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“I’ll handle that, hun,” Pru offered.
Celeste looked between Gaap, Seere, and me. “I want it back. In one piece.”
Gaap nodded and stepped back to give the book a wide berth. “We will do our best to document each page as we go. Just in case something does happen, we’ll have some sort of copy. As long as the thing doesn’t burst into flame on its own, it will be returned to you.”
“And everything inside?” Celeste quickly added her caveat.
“I can’t promise that. Some things aren’t meant to be accessible to mortals or exist on this plane.”
Celeste’s eyes fell to the top of the book. The lumpy thing was full of trinkets that would have given many people nightmares, but to Celeste, they were artifacts. The tome was a window into a whole world she didn’t know existed until now.
“My gift?” I came to her side and rested a hand on her lower back. “Please.”
She nodded, gave its cover one last caress, and handed it over to Pru, who promptly hugged it to her as a promise to keep it safe.
“Thanks,” Pru said. “I think you and I will be great friends. I’ll give you my number before we go, okay?” Pru’s gentle nature eased my Celeste’s shoulders, and I was more than grateful for that.
“All right. One more drink, then it’s time for us to head back to our own coast,” Gaap announced, swiping the bottle of whiskey by the neck and filling three of the glasses once more.
After one drink turned into four, I watched Celeste laugh and listen carefully to the stories that Gaap and Seere told. My gift was welcomed by the family that had never given up on me. What was likely a small gesture to them was more than I could have asked for.
Celeste silently checked in when my brothers started to get carried away with their tales of grandeur. Pru piped in as quick as a whip to put Gaap in his place when he boasted about the women he’d famously seduced throughout the centuries. Seere hooted with laughter at how trained he thought Gaap and I were, but neither of us was bothered. Gaap may have not known how deflecting those comments were since Seere was as tame as a kitten for a human who he’d been chasing for years.
That wasn’t my story to tell, but as I lounged back with Celeste tucked into my side on the couch, I knew I’d found happiness. Delirious joy. Ravenous love. And most of all, peace.
What could be more satisfying on this plane than finding the person who not only made you whole, but made you happy to be alive?
THE END
