Green Tea (31 page)

Jerkface is under suicide watch.

So far, our family name has been kept out of it.
 
It could be a long time before we have any involvement at all.
 
Perhaps years.

For now, the investigation continues, but they are quite certain that the serial murderer is Kirsten and that Jerkface was simply trying to protect his crazy sister.
 
From what they can piece together, Jerkface didn’t know anything about the murders until well after they had been committed, although it isn’t clear just how long he had been involved, and being involved at all is a crime.

I was completely ooked out, but I also had a bunch of stuff I had to do.

First I called Teagan, then my mom, and filled them both in, they in turn would fill in the others.
 
When you have a big family, a well-organized phone tree is a given.
 

I ran over to the engraver guy, picked up my gift, it turned out so well I gave him a big hug, which is strange, because I am not a hugger, and promised to send lots of business his way.

I dropped by Adeline’s house.
 
She looked a little tired, but I figured the wedding was a big outing for someone who didn’t get out much.
 
I fixed her some food, and visited.
 
We chatted about the wedding.
 
I guess she and Nana Jo and Nana are going to get together for lunch sometime this week.
 
I was excited for all of them.
 

I left Adeline to her painting.
 
She was hot on a project.
 
A project new is always a good thing.

I went over to the studio and helped Jovana set up a shoot.
  
The cutest damn thing I’d ever seen.
 
She had a toddler sized white claw-foot bathtub.
 
In that she had plastic Christmas ornaments that looked like huge bubbles.
 
She had a great big yellow rubber duckie with a shower cap on.
 
We sat that on a big area rug that had different colored fishies on it.
 
She set up all her lights and a couple of different backgrounds so that when the kids showed up the transition would be quick.

The kids came in in a mood.
 
All three of them, fit to be tied.
 
Twin girls and their slightly older sister.
 
All cute as they could be.
 

Jovana had them changed into thick white terry bathrobes and sitting on the floor playing before the parents knew what to do with themselves.
 
I kept them busy in the farthest reaches of the studio, so that the kids couldn’t see them, but we could watch on a monitor.

I think the best shot will turn out to be one that couldn’t have been planned.
 
While Jovana turned to grab a toy to get the kid’s attention, the older sister scampered around the back of the tub and held a bubble in her right hand.
 
As she did that, one of the twins pulled herself up, holding onto the rim of the tub, on her very tiptoes, peering at the rubber duckie.
 
While those two were busy with the tub, the second twin burst out in a giggle and threw her hands up and out with a look of joy turning to surprise as she just started to tip over.

More pictures with the tub, some without the tub, some with a shower curtain backdrop, some with a plain color, some on big building blocks, then my next favorite.

Jovana pulled out a flapper looking dress that wasn’t adult-size, but much too large for the girls.
 
The oldest sister put that on.
 
Then two little girl’s sailor suits, the ones with the white pleated skirt and blue square collar that ties in the front at the chest.
 
Compete with bloomers and Mary Janes.
 
Again, they were not adult sized, but much too big for the girls.

Next she pulled out a big chest full of gloves and hats and boas.
 
Positioned it a few feet from the girls, and let nature take its course.

She got pictures of them being coy, and curious, and dressing each other in their treasures.
 
She got a picture of the two little girls sitting on the floor beside the chest as the older sister checked herself out in a huge ornate mirror.

The pictures would be stunning, they weren’t the least bit traumatic on the kids, or their parents, and it took very little time to break down all the props once the clients had gone home.

Jovana released me for the day.
 

I asked if there was anything I could ferry to my parent’s house, food-wise, she said she had a van for just that purpose.
 
I told her I’d see her there and headed off.

Back at my apartment, feeling better than I had in a long time, no more worries about Jerkface and Kirsten, although I’m tremendously sad for them both.
 
There is no excuse for the things they did, but perhaps there is a reason.
 
Not reason enough to be excused, but reason enough to be understood.

I had a little while before I was supposed to be at my parent’s house, so I took my time wrapping the gift.
 
Signed both our names to it, just as AJ had for the teapot.
 

I was just about to take a shower and change clothes, when AJ walked in and my plans were changed for the better.

All I’m sayin’ is some of that hung over half-dazed afterglow darn well better rub off before I show up in front of my whole family.

To that end, a quick shower, a good strong cup of tea, three Oreo cookies, some tinted moisturizer and mascara and a little Light Blue, and I was good to go.

AJ was dragging, but he started it!

I promised not to say that in front of my mom.

The evening at my parent’s was uneventful, thank you God.
 
Jordan was in fine form.
 
There was discussion about a honeymoon, but Liam and Morgan have decided that they’d just like to enjoy being married for a while.
 
They’ll save their honeymoon for their first anniversary.
 
Lovely thought.

We enjoyed some really great leftovers.
 

Teagan sat down with her laptop and took notes as Morgan and Liam, with the help of Jordan every now and then, opened their gifts.

They got some beautiful stuff.

Our gift was a hit.
 
I was pleased.
 
I explained that the three clocks were set at the time that Morgan was born, the time that Liam was born, and the moment they kissed the first time as husband and wife.
 

I pointed out that I’d also recorded the time they each recited their vows, the time they had their first dance, and the time that Jordan was born, should they want to commemorate any of those times instead.

Liam read the vows to Morgan yet again:

By the power that Christ brought from heaven, mayst thou love
me.
 
As the sun follows its course, mayst thou follow
me.
 
As light to the eye, as bread to the hungry, as joy to the heart, may thy presence be with me, oh one that I love, til death comes to part us asunder.

I thought that Maeve’s gift was rather different.
 
She gave them swing dance lessons.

Having celebrated the happy couple well married and married well, AJ and I headed for home.

CHAPTER FIVE

“We leave next Sunday.”

“What?
 
Teagan, I thought that we’d have a couple of weeks to get ready once you decided on a cruise.
 
At least a couple of weeks.”

“So did I, but this is the best time to go.
 
We have a balcony and everything.
 
I talked to the guy today.
 
He’s even going to give us an upgrade.
 
It’s the perfect time.
 
I talked to him about all the excursions.
 
We’re gonna get on a wee little boat, on a lake, power to a nature area, eat lunch, then trek to the end of the road, to start on a true adventure.
 
You should borrow a decent camera from AJ.”

“What about long johns?
 
Whale snot?
 
What the hell is a true adventure?
 
I thought I was going to do the research and you were going to go along with whatever I decided.”

“Have we met?
 
That isn’t what we do.”

“Fine.
 
Since you’ve made all the other decisions, do you know what we’re supposed to bring, like what clothes?”

“Layers.
 
Be comfortable.
 
Bring one nice outfit just in case.
 
Something to stay
warm
on the balcony and on the wee little boat.
 
Bring your bathing suit in case we decide to go in the hot tub.
 
Pretty basic.
 
Try to keep it down to one carry-on and one suitcase.
 
There’s not a lot of storage on a cruise ship and we both know how you are.”

“Great.
 
Anything else I should know?”

“Actually, I can’t talk.
 
Jessie and I are going deep sea fishing today.”

“You, what?”

“You heard me.”

“Good luck.
 
Better you than me.”

“Jessie goes pretty often.
 
I’m gonna try it.
 
Worst case, I work on my tan.”

“Teagan, we don’t tan.
 
We fry, we peel, we cuss a lot, and then we do it again.”

“Don’t be a party pooper.”

“Have you ever been deep sea fishing before?”

“No.”

“Well, you like sports of every other denomination, I assume you’ll like this one too.”

“They have people to help you with the bait and everything, and if it gets to be too much, Jessie can grab my pole.”

“I refuse to take the bait on that one, pun intended.”

“What?”

“Jessie grabs
your
pole?”

“Shut up.”

“Yes ma’am.
 
I’ll check online and see if I can find some kind of packing list.
 
You better wear SPF 428.
 
If you get burned to a crisp, the cruise isn’t gonna be much fun.
 
How are you going to wear long johns over a sunburn?”

“I’m not going to get burnt.”

“Okay.
 
Have fun.”

“I fully intend to.
 
Oh, by the way, while we’re in Alaska, Jessie’s going to go check out his new job prospects.”

“Well, that explains why we’re leaving Sunday.”

“Not really.”

“It’s fine.
 
Actually, it probably works better for me anyway.
 
I promised AJ and his grandmother that I would help Suzi get organized and back to town.
 
That’ll probably happen in the next few weeks, so better I not be in Alaska when it does.
 
Call me when you get home and let me know you didn’t drown.”