Aunty M helped Wayne put the children to bed, walking down the rooms of each of the kid's rooms. "Well, Wayne," Aunty M said, looking towards EJ's room. "For a minute there, I thought we were going to have another mess on our hands."
"What do you mean, Aunty M?" Pa said, taking another peek at EJ sleeping, "everything turned out alright," as he dosed the door to his room. "Exactly," slapping him hard on the back, knocking the wind right
out of him.
"You know what I mean, how that boy in there hates surprises, especially his own," she said.
"Yes, I'm a whereof that, but don't you think he's old enough to realize how important it is to know how much we care about him? Especially now when he needs us the most." He asked. Wayne knows what's coming and what's out there and if son Robert and his wife's visions are correct. Praying to the Gods himself, hoping against the odds that don't come to pass. Yet, knowing that it will, nobody could stop it.
Aunty M pauses in step momentarily, thinking about what she has read recently regarding Mike's journals. She, too, is praying, but like Wayne and his family, she knows that there is only one way to face it, which is to face it head-on. Then deal with it when it comes. No God will prevent it, no matter how much you pray.
"True, but you don't need to push him over the edge too early either; after all, it's only been a year since-."
"I know, but time is running short, and he has to grow a little and handle what's coming. He can barely handle a little lightning storm these days." Pa looked back towards his room. "This boy spooked, and I mean spooked bad," he said. "And who wouldn't be after of all the things he has seen."
Aunty M looking back towards the window. Down the hall. "Heck, we both know what's out there, Wayne, and so do your boys, but they're handling it a little better than he is now."
Aunty M is deep in thought about Wayne and Martha's family. They have two daughters, Anna and Julie. Julie has discovered a new dragon form and made friends in the nearby mountains. Meanwhile, Anna has found her talent in plant life and suspects she might be connected to dragons, just like her sister. She has also noticed unusual things happening around her, especially after the incident where they all went off-world for an unknown amount of time. The two older boys, Robert and Will, also returned changed.
Aunty M is surprised that Will has yet to share his ability to speak old languages and with magical runes that he has been spending time with unusual company, and the same goes for his sisters. Similarly, Robert's gift of "Sight" is rapidly developing, just like Julie's ability. However, discussing these gifts could lead to a catastrophic event and potentially cause extinction-level events for all here and beyond the many realms and galaxies. That is why they all under what they call the "hush, hush" rule. "True," Wayne said, watching the shadows on the walls as they walked the hallways of the house.
'Tm just saying, be careful, that's all. Don't push. We don't need any more problems, not now. This is no time to be reckless, boy, no sir." Aunty M is thinking of Martha and the news she heard today. "Best keep things loose, dear," Aunty M and Wayne reaching his bedroom door, "don't rock the boat not unless you have to, and I mean it, son. To be careful, most of all cautious."
Wayne gave a heavy sigh. "You're probably right."
"Now git, I'll finish up in here. Head off to bed myself," shoving him towards his room where his wife is.
Aunty M sighs, and looks down the hall of the children's rooms and out the window of the Downing farm. "Least it is a quiet night; no storms on the horizon," she said, pouring a glass of fresh milk. She took it to her room and settled in for a nice night as she closed the door. Aunty M whispering. "Storms, oh how I hare them," she drifts off to sleep as the shadows in the room sit by her, watching until the rooster crows his soft cock a doodle doo. Aunty M stirs, yawns, scratches, looking out the farm window, then turns towards her table in her room; on the table is a letter.
"Margaret," with a little darkened rose sitting by its side.
Thanks for the invite to dinner; Granny and I will be glad to come. We have lots to talk about.
-Your Friend Mr. G.-
Aunty M flies out of bed, opens the door, and runs down the hall to EJ's room. Opening the door with ease, she saw him just getting up. She sighed with relief as he turned, seeing her in the doorway with a strange look on his face as he yawned good morning to her. "I know breakfast is getting cold," as he scratched his old wound on his arm.
"Yes, dear," she replies, kissing his head and leaving his room. "Now hurry up."
"Yes, Aunty M," and yawns some more.
Aunty M tucked the note into her purse, looked back towards her room, and then walked to the kitchen to help with breakfast. "Well, she did say he would stop by with an answer," she shrugged her shoulders and downed two cups of Joe. Planning her day, looking at Martha and the girls at the table. Martha, how would you and the girls like to go into town today and get some fresh air?"
Martha smiles, putting down her sewing basket. "Now that sounds like a lovely idea," she said.
"Wayne, pull around the buggy; we're going to town," replied Aunty M. "Yes, ma'am."
Ma sent the boys off to school with a wave and kiss on the cheek. Wayne brought around the buggy while Aunty M made a short list of things to get while they were in town. ''Are you sure that's a good idea?" Wayne asked, gazing down at his wife.
"Wayne, she'll be fine," she said as she helped her into the buggy. "We are just going to New Downing for the morning, dear. And she is not due for at least another month and could use the fresh air," as Aunty M wrapped a warm quilt around her.
"Wayne. I'll be fine," Martha said, squeezing his hand and kissing his cheek, "I do want to get out of this house."
"Alright, dear," Wayne, glancing back at Aunty M, waved goodbye, shook his head, and walked back into the house with the two small boys.
When they arrived, they were greeted with waves before running into Doctor Whitmore. "Morning, Martha, ladies," Doc replied as they pulled into town. "Morning doctor Whitmore. How's the boys and Renee?" asked Martha.
"Fine, glad to see you out and about."
"Glad to be out, Doc," Martha said, looking at the sky as Aunty M and the girls helped Martha out of the buggy.
"Well, now, don't overdo it," shaking his finger at her.
"I won't, Doc, I promise," she said as she smiled, waving him down the street.
"Now, let's see what we need." Aunty M took out her list, "five lbs. of oranges and seven lbs. of chat," looking at the price of flour and shaking her head. "Good grief, Martha. Things today people could barely afford them. Go on, dear," Aunty M saw Ned around the corner. Aunty M gave Anna a shove towards the door."Well, go on," she said, watching her smile back at Ned as he kicked the dirt with his foot.
Aunty M gives Ned a wink and continues her shopping. "Martha dear, I want to talk to you about something," taking her further inside the store so those two could be alone.
"Hi Anna," as Ned gets closer, "noticed you were in town," Ned looked towards the shop.
Anna giggled softly. "Ah huh, we need to do some shopping, that's all. What are you doing, Ned?"
"Noten." he kicked the dirt a little more, trying not to blush. "Noten much, that is. Maybe I could come over sometime and see you. That is if you want me to," he replied, kicking the ground with his foot swinging side to side.
Anna giggled. "Huh, I would like that, Ned." Ned smiles, trying not to show his teeth, "you would?"
Anna slowly bats her eyes. "Ahh, huh."
"Well, hello Ned, how's Granny?" Martha asked, coming out of the store with Aunty M behind her and Julie giggling.
"Fine, Mrs. Downing."
"Glad to hear," Ma, watching Anna and Aunty M. "I wanted to thank you for taking such good care of us last summer."
"Ahh, it' was noten Mrs. Downing," Ned said, glancing over at Anna and smiling.
"Oh, but it was dear. We would have never pulled through without you boys and Granny."
"Thanks, Mrs. Downing, just a doen me jobs that's y'all, really, I'm glad to have been of service," Ned said while grinning at Anna.
"Say, Aunty M was just telling me how to have a dinner party to thank you all, and you know she is right."
Aunty M looked at Martha as if she had just fallen out of a tree, "I am," she replied.
"Why not? It is just the thing," looking over at Anna and Ned. After all, she is no dummy regarding love at first sight. They need a push in the right direction, hers, and nobody else's, looking at Aunty M. She can smell a setup for months, and she has been trying to get Anna to consider the possibility least and maybe slow it down to a slow crawl if she can. Plus, give her something to do and Aunty M out of her hair for a while."
"Say, why don't you come by the house for supper, say 6 o'clock, and have Granny bring that fella of hers? I would love to meet him. What's his name, son?" she asked.
"Mr. Golden Eyes, Mr. G for short, ma'am." "Does he have a first name, son?" Martha asked.
"Not sure, we just call him Mr. G. He's real particular about his name." "I see, well anyway, bring him by; we'll make a party of it."
''Yes, ma'am," she said, watching him go, waving to Anna as she batted her eyes at him. Julie and Ma giggle, watching him trip over himself when he looks back, shaking their heads.
"Anna, whatever you have done to that poor boy, he's got it bad," Ma asked.
"What, Ma?"
As they laughed, "Come on, we have shopping to do," Ma said.