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I was musing about all of our accomplishments when Opal, who had stepped away to grab a drink from the refrigerator, returned and said, “Whatever. What you both need to know about, and have not seemed to notice by the way, is your youngest child.”
“Excuse me?” I snickered but she knew I also took offense to that. We paid a lot of attention to all five of our children.
“Thirteen and already falling in love… with someone she should not be falling in love with.” She was so dramatic about it.
“In love?” I asked all over exaggerated. Okay, so Opal might have gotten that from me. I giggled and she quirked her serious dark brow. I asked, “Since when?”
“Since you invited a hormone-activating gargoyle into our home. Look out there. Look at her. Oh, for the love of… just look at him!” She pointed and I looked toward the pool area.
I gasped at the sight. It was not nearly as bad as Opal was making it out to be, but it was very obvious our youngest was showing off for a gargoyle that was coming into his own as a young man and didn’t quite know what to do with her.
“We’re practically family.” Opal scoffed and then headed out of the kitchen and toward where her father and brother were in some other room.
Ellie entered the kitchen a moment later with an empty bowl and said, “They are really going through the snacks today.”
“You see that?” I pointed and Ellie moved to my vantage and looked out the window at our kids. Well, my kid trying to flirt with her kid.
“Noooo,” she whispered. “They aren’t—oooh they are. Those little sneaky sneaks.”
We then burst out laughing because we knew it when they were even younger that something was there between them. Ellie said, “She has your smooth tactics.”
“Hey!” I pushed her shoulder and laughed. “I can be… subtle.”
Then I winced and said, “He, unfortunately, seems to take after his father in the romance department.”
Ellie laughed and said, “You have no idea.” She covered her face as she shook her head. “I’ll work on him. Maybe help his communication.”
We watched my not so subtle baby girl tap on the statue that was Ellie’s youngest son. Try as we might not to giggle, it was impossible.
I was so relaxed, so happy, I didn’t even think about it when I reached for the spice on the rack without actually reaching for the particular spice I wanted on it and found it in my hand.
Ellie smiled and said, “And again, the tides are changing.”
“Blackthorn changes everything.” I looked at her and she nodded. “Will you look after Opal and Midas?”
“Of course. No need to ask.” She then asked, “And you will make sure to tell us if BJ is up to something back here?”
Her oldest was working as part of the camp. He had a bit more demon than his parents would have liked, but all that energy and mischief made him a lot of fun for the kids who came to the camp. He was seventeen, already graduated, and not interested in the academy. He grew up there, he wanted to experience life outside of it.
“We already agreed he will have dinner here with us at least three nights.” He had his own little apartment space, but he was still young and the city had so much to explore and get into that the academy lands did not.
“Can you believe we are even having this conversation?” she asked as she grabbed two bowls of snacks to take out toward the pool this time. Maybe that would help her youngest snap back to an animated form.
“In the woods, in that arena, I had to choose between two paths. One was simple, very clear, and uncomplicated. I looked down that road and I could see everything. Marriage to some wizard that would put work before family. Constantly having to keep up with society and Mayhem expectations. And then there was the second path. I couldn’t see much of anything. I just saw the stream of water and heard the cry of babies, and I knew that Thurston was down that path. I just had to be brave enough to go find him.” I looked at her and admitted. “And I felt you next to me, Ellie. I felt like with my best friend by my side, I could do anything, so I started walking down that dark and dreary path and walked right out into the sunshine where all I could see was a group of monsters that had been turned into toddlers!”
We laughed again and she shoulder bumped me. “I didn’t know what to do with them.”
“They were so cute though right?” I asked.
“Yes. Not super excited about their condition, but so adorable.” She exited as I held the door. “And you, Maxine the magnificent have lived up to your name. I couldn’t imagine my life without Mayhem in it.”
“Mom! I think he’s broken.” My youngest seemed very concerned about her gargoyle.
We giggled and she did not like that response. I said, “Come over here and get some snacks. Maybe when he gets hungry enough, he will re-animate.”
“I just wanted to dance with him. The music was playing.” She stomped her way toward us.
Ellie whispered, “I’ll check on him.”
Thurst, Braz, and the rest of the family had made their way to the area. Probably ready to begin the actual meal. Thurst asked, “Check on who?”
“Oh, My Love. Your youngest daughter has her mother’s courtship skills.” I indicated the statue in our yard.
“Then he’ll be a lucky gargoyle.” Thurst wrapped me in his arms and kissed my cheek. “Or exhausted. Maybe both.”
I laughed and turned to kiss him. “I love you.”
“Always and forever, Maxine My Love. I love you.”
