Ellida (14 page)

“
Tell him I’m fine. I’ll talk to them all
when I shift back.”

“Shall I call Gerd Falkenstain to come
now?”

“
I don’t need to see a doctor. I’m fine,
really.”

Betty inhaled deeply and passed my message to
Tristan. Then she turned back to me, “As you can hear, Tristan
insists.”

I shook my head and smiled.
“No need.
Remind Tristan I’m a doctor, regardless of my current shape.
Everything’s fine. I feel excellent. Tell him not to worry. Can we
watch a movie now?”

When we went back to the sitting room, we
found Peyton and Maggie talking with Ingmar. It didn’t seem I was
the subject of their lively conversation.

I jumped on the sofa, leaving its end free
for Peyton, in case she wanted to resume her place. After a while,
the giggling stopped and she and Maggie joined us. Morgaine and
Maggie made breakfast for the human members of our Fellowship.
Peyton squeezed beside me, and I placed my head on her lap.

FOR THE rest of the day, we would interrupt
our movie marathon only when we were hungry or thirsty. At the
beginning our phones rang frequently, but we quickly learned to
ignore them.

As soon as the moon came out, I shifted back.
It still hurt, but far less than before, and only immediately
before the transformation.

I flipped from one form to another, skipping
the bloody, terrifying inter-phase one more time.

BEING SOCIABLE people, Red Cliffers loved
celebrations and gatherings of all kinds. Their numerous festivals
and holidays were the proof. They were also fond of small, more
intimate celebrations and always looking for a reason to have
one.

The Mohegans were no exception, so Astrid’s
last transformation became the perfect occasion for a family
party.

The men were busy making dinner. They’d
already chilled the wine and even baked a cake. Eamon had set the
table—it had been his job since he was a child—using Betty’s finest
damask tablecloths, porcelain dinnerware, silver cutlery and
crystal goblets. Jack had gone to the florist, bought their entire
stock of pink roses and placed them all around the house.

Jack had put James in charge of the meat. He
checked the prime rib roasting in the oven and started stuffing
veal chops with a mixture of prosciutto, Provolone cheese, roasted
peppers and oregano, preparing them for grilling. Jack was working
on side dishes: wild mushroom risotto, mashed potatoes with
parsnip, and vegetables.

Seeing Jack trimming a heap of Brussels
sprouts and halving them lengthwise, James raised his eyebrows.

“Don’t frown. I bet you’ve never eaten
Brussels sprouts with orange butter and hazelnuts. It’s delicious.
Besides, Astrid likes Brussels sprouts.”

“That’s because she’s a wizard.”

Jack laughed at the indisputable logic behind
James’ statement and turned his attention back to his task.

“Jack, what can I make?” Eamon asked.

“How about salad?”

“What kind of salad? What do you want me to
do?”

Jack thought for a moment. “Okay, we’ll make
a watercress salad with pears, pecans and gorgonzola… Do we have
pears at home?”

Now it was Eamon’s turn to throw his brother
a suspicious look. “We do. Are we making fruit salad?”

“And then orange and avocado salad on a baby
spinach bed. Takeshi, you can make dressings, if you like. I’ll
show you how.” Jack glanced at his wristwatch. Seven o’clock. About
two more hours before Astrid shifted back to human form. “I’m going
to finish the cake.”

“Ah, now we’re talking,” Eamon said. “What
did you make?”

“Chocolate Marquise.”

“My favorite!” Eamon said. “Thanks man, that
really wasn’t necessary. I’m deeply touched. Is this Astrid’s
favorite cake, too, by any chance?”

“From all your degrees and occupations,
cooking’s something I’d never have guessed would suit you, son, yet
there you are,” James said. “You’re really good at this.”

Jack smiled. “I did it on an impulse. I was
in Paris, and didn’t need another degree in the arts. That was the
first time I studied something you do with your hands. It’s a
trade, but it’s an art, too. You can say that about your skills,
right Takeshi?”

“Yes. You can be a good swordsman or you can
be a master swordsman. But doesn’t that apply to any other
profession?”

Jack shrugged. “It does, I suppose.”

Takeshi stopped whisking the dressing for a
moment. “Taste it, Jack. More lemon juice, perhaps?”

“And a pinch of sugar, and that’s it. Dad,
how’s your roast doing?”

James walked to the oven and stuck the meat
thermometer into the roast. “It’s reached 150 degrees. How much
longer?”

“Fifteen-twenty minutes, until it reaches
160. I’ll need the juices for the Marsala sauce.”

James opened the fridge and grabbed three
Heineken long necks, and a can of soda. He offered the beer to Jack
and Takeshi and tossed the soda can to Eamon.

He frowned. “Come on, Dad!”

“You’re underage, son. You’re not allowed to
drink, “James said.

“Unless a parent or guardian gives
permission,” Eamon said, quoting the law.

“Well,
he
doesn’t.”

“What’s the big deal? Alcohol doesn’t affect
us like humans.”

“It still affects us. And you are underage,”
James repeated calmly yet with unmistakable authority in his
voice.

Eamon sighed and popped his soda can
open.

“WHEN WILL you plan the wedding, Jack?”
James asked a little bit later. They were alone in the kitchen.
Eamon and Takeshi were busy hooking up Eamon’s old laptop in the
family room so that Astrid could use it later to talk to Tristan
and Liv on Skype.

“We haven’t talked about it yet. I think
Astrid doesn’t want it before all that mess with Seth is over.”

James ran his hand through his hair. “She’s
worried sick about her mother now. I hope nothing will happen to
Rowena. That would break Astrid’s heart… God, that I’d live to say
that!”

“We didn’t know, James. We still don’t know
what really happened.”

“It’s going to be over soon. One way or
another. We’ll support Darius by all means, but Astrid’s safety is
our first priority. When is Darius coming back?”

“By the end of next month. We should all be
ready by fall.”

“I’ve been ready, son, for the last
twenty-five years,” James said through clenched jaws. “I’ve been
waiting for so long to lay my hands on that bastard.”

“Tell me about it.”

“I know, son. I know,” James said and rubbed
his chin. He took a swig of beer and changed the subject. “Did
Astrid apply for that job in the ER?”

“She did. She won’t like it when she learns
she didn’t get it.”

James frowned. “We’ll let Gerhard Falkenstein
break the news. That’s his job. Besides, he encouraged her to
apply. Don’t worry, when she hears who got it, she’ll be okay.”

Eamon came in. “I need a screwdriver… Jack,
Astrid can start singing for Rawhide. Do you think she’ll be okay
by Friday?”

“She’ll be okay, but don’t push her, Eamon.
Maybe she isn’t ready.”

“Have you ever heard her sing, man? She
shouldn’t be talking at all, she should be singing all the time.
I’ve never heard a voice like that. It’s the voice of an
angel.”

“I know. But you must let her do it at her
own pace. Okay?”

“Of course.”

“Eamon, the screwdriver, please!” Takeshi
said from the living room.

“Coming, coming!” Eamon yelled back. “Why
don’t you use your magic, wizard?”

“I WANTED to be a singer,” Astrid had told
Jack once. He smiled at the memory. They were still pushing her,
all of them. Less than two months ago Astrid had been a trauma
surgeon in a small hospital in Rosenthal, living in her little
house, had her two friends, her books and music. And then he had
stormed in, uprooting her from the life she’d chosen for herself.
He’d brought her here, and left her among unknown people. Only his
unconditional love balanced out all those changes. And his
remarkable, wonderful Astrid didn’t ask for anything else. She
hadn’t flinched, hadn’t bent under that enormous burden. She’d
accepted her new life and new role with a rare courage and grace,
and loved him back with the same unconditional love.

Jack shook his head and continued aloud,
“It’s so unfair. We turned her life upside down, and all she asked
for was a job. Tristan made it possible, and then Ahmed got
it.”

“It was your idea to ask him to come here,
Jack,” James reminded him. “I just thought a job offer would speed
up his decision.”

They leaned on the kitchen island in exactly
the same position: arms folded across their chest, legs crossed at
their ankles. In spite of their different physical appearance, they
truly looked like father and son.

“You insisted Astrid shouldn’t be working
before she officially announced her decision,” Jack retorted. “But
yes, I really wanted to bring Ahmed to Red Cliffs.”

“After last night, nobody will question her
status here. The Captains were stunned by her size, speed, strength
and her hunt. I talked to Gerhard today. He says Astrid can start
next month. He’ll open a position for her. He knows what he’s
getting.”

Jack sighed. “I know. It’s just that I feel
I’ve somehow let her down.”

“Then make it up to her. Your job contract
has expired. You don’t need to go anywhere. I’ll go, if necessary.
You have a few weeks to court her. It’s not much, but still. When
are you going to renovate your house? I bet Astrid will enjoy
that.” He smiled. “Your mother does.”

“We’re starting tomorrow with the bathrooms.
Astrid wants her own bathroom.”

“So you’re moving in here for a while?
Good.”

“Until the bedroom and bathrooms are done…
Take that roast from the oven, it’s done.”

Roasting pan still in his hands, James turned
to Jack. “I want grandchildren, son,” he said out of the blue.
“It’s been a long time since Eamon was a baby.”

Jack was taken aback by James’ unexpected
revelation. “Why don’t you and Mom try for more?”

“I said I want grandchildren, which means no
diapers, colic, teething and sleepless nights. That will be your
part. My job will be to teach my grandson how to fish, how to track
animals, to read bedtime stories, stuff like that.” He paused and
then continued, “Betty and I are blessed with two sons and a
daughter. Many couples struggle to have even one child. You know
how it’s been in the last two decades. It just doesn’t seem right
to want more than we already have. But it seems very right to be a
grandfather.”

Jack smiled. “I’ll see what Astrid and I can
do about that. Would a granddaughter do, or do you need a boy for
fishing and bird watching?”

“I’m not that picky. I know about flowers,
too.”

“Good, because I hope it will be a girl.”

Eamon, who popped in the kitchen to fetch
another can of soda, caught Jack’s last remark

“Astrid’s pregnant?!” he exclaimed. “She
shouldn’t be shifting if she’s pregnant! How could you let her do
that?”

“Take it easy, Eamon. She’s not pregnant.
Where did you get that idea?”

“You said you hoped for a baby girl.”

Before Jack could answer, Takeshi came in.
“Don’t tell me Astrid’s pregnant! She still can’t control her
change! That’s dangerous! And she should stop her training right
away!”

Jack threw his arms in the air. “She. Is.
Not. Pregnant! What’s wrong with you two? You, Takeshi, you
should’ve known better, you offered to help her out last night. Her
spirits are still loose, remember? You think I would risk getting
her pregnant before she’s ready?”

“See, Jack,” his father interrupted,
laughing, “I want to be a grandfather and Eamon wants to be an
uncle.”

“And you Master Nakamura, what do you want to
be to my child?” Jack said, laughing, too.

“A teacher. I could train her in proper
swordsmanship and martial arts.”

“
Her
? In that case, you certainly can
teach her. But you know what? In the meantime, the three of you
should make a wish list and hand it to Astrid. I’m sure she’ll do
her best to accommodate your various requests.” He turned to his
brother. “Eamon, are the Blakes at home? Have you tried calling
them?”

Eamon nodded and Jack went to the living room
to talk to his friends.

BY HALF past eight my transformation cycle
was over. I’d showered, washed my hair and rested a bit. I put on
my beige mohair V-neck and my favorite pair of blue jeans.

The Fellowship of the Full Moon was ready to
part.

“Thank you all,” I said simply, moving my
eyes from one to another. They smiled back at me and hugged me, one
by one.

“Still friends?” I whispered to Peyton.

“Still friends,” she said. “You relax now
with Jack, okay?” She smiled and rubbed my back. “I’m fine, I
really am.”

I looked at her eyes and saw she meant what
she said.

I TOOK Peyton’s advice to ease off. When
Jack opened the door, I threw myself in his outstretched arms. My
companions patiently waited until he pulled us both aside so that
they could come in.

“Welcome home, baby. I’ve missed you,” he
said softly.

I buried my nose in his neck, thirstily
breathing in his incredible scent. My hands moved along his arms,
recognizing every single muscle and curve underneath his T-shirt.
“You’re my home, Jack! Oh, how I missed you! Not exactly the last
two days, mind you, I had such a good time with the girls, but
before… Don’t go again!” I babbled, too happy for a single
intelligible thought.

“Come,” he pulled me toward the family dining
room. “There’s somebody who wants to meet you.”