Relics (25 page)

And he did.

I woke up at my usual late time the next morning. Thulu had fulfilled that prophecy, too. I showered and got dressed in comfy shorts and a T-shirt and went downstairs to the kitchen. Romeo and Juliet sat on encyclopedias at the kitchen table. The kids were in their usual mid-air positions. Thulu came back in the door from the dining room as I came in from the hall. He was on his cell phone.

“I'll let her know. She's awake now.” He ended the call and returned the phone to his pocket.

He looked at the kids. “Hey, Parker, Jenna?  Would you mind checking on our office again?  Just to be safe?”

They smiled, agreed and then popped out. Thulu waited to get the all-clear from me.

“They're gone.”

“That was Reo. Carolyn's awake. Understandably very upset, but dealing with it. The story they told her was that she had been sedated for her own good. She hadn't been able to handle Jenna's death and tried to kill herself. Reo thought she was surprised and embarrassed and seems determined to not freak out this time.” Thulu rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “He wasn't happy at having to lie to her. I don't think any of us are, except for Jones, but right now I don't have a better idea. She's not talking about their move from Chicago, and for now they're still using the Thomas name, since that's what's on their ID. They're just car accident victims, as far as she's concerned.” He joined Romeo and Juliet at the table. I followed after getting my morning coke. I helped myself to bacon and eggs and buttered toast as I listened to Thulu.

“She remembers the family going out to do some sightseeing out of the city, when another car sideswiped them. Their car rolled at least twice down an incline before it smashed into something. She remembers her child limp in the child seat in the back and her husband unconscious with blood on his head before she blacked out. That's the last thing she remembers before she woke up. She doesn’t remember waking up before.”

“Geez, no surprise there, since she didn't wake up before.” I was disgusted.

Thulu found the lie as distasteful as I did. “Reo tried to read her mind to find out what she knew about the dagger. He asked how long she'd lived here to trigger those memories. He and the other telepath found out she knows about the dagger, but not where Matt hid it. She wonders if the accident is connected to it.”

“Sounds as if Jones did a good job of brainwashing her,” I said acidly. “What about Matt?”

Thulu shook his head. “Reo said he and the other telepath were able to connect, but that Matt was very resistant, refused to form any sort of environment and would barely talk to them. The other telepath felt they shouldn't push just yet. They did let Matt know his wife really needed him and planted the car accident story.”

“I'm telling you that lie is going to come back and bite us in the ass. I just know it.” I shook my head and Thulu looked at me unhappily.

“La Fi?” said Juliet. “I know this is unpalatable for you, but the truth would be far worse right now. Sometimes, a little peace is worth the lie. Why burden these people?  Let them deal with the death of their child.”

I thought about that. I turned my coke can in my hands, wiping the condensation off the can. “I guess so.  I just hate lying. Protecting Jones on this seems wrong to me. I hope someday we can tell them the truth.”

“I know you don't know me or Romeo or any of us. Please believe this, though. I've known Belus and Aurelia for centuries. They are both close to – Jones. Aurelia especially counts him as a friend, and she doesn't give her friendship easily. That tells me Jones has something about him that's worthwhile. And maybe it's not a bad thing for these people to think they had a car accident. It might even be kinder, in the long run.”

“I'm a believer in the truth, Miss Juliet. No matter how bad it is. I don't like lying is all. It's just something I was brought up to not do.” I felt a chill and looked around, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. I wondered how I'd feel if I lost a child. Would it matter how, other than giving me a different focal point for the anger at my loss?  I really didn't know, but decided to let it go for the moment.

Juliet nodded. “I understand. This is an uncertain time.”

“Was there anything new on TV?” I asked, changing the subject as I finished my breakfast. I got up to start packing up for the barbeque.

“Same thing as before, except without the open portals, there's not a lot of new stuff to report. Although, Juliet's previous owner has gotten some attention for having a goblin as a pet,” said Thulu. “She said she was sorry to lose such a good dog and doubted she'd find another one as smart or well behaved.”

I laughed, “You think?”

“Oh, and the jeweler called this morning, too. He said he can repair the damaged half. He can have it ready on Monday. He'll call us to let us know when we can pick it. As far as he knows, we've let Jane know it was found and that's all. “

“Cool.”

I got my tablet out of my purse and opened it to check my email and look over my notes. 

Things worldwide were status quo. Finally peace on Earth, and here I was unhappy with it. Or at least, not trusting the “gift.” It still bothered me, but since there wasn't much I could do about it, I shunted it to the back of my mind. I was doing a lot of that.

Most of my email was family and friends sending jokes, exchanging ideas for what to bring for the get-together and typical family notes. There were also a lot of questions about the portals. I sent out a family email, saying we'd explain at the barbeque.

Thulu pulled the tablet to him and checked his own email, while I got out vegetables to make a tray and the makings of a nice spinach dip. Juliet offered to help, and I gave her carrots to peel and cut into strips.

We chatted about the family gathering, and I filled them in on the different family members. They seemed impressed at how close our entire family was.

I asked about their family, and Juliet said they had three children, all in their third century. She wasn't sure which generation of great, great whatever grandchildren they were up to, though.

Romeo said they didn't often see their own parents and children, but that they did communicate occasionally. He explained that most goblin parents were very attentive while their children were young and needed them, but tended to let them fly from the nest and kept in touch thereafter sporadically.

“It isn't as though we don't love them,” added Juliet. “We do very much. It's just that we tend to be happiest in pairs. We work in groups and get along, but we mate for life. There's a special connection between husband and wife. You rarely see single goblins. It's not a lifestyle we adapt to easily.”

“That special connection is how I knew my Juliet was alive here somewhere. I would have known instantly if she had not survived,” said Romeo.

“We have a similar, but far lighter connection to our children. I know they are alive, well and happy. I don't need to see them to maintain that connection.

“Even as a dog, I often chose couples, with no children living with them. The big family events always fascinated me, though. I'm looking forward to today. It's a fantastic opportunity to show Romeo firsthand how humans interact in large families.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “He's a human behavioral analyst, you know. That's one reason he was chosen to be part of the delegation.” She looked over at him proudly.

“She's being modest,” said Romeo. “She's one, too. The day she got lost, we were experiencing the redwoods to see what humans found so fascinating about them.” Juliet nodded in agreement.

“I've gotten quite a bit of field work in,” she laughed.

I was vaguely disappointed. “So you're here to study us?”

Juliet gazed at me calmly. “Just as any cultural anthropologist might study those from another culture – by experiencing the lifestyles for themselves.”

That made sense. “Oh, good point. Well, I'm sure my family will be enchanted with you both.”

Things got pretty busy after that. The kids came back to say all was well at the office.

A few minutes later, Aela and Ceil showed up. Aurelia, Belus and Kareem had sent their regrets, which was no surprise.

The tiny fairy and pixie had been given permission to attend the gathering. I didn't ask how they had known where we lived. I was sure the answer I got would be “Magic.”

I wondered if they were doing field work by studying humans, too. I decided I didn't care. I was just as curious about them, and so it was probably going to be mutual. They watched with interest as I packed the cooler with the plastic containers full of food.

Aela was dressed in a bright red tunic with black embroidery on the bodice. I could barely make it out, let alone know what it depicted, without a magnifying glass. She wore tight fitting black leggings. She had tiny sandals laced to her feet. I suspected the red was to match her nails, which were still polished, and the sandals were to show off her tiny painted toenails. I wondered what kind of brush she used on nails tinier than pin heads. She still carried her little bow and quiver, along with her bag. She gave me a broad, closed mouth smile, her lips very red, which was probably due to lipstick.

Ceil was in turquoise and silver today. She'd gotten on the nail polish bandwagon and sported a glittery polish that matched her mid-calf length dress. It was made of some thin material – the word gossamer came to mind – and there were a lot of layers to it. I noticed she wore leggings and sandals, too. I guessed if you were going to fly and wear a dress, best to have leggings on underneath.

She carried a bag that seemed a bit large for her. I asked her if she needed help with it. She gave a smile, revealing very white fangs, and said that she could manage it. Her wings were a sunny yellow today, and her white hair was left down, with the top brushed behind her ears and fastened in back with a small clip.

The fairy exclaimed over Ceil's nail polish, and they sat comparing colors and admiring each other's fingers and toes. They both seemed excited about the barbeque.

Soon it was time for me to change, and I traded my shorts and T shirt for nice jeans and a crinkled cotton blouse. I wore sandals, but my own toenails were naked, since I hadn't polished them, yet.

Thulu was already dressed in jeans and a print shirt in dark reds. He loaded the car while I changed. He'd set my bag on the counter after returning the tablet to it.

Parker and Jenna still sat in mid-air, watching all of this. I thought they seemed a bit forlorn. Thulu came back in for the final load.

Romeo and Juliet had changed and wore colorful little print shirts. He had on loose brown trousers and she was in dark green Capri's. They both wore sandals and neither had on nail polish.

I wondered if Ceil had brought the clothes, since they hadn't had them before. She confirmed that when I asked her. And of course the answer to how they fit in the small bag was “Magic” accompanied with a big grin.

Aela and Ceil had already gone to the car, and the goblins followed. Thulu and I did a last check of the house. As we went back into the kitchen, I gave Thulu a look, with a nod of my head at the kids.

Thulu looked at them and said, “Well, are you going to go or do you plan on sitting in the kitchen all day?”

They both grinned widely. I smelled cinnamon and kettle corn. Sophie started barking. “We want to go!” said Parker.

“Then I suggest you get in the car. The Thulukan train is about to leave the station.”

They popped out amidst whoops and laughter.

I stopped Thulu and gave him a gigantic hug. “Have I told you lately how wonderful you are?”

He looked at me in mock exasperation. “Only wonderful?  Damn, last night I was fantastic. Going to have to step up my game, I guess.” I laughed and pushed him toward the door.

Arriving at the Thulukan home was almost as big a production as leaving ours had been. The street was full of cars, so we double parked while we unloaded. Thulu's brother, Drew, must have been watching because he came out with his wife, Angie, and Becca's husband, Luke. They all grabbed several items, emptying the back of the car and quickly ushering our guests into the house. I followed with my bag and the last of the food. Thulu drove off to park the SUV.

I was the last in, but Mama Deb had come to the front door to greet us. Everyone was starting to crowd into the house as word had spread that we had brought surprise guests.

Mama Deb gave me a big hug and whispered, “You weren't kidding when you said it was a big surprise. This will be remembered for years to come. Well done, you two.” She turned, and I introduced the goblins, fairy and pixie to my family.

The off-worlders were greeted and welcomed warmly. Aela and Ceil were a hit with the female Thulukans. A big deal was made over their tiny polished nails, which pleased them. There was a lot of joking around and hugs and kisses from my family. It was home.

The family wanted the story about Romeo and Juliet's names. So, we took turns explaining different parts of that one. A few agreed with me that a goblin “Legolas” would have been just fine. Romeo had a big, smug grin on his face.

Nana Fae made her way through to give me a hug and a kiss. She had a big smile, but she still looked tired, dark circles peeking through her makeup. When I asked, she said that her gift had been working overtime and she wasn't sleeping as soundly as she usually did. She insisted she was fine. We eased our way to the kitchen, where I oversaw the unpacking of the things we had brought. The party drifted back outside, taking our guests with it.

Thulu came in and got his share of hugs. He got a beer from the fridge and handed me a wine cooler.  We finished our unpacking and moved to the screened-in back porch, which led to a deck.

One of the nice things about the Thulukan home was that it actually had privacy. A high block wall and tall evergreen trees surrounded a nice sized backyard, effectively screening it from any of the neighbors. Other trees gave a nice cover to different areas. Mama Deb had a small vegetable garden against the back wall. Erik had a custom built rock grill, as well as a propane grill and a covered barbeque pit. One corner of the yard held a Jacuzzi, which was covered.

As I went down the back steps, I was almost knocked over by a flying mass of boy. Thulu had seen him coming and snatched him up just as he got to me. He tucked the child under an arm like a football, and we went down the stairs.

Little Carter waved at me enthusiastically from his captivity. He was an absolute doll. He was sweet, well behaved, extremely smart for three years old and I adored him.

I didn't adore his mother, who was Lynda-Jean, the friend of Ally's, from our childhood. She had remained a part of the family all these years. I'm sure Thulukan influence had a lot to do with her parenting skills. She certainly hadn't learned any from her own abusive, alcoholic mother. Her father had disappeared shortly after she was born.

I had some sympathy for Lynda-Jean. She had married a soldier who had been killed overseas, leaving her to raise Carter alone. She just never seemed to catch a break. I'd never gotten over my childhood distrust of her, but I did my best to hide it.

For her part, I don't think she really liked me, either. Sometimes I caught flashes of dislike and jealousy from her, but she was quick to hide those. I don't think she realized that I'd caught them.

Thulu put Carter down, and he immediately turned to me for mega big hugs and kisses. I was happy to oblige. He tagged along, holding my hand as I made the rounds of the rest of the family. Jude, Becca's twin, was there with her boyfriend. They were chatting with Tom, Evan and Mara about the financial repercussions of the portals opening. Evan said he and Mara had some concerns and they'd bring them up at the family meeting after dinner.

Drew's two boys, Marty and Josh, and Becca's daughter, Kalie, were playing hide and seek with some of the cousins. Carter was enlisted to help the “It” person, and he happily obliged. He thought being “It” was simply thrilling. Getting to be “Assistant It” was cool, too.

Ally had arrived and came out with a beer in hand. She had just recently gotten married to another veterinarian, Brent Morgan. They had met in college and had a mutual love and talent for working with animals. They had worked hard to get through their schooling and had waited until their clinic was making money before getting married.

I went over to give them both a hug, gave her a conspiratorial wink and whispered to her that we sort of had a dog, but it was a secret. She pulled me away, asking “How the hell do you sort of have a dog?”

I explained about Sophie. “So you see, she was once a dog, but is now a spirit dog, and she really belongs to the kids, I think.”

Ally gave me an odd look and a big hug. “I think a sort of dog is awesome – next best thing to a real dog. Although, I still say you guys should adopt a real one. Let me know when you change your mind.” I promised I would. She linked her arm in mine.

“Now, introduce me to these folks you brought with you,” she said.

We snagged Brent on the way, and I took them over to the foursome, who were holding court at one of the smaller tables.

Romeo, Juliet, Aela and Ceil were all surrounded by a large group of admirers. They were happily filling the family in on their home realms, how they liked Earth and what it was like to be a delegate.

The younger kids were trying to pet Aela and Ceil, who would fly up out of their reach. Nana Fae gently took an outstretched hand and lowered it. I heard her say that it was rude to try to catch the guests. Sounds of disappointment turned to laughter at something Aela said, but I didn't catch it.

We'd agreed earlier not get into too much detail on the situation, but we had to explain about the relics, portals and such. We also planned on telling the family about Light Ones and daemons at the after-dinner family meeting.

A few more cousins filtered in, and the back yard was filing up. Soon Reo showed up and was greeted much as Thulu and I had been. I lost sight of him as he made his rounds, disappearing into the Thulukan jungle.

Jones arrived with Stuart. Both were laden with packages. He had brought beautiful roses for Mama Deb, some imported beer for Erik and several kinds of wines for the other adults.

We insisted Stuart had to stay, and Thulu and a couple others helped him unload the limo before he went off to park it.  Thulu and I made the rounds with Jones and Stuart, introducing them to the family.

Of course, Jones was an immediate hit with the single females. He was at his most charming. I gave him a warning look, and he laughed and turned away. Lynda-Jean seemed particularly taken with Jones. He treated her politely, but I noticed he didn't spend too much time with any of the women. He soon found a place for himself with Thulu, Stuart and some of the other guys, who were talking sports. It was a good spot for him, I thought.

I caught a glimpse of Parker and Jenna in the trees at one point. They seemed to be having a good time, listening to the different conversations and trying to shout at the “It” person who was hiding.

Music was playing, some soft rock that didn't compete with conversations. With Thulukans, it was all about communicating and seeing each other and catching up with those who had been out of touch briefly. None of us were out of touch for very long, though.

Erik called me over and handed me an apron and a chef's hat. He already wore an apron that said “Erik, Grill King.” Mine was embroidered with “Erik's Minion.” I happily put the bib over my head and tied the back strings around my waist before perching my hat on my head at a jaunty angle.

Someone had brought the meat out from the coolers and fridge, and we started the job of getting it cooked. We put the chicken breasts on first, along with burgers that were to be well done. We had thick steak strips. Skewers held mushrooms, green peppers and red onions.

We had long picnic tables, smaller patio tables and kids' tables strewn around the yard. Mama Deb had her army of helpers setting up the table cloths. Kids had been put to work carrying out paper plates and plastic tableware.

Covered bowls of potato salad, macaroni salad, cole slaw, lettuce salad and melon platters were carried to one end of a long picnic table. The kids added bottles and jars of different dressings and condiments.

We had platters filled with sliced tomatoes, lettuce, olives and pickles. There were several veggie trays. Pitchers of Kool-Aid, lemonade and iced tea were carried out, with ice clinking merrily. Coolers holding beer, sodas and wine coolers were placed around the yard.

There was enough food for a small army, which was good, since that's about what we were. Our meals were served buffet style, so people could help themselves before finding a spot to sit and eat.

I saw Jones watching the parade of food and the crowd of people. I got the feeling he was intrigued. He saw me at the grill and gave me a wave before turning and saying something to Thulu and Stuart. Thulu also turned and gave me a wink.

Erik and I flipped burgers, hotdogs and chicken and put buns on for warming. He'd stashed ears of corn in the coals of the pit earlier and started pulling those out and stacking them on top of the coals.

Parents got plates for the smaller kids and started filling them. They hit the grills for the meat. My burgers were popular with adults, but the small kids preferred the plain ones, more often than not, or hotdogs.

Mama Deb ushered our guests to start serving themselves.  Erik and I took their meat orders, and the family made sure they had places at the tables.

Someone had put books out for Romeo and Juliet to sit on. Although jokes were made about putting them at one of the kids' tables. The goblins took the joking well, but said they'd sit at the adult table, thank you very much, since they were almost the oldest people there.

That remark invited comments, and the goblins told their ages. The other magical guests had to be quizzed about their ages, too. Ceil was the youngest at three hundred and fifty-eight. Aela was six hundred and two.

I looked at Jones and wondered his age. I would have to ask him sometime. He saw my look and, laughing, shook his head and put his finger to his lips. I smiled ruefully, catching Stuart's eye.

I wondered about Stuart. As we spent more time with Jones, I'd realized that Stuart was more of a friend to Jones and not just a driver. Jones clearly trusted him. Something I didn't think Jones often did. I'd have to get Stuart's story sometime and made a mental note to ask.

Mama Deb provided a small plate for Ceil, who had her own silver knife, fork and goblet. She made quick work of picking and choosing items to heap on her plate. At her request, I sliced off a small bit of chicken and added a little tiny Burger à la Fi, made especially for her. I'd had to put it on foil to cook it, though. She flew off and found a spot on the table where she set her plate before turning to help Aela.

Aela had brought her own eating utensils, plate and goblet. They looked gold to me. She stood next to heaping platters and bowls that were larger than she was, directing Ceil, who would cut off a tiny piece of this or that and add it to Aela's one inch plate. Aela's portions were mere shreds of chicken, beef and vegetables. I smiled when I saw she had one kernel of corn on her plate.

Everyone surreptitiously watched the two tiny creatures as they flew around the platters. A few phones were slid out of pockets and pointed in their direction.

Once the guests were settled in and served, the older kids and adults started in. It might have looked like chaos to the casual outsider, but we had been together so long that we pretty much knew the routine.

Erik and I had relinquished our cooking attire and joined the family, with our own heaped plates and fresh drinks.

The afternoon was lovely. A light breeze kept us from getting too hot. A few lacy clouds floated overhead in a brilliant azure sky.

The sounds of people who love each other, sharing good times over a meal is one of my favorite sounds. It has a music all its own, and I sank into its warmth gratefully. Compliments to all those who had helped prepare the meal were sent around as new dishes were tried. People got second and sometimes third helpings.