Tease Read online

  Graham’s arm was around me while Alton’s hand rested in mine. Alton’s head was leaning back on the couch, causing his mouth to fall open and a light snore to escape his lips. I looked around at the stir-crazy Vandershots and tried to lean forward without moving Alton too much. “You guys have been pretty good sports about staying inside and being boring with me, but we’ve got to do something to pass the time, or it’s going to be a long couple of weeks.” An innocent smile crossed my lips. “Anyone want to play poker?”

  Boston clapped his hand to his thigh and drained his beer. “I knew I liked you for a reason.”

  Danny shook his head. “This is bedrest, not sit at the table and drink beer time.”

  My shoulders fell. “Seriously? It’s just sitting at the kitchen table instead of the couch. Aren’t you bored?”

  “Bored doesn’t matter as much as alive does. It’s important your baby stays alive. Maybe not to you, but to me and the rest of the kingdom, it’ll be good to have an Omen to spare. Two, if Solomon turns out to be a girl.”

  My glare was supposed to cut Danny to the quick, but dude was impenetrable. “Fine. I’ll be living it up in bed. Call me when Ollie gets here.”

  “And bedrest doesn’t mean sitting up in the bed; it means laying down. Try to remember that, yeah?”

  “I’m the nurse, you assjack!” I gave Danny the finger and stomped into my bedroom, knowing one of my constant shadows would soon follow me. What I didn’t expect was three minutes later, for everyone to come into my bedroom with cards, the poker chips and chairs. I was so surprised and touched that I almost forgot I was pissed at Danny. Almost.

  “Will it shut you up if we play in here?”

  “I don’t know. Are you bringing your personality?”

  Boston looked uncomfortably at the chips. “Just playing for quarters, right?”

  I remembered that he’d lost more than he could pay back when he and Von had gone gambling in Dagat. Von had sold himself to pay off Boston’s debt, which I’m guessing had given Boston a healthy aversion to any kind of betting. “We don’t even have to do that. We can just play for fun.”

  Boston relaxed visibly, his shoulders loosening as he climbed into the bed next to me and started shuffling the cards. “That sounds more my speed. You ready to lose, little sister?”

  “Aw, it’s sweet how little you know me. Deal it up, hun. You got enough room?”

  Boston situated himself more comfortably on the bed, leaning against the headboard and pressing his shoulder to mine so he could pull while we played. Alton was still sleeping on the couch, but Mariang, Danny and Graham were gathered around the bed, ready for something other than movies and conversation about baby stuff. When Mariang started up about sonograms, I was grateful when Boston came to the rescue. “No way, love. This is poker. There’s no baby chatter in poker.”

  Mariang quickly lost interest after losing her chips, not quite understanding which hands were higher than the others. She kissed Danny and left to go take a nap with Alton in Ollie’s room.

  With Mariang’s sweetness gone, the trash talk picked up. “I didn’t know you were also bad at cards,” Graham said to me after I purposefully lost a hand so I could solidify everyone’s tells. “Bad at bedrest and bad at cards. Utter shame. I believe Mariang’s in Ollie’s bedroom if you wanted to start a knitting circle. Perhaps you’re good at that sort of thing?” His wicked smile paved the pathway to his defeat four hands later. I’d cajoled him into raising past what he’d wanted and took more than half his chips.

  Boston was nearly knocked out of the bed when the front door opened. “October?” Ollie called through the house.

  “Ollie!” I scrambled to get to my brother, but only managed to mess up my pile of chips as I fumbled off the bed. “I’m in here!” I ignored Danny’s protests that I was supposed to be in bed and ran to Ollie, which is harder to do than it sounds when you’re so very pregnant. Ollie oofed when I collided into his filthy body. He had mud and dirt everywhere, but I didn’t care. I hugged my brother, the story about Allie spilling out of me before he’d even taken his shoes off.

  “Hold on. What?”

  I realized the whole long story would have to be explained, with Sama and everything. Danny didn’t have the patience for any of it, and barked for me to get back into bed. “I mean it, daft girl. If I see you out of your bed again, I’ll lick all your spoons and put them back into the drawer.”

  My skin started to crawl with all the icks. “Don’t you even think about it.”

  Ollie held up his hands to the living room. “Okay, let me shower and change, and then tell me what I missed, other than September growing to be the size of a watermelon. I mean, wow!” He looked around the room, only vaguely remembering the extended collection of Vandershot brothers. “Where’s Von?”

  “He stepped out,” I offered before anyone else could tell my brother that I was leave-able, that September didn’t have a father, and that I was alone in this. “Go wash up, and we’ll fill you in on everything.”

  After Ollie was safely tucked inside the bathroom, Mariang lowered her voice. “Why didn’t you tell Ollie that Von left?”

  “Because it’s embarrassing. Because I don’t want my brother to know that the sister he sacrificed everything for can’t even get a guy to stick around the day her fiancé asks her to marry him.” I pointed my finger out at the Vandershot audience. “And we’re not mentioning the proposal, since Von isn’t in the picture anymore. You all got that? Ollie’s got enough on his plate.”

  The nods of uncertain compliance bobbed in my vision. “He’ll find out eventually,” Graham warned. “Wouldn’t it be better coming from you?”

  I couldn’t bring myself to add more drama to the overflowing plate of pure crap. “I’ll be in bed if anybody needs me.”

  Six.

  Staying for Us

  Ollie barely heard the whole story about Philip being Sama, and Allie being in a hospital before he was out the door and on a plane with Ezra and Alton. He and Danny both agreed that I couldn’t go, and that it would be faster to fly instead of drive.

  Each hour that passed stretched out into eternity. I felt awful just lying in bed while Allie was in a hospital in California, trying to call for me, but unable to make her voice heard.

  I’d thought she’d written us off. I’d thought she’d left us. The guilt sunk hard in me, like a rock that made my whole gut sour as I turned over the heartache to examine it from every angle.

  I spent that day and the next morning trying not to check my phone every five minutes, proud of myself when I made it to ten whole minutes without diving for the device.

  “I don’t know how you can make sense of this,” Graham said of my book from Finn. I was determined to finish the series, if for no other reason than to occupy my mind so I didn’t go crazy. “It’s written completely in Mer.”

  “It’s not so bad. Just a code that needs cracking, characters that need organizing. I totally get into stuff like that.”

  “Will you read it to me?”

  I quirked an eyebrow at him. “Seriously? I can’t imagine you’d be into love stories about Mermaids and humans.”

  His arm was slung low around my hips as we sat on the bed together, giving Boston a much-needed break to refuel. “I’m into anything that’ll keep me from falling asleep.”

  “I’m not sure this’ll do it for you, but sure.” I stopped translating and read only from my notes. They had been meticulously scribed so I could read myself the series that was probably no more special than any other love story. Except this was my mountain to climb, and for that reason, I loved it.

  Graham was a great audience, letting me read without too much interruptive commentary. It wasn’t until the third chapter that I glanced up and realized his eyes were unfocused, and staring toward the nightstand. “Whatcha thinking about?” I asked, setting the notebook down.

  “Truth?”

  I shrugged. “Why not?”

  “I was wondering
what to do about Sama getting inside your mind while you’re asleep. Maybe we could wake you every so often so you get interrupted and he can’t get to you for very long.”

  “Huh. It’s not a terrible idea, except for the fact that I’ll eventually need to sleep a full night. Not to be overly dramatic, but growing a human? Tiring.”

  “I can imagine it’s slightly more difficult than growing a plant.” He frowned. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear this, but every time Von’s gone away, it’s always been for a good reason.”

  I cleared my throat. “As much as I appreciate the pep talk, I don’t think I need it. I’m dealing. There are plenty of single moms who pick themselves up and move on with their baby when the guy splits. I never knew my dad, and I turned out alright.”

  Graham pulled me tighter to his side and pressed his temple to mine. I’d quickly learned that Graham was a sweetie pie. He was the gentleman type, which subconsciously made me sit up straighter and speak softer. “Indeed. Though let’s not throw in the towel on Von yet, shall we? Our father was gone, too, and though we grew up alright, I wouldn’t wish that on a child. Especially not my niece.”

  I opened the notebook again, fishing for a change of subject. “I appreciate you guys being here for this to help out. It’s a good feeling in the middle of all this black to think of September being close to her uncles.”

  A genuine smile lit Graham’s face. “That’s a relief. For all your talk about raising the baby alone, we were worried you’d edge us out, since you’re planning on doing this without Von.”

  I picked up Graham’s hand and placed it where September’s tiny little butt was positioned. “Of course I want you guys around for her. But I’m not delusional. I know you have lives. You’re giving up enough just being here.”

  “Aw, there’s nowhere I’d rather be. I’ll stay as long as you’ll have me. The IT profession will still be there when I return to the Topsider workforce. And you underestimate how well Ezra pays his employees. He puts a high premium on his daughters’ lives. Terraway spares no expense when it comes to protecting the Omens. This is the best job any Duwende can hope for. The fact that it’s you and September? So much the better. I’ll stay until September graduates university, if that’s what you like.” He rubbed my belly like a crystal ball. “Alton may have to move home again after September comes because his girlfriend’s back in London, but I’ve got nothing holding me anywhere but here. I’m in it for the long haul.”

  I kept my head down as my eyes fogged over. “You’ll really stay with us?”

  “Oh, darling. Of course I will.” Graham’s lax arm around me coiled and tightened until I was cuddled up to his chest. He even dabbed at my tears with his handkerchief, like a true gentleman. “Oh, there’s no need to cry. Unless, of course, you’re realizing this means you’re also stuck with Boston for the next twenty years.”

  I choked out a laugh as Graham held me, realizing I wasn’t all that alone after all.

  When my phone beeped that I’d received a text, I jumped and all but lunged for the nightstand, holding my phone so Graham could see.

  My heart thudded unsteadily as I read the message from Ollie. Found Allie. She’s got promising brainwaves, but still in a coma. Bringing her home. Should be there tomorrow night.

  Seven.

  Madness is my Specialty

  I’m not sure why my brother assumed I would be patient, or that I’d sleep, but it took Boston and Graham half an hour of steady pulling to drag me under. “But I should be cleaning,” I insisted. “Allie’s coming home, and she gets nervous when the house is messy.”

  “Daft girl,” Boston said as he shifted next to me, staring up at the ceiling. “Your house is perfectly clean. Annoyingly clean, if you ask me.”

  “She loves apple pie. We used to bake them on the first Sunday of the month. She said they were too good for us to make them more often than that – it would spoil us.” I sat up with renewed purpose. “I should bake her one. We need apples. And cheddar cheese. Ollie only eats apple pie with a slice of thick cheddar cheese melted on top.”

  Boston grimaced. “Apple pie with cheese? I can’t imagine a better way to ruin a good thing.”

  Graham reached a weighted hand up and dragged me down to lay on my side facing him. “She’s in a coma, honey. She can’t eat pie yet.”

  “But maybe the smell! That’s what she needs. Just to smell something familiar. The hospital doesn’t smell familiar. Who would want to wake up to that? She’s probably staying so long in her coma on protest because there’s nothing delicious to smell in there.”

  Graham’s hand rested on my cheek, his eyes barely open. “Sleep first. I’ll bake a pie with you in the morning. If you do it now, the smell won’t be near as fresh. You don’t want to bring her an old pie now, do you?”

  I deflated at his solid logic. “You’re good.”

  “I’m tired, and so are you. Close your eyes.”

  “But I can clean the house now. She notices dust, and I haven’t checked for cobwebs in two days! Two! Do you know how much damage dust can do in forty-eight hours?”

  Graham’s voice was quiet, but insistent. “Close your eyes, darling.”

  “Oh, man. I should probably put fresh linens on her bed. They’ll take a day to straighten any wrinkles out.”

  “Close your eyes,” Graham whispered, which made me want to lower my voice. “Close your eyes and picture life a few months from now. September will be dressed all in pink if Mariang has any say. It’ll be warm out, so we’ll take her for stroller walks and show her the different flowers.” He paused, scratching his barely there stubble. “What else?”

  “I want her to spend lots of time outside. Maybe Ollie and I can put up a swing set in the backyard when she gets big enough to enjoy it.”

  “Hmm. That sounds nice.”

  Boston chimed in with, “Von has a thing about swing sets, so you might have a bigger battle on your hands than you realize.”

  “What are you talking about? Von’s afraid of the swings?”

  Boston turned on his side and spooned me, his arm draping over my belly lazily as he spoke sleepily into the nape of my neck. “Bish broke his arm when we were kids, jumping off the swings at school. Von carried him in from the play yard all the way to the school nurse. He was always worried when we went on the swings after that. He’d hover worse than Mum. It was funny. We took to doing flips off the swings just to make him panic.” He shifted against me, finally resting his nose to my neck as his breathing started to even out. A few minutes later, Boston was snoring like a sweet little kitten. I don’t know why that made me smile – perhaps because their quirks were familiar now. We were comfortable enough with each other for him to spoon me and cuddle up to me without even a hint of a pervy joke. As much as I often wanted my space, I was starting to love the Vandershot boys.

  Graham’s arm draped around my shoulder, encasing me in the bubble of protection. It reinforced Graham’s pledge that no matter what, September would have a family who loved her and showed up for her.

  Graham pulled harder than usual. He relaxed me enough to go to sleep after a few minutes of fighting the desire to get up and clean the whole house.

  My breathing evened, and I was transported to an amusement park I’d been to when I was a child. It was the same one that Bev, Ollie and Allie had spent the whole night fighting at, only they were nowhere in sight as I searched through the night. I could smell the popcorn and hot dogs in the air, making me salivate as I longed for a simpler life. I was alone in the park under the stars, but instead of a creepy eerie feeling, I felt liberated. No one was fighting this time. I could go on any ride I wanted, eat all the cotton candy, and no one would tell me I was too pregnant to do the fun stuff.

  I trotted to the Ferris wheel and closed myself inside one of the cars. With the magic of my imagination, the ride climbed higher until I stopped the progression, overlooking the Eiffel tower I’d moved to make the scenery spectacular. In reality, it had been a
strip mall as the backdrop for the night Allie had cried and Ollie and Bev had shouted for an hour straight over something I’d been too young to understand.

  I smiled and sighed with satisfaction that in the still of the night, I could look at something beautiful while being so high above the ground and away from all of the problems it held for me. The Ferris wheel structure was massive. In my childhood mind’s eye, it stretched to the heavens, taking my breath away when not even birds dared to fly this high. There was something peaceful, thinking about the amazing things humans could do without magic.

  “I’m glad you’ve decided to play nice this time.”

  I turned my head, and suddenly Philip was in the cart on my left. “Get away from me!”

  Philip was unperturbed by my complete and total rejection of him. He sat back in the cart, his hands folded behind his head as if we were on a romantic date, and I was happy to be here. I wanted to punch him, but knew I couldn’t get much of a windup. Instead I made the Ferris wheel move so I could run away from him. The steady clinks of the wheel brought me one step closer to freedom.

  Still, Philip was unperturbed. “I’ve been here before, you know. Your sister used to bring us here and relive the whole traumatic event, back when I was a comfort to her. You mother was quite the villain.” He pointed to a trash can below. “Right there was where Allison was so hungry, she took a hot dog that was sitting half eaten on the edge of the garbage can. Your mother called her fat, though you know Allie’s always been thin as a rail, like yourself. Allie was so ashamed that she made herself throw up the hot dog back into the trash can she’d stolen it from. Caused quite the ruckus between your brother and your mother.” Philip cleared his throat, seeing the scene in detail. “I took her through the whole park while we ate our fill of whatever she’d been cheated on in her real life. I lit a fire in the garbage can, and we burned all the things that tormented her.” His eyes were very far off as he replayed the scene. “I was good to her. She had no cause to resist me, but eventually she did.”