by J M Thomas
“Last time I’s in ‘ospital for overdoin’ fings, nobody comes in ‘ere bringing shit.” Aeron wagged a finger at me. “Nah, they’re all in ‘ere for you!”
“Well, we could only drop by for a moment, but I wanted to thank you for…” Ethan stopped mid-sentence, bringing his closed fist to his lips. He cast his gaze away as Marla slid her hand into his. “Yeah. For everything,” he finally managed, holding out a plastic bag with the handles tied into a neat bow. “I made it this morning, so it should still be warm.”
Two bowls of something piping hot steamed up the inside of the plastic. Even the muted scents emanating from it were mouth-wateringly delicious. He and Aeron exchanged a few pleasantries for around ten minutes, then Ethan clasped Marla’s hand in his and they headed out. Whatever arrangement the couple had arrived at over Ethan investigating the names on Marla’s paper, it hadn’t seemed to dampen their budding affection.
I hoped they’d go everywhere like that, for the rest of their lives.
“Armored types, eh?” I said as Aeron worked at the knots on the bag of food.
“Mmm.” Aeron gave up and ripped the bag open with both hands. “That's more like it, innit?” He handed me one bowl and popped the lid off the other.
Beef, garlic, ginger, and a cacophony of spices hit my nostrils. My mouth was watering before I even got the first bite in. “What is this?”
“Some Korean rice and shit,” Aeron answered around a mouthful of the stuff. He tilted his head back appreciatively. “Bastard didn’t tell me ‘e knew ‘ow to cook. No wonder ‘e darts out afore I can make ‘im my personal chef.”
I chuckled and nearly aspirated a grain of rice in the process. My eyes fell on that last line tethering him here, the IV drip that would be gone tomorrow. Then this would all be over.
A lump rose in my throat. I liked the sound of “over,” except it meaning there’d be no Aeron here anymore. Like Don, he’d done what he came to do. And, like Don, he’d be marching away… and despite my show of bravery a few minutes ago, there was still a part of me that feared he’d go for good and leave me here to start again. If pushing me away didn’t work, there was always walking away.
A tear spilled into my bowl. I tried to wipe the rest away before Aeron could notice. But, from the keen squint in his eye, I could tell it was too late.
“Y’know,” he said, setting his fork down. “I got a call from ‘ome central. I got twelve weeks to recover and ‘eal up.” He shifted in his bed. “Think I can be outta ‘ere in two days? ‘At gives us, near as makes no difference, a dozen weeks to see what ‘appens between us. Bit of an ‘oliday.”
I sniffled a bit, then raised my head to meet his gaze. A slow smile spread across my face. “If we’re going to go steady, I’ll have to take you to visit the farm where I grew up, meet the family.”
“You ‘as a farm? Well!” Aeron grinned. “Wiv chickens and everyfink?”
I nodded. “Yup. Wake up every morning to fourteen stupid roosters because Dad says they make good alarm clocks.”
Aeron’s gaze was soft as he stared out the window, raking the last few bites of food into his mouth.
“I ‘ave to go back, Lessie.” He said, voice low.
That stupid lump in my throat made it hard to swallow my rice. “I don’t want to let you go.”
His hand reached for mine, fingers wiggling. I slipped my hand into his grasp, and he slowly brought my fingertips to his lips. “Then let’s just see what ‘appens in these next few weeks, orright? We get to a month, and we’ll go see your family. ‘At goes well, we make plans for whatever comes next. Sound good?”
I thought for a moment, weighing our options. “Yeah. That sounds good.”
“Right.” Aeron slid his socked feet out from beneath the covers, the brace on his leg thumping against the linoleum. “Suppose I’d better get on wiv gettin’ better, eh? I believes I owe someone a curry and a night of kisses.”
Three days later, we got our wish.
I’m sure Alena’s staff was as glad to be rid of Aeron as he was to be leaving. Only a few bandages and some particularly stubborn tape residue remained where the ports had been, but his limp was still strikingly pronounced.
Aeron hated the bulky rehab crutches. I said it was because he sucked at knowing where he was putting them every time he set them down somewhere.
They clattered to the floor multiple times when we finally arrived at the Indian restaurant, drawing attention to the fact that he wasn’t in peak condition. We weren’t even supposed to be going places since he had to keep his leg up, but he compromised by resting his foot on the chair opposite his.
“All the more reason to be rid of ‘em sooner,” he grumbled, trying in vain to slide them under the little restaurant table. The table’s legs blocked his shove, so he just shoved harder. Finally, he managed to get them mostly out of the way of people walking so no one would trip.
Every inconvenience was forgotten the moment our curries came. He plowed through several pints of chilled lager with his face-melting vindaloo. It was miraculous how he could still have room after crunching through an entire order of poppadoms and onion bhajis, but somehow he managed it all.
I ordered a dreamy-looking saag paneer, which he scoffed at before adding a chicken tikka masala to the order. Both our meals came out with steaming bowls of rice and fresh, warm naan flatbreads. We shared, somehow managing to get through most of it despite how filling and satisfying it all was. Aeron and I ate, laughed, and talked until we thought we’d burst of fullness, whether from the food or joy first, neither could say.
I drove us back to Aeron’s apartment and carried the leftovers up the stairs so he could navigate with the crutches without spilling our precious cargo.
He wasted no time making good on his promise, since we’d been delayed for so long. Tonight was for kisses, and only kisses. Kisses on my hair, my face, along my jaw. He kissed my hand, my arm, my cheek, my collarbone.
I returned as good as I got and then some, burying my hands in his hair and relishing every brush of his skin against mine. By morning, my lips and face felt as dry and chapped as his looked. We were quite the pair, ordering pizza and laying around like a couple useless bums all day.
That afternoon, Aeron found a game to watch, then explained the rules of rugby to me between swearing at the players. I’m still not sure the difference between a counter-ruck and a stream of profanity, if put to it. But we had a wonderful time.
I showed Aeron his first anime after the rugby game finished and he’d calmed the heck down. He was confused as all get out, but kept clicking to the next episode anyway. Once he figured out it’d make me giggle, he pantomimed a nosebleed at me every time I did something he thought was hot.
I halfway regretted explaining that little convention to him. It meant Aeron was making the same dramatic nose-spraying gesture every ten minutes at a stretch by the time he’d had his beloved glass of scotch on the rocks, and I’d had my little splash, neat.
I’d found the friend I never wanted to let go of, and our mutual attraction was just the icing on the cake. That icing was feeling pretty darn good. It felt even better when he finally laid the back of the futon down, then laid me down with him.
So, that was my worst first date involving a necromancer. As amazing as the curry, the kisses, and the realization I really did want to be by Aeron’s side forever were, watching him suffer, nearly losing him, and all the terror of the necro prophecy tipped the scales for me.
The second date was much better.
Chapter 34 – One Small Song
Two months later
When I turned the rental car off the main road onto the blue and white gravel driveway leading from the highway to our farm, I braced myself for the big pothole off the start. It was the one that I couldn’t swerve to miss because it’d taken up the whole width of the road. “We need to get that fixed,” I grumbled. It was hallowed tradition to mutter against the pothole, but never repair it.
Ae
ron, beside me in the passenger’s seat, grinned. “Yeah, but then it wouldn’t be ‘ome, would it? What’s ‘ome without pot’oles so big your soul jumps out, right?”
“I’ve had my soul jump out, as you say. This is nothing like that.” I crinkled my nose at him. “This is just your colon getting lodged up into your neck.”
His chortling was drowned out by the crunch of gravel and the grating chorus of post-rain cricket song as I rolled down the window to wave at the cows lining the road.
“Dad must’ve put them out to the cornfield they harvested. They’ll be fat and happy in no time.”
“Now ‘at’s a life, ‘ere, cows’ve got. Eat up, drink up, wander around the wide open spaces. Mount up when the need arises. Die, be good meat.” Aeron shrugged, then gave the knee brace under his jeans a little adjusting tug.
I snickered. “Get hooked up to a milk machine every morning and night, kept in a box…”
“Nah, a bull, that’s my life. The ladies do all the ‘ard work, we just keep chewin’ on the ol’ bale of ‘ay, lookin’ like a numpty.” He stared wide-eyed at the bull standing lazily near the fence. “That red one, there—’e’s a hench numpty, that one.”
“That one’s a brahma. He might look dumb, but I’d watch yourself in the same pen with him. He’ll show you who’s stupid real quick.”
“I believe it.” Aeron fell silent. “Is ‘at what got your boyfriend?”
I shook my head with a frown. “Different cow. But I’d still prefer you stayed in one piece, please and thank you.”
“I will try my very ‘ardest.” Aeron almost looked serious.
“Will not.” I gave him a friendly jab to the shoulder.
“Yeah, prolly not.” His hand closed over mine. “What’s this, then?”
I followed his finger where he pointed to a very familiar cloud of dust.
“That would be Garret, I believe.” I grinned. “Riding out to meet us.”
Sure enough, a skinny, teenage boy on the back of an old paint quarter horse rode into sight. His tee shirt was a little too big and flapped in the wind. The quarter horse was barely managing a canter, but the teen was beaming like he was Genghis Khan at the head of the Mongolian horde.
“‘At’s your bruvver, yeah?” Aeron had a funny tone to his voice. “And this… it’s your ‘ome, innit?”
“Yep, we’re here! This is why I eat like I was raised in a barn.” I glanced over my shoulder. Aeron’s eyes had misted up. “Hey, you all right?”
“Yeah.” He dashed his arm across his face. “It’s lovely, is all.”
“Well, come on!” I pulled into the empty parking spot under a wide oak. “I’ll show you around. I’m sure Dad’ll be happy for the extra set of hands. Mom said something about him planning to test out the new boyfriend to see if you could make it.” My nose crinkled. “I bet he’ll ask for a hand with something heavy or gross.”
Aeron laughed as he unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door. “Why’s that?”
“Well, because I brought you back from the big city.” I flashed a mischievous grin. “Therefore, you must be a wimpy hipster in skinny jeans who’s never seen a chicken before. They don’t know any different, and I, uh… didn’t exactly enlighten them.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “‘Avin’ a bit of fun, is we? Orright.” He busied himself around behind the car, pulling out luggage with his head ducked low.
Mom came shuffling out of the farmhouse first, pulling off her flour-covered apron just in time to open her arms for a hug. “Celeste, my angel! It’s been too long! Look at you!”
I threw my arms around her neck, the same light spritz of apple-scented body spray she’d worn my whole life greeting me with its familiar scent. “It’s so good to see you again! Garret rode out to meet us!”
“He’s been waiting in the loft, pretending not to care, but right where he could see you as soon as you turned off the freeway.” Mom clung to me as if I’d come back from the dead. “Oh, it’s so good to have you home!”
Aeron came around from the side of the car, already laden with both our bags. From beside me, my mother’s intake of breath was audible as she laid eyes on him.
“Is this your boyfriend, Celeste?” Her eyes widened. To our credit, we kept it together fairly well, only a little snort belying the fun we were having watching her features as shock and awe played across her face like a symphony orchestra.
She somehow managed not to gawk, offering him a warm smile. “Welcome, Aeron! So glad to meet you, hon!” She waved him over, then threw her arms around his neck. “Make yourself at home—Garret has set up a tent in the yard so the boys can rough it tonight, so you can have his room.”
I pressed my lips together, then cast a sidelong glance at Aeron. He grinned, apparently thrilled. “‘Ello, Missus Grantham. I’m right chuffed to be meeting everyone, that I am. Celeste ‘ere ‘as only wonderful fings to say about you all, and I can see why wiv my own eyes, yeah?”
We’d definitely be having a conversation about the sleeping arrangements later. And, if I knew Aeron at all, he was going to wind up in that tent with the boys. My only question was whether he’d be pranking the heck out of them, or enlisting them to prank the heck out of everyone else.
My money was on both.
As Garret, who was apparently far too cool to give me hugs anymore now that puberty was raging, showed Aeron to his room, I steeled myself for Mom’s reaction to who I’d brought home. Though it was too warm today for his typical jacket and dark jeans combo, he’d still worn them both. A few of his scars were still visible above the popped collar, though I’d moved the tattoo back down again and coiled it.
“My, Celeste!” Mom raised an eyebrow at me, some of her wrinkles undoing themselves at the stretch on her face.
“Yeah?” I waited, no idea on this planet as to what would come out of my mother’s mouth next.
I could almost watch the gears turning in my mother’s head as she eyed me with a new evaluation I hadn’t encountered from her before. “He is certainly not what I’d expected.”
I let out a laugh. “I didn’t expect it, either. But here we are!”
“Well, I can see that you two clearly enjoy each others’ company.” She seemed a little afraid to ask the next question. “Do you... love him, Celeste?”
The grin overtook me before I could even process the words for a response.
“Say no more.” Mom winked, then threw her arms around my neck again. “Your father and I have missed you so much! You were our joy, our little miracle after we lost your brother. Our light in the darkness—and it’s not been the same without you.”
I ducked the weight before the expectations could settle back on my shoulders. “Well, I hope you’ll get to see more of me now that I’m getting a good paycheck and can afford to make trips. Aeron is absolutely enamored of the place already. He hardly picked his jaw up off the dash the whole way up the drive.”
“You who couldn’t wait to get away, and him who can’t wait to come visit. It seems I’m going to like this fellow.” Mom released me with considerable reluctance.
“You say that… but I can already tell he’s planning to crash Garret’s little tent party.” I sent my mom a wink.
“Lord knows he needs it. Those boys are too much for me these days. It’s all I can do to keep them fed.”
As we made our way around the parked cars into the kitchen door, freshly-baked pies cooled on the windowsill, a crockpot with the lid condensed over with steam bubbled, and the oven light still on told me Mom had been pouring everything she had into making food. A half-snapped sack of green beans, probably this morning’s garden pickings, sat on the table, waiting for someone to look idle long enough to be put to work.
I stepped down the single stair into the den, the old shag carpet greeting my toes as I slipped my sandals off and set them on the wire rack. The TV was muted; the twins were not. As they rooted for opposite teams, neither of them seemed to mark my approach.
> Perfect.
I launched myself across the couch, landing in both their laps at once. Lee, the larger of the two with a slightly rounder face, was the one who caught the brunt of my pounce. He tried in vain to shove me off and rise.
Ever the one to take an extra minute to realize what was going on, Clayton squealed for a second before throwing my legs off. “Celeste! You’re back!” He wrapped me in his strong, smelly embrace.
His grip was doubled over by Lee’s. “Welcome back. I didn’t steal your room, I swear.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Clayton eye-rolled. “Just because Mom turned it into a craft room. Now it’s contaminated with glitter and nobody can use it.”
“Oh no! So now I’m doomed to look like a unicorn fart.” Me and anyone who also might happen to go lay in there… good to know. If Aeron and I were to get any private time together, we’d have to do it somewhere else, or he’d be picking glitter out of his hair for weeks, and we’d never hear the end of it.
“Where’s that youngun? Come in here and give your old man a hug!” The booming voice behind me had me jumping up over the back of the couch with a grin.
“Daddy!” I leapt into his arms.
“Took you long enough!” He grinned back at me, eyes crinkling with mirth. “You’re supposed to be done growing, ya hear? None of this nonsense, look at you! A cityfied girl now.”
“Nah, that city cooking’s going to send me going backwards.” I let out a laugh.
“Well, I do believe there’s a rhubarb and strawberry pie still in the oven, just because somebody named Celeste was coming, and it was her favorite.” The deep smile lines in the corners of his eyes creased with simple happiness.
“Yes!” I pumped my fist in the air. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement in the shadow of the hallway. It was Aeron, a beatific smile on his face, leaning one shoulder against the wall with his still-healing leg crossed over his other ankle.
I winked at him as I strode past on my way back to the kitchen table. I grabbed the sack of green beans and set it between my brothers on the couch. “Put that youthful vigor to some good use.”