Adrienne

by D Renee Bagby

  Malik allowed her to push him back into the kitchen. He even went back to preparing the apples. He pointed out, “Benjamin’s anger was not a ruse.”

  “Okay, so he is angry. He’ll get over it.”

  A muted crash sent Hannah running out of the kitchen back to the living room.

  Pollux said quickly, “Don’t worry. The clock fell over. Nothing broken.”

  “Yet,” Hannah finished in an angry mother tone. She put her hands on her hips and regarded her sons and their new playmates. “Why not take them out back if you’re going to roughhouse like that?”

  “Sure,” Castor said. Feyr rose off of Castor, and then all four of them trooped to the back door and left the house and all breakable items behind.

  Mushira stopped fiddling with the remote. She looked back at Hannah and asked, “Is that wise, Hannah? Adr…Adrienne said there are no big cats like mulits on Earth.”

  “There aren’t,” Hannah agreed with a shrug, “but we have a high fence around our backyard. No one should see them. Do you worry this much when you’re on Bron?”

  “Yes, I do,” Mushira answered. “It is part of my duties to think of everything.”

  “Like I said earlier, you’re on vacation now. Give your head a rest and let me and Benjamin worry about Adrienne for a while. We had the job first, after all.” She waited for Mushira’s nod before returning to the kitchen and Malik. Something had distracted him.

  He stood in front of the cutting board and stared at nothing. Hannah walked over to him but he didn’t acknowledge her. She waved her hand in front of his face. “Hello? Anyone home?”

  “Adrienne is amused.”

  “Huh?”

  He turned his attention to the apples. “The bond I share with Adrienne allows us to feel each other’s emotions.”

  “Is that normal on Bron?” Hannah asked. She started adding the thinly sliced apples to a frying pan of sizzling butter.

  “Only among blood-bonded mates.”

  “Between what now?”

  Hannah listened as Malik explained the blood spell that found Adrienne and the ritual they performed during the wedding ceremony.

  She was silent during the whole recital.

  Adrienne stood, hugging her father. He returned her hug while he tried to hold back his tears. She pulled away and asked, “Do you feel better, Dad?”

  He grumbled, “I would feel better if you were here longer.”

  “I’m sorry, Dad. Malik and I have responsibilities as the rulers of Ulan. It took this long to arrange three free days to visit.” She wished they could stay longer too, but she wouldn’t complain about the amount of time given. It served to let them know she was healthy and happy.

  “I didn’t even get to give you away. I was looking forward to that,” he complained.

  Adrienne frowned as she remembered the wedding ceremony on Bron. “That isn’t part of the Ulanian marriage ceremony, Dad. We didn’t even say vows or anything.”

  “Then you aren’t married,” he said firmly.

  Adrienne held up her left arm. A pulling sensation preceded the silver cord’s appearance. She held up the cord for her father to see. It glinted in the light, showing off the red blood stripe. “This means we’re married, Dad. It’s a cord of marriage.”

  Benjamin fingered the cord. He asked, “You had this on the whole time? I didn’t see it.”

  “It only turns visible and tangible when Malik or I want it to.”

  “What’s this red?”

  “Blood,” she answered honestly. Like with her mother, Adrienne hadn’t told her father about the assassinations of Malik’s parents or her danger from the same. He wouldn’t want her going back. She had no problem telling him about the marriage ceremony since he would handle it better than her mother.

  “He stabbed you!”

  Adrienne rushed out, “It didn’t hurt, and healed almost as soon as he took the knife out. We needed the blood to make ours a marriage of equality. It also reinforces that we’re soul mates.”

  He crossed his arms and grumbled under his breath about how he wanted to stab Malik. “There won’t be any stabbing at the wedding ceremony your mother and I hold for you.”

  “Dad?”

  “When Hannah found out she was pregnant, we started a college fund. When we found out you were a girl, we started another fund for your future wedding. We’ve been looking forward to throwing you one hell of a bash ever since. You aren’t going to go and disappoint us, are you?”

  Adrienne hugged him again with a happy laugh. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

  “Is that husband of yours going to let you?”

  “He already promised to let me have an Earth wedding. We only have to pick a date.”

  “Your anniversary would be perfect. That gives us enough time to get it right and make sure everyone can come. It also makes one hell of a first anniversary present.”

  “Thank you, thank you, Dad.”

  He patted her back and gave her one last squeeze before he let her go. They headed to the door together. He stopped and regarded Adrienne with a thoughtful look. “Do I have to like him?”

  “Dad,” Adrienne scolded.

  “Fine, fine. I won’t hate him, how about that?”

  Adrienne pushed him out the door. They joined Hannah and Malik in the kitchen. Hannah grabbed Adrienne’s left hand as soon as she cleared the threshold. Her mother looked at the back of her hand, then her palm.

  Adrienne glared over at Malik. “I told you not to tell her.”

  Hannah demanded, “Is there anything else you haven’t told me?”

  “No,” Adrienne said quickly. She gave Malik a warning look, then smiled back at her mother. “Dad says you two started a wedding fund for me. Thank you, Mom.”

  Just like that, she’d distracted Hannah. Adrienne planned to keep her that way for the rest of the visit. Her parents had a hard enough time accepting Adrienne’s new life without the added worry of assassination attempts.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Dinner conversation involved a huge brainstorming session for the upcoming wedding. Hannah and Adrienne left no topic untouched: guests, food, location for the ceremony and the reception, time of day, music, etc.

  When the topic of the dress came up, Mushira offered her services. Hannah turned her down, stating she and Benjamin had more than enough saved up to pay for a nice dress. To which Mushira insisted the seamstresses in the palace would be able to make the dress better and more to Adrienne’s liking than anything bought in a store.

  Mushira’s show of backbone impressed Adrienne, though she didn’t know why it surprised her, since Hannah had stepped on Mushira’s territory. Earth wedding dress or not, Mushira would oversee the making of it.

  After Adrienne relayed this bit of information to her mother, the subject died with Hannah upset that she’d lost. Adrienne knew her mother wanted to go shopping with her to pick out a dress.

  She suggested, “How about we peruse dress shops tomorrow? That way we can give Mushira some ideas of how Earth wedding dresses and Bron wedding dresses differ.”

  “Good idea,” Benjamin seconded quickly. He smiled at his wife.

  Hannah agreed, grudgingly.

  Adrienne added, “If we leave early enough in the morning, we can stop by the DMV and I can sign ownership of my car over to Castor or Pollux.”

  “Don’t joke,” Pollux warned.

  “Who’s joking? I can’t use it anymore. It might as well be given to someone who can.” She smiled at her brothers’ stunned looks. “So which of you is getting my car?”

  “Me,” they said in unison.

  They glared at each other.

  Pollux said, “Slow your roll, man.”

  “You slow yours. The only way you’re getting that car is over my dead body,” Castor countered.

  “That can be arranged,” Pollux threatened. He brandished his fork at his twin.

  Castor beckoned. “Bring it.”

  “You got a car.” />
  “It’s a piece of crap. You can have it. I’ll take Adrienne’s.”

  “I’m older.”

  “By two minutes,” Castor yelled.

  “Boys,” Hannah called over their yelling.

  Malik observed, “My understanding of the feud between my ancestors is becoming clearer now.” He sat back and watched the argument, his food forgotten.

  Castor and Pollux bickered back and forth.

  Benjamin got up from the table and went to the living room, retrieving a coin from the mantle over the fireplace. He held up the coin. Castor and Pollux continued to argue. He said in a normal tone, “Winner gets Adrienne’s car.”

  It didn’t seem as though either boy heard him, since they continued to threaten and defame one another.

  Benjamin tossed the coin. “Call it.”

  Pollux stopped arguing and yelled, “Tails.”

  The room went silent as Benjamin caught the coin and announced, “Pollux gets it.” He returned the coin to its place on the mantle, then returned to his dinner. To Malik, he said, “This is how I keep peace in my family. If they keep arguing about it now, neither of them gets the car. Isn’t that right, boys?”

  “Yeah,” the boys agreed solemnly. They returned to their food.

  Adrienne said, “Too bad we can’t solve some of the problems of Ulan like that.”

  “Too many magicks would interfere with the tossing of the coin. Or those depending on its outcome would influence it, Majesty,” Mushira pointed out. She realized her mistake too late.

  Castor teased, “Hoity-toity now, aren’t we, big sis? Your Majesty this and bowing that. Does she wipe your butt for you, too?” He couldn’t attack Pollux anymore so Adrienne was the next best target.

  “I bet Mushira normally chews Adrienne’s food,” Pollux added.

  Castor laughed, “Yup, can’t let little miss queeny get… Ouch! You kicked me!”

  Adrienne kicked him again. She’d wanted to avoid this. Not to mention it embarrassed her if Mushira used her title while with her parents.

  “Ow, damn it,” Pollux yelled. He leaned quickly to the side to dodge a flying spoon from Hannah’s direction. He glared at Adrienne as her next kick landed on his shin. “Can’t you take a joke? You’ve gotten a little high-strung.” He pushed his chair back, getting out of range of Adrienne’s legs.

  Feyr came around the table. He grabbed Pollux’s chair leg in his teeth and yanked. The chair toppled over and sent Pollux sprawling. Feyr knew Pollux couldn’t hear him, but he said anyway, “Be nice to your sister, boy. Else I might have to stop being nice to you.”

  “Boys, stop teasing your sister. Adrienne, we don’t kick people at the table. Feyr, you better not eat my son,” Benjamin scolded.

  Adrienne said, “Feyr doesn’t eat humans, Dad. He just mauls them.” She beckoned Feyr back to her side of the table and gave his head a pat. “My brothers are brats. That isn’t going to change because I became a queen. If anything, it gives them new material to work with.”

  Feyr purred under her touch. His eyes stayed on Pollux as the boy righted his chair and returned to the table. “If it doesn’t bother you—”

  “I didn’t say it didn’t bother me. But you’re not allowed to hurt them, so getting mad about it does you no good,” she reminded him. She glanced at Malik. He inclined his head but said nothing.

  “Fine. I won’t play with them anymore,” Feyr said.

  Mischief whined from Adrienne’s lap, “Not play? I like play. Want play, Adri.”

  Adrienne scratched under his chin and cooed at him, “You can play in the morning. Right now is dinner.” She gave him a spoonful of cabbage to emphasize her point.

  Hannah asked with concern, “Should you be feeding him that, Adrienne?”

  Malik answered, “Feyr and Mischief can eat whatever we eat, and usually do. It would probably help if you do not think of them as normal cats.”

  “Sure don’t look normal,” Benjamin allowed.

  Adrienne asked nonchalantly, “By the way, Castor, how’s your boyfriend doing? What was his name? Philip?”

  Benjamin choked on his food. “Boyfriend?” he yelled.

  Castor hissed at Adrienne, “You’re a real bitch, you know that?” An empty cup sailed across the table and hit him on the head. He mumbled an automatic apology.

  Adrienne smiled smugly at him.

  “Well?” Benjamin demanded. He looked at his twin sons in turn.

  Pollux complained, “What are you looking at me for? Cast is the gay one. I’m straight.”

  “Calm down, honey,” Hannah said.

  Benjamin asked, “You knew about this already?” He stood up. “You know what. Never mind. I don’t want to know. I’ve reached my excitement quota for the day and I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.” He took his dishes to the kitchen, then went up the stairs.

  Everyone continued to eat in silence. Mushira apologized, “I did not mean to cause this, Adrienne. Forgive my lapse.”

  Adrienne smiled at Mushira kindly. “This is normal, Mushira. No harm done.”

  “Why’d you have to tell him about Philip?” Castor growled.

  “Oh, please,” Adrienne shot back. “Dad’s being a dad. He’ll be over it tomorrow. You know he has no problem with gay people. You should have told him a long time ago.”

  “Figured Mom would do it when she found out,” he mumbled.

  “You can do your own dirty work,” Hannah said. “Speaking of which, those dishes aren’t going to clean themselves. Get to it.” She rose from her seat and came around the table to kiss Adrienne’s cheek. She did the same to Malik and gave Feyr and Mischief a pat. “I’m off to bed, too. You all better be here in the morning.”

  “We will,” assured Malik.

  Hannah was halfway to the stairs when she turned back. She went to Mushira’s seat and pulled the woman to her feet. “Come on, Mushira. I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping.”

  “Of course,” Mushira said. She bid good night to Malik and Adrienne, then followed Hannah.

  Adrienne looked around. Castor and Pollux wolfed down the rest of their food and started clearing the dishes. Feyr made his way to the living room. The cats followed him—they had come out of hiding once Adrienne explained Feyr wouldn’t hurt them. Mischief bounded off Adrienne’s lap and joined his father. The television fascinated him. He liked trying to catch the people inside.

  “I was mistaken in thinking this trip would be a relaxing break from our regular duties,” Malik stated. He sat back in his seat with his eyes closed.

  That got a chuckle from Adrienne. “Are you referring to the peace treaty we negotiated between my family and the cats, the renaming of Sir Sheds-a-Lot to Knight, or the dinner battle royale?”

  “I have dealt with countries less demanding than your family’s cats.”

  “Feyr thought it was funny.”

  “As did I…for the first twenty minutes. It became tiresome after the second hour passed.”

  Adrienne leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips. She whispered, “Thank you for healing Sphinx. I never knew she was so sick. I took her to the vet so many times and they insisted nothing was wrong with her.”

  “I do whatever I can to make you happy, my Adrienne.” He rose, pulled her to her feet and walked with her to the couch. There they spent the rest of the night, watching television with Feyr and the cats.

  Castor and Pollux surprised Malik when they joined them. They said nothing, simply watched whatever Feyr chose. And Malik watched them. He couldn’t feel the boys’ emotions and he didn’t need to. They were relieved and happy to be with their sister again. It was enough for them to sit with her in silence.

  Before Adrienne, Malik never felt the need to be near anyone. His parents’ deaths closed him off from others, and he kept them at a distance to protect himself. He had forgotten what a real family felt like. At this moment, family surrounded him and it felt right. That realization made Malik decide to make time for Adrienn
e to see her family as often as he could. He wanted to relearn how to be part of a family before he had one of his own.

  Too soon, the three days ended. This time Malik opened the portal in the middle of the living room. The bedroom on the other side of the portal impressed her family.

  Castor asked, “That’s your bed?”

  “Yup,” bragged Adrienne. After three nights on her old queen, she missed her other bed.

  “You and what army?” Pollux asked.

  Feyr urged Mischief through the portal and followed after him. Mushira went next and waited with the rest of the entourage for Malik and Adrienne to cross.

  Hannah asked, “Who are they?”

  “I’ll tell you about them the next time we visit. Heck, I may even bring them along,” Adrienne answered cheerfully.

  “Thanksgiving,” Benjamin insisted.

  Adrienne looked at Malik. He smiled and nodded.

  Hannah added, “Christmas and New Year’s too.”

  Adrienne hugged her parents. “You’ll see us as often as we can get away.”

  Malik allowed Hannah to hug him, then shook hands with Benjamin. Without prompting, he said, “She will be safe and happy with me. You have my word on that.”

  “That’s all we ask,” Benjamin said.

  Through the portal, Hannah called, “I’ll leave her to you, Mushira.” She smiled when Mushira nodded. She hugged Adrienne again and whispered, “At least this time I get to say goodbye.”

  Though Castor and Pollux had annoyed her as usual, teased her relentlessly and argued over nothing just to argue, they still hugged Adrienne fondly. Pollux bent over to tie his shoes so no one would see him wipe tears from his eyes.

  Malik handed Adrienne over the portal, then followed her. They took one last look at her family before it closed.

  Adrienne continued staring at the spot, tears forming in her eyes. She turned and buried her face in Malik’s chest. Behind them, everyone bowed and filed out of the room quietly.

  Malik turned Adrienne’s face up at him. He kissed away the tears on her cheeks, then trailed his kisses to her lips where he laid claim to her mouth. Only time would take away the sadness of leaving her family. He knew that. That wouldn’t deter him from trying to relieve that sadness faster in his own way.