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“Ignore her,” Eddie says, throwing a wink Julia’s way as he speaks and signs to Trisha. “It’ll be more incentive for her to learn so she won’t miss any part of a conversation.”
“Do you want to learn?” Trisha asks my daughter, who firmly nods in reply. “I was able to find two books on sign language in Dayton’s library. You can have first dibs on them. Hopefully, no one tracks me down for late fees, I have no intention of returning them!”
When we all look a little confused, she continues, “In the weeks after the power went out, the library became the most popular place in town. The librarian is really strict, but I get the impression she was even before this happened.”
“Did my dad get a chance to go over the rules?” I ask and she shares a look with Eddie; not finding what she was looking for she turns back to me, so I continue. “I mean, we’re not a cult or anything bad, but it’s his home, so it’s not exactly a democracy either.”
“I didn’t really get to talk to him yet, he was still speaking to Dale when Julia and Eddie decided to show me around.”
“Why don’t you three finish your tour and I’ll meet you at the house once I finish up here?” Thankfully, they take my hint and I turn back to make sure the makeshift hatchery is functioning properly.
*
Hours later, long after Dale left for his fishing cabin, when the cold wind and darkness drove us inside the main house, Julia makes her way over to where Aiden and I are cuddling on a window seat to push herself in beside me.
“What do you think of Trisha?” she quietly asks us. Closer to the fire, a tilt of Dylan’s head tells me he’s straining to eavesdrop, but no one else seems to pay us any mind.
“She seems nice. I guess I was surprised at how clearly she speaks, but I don’t have much experience with the deaf. She had my head spinning with all the questions she asked me during my exam this afternoon. I didn’t know how stressed I was until I realized how competent she seems to be,” I answer in the same low tone of voice. “Trisha said you two will go through mom’s notebooks tomorrow.”
“Well, first I want to dig into the sign language books she gave me and I’ll give her time to go through Grandma’s notes and inventory, but then, yeah, I want to find time every day to pick her brain about nursing and practice ASL. Uncle Eddie said something about her losing her hearing in her teens, but I figure she’ll tell us if she wants to.”
“Learning sign language is not a bad idea for all of us,” Aiden speaks up. “Signing can come in handy for when we’re out hunting or if we need to be stealthy around here.”
“It’s not like we don’t have the time, with it getting dark so early,” I agree with him.
“There are other things to fill the time,” he whispers in my ear.
“That brings me to my other thought,” Julia says, not even pretending she didn’t hear him. Her eyes dart to where Eddie is sitting, feeding his daughter and watching the others work on a thousand-piece puzzle that’s spread across the coffee table. “What do you think of Uncle Eddie and Trisha together?”
“Jesus, Julia—she’s only been here a few hours,” I say and immediately feel Aiden’s chest shaking behind me. “Let the woman unpack her bags first.”
Julia exchanges an amused look with Aiden and rubs her hands together, looking like a cartoon character bent on world domination. “So, it’s settled then?”
“Leave it alone! If it’s meant to be, they’ll get there on their own,” I insist, but know that she’s unstoppable when she gets an idea in her head.
“Mom, we have to give Uncle Eddie a chance before Dad tries anything,” Julia sounds exasperated, as she pats me on the head like I’m a child and crosses the room to sit across from Trisha, joining in on completing the puzzle the others are struggling with.
“Eddie doesn’t stand a chance, not if Julia has any say in it.” Aiden’s voice is low and husky as he trails his lips down my neck. “Now, what do you say we go and find our own way to fill the time? I have at least an hour before my turn at the gate.”
I click my tongue in approval and slowly stand up, stretching before I, inconspicuously, head toward the back door.
“Good night, Mom! Good night, Aiden!” Julia calls out as I reach for the doorknob, and I hear Dylan snickering as I dart through it.
“Brat,” Aiden mumbles under his breath, and I can’t disagree with him. “You know they’re just happy for us, don’t you? That she wouldn’t tease us otherwise?”
“I do, but I’m not used to it. Or seeing Russ constantly wrapped around her,” I murmur, wondering how he’s faring up at Lee’s place. A movement in the tree line catches my attention, but I quickly make out Jace walking patrol.
“This is probably the first time Jace ever minded Russ not being here,” Aiden murmurs in my ear as he throws an arm up in greeting. Jace is not a fan of walking the perimeter, so Russ usually handles it when they’re on duty together.
“Julia said that Russ doesn’t like being cooped up in the blind; understandable considering his previoushousingarrangement. Granted, I’m sure that’s one of the reasons Jace likes taking guard duty with Russ,” I answer before looking up at him innocently. “Any thoughts on how to pass the evening?”
“I’d like to get a power nap in before my shift, but I’m wide awake, I wouldn’t mind burning off the energy with your ankles over my shoulders,” he replies in his usual direct manner, opening the door to our cabin and tugging me inside.
I try to smother a yawn as he adds a couple logs to the neatly banked fire, enough to keep our space warm through the night. “I might need a raincheck. I’m sorry, babe.”
“No,” he says, looking over his shoulder at me. “No, you need a foot rub. Do you have any of that oil left?”
“That sounds amazing.” I moan and go digging for the rosemary oil Elsbeth pressed. “Don’t be upset if I fall asleep during it.”
