“I used to work Cheesman servicing the men on their way home to their wives,” Blane said.

“As a prostitute?”

“Yeah, hooker, whore, whatever. I worked Cheesman, the bathhouses, and the bookstores. I never did in call work because… well, I was just a kid.”

“Is that how you got sick?”

“Yeah,” Blane said. “Or dirty needles. I didn’t care. I didn’t really expect to live very long. Kids like me usually only make it three or four years.”

“How awful,” Heather said. “I mean, I thought about doing that. You know, we were really poor. I wanted nice clothes or whatever. But Sandy? Jill? Tanesha? They talked me out of it. We were all in the same place. Over the years, we all thought about it. Well, except for Sandy. She was always going to do hair. But hooking? It seems… easy, you know?”

“It’s not,” Blane said.

“Yeah, I can see that now. But at twelve, I don’t know what I would have done,” Heather said. “So what did the jerk do?”

“It’s my fault too,” Blane said. “I should have told him. He found out at a party. Someone made a joke about it. He was so horrified that….”

“That what?” Heather asked.

“He threw me out, called me awful names, threw my things in the street. I didn’t have anywhere to go so I went to the Castle. Jake was just back from Maine. It was like three in the morning and he took me in, found me a bed, then stayed with me while I cried. He got my things, dealt with the guy…. His name is Enrique. Ric.

“What I didn’t realize was that Ric told everyone we knew. I was the butt of every joke. I lost my job. My friends. I wanted to die. How do you overcome something you did so many years ago?”

“What did you do?”

“Jake was like a rock. He hired me as his assistant. He believed in me, like Celia did. When they hired Tres, I had the final say. Jake wouldn’t have it any other way. They helped me buy this house about six months later. Family. Jake and Sam really came through for me like real family.”

“Well, screw Enrique,” Heather said. “And his brother too. They suck. Oof.”

Blane’s head jerked as the baby kicked him in the head.

“Hey! Did you feel that?”

Blane sat up to put his hand on Heather’s belly.

“Yes. Our boy has a kicking leg on him,” Heather said.

“I wonder if he’ll do it….”

The baby’s kicked again.

“That’s so cool!”

“I think he agrees,” Heather said.

“With what?” Blane asked. “Come on baby, do it again!”

“That those Sierra brother’s suck.”

“The problem is….”

“What?”

“They are very hot.”

“Tres is hot,” Heather said. “We have to think of them like the pretty gardens on the side of highways. Beautiful, but you just drive on by. We won’t deal with either of them ever again. They’re just cute garbage on our journey to real husbands.”

“Highway gardens,” Blane nodded. “I like that.”

The baby kicked his agreement.

~~~~~~~~

Saturday Afternoon – 1:05 P.M.

“I have to get some sleep,” Jacob said. He rolled from Jill to rest against the fluffy pillows. “Tomorrow is a big day.”

“You’ve said that. Twice. Then you’ve made love to me.”

“Complaining?”

“Not a chance,” Jill said.

“Dance with me.” Jacob hopped out of bed.

“I thought you had to sleep.” Jill rolled onto her stomach.

“I’m too happy to sleep. Dance with me.”

Naked, Jill stood to meet his naked form. Following his steps, they waltzed around the thousand square foot Executive Suite at the Grand Hyatt. Jacob picked up strawberries from a tray as they went by. He put the strawberry between his lips. She nibbled strawberry until her lips locked onto his lips. Beaming with joy, they kissed and danced their way back to the bed.

“I have to get some sleep,” Jacob said.

“Tomorrow is a big day,” Jill giggled.

Laughing, Jacob made love to her again.

Denver Cereal continues next week….

~~~~~~~~

Denver Cereal is a serial fiction set in Denver, Colorado.
You can get your daily dose of Denver Cereal at DenverCereal.com
Chapters are posted on Saturdays on this blog.
Download your free copy of Denver Cereal, the beginning.
Like printed books? Go here or Amazon for a print copy of the Denver Cereal.
Claudia Hall Christian is a novelist.

Previous Chapters

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“It’s a little weird to be here,” Alex said.

“It has been a while,” the clerk said. She turned to speak to another customer.

Stepping aside so that a customer could move by her to the bar, Alex walked through the shop to where Jesse was standing.

“This is it,” Jesse said.

Alex opened the door and jogged down a series of wooden steps into the labyrinth of limestone tunnels that run beneath Paris. Five steps, turn, five steps, turn. In the dim light, she counted the steps in her head. Even though the stairs continued into the darkness, she walked forward off the stairs into the fifth passage way and froze.

This was the passageway from her nightmare.

Her heart raced and her stomach lurched into her throat. Looking up the stairs, she longed to return to the busy shop. But the passage way called to her. Blowing out her feelings of dread, she stepped forward.

She heard the door open above her.

“Alex?” Ben called.

Jesse beckoned her forward into the dark limestone passageway. Round fluorescent ceiling lights flickered then came on as she walked under them. Each time she stepped into the dark, a light began to flicker over head. Counting her steps, fifty seven, she turned at an unmarked door on her right.

No door knob. No hinges. Just a vague outline of a door cut into the limestone.

Placing her hand on the limestone, a green light scanned her palm. There was a soft click and a key pad emerged.

Alex looked at Jesse and he nodded.

Her fingers moved in an automatic rhythm across the key pad. There was a pop and the door opened a crack. Alex pushed the door open.

The smell hit her like a tidal wave.

Dried blood and death. Blood dried in thick pools on the floor. The white limestone walls were patterned with splattered blood. Crates and boxes around the room bore scars made by violent death. The sound of ragged breathing and dripping blood pounded her ears.

In a series of flashes, she watched it happen.

FF

She stood in front of ten years of her mission journals tucked in a wall compartment. Holding her journal, the large one she carried in her pack, she laughed at Mike. He was bragging about his latest conquest . From his position at the door, Jesse encouraged Mike’s exaggerations with provocative questions. Alex shared a look with Jesse and they laughed.

Jax, the medic, was changing into his running gear for his first long run since competing in the one hundred and thirty five mile Badwater Ultramarathon. Charlie O’Brien and Dwight Harris, the weapon’s officer, were arguing about the outcome of the last Broncos vs. Raiders football game.

Alex glanced at Scott, the engineer, who was sitting on a crate talking to Tommy, the communications officer. When she looked away, Scott threw a piece of ice at her. Laughing, Alex caught the ice in her right hand. She threw the ice at Scott and hit him in the head.

Paul, the second engineer, was standing in his boxers displaying his new dance moves to Dean, the other medic. Laughing at Dean and Paul, Nathan had his foot on a crate so he could tie his shoes.

They were laughing and loose. Having finished their work early, they were ready to play. Their body armor was stacked in a corner. Alex tossed her body armor onto the stack then turned to put the journal in the compartment. Impatient and ready to go, Nathan started jumping up and down.

Hearing a sound in the hallway, she cast a glace at Jesse. Jesse screamed. Falling against the door, his body jerked as a round of machine gun fired hit him in the chest. Reaching for her handgun, Alex’s abdomen and hip exploded. Dazed, she flew backwards and landed on a crate. Round after agonizing round, a machine gun cut into her screaming friends.

Sitting up, she fired in the direction of the shooter but was unable to stabilize against the gun’s recoil. The shot went wild.

The shooter laughed, then turned to shoot Dwight in the head.

Alex ground her teeth together. Using her free hand to stabilize, she fired twice in quick succession.

Her shots knocked the shooter backward. The shooter sneered. Taunting Alex, he pointed to the spot where her shots hit his body armor. With a cruel laugh, he raised his AK-47 to fire at Alex again.

She pulled one shot, hitting him in the forehead. The shooter fell backward to the floor.

Bleeding heavily, she dropped to the blood slick floor. Sobbing and unable to stand or walk, she pulled herself from one friend to the next. Their bodies lay in pieces on the limestone. She fell forward over Charlie.

Then she heard the ragged breath. Jesse’s alive.

“Don’t die. Don’t die. Jesse, don’t you dare die. Please. Jesse. Please don’t die. Jesse,” echoed off the limestone walls.

Pushing and pulling herself along the floor, she fell forward in front of his broken body.

Jesse smiled.

Laying on her stomach, she pressed her hands into his wounds trying to stem the flow of blood.

Jesse shook his head.

She dragged her hips around and moved to sitting. She pulled his head on to her lap.

“I’m dying,” he whispered.

“Please don’t go. Please Jesse. Please….” Alex sobbed.

Jesse reached for her hands. Holding her hands, he looked into her eyes.

“Tell Maria that I love her,” he whispered.

He drew in a ragged breath. With his exhale, he said, “We’ll be friends forever.”

“No, Jesse. No!”

Alex screamed and shook his body trying to make him take another breath. Overcome with grief, she rocked him in her lap.

She began to fade. With each beat of her heart, her life spilled into the pool of blood on the limestone floor. Closing her eyes, she let go, then jerked alert. Someone ran down the wooden stairs.

Looking around, she noticed the team journal. She propped the journal against the door when she tried to stop Jesse’s bleeding. When she fell over sideways to grab the journal, Jessie’s head pressed deep into her wounds.

She screamed in pain.

With all the strength left in her body, she lifted the nearest crate a tiny crack and stuffed the journal underneath. Righting herself, she kissed Jesse’s forehead and surrendered to the dark.

The next thing she remembered was being carried by Raz through a room of people. She heard her voice begging Raz not to leave her but she wasn’t sure she said a word.

FF

Alex blinked until the memory receded.

She was standing in the team’s storage vault. Glancing around the room, she saw the stack of body armor, weapons, and various supplies the team used.

Closing and opening her eyes, she tried to clear her vertigo.

The journal compartment was empty. Someone had taken her mission journals. Dropping to her knees, she reached under the crate next to the door. Her fingers felt the binding of a journal.

Hearing movement in the hall, she rolled over and pulled her weapon.

“Alex,” Ben appeared in the doorway. He was sweating and breathing hard. Noticing her handgun, he held his hands up. “Alex, what the fuck?”

Alex shook her head and blinked. Was this really Ben? He made an impatient sound. This was Ben.

Holstering her gun, she stood.

“What do you know?”

“I received a telephone call about a hit scheduled on… on my daughter and her team at twelve-thirty. It was a courtesy call, you know, designed to warn me but not give me enough time to change the outcome of the hit.”

“Who called you?”

“Someone who is no longer living.”

Alex jerked her head in a nod. Her eyes flitted from one spot to the next both taking in and avoiding the horror at the same time.

“We looked for you everywhere, everywhere. I couldn’t find you. No one had seen you in hours. Zack was on his way to Afghanistan. You checked out of base at eleven. I called your cell phone but you were down here… out of range.”

“Where were you?”

Alex’s eyes detected something shiny on the floor. Using a finger nail, she pried Jesse’s St. Christopher medallion from the blood encrusted floor.

“London. Claire called to remind me that it was Helene’s sixteenth birthday. She mentioned that you had stopped by around noon. She said you were going for absinthe then would meet them for a birthday dinner.”

“I wanted to be here for her big birthday,” Alex said. Pieces of the memory began to click into place. She wiped Jesse’s medallion on her jeans in an effort to clean off the dried blood. “I remember that. How did you find me?”

“I have no idea. Angels? God? I don’t know.” Ben looked around the room. “I could see you from the landing, sitting here, in the doorway, with Jesse’s head in your lap. I checked your pulse but …. I was so freaked out that I must have missed your low pulse. We assumed you were dead. I was in the room…. Everyone was… cut in two by machine gun fire… dead. Raz realized you were alive. I guess Jesse’s head stemmed your bleeding. Raz picked you up and ran out of here.”

“I killed the shooter,” Alex said. She slipping Jesse’s St. Christopher into her pocket.

“Yes, his body was right here,” Ben said. He moved to the space where the shooter’s body had been. “When we got here his head was wrapped in t-shirts.”

“You interrupted someone.”

“Probably. By the time the Army arrived, the shooter’s body was gone. What did you keep here?”

“We kept everything we needed here – cash, random tools, clothing, weapons or whatever. We kept my journals, the big ones that held our plans, schedules, ideas and notes, in that vault. We kept our Christmas presents and stuff like that here too.”

“And the small journals? The ones you carried in your pocket?” Ben asked.

“Here,” Alex said. She walked to another portion of the limestone walls and pressed on the wall. With a loud click, the wall opened showing a line of pocket sized notebooks. Looking around the room, she grabbed a large empty duffle bag and began dropping the journals into the bag.

“Who knew about this place?” Ben asked.

“No one knew it was ours. The shop upstairs rented the space and Charlie paid for ten years in advance. Cash.”

“Just the team. Does Max know about this?”

“No,” Alex said. “Max knew that I was in Paris for work a lot, but not why or what I was doing. You know Max. He couldn’t care less about that kind of thing.”

“Did the Boy Scout know about the vault?” Ben said.

“I don’t think so,” Alex said. “We never trusted him. We were going to meet him in Afghanistan after a night in Paris. Isn’t that where he was? Afghanistan?”

Ben shook his head.

“No one is quite sure where he was that day. He was on leave. The Army wasn’t tracking him. I’ve heard that he was in Paris.”

Alex walked toward the door.

“Why the cover up? Why say we were killed in Afghanistan?”

“No one knew what you were doing here. It breaks about a dozen treaties to have an unauthorized Special Forces mission in Europe.”

“We were here all the time.”

“Europe’s not your assigned area. Is it?”

“We rescued hostages in every country.”

“There were no known hostages in Europe at that time.”

“No known…. Huh,” Alex shrugged. “Can you lift this crate?”

Ben lifted the crate and Alex pulled the journal from under the crate. Although the journal was marked with bloody hand prints, the crate had channeled the blood away from the journal. She flipped through the dry pages.

“I heard footsteps,” she said. “I protected this journal for some reason.”

“Alex, we have to get out of here,” Ben said. “There’s no way to know what events were set off by your presence in this vault.”

Alex startled then moved in to action. She stuck the journal into the duffle bag.

 ”I need  a couple things,” Alex said. She walked around the storage unit. “The cash is gone, but that’s not too surprising. We were on our way to Afghanistan. We never needed cash there.”

Smiling, she pulled a ten inch square jewelry from the floor. The outside of the box stuck to the floor, but the box held its shape. She tucked it into the duffle bag. She went to the wall and pushed open another cabinet that held a small box. She put it in the bag.

“We need to go,” Ben said. Holding a handgun, he looked down the hall.

“Here,” Alex said. She tossed Ben a body armor vest and pulled on another vest. “Army issue.”

“Thanks,” he said. “What about the property?”

Alex looked around the room.

“Nothing stands out. Who knows?”

She slipped her arms through the duffle bag handles. The bag rested on her back. She pushed the door to midway open causing the door to swing shut. The gears of the lock engaged.

She ran after Ben. Reaching the landing of the stairs, they heard the door open above them. Two people pounded down the wooden stairs toward them.

Following Ben, Alex flew down the stairs into the tunnels below.

F

The Fey continues tomorrow….

The Fey is the first in a thriller series written by Claudia Hall Christian.
The novel has been serialized for your enjoyment at AlextheFey.com
Entire chapters are be published at On-a-limb.com and
StoriesbyClaudia.com every Friday.

1. To live at least one month in Paris and at least a month at the ocean every year.

2. Have enough resources – money and time – to live, exciting and joyful life with my family while having plenty of resources to donate to people in need.

3. Feel deeply comfortable with my physical manifestion – looks, age, and weight.

4. Learn the boundaries of what is enough, what is too much and where I want to draw those lines so that I can be content that I do enough.

5. Be the best wife and friend I can possibly be.

6. Learn to communicate in Spanish, French, and Irish Gaelic.

7. Have at least one novel hit the NY Times bestseller’s list.

8. Live an active, joyful and fulfilling life into my one hundreds.

9. Create a serial fiction for every major city in the United States.

10. Dedicate myself to creating quality fiction which provides the reader with an uplifting, curious, fascinating, hopeful, emotional experience.

What’s on your ten big lifelong goals list?

P.S. This is a great vid of Dax talking about how to get your goals.

Last week, while walking with a client on the Cherry Creek Bike Path, a biker hit me with his hand. His hand out to the side, moving fast, his hand thumped my back. He hit me so hard that I fell forward a few steps.  I said a loud, “OUCH!” The biker zoomed off to join the crowd of ‘bike to work day’ riders.

Did he hit me on purpose? I don’t know.

Did he know who I was? I doubt it. My back was to him and I was wearing a jacket I almost never wear.

Was it an accident? No, I honestly think that if it was an accident, he would have stopped to see if I was injured.

So there I am – client talking about her issues, pain in my back, not sure if I’ve reinjured my recently recovering neck – walking along the bike path.

What is a kind person to do?

For a moment, I became an enraged victim. I have a spinal cord injury! I could have easily been seriously hurt. My client is a small woman. If he had hit her, she would have been injured. He had no right to hit me – ever – let alone for walking on a path designed to be shared by bikes, walkers, runners, dogs, and everyone else in between.

I chose to let it go.

One thing I’ve learned on this kindness journey is the lesson of hot potato.

Here’s a guy who, for whatever reason, decided to assault a stranger. In my imagination, he’s angry with all the amateur bikers. He’s worried about work or simply just angry about his life. Who knows? Maybe his wife found out about his trip to see his mistress in Argentina.

Anyway, he holds a hot potato.

Stretching out his hand, he waps me on the back. In this way, he transfers his rage and impotence to me. I become the enraged victim. By taking his hot potato, I am forced to carry his rage, impotence or simple indifference to another human being traveling along the same byway.

After complaining a bit to my friends, I decided to let it go.  I chose to give this small kindness to myself. By letting it go, I was relieved of the rage and impotence created in the act.

The only thing I carry is a bruise from where the side of his hand collided with my back.

Letting go is a gift that I give myself. Ultimately, by giving myself this kindness, I can maintain my own equanimity. I’m available to be kind and balanced to the people in my life.

~~~~~~~

Simply Kind Tuesday participants

Remote Treehugger – Kindness songs

“Luck favors the prepared.”
– Edna E Mode from the Incredibles

What can I say? I like the movie and lost this quote. May you be lucky this week.

Happy Monday!

How can a Sunday start without Unconscious Mutterings? Well… it just can’t!  Who won last week? Jameil from (I don’t know why) She will get to choose between a signed copy of The Fey, a signed copy of Denver Cereal or a box of Girl Scout Thin Mints.

How do you play? Just answer the word prompts (created by Pea at LunaNina) in the comments. I select a winner using Random.org every Sunday morning. It’s really fun. And my favorite blog post of the week.

Your prompts to play with:

1. Guest ::
2. Impact ::
3. Unplanned ::
4. Tactic ::
5. Delayed ::
6. Bombastic ::
7. Comfort ::
8. Trumpet ::
9. Joe ::
10. Budget ::

My responses:

1. Guest :: House
2. Impact :: on my life
3. Unplanned :: chaos
4. Tactic :: al thinking
5. Delayed :: pain, delayed joy
6. Bombastic :: Fantastic
7. Comfort :: able life
8. Trumpet :: blarring
9. Joe :: Strummer
10. Budget :: ed Balanced

Thanks for playing! When you play, I’ll link to you here!

Previous Chapters

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

Sandy opened the loft door.

They thread their way through Jacob’s old apartment to the long stairwell.  Sandy held up the bottom of her dress and Jill began her descent. Reaching the landing, she slipped on her Louboutins and turned left into the main Castle living room.

Jill stopped so fast that Sandy ran into her. All of her friends, Jacob’s friends and their friends stood to create the borders of a small pathway. Each person held a cream colored long stem rose.

Sandy nudged Jill forward between the people. She walked past her friends from Pete’s Kitchen. As she passed, they gave her their well wishes, congratulations and hugs with their cream colored rose. Risto, the beefy cook who broke up Jacob and Jill’s second kiss, had tears streaming down his face. He gave Jill a bear hug which caused the crowd to cheer and clap.

Rosa, the housekeeper who took care of Jill and Katy that summer, stood with Sarah and Scooter.  The dogs had cream colored roses in their collars. The dogs barked and wagged at Jill when Rosa gave her a hug. Rosa’s sons stood in their Lipson Construction shirts behind their mother. The men waved to Jill as she continued on.

Valerie’s publicist, Jennifer and, her designer friend, Ramon, hugged Jill. Ramon whispered that he set up the chapel just for her. Jennifer added that the flowers were Ramon’s idea. Thanking them both, Jill took her roses and continued walking to the chapel.

Continuing through the tunnel, Jill passed her old work friends from Ashforth construction. Darla, Ashforth’s office manager, whispered that she would start working in Lipson Construction’s acquisitions department tomorrow. Jill laughed. When her hands filled with cream colored roses, Sandy took them from her.

Jill moved toward Alex Hargreaves standing between her husband John Drayson and her twin brother. Alex winked at Jill while the men kissed her hand. Paddie, his father, Colin, and mother, Julie Hargreaves stood across from Alex and John.  Paddie leapt from his father’s arms into Jill’s. The little boy rubbed his face against Jill’s neck. When Colin pulled the child away, Julie gave Jill their three roses with their congratulations.

She saw the Denver Zoo volunteers who helped them when Katy was stung by the bee. Shirley, Edward and Mary gave Jill their roses. Their lined, wrinkled faces beamed with joy.

Molly, who managed Jacob’s rehabilitation business along with Jill’s new decorating business, her husband, Pete and their three kids stood next to the zoo volunteer. Flustered, Molly wasn’t sure if she could or should hug Jill. Jill hugged her. Molly kissed Jill’s cheek. Pete gave Jill their five roses.

As she crossed into the Castle kitchen, she saw a bunch of people from Lipson construction standing in rows two deep. Many of them she’d seen before but didn’t know. Each person gave her a rose.

For protection from the coal dust in the tunnels, Sandy helped Jill into a long overcoat. Together, they went down the stairs where Lipson Construction employees filled the entire coal tunnels. They screamed, clapped, and hooted for Jill. Dozens of roses were passed forward for her.

Turning toward the Castle Chapel entrance, she saw MJ with Honey riding piggyback. Honey’s small head peeked over his broad shoulders. He held her legs with his arms.

“You’re not coming in?” Jill asked.

“Got to keep the natives quiet. This riff raff….” Honey pointed to the Lipson Construction employees who cheered. “Need a little management.”

Jill laughed.

“Go on,” MJ said.

MJ’s partner, Sergeant Margaret Peaches and the rest of MJ’s team stood near the hallway to the chapel. Every team member brought their wife or partner. These military people said the nicest things to Jill.

Samantha Hargreaves and her boyfriend, Art Rasmussen, stood near the entrance to the Chapel hallway. More than most of the people here, Samantha knew Jill’s long journey to marry Jacob. Samantha kissed Jill’s cheek then started crying herself. Jill gave her a teary hug then entered the hallway.

Senator Patrick Hargreaves and his wife stood near the entrance talking to Valerie, Megan, and Jill’s mother. When they saw Jill, the Senator and his wife oohed and aahed over Jill and her gorgeous dress. After Sandy helped Jill out of her overcoat, Valerie and Megan collected all the roses and took them into the chapel. The Senator and his wife left the hallway to give Jill, her mother and Sandy a little privacy.

“Mikheil will come to get you,” Jill’s mother, Angelika, said into Jill’s ear as she held her close. “Bless you Jilly. You’ve always been the very heart of me.”

“I love you, Mama,” Jill whispered.

“Your Papa is inside with Claire and Ben. He won’t be able to stay, but wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

Jill sniffled.

“No tears, my dear.” Angelika let go of Jill. “Sandra? Will you work your magic?”

Sandy pulled out her supplies from her fanny pack. While Angelika straightened Jill’s dress, Sandy put the finishing touches to Jill’s hair with a comb and a portable curling iron. Anglika checked Jill’s makeup then gave her a lace handkerchief.

“My mother gave me this when I married your Papa,” Jill’s mother said.

Jill moved to hug her, but her mother stepped back.

“No mussing,” Angelika said. “It’s time.”

Angelika kissed Jill’s cheek, wiped the lipstick off with her thumb then turned into the Chapel. Jill and Sandy stood together.

“Bend down,” Sandy said.

Jill bent over so that Sandy could a fluff of tulle with cream roses attached to the comb in her hair.

“Nervous?” Sandy asked.

Jill nodded.

“I’ll be right there. I love you, Jill.”

“I love you, Sandy,” Jill said.

Sandy touched one last curl, then went into the Chapel. MJ, with Honey on his back, where the last guests through the door.

Jill stood alone in the little hallway. Staring at the door, Jill’s mind flashed to standing at the top of the escalators waiting for the Seawell Ballroom security to notice her. She met Jacob again that day. Her life, her really good life, started the moment she stepped off the escalator.

At the time, she only saw the part of her life that was ending – her soul mate marrying some other girl. Jill stroked the script “Soul Mates” tattoo on her wrist. She’d asked Jacob if he’d like her to have the tattoo removed. Of course, Jacob just laughed. He said that like Trevor, the “Soul Mates tattoo” was a part of her. He loved every part of her.

Jacob.

Jill smiled. She touched the button that had been her friend, life force, and constant companion since she stole it from Jacob the wizard’s jacket. Jacob had it made into a bracelet so she could always have it with her. Her finger traced the barely visible bumps.

Jacob is waiting for me. Her entire face lit up in a smile.

Mike came through the door with a bouquet of six cream colored roses wrapped in cream ribbon.

“You look happy,” Mike said.

Jill nodded.

“Ready?” Mike asked.

Jill nodded.

“I wondered if you might want this as well,” Mike said.

He held up the ribbon he’d wrapped around the rose he’d given her for Trevor’s engagement party. Jill laughed.

“Guess not,” Mike said. He stuffed the ribbon into his pocket. “Here we go.”

Jill placed her hand on his elbow and they stepped into the Chapel. In the dim early morning light, the chapel glowed with in the warmth of hundreds of cream colored pillar candles. On the front table sat an enormous vase filled with the dozens of cream colored roses Jill had collected in her journey to the Chapel. Each pew had a large cream colored bow with two cream colored roses in the center.  Standing at the front, Delphie wore a gorgeous lavender colored dress.

“Please rise to welcome our bride,” Delphie said.

The room was filled with everyone she loved. Her brother and sisters, their partners and children, her precious mother and her husband, Claire Martins, her husband and all of their children, Blane, Valerie, Sam and in a row, her best forever friends – Tanesha, Heather, and Sandy. Sandy was tucked under Aden’s arm. Noelle and Nash waved to her from beside Aden. Jill’s eyes went from smiling face to smiling face.

Until she saw him.

Wearing the black tux and tails she bought for him, Jacob’s entire being radiated with his happiness. Their eyes caught and Jill all but floated the rest of the way to him. She felt the brush across her cheek from Mike’s kiss, but her mind and soul were focused on the beautiful man in front of her. Jacob took the bouquet from her and gave it to Valerie. He took her hands into his own.

“You may sit down,” Delphie said. “Who brings this man into this marriage?”

“We do,” Valerie, Sam, Blane and Aden said.

“His mother and I as well,” Delphie said. “Who brings this woman into this marriage?”

“We do,” Megan, Tim, Steve, Candy, Mike said in unison. Megan’s kids joined in with giggles.

“Her parents do,” Angelika and her husband followed her siblings call.

“Me too!” Katy jumped up and down in her seat beside Mike.

The crowd chuckled at Katy’s exuberance.

“Before we begin, who here is against this marriage?”

Her question was met by silence.

“Who here is for this marriage?”

“We are.” The chapel resonated with their voices.

“Yes, it’s about time,” Delphie laughed. “You may begin Jacob.”

The crowd fell silent. Jill’s entire attention was held by Jacob’s deep hazel eyes.

“I dreamed of you,” Jacob said.

“When I was a child,” Jill said.

“But life had other plans,” he said.

“For me” they said in unison.

“And I forgot my perfect dream.” he said.

Jill’s eyes welled with happy tears. Without letting go of her hand, his finger tips stroked her cheek. He nodded to her.

“I saw you at,” Jill said.

“The very moment that,” Jacob said

“I was ready,” they said together.

“To remember,” she said.

“My dream,” he said.

“Of you.”

“And our.”

“Life together.” They said at the same time.

“Now that I’m here,” he said.

“I won’t ever,” she said.

“Ever.”

“Forget you,” they said in unison.

“Again.”

There was not a dry eye in the Chapel when Jill finished their poem.

“Jill, do you come to this marriage of your own free will?” Delphie asked.

“I do,” Jill said.

“Jacob, do you come to this marriage of your own free will?”

“I do,” Jacob said.

“Will your love survive the harsh fires of change?” Delphie asked.

“It will,” Jill and Jacob said.

“May your home be filled with warmth,” Delphie led their audience in saying.

“Will you love survive the ebb and flow of feeling?” Delphie asked,

“It will,” Jill and Jacob.

“May your life together be filled with love.” Delphie led their audience in saying.

“Will your love survive the times of stillness and restriction?” Delphie asked.

“It will,” Jill and Jacob said.

“May your union be strong,” the audience said with Delphie.

“Will your love survive the clear light of day?”

“It will,” Jill and Jacob said.

“May your marriage be blessed by the light of every new dawn.”

“Katy? You may come forward now,” Delphie asked. Instructing the audience, she said, “Please take each other’s hands.”

Katy ran to Jill and Jacob and held out her hands for them to take. Letting go of each other, they formed a circle of hand with Katy. Their friends and family held hands. When Katy jumped up and down and Jill picked her up. Jacob retook Katy’s hand.

“The Rings of Marriage serve many purposes,” Delphie said. “As rings are never-ending circles, they are a symbol of the never-ending commitment of marriage. As permanent fixtures on your left hand, they are a reminder of the one person to which you have sworn your devotion. And as jewelry, they enhance the hand, just as one life, through the joining of marriage, enhances another. Jill, Jacob and Katy, did you bring rings?”

“We did,” Jill and Jacob said.

When Jill bounced Katy on her hip, Katy said, “Oh, me too.”

“Jill and Katy, will you repeat after me?” Delphie said, “We give you this ring as a symbol of our love for you. As it circles your finger, let it always remind you of our eternal love, surrounding and enfolding you day and night.”

Katy dug around the pocket in her dress until she found Jacob’s ring. She gave the ring to Jill. While her eyes held his, Jill slipped a satin finished titanium wedding band onto Jacob’s finger.

“Jacob, please repeat after me,” Delphie said. “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love for you. As it circles your finger, let it always remind you of our eternal love, surrounding and enfolding you day and night.”

Jacob slipped a band onto Katy’s right middle finger. With tears in his eyes, he slipped a thin gold band on Jill’s ring finger. The wedding band set perfectly against the Marlow beauty.

“These rings are circles,” Delphie said. “Each represents the full circle of a life, as one is given into the care of the other.”

Jacob took Jill’s hand and Katy’s hand again.

“Friends and family,” Delphie continued. “You represent the community that will surround and support this marriage with love and friendship. No partnership exists in a vacuum. It is beholden upon each of you to honor and respect this union. Will you support this union?”

“We will,” the chapel echoed with their voices.

“Angelika? Sam?”

Jill’s mother and Jacob’s father came to the front of the room. With Delphie’s help, Angelika and Sam lit cream colored taper candles.

“Jill? Jacob?”

Delphie motioned for Jill, with Katy on her hip, to stand on her left side. She motioned for Jacob to stand on her right.

“Angelika?”

Angelika gave Jill her taper candle.

“Sam?”

Sam gave Jacob his taper candle.

“Jill?”

“I bring you the warmth of my heart,” Jill said.

“And mine too,” Katy said. Whispering to Jill, she added , “I forgot what I was ‘sposed to say.”

Jill kissed her cheek.

“I bring the light of my love,” Jacob said.

Jill and Jacob lit a large cream colored pillar candle set in front of the roses on the table. While they lit the candle, Delphie said:

“Above you is the vast universe, below you is the deep soil and stones. Remember always, like the universe, your love should be vast and constant. Like the Earth, your love should be solid and deep. Be understanding and patient, for storms may come and go. Be free always in giving affection and warmth, for it is the currency of a happy marriage.”

Jill, Katy and Jacob returned to their positions in front of Delphie.

“May the warmth and light of your union be blessed. May you know the best of fortune, and your life together be one of joy and prosperity. Do you swear to keep sacred your vows?”

“We do,” Jill, Katy and Jacob said.

“Please seal your promise with a kiss,” Delphie said.

Jill set Katy down. While they had promised no grand gestures and no tongue, Jacob took her breath away by leaning her back into his arms. His kiss was hard, insistent and left her lips tingling. Jill and Jacob bent to kiss either side of Katy’s cheeks.

“I now pronounce you – husband, wife and family.”

At that moment, the sun flashed through the stained glass windows. The Chapel lit up in the morning sun.

Their friends and family cheers and hooted. With Katy between them, Jill and Jacob ran out of the Chapel. They were pelted with rice from the Lipson employees waiting for them in the tunnel. Jacob picked up Katy and up the stairs they went into the Castle where they were pelted with more rice by everyone waiting in the kitchen. Jacob continued toward a hallway off the main Castle living room.  Leaning against a panel, he clicked the hidden sliding door and they were in a private sitting room. There was a bottle of champagne, roses, chocolates and candles.

Katy bounced up and down for him to let her get the chocolates. He set Katy down and she ran to the table. Turning to Jill, he encircled her in his arms.

“This is the best day of my entire life,” he said.

“I love you.” They whispered at the same time.

“Any regrets?” Jacob asked.

“Only that we didn’t do this sooner.”

Jacob laughed.

Denver Cereal continues next week….

~~~~~~~~

Denver Cereal is a serial fiction set in Denver, Colorado.
You can get your daily dose of Denver Cereal at DenverCereal.com
Chapters are posted on Saturdays on this blog.
Download your free copy of Denver Cereal, the beginning.
Like printed books? Go here or Amazon for a print copy of the Denver Cereal.
Claudia Hall Christian is a novelist.

Previous Chapters

CHAPTER TWENTY

Two weeks later
September 28 – 10 A.M.
Paris, France

“Remind me again why I cannot come with you?” John asked. He moved to stand behind her.

“It’s a tradition for the groom not to see the bride’s dress until she walks down the aisle,” Alex said. She made a face then adjusted her fake blond hair in the full length mirror. “Don’t you want to be surprised?”

“Oh love,” John said. He pulled her toward him. “Every moment is a surprise.”

They stood looking at each other through the mirror. They were staying in Max’s apartment in Paris. In a move that made more sense now, Ben sold his family’s Paris apartment to JAM properties when Max started working in Europe. The apartment, which had been in Ben’s family for over seventy years, was small, two tiny bedrooms and a bathroom, but had a priceless balcony overlooking the Seine from the tenth floor. Max was staying with Fran so they took his apartment.

“Plus you have your tailoring appointment,” Alex said. “Dr. Drayson can’t live in scrubs alone. Max ordered a couple of suits for you. You need to get them fitted.”

“Hmm.” He kissed her neck. “Why does Max get to go to your fitting? Doesn’t he need to replace his suits too?”

“He did that when he was here last. He wants to meet…,” she turned to look at him, “our siblings.”

“He’s never met them?”

“When we’re in Paris together, we want to be together. I’ve spent a lot of time with Ben’s family, but he’s never met them.”

Alex kissed John then held him to her.

“You seem nervous,” John said.

“I guess I am.” Alex turned back to the mirror. “It’s the first time I’ve seen Ben since we found out.”

John kissed her nose. “And?”

“And… I’m having trouble rearranging myself. My father, Patrick, is County Cork Irish, first generation American, a General turned Senator in the United States Senate. My father, Ben, is French, well, French-born, American-raised, and a spy. He can trace his family… no, my family. See it’s confusing. Ben’s family is from Paris since the cavemen or something close. His father worked in Chicago, so Ben and his brothers grew up there.”

“You’re not Irish, you’re French,” John said. “Half Irish.”

“On my mom’s side. Potato famine Irish,” Alex said. “I’m not a Senator’s daughter. I’m a spy’s daughter.”

“It is a big shift,” John said.

Alex moved away from him to finish dressing. She slipped on a pair of comfortable walking shoes and picked up her jacket.

“Kind of like finding out my husband is Irish, the elusive John Kelly no less,” she said. She shook her head and shivered. “It’s been an interesting few months.”

John wrapped his arms around her.

“Still love me?”

“Oddly, yes, I do love you,” Alex said. “Would you like to see Rita and Tom this trip?”

“I think we have enough to deal with. Your mom invited them to the wedding.”

“I know,” Alex said. She kissed him. “Come on. Max is waiting for us.”

Shutting the apartment door, they took the elevator to the lobby where Max was chatting with the concierge while he waited for them. Looking up, Max caught Alex’s eyes. They were both nervous. The twins hugged in greeting. Pressing their foreheads together, the twins felt immediate relief.

No matter what happened, at least they had each other.

With Max leading the way, they took a quick Metro stop. Alex and Max walked John to the tailor shop. Agreeing to meet him in an hour, the twins took the Metro to the heart of Paris. Alex and Max walked hand in hand down a long narrow street until they stood at the entrance to a small shop. Alex let out a breath and raised her hand to knock on the door.

Before she could knock, Ben opened the door with a lit cigarette in his hand. Max and Alex stood on the doorstep looking at Ben. He hugged Alex then Max. With an awkward gesture into the shop, Ben pulled the cigarette from his mouth to say something. A five-year-old boy sped out from behind him. Scooping up the little boy, Alex began a loud recitation of his favorite nonsense poem in French as she moved into the shop. The boy squealed with laughter.

Near the end of a hallway, Alex turned to look at Max. Their eyes held for a moment. Alex encouraged him to come in with a nod of her head. Max shook his head slightly and looked at Ben.

A medium sized woman came from the back of the shop. Touching Alex’s arm as she past, the woman moved to stand next to Ben. Looking up at Max with bright blue eyes, she smiled.

“Claire,” Ben said in French. “This is my son, Max. Max, this is my wife, Claire.”

Max startled at the introduction then looked down with nervous embarrassment. Claire rushed forward. Taking both of Max’s hands, she kissed each of his cheeks.

“I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time. It is very much my pleasure to meet Max Hargreaves,” Claire said in English. “Please come into our home. We’ve been so excited to have you here that…. We’re all crazy with nerves.”

Max nodded.

“You and Alex are so similar,” Claire continued in English. “Except for the new hair and eyes.”

“Yes, we’re identical twins,” Max replied in French. He followed her into the shop.

“We’re excited for Alexandra to celebrate her marriage,” Claire said in French. “Who can believe they’ve been married thirteen years in a couple weeks? You are good friends with her husband?”

“Yes,” Max said. Alex turned and caught his eyes. He smiled.

“We will meet him today as well.” Claire’s hand moved along the long black braid down her back. “It’s a big day.”

Max nodded.

“I would like it if you felt like this was your home,” Claire said.

“In time,” Max replied.

“Alexandra, you must undress. Take that fat suit off. You look awful.”

Alex looked over at Max. Their eyes held for a moment as they assessed each other. With a smile and a nod, Alex set the boy down.

“Your lingerie and heels are in the changing room.”

Alex moved behind the curtain. She came out in a small silk robe and cream pumps.

“Come here dear,” Claire said.

Claire indicated that Alex should stand on a small raised platform surrounded by mirrors.

“I feel a little weird…” Alex said.

“Ben, Eugene, go on,” Claire said. Ben picked up the boy and went up the stairs. Claire turned to a corner of the room where a small girl was hiding. “Camille.”

“But Alex didn’t say hello to me,” Camille said in French.

Her large blue eyes glistened with tears behind black ringlets of hair. She was not quite three years old. Alex picked up Camille and carried her into the dressing room. Digging through her jacket, she found the Tootsie Roll sucker she had placed in her pocket. Camille squealed when she saw the orange candy.

“Maman?” Camille said.

“Yes,” Claire said.

Claire shook her head and laughed at her daughter’s ability to get her favorite treat. A black haired teenaged boy flew down the stairs.

“Papa said you were here,” the boy said in English.

“Frederec, this is Alexandra’s brother Max.”

“Hey,” Frederec said to Max. “Alex, did you bring it?”

“Max has it,” Alex said replied in English. “He put a bunch of his favorite Alternative music on it for you.”

 Max pulled an iPOD from his pocket and gave it to Frederec.

“Thanks,” Frederec said. “Alex says that you have good…”

“Taste?” Max asked.

“No, relationship with music?” Frederec said.

“I know a lot about music,” Max said. “I like Alternative. Let me know what you think.”

“Cool,” Frederec said. “Have you seen the dress?”

“You have your gadget. Can you get out of here?” Claire said in French.

“Alex!” A young woman with curly brown hair ran down the stairs.

“Helene!” Alex turned to the young woman.

“Did Maman tell you that we get to come to the wedding? I’m going to look at University,” Helene said continuing in English. “Papa said that we could look at school while we are there. Can you come with us?”

“I’m not sure,” Alex said. “I hope so sweetie.”

“No matter,” Helene said beaming. “I’m hoping to go to the school in Boulder so we can be close.”

“I’d like that,” Alex said hugging Helene with her free arm.

“Helene, Frederec, go upstairs. Take Camille,” Claire said in French. “Alexandra wants to try on her dress.”

“We can’t watch?” Helene asked in French. Helene lifted Camille from Alex’s arms.

“Not unless you want to see all of my Frankenstein scars,” Alex said in French.

“Cool,” Frederec said in English.

“Maman, can I die my hair like Alex’s?” Helene said in French.

“Children,” Claire all but screamed in French.

Ben came out on the walkway upstairs and glowered down at his children. Helene and Frederec looked from Claire to Ben. Helene returned her father’s look as she stomped up the steps. Stuffing the iPOD ear buds into his ears, Frederec followed his sister up the stairs.

“Sorry about that,” Claire said in French to Max. “Now you’ve met the whole family.”

“They are excited,” Alex said in French. “It’s pretty exciting to come to the States. Is it safe?”

“We won’t live in fear,” Claire shrugged. “Stand there.”

She went to a corner of the shop and held up what looked like loose cream colored silk fabric. She returned with a strip of fabric.

“Since you are such a cheater, I am going to put this over your eyes,” Claire said. “Don’t peek.”

Alex felt a brush of air as Claire removed the small robe.

“Those are gruesome scars, Alexandra,” Claire said. “I am so sorry. We went to the church every day to pray for you. We practically wore out a bench.”

Alex felt the drape of silk, soft against her skin, and Claire’s professional tugging, pulling and finally buttons fastening in the back. Alex shifted her head and shoulders, feeling the weight of the dress. She took a breath and her ribs pressed against the tight fabric.

“Oh Alex,” Max said. “You’re beautiful.”

“It looks nice. Doesn’t it?” Claire said. “I have a little adjusting. You are a little bigger in the bust than you were.”

“I’ve gained a little weight since I’ve been home” Alex said.

“And lost it again,” Max said.

“Well, the weight looks good on you,” Claire said. “You’ve been too thin.”

“My mother says the same thing,” Alex said.

“Well, pardon me,” Claire said. “I’d hate to sound like Rebecca.”

They laughed.

“One more thing,” Claire said. “Can you bend down?”

Alex felt hair combs scrape against her scalp and the silk slipped from her eyes.

Alex gasped. The sleeveless butter cream satin silk dress was snug from her breasts to her hips. Its draped V neckline and dropped waist accentuated Alex’s breasts, wide shoulders and small waist. Alex turned to see inverted pleats creating a full skirt and chapel train. The bodice was covered in an intricate pattern of cultured pearls. The pearls continued on the inch wide straps. The pattern of pearls was repeated along the edges of the dress and train. She wore a tulle veil with the same pattern of pearls on the edge of the veil.

“She’s speechless,” Ben said from upstairs. Looking up, she smiled at Ben and the children standing on the passageway upstairs. “That’s a first.”

Claire buzzed around her making measurements for the alterations.

“Say something, Alex,” Max said. “You have to talk.”

“Wow,” Alex said. “It’s more spectacular than anything I could have ever imagined. Did you do all this bead work?”

“Helene and Frederec helped,” Claire said. “Frederec has a real knack for bead work.”

“Of course he does,” Alex said. “Thank you for this.”

“Oh dear,” Claire said. “You are so welcome. Thank you for letting me create a dress for you. I hope this John will appreciate it.”

“He will,” Max said.

Claire looked at Max then looked up at Ben, who laughed.

“She hasn’t seen Alex and John together,” Ben said to Max.

Max laughed.

“Now out of the dress,” Claire said. “I will make these alterations. Benjamin will bring the dress to you. You need to get it pressed.”

Alex stepped out of the dress. Claire helped her into the silk robe.

“I will be there to help you get dressed,” Claire said.

“What about my mother?” Alex asked.

“Rebecca will have to live with it. What is past is done. There’s no changing it. Plus with such wonderful outcomes,” Claire looked from Alex to Max, “who’d want to?”

Max blushed and held his hand out to Alex. The twins held hands, feeling the pulse of each other, then smiled in unison.

“At least you know, now, and we can be more of a family.”

“Thank you,” Alex said and hugged Claire.

“I put a little pocket in it so you can wear a pistol if you feel you need to,” Claire said. “Let’s hope you don’t.”

Alex went to change. When she came out, Max was chatting with Frederec about his new gadget while Helene pretended not to listen. Alex wasn’t sure if the children knew that they were siblings. It never occurred to her to ask. Embarrassed, she withdrew into herself.

Feeling a bump against her leg, she looked down to see Camille’s bright blue eyes. Camille lifted her arms and Alex picked her up. Alex kissed Camille’s plump cheek, taking in her baby scent, and felt less strange. Camille’s little fist reached around Alex’s neck. When Alex looked up Max had picked up Eugene.

As Claire shooed them out of the shop, Max and Alex shared a look. At least they could be family. Alex and Max followed Helene out the door. The family laughed and talked through the narrow streets to the Metro station. They took a few short Metro stops. They found John waiting for them on the platform.

“He’s very handsome,” Helene whispered in French.

“Yes, he is.”

FFF

With Helene leading the way, the family wandered into a small bistro along a side street. Helene said hello to a couple handsome young men as they walked into the bistro. Alex watched the girl flip her hair, press her chest forward and wag her hips. Shaking her head slightly, her Goddaughter… no… sister?… was growing up. She looked up to catch Ben’s eyes. Holding the door for Alex, he smiled and took Camille from her arms. Then, almost on impulse, he kissed Alex’s cheek. Their eyes held for a moment and Alex smiled.

Alex watched everything from the sidelines. Naturally suspicious of a handsome Englishman, Claire peppered John with questions. She was perfectly clear. She was certain he was not good enough to be Alex’s husband. Knowing how important Claire was to Alex, John gave Claire his full attention. By the time the waiter brought their lunch, John and Claire were sharing stories about Alex.

Sitting with Camille on his lap, Max chatted with Frederec. Alex watched one brother then the other brother. She was surprised that she never noticed how similar Frederec and Max were. She shook her head at her own confusion. Nothing had changed and everything was different. They had been dear friends. Now they were family.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Alex looked up into Helene’s impatient face. The young woman’s eyes were wide as she nodded her head toward the table of young men. Alex smiled at Helene’s impatience. Raising a finger, Alex drank the last of her French press coffee then she kissed John. He stroked her hip when she stood to follow Helene.

Arriving at a table of five young men, one handsome man, Michel, shifted his knee sideways and Helene sat down in his lap. Helene flirted, blushed and worked her way through introductions. Alex had to look away when the young man’s hands began moving along Helene’s body. She had to bite her lip to keep from saying: “Get your filthy hands of my Helene!”

Chuckling at her own reaction, her eyes drifted across the street where she noticed Jesse standing under a green awning near the corner. Alex smiled at Jesse then looked back to Helene.

Helene moved her lips, saying something, but Alex’s couldn’t hear her. Alex opened her mouth to say something but found words beyond her capacity. Alex shook her head and Helene repeated herself. Alex had no idea what the girl said. Blinking her eyes, she realized that all sound was gone. Alex pressed her fingers to her ears in an attempt to clear them. Her face marked with concern, Helene put a hand on Alex’s arm. Alex smiled, wagged her head then indicated with her hands that Helene should stay with her friends.

Jesse appeared next to the table.

“Follow me,” Jesse said.

With one last smile to Helene, Alex followed Jesse across the street. They walked together in companionable silence until they came to the green awning. Alex looked up, reading, “Le Fee Verte”, the Green Fairy, Paris’ euphuism for absinthe.

“In here,” Jesse said.

Glancing back at the bistro, Alex noticed that Ben was standing at the door. He opened his mouth and said something, but Alex couldn’t hear him. Smiling, she raised her hand to wave to Ben then stepped into the busy shop.

Sound returned to Alex in a blaze of music, conversation, and clinking of china. Dazed by the noise, Alex stood at the entrance.

“Alexandra! How are you?” A tall blonde clerk said in French. She was standing behind a bar where three customers were drinking absinthe. “Where have you been?”

“It’s been a while,” Alex replied. She moved into the shop. Although she had no memory of the woman or this place, she played along because Jesse waved her into the shop.

“We haven’t seen you in years. I was beginning to think you weren’t coming back. Would you like your regular?”

 ”Sure,” Alex said.

The clerk poured absinthe into a reservoir glass. Laughing at something the customer in front of her said, the woman rested a slotted spoon on the rim of the glass and placed a sugar cube on the spoon.

“You look good dear,” the clerk said. “I like the hair.”

Jesse stood near a door in the back.

“You can go downstairs, dear. I’ll have this ready for you when you come up,” the clerk said. “My God, Alex, you look like you’ve seen a ghost. Are you all right?”

F

The Fey continues next week….

The Fey is the first in a thriller series written by Claudia Hall Christian.
The novel has been serialized for your enjoyment at AlextheFey.com
Entire chapters are be published at On-a-limb.com and
StoriesbyClaudia.com every Friday.

Last fall, we made the choice to enter winter without the use of antibiotics, nerve toxin, and the rest of the chemicals usually used to treat honeybee hives. We took a risk, and lost four hives.

And one large, glorious hive survived.

This spring, I split off a few frames from this hive in order to start an new hive. Over the next few months, I took one or two more frames.

Yesterday, we received two new survivor honeybee queens from ZiaQueenbee.  I made an additional split from our survivor hive, so that I could put both queens in.

Here’s the queens in their box.

Here they are in the hive.

Please wish them well. With any luck, we can help the bees find a way out of this crisis.

“If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.

If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.

If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbors.

If there is to be peace between neighbors,
There must be peace in the home.

If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.”

Lao Tzu

As I watch the violence spill out of Iran, and know that this kind of violence continues in my own city, I can’t help but feel sad, powerless and ineffective. It’s only when I remember that peace begins in my own heart, that I realize the answer to my struggle.

Everthing begins with peace in our hearts.

I wish you peace in  your heart today.