The Return (Haunted Series Book 21)

by Alexie Aaron

  Ted put Brian on his shoulders and started to walk back up the hill. He stared at his wife, her face staring intently at Cid while he talked. It was no wonder he fell in love with Mia. She was such a great listener. It didn’t matter what he or his best friend blabbered about; she listened with rapt attention.

  “I think we need to change Varden’s name,” Brian started. “It’s such a weird name.”

  “I believe it was you who named him Varden Reginhard Charles Martin,” Ted said.

  “What was I thinking? Do you think we could give him a nickname, you know, like Maverick or Goose?”

  Ted picked Brian up off his shoulders and set him down before him. “Not goose or any other bird name,” Ted said sternly. “Varden is a great name. Vaaaaaaaardenn,” Ted called. “It’s like Briiiiiiiannnn. I can call for you guys from great distances and you’ll hear me.”

  Varden rolled over and smiled.

  “Let’s get something to eat. I’m hungry,” Ted said, holding his hand down for Brian to grab it. “I bet, by the time you climb to the top, you’ll be hungry too.”

  Murphy watched Cid and the Martins from the tree line. He was going to join them until he heard Brian rat him out with the women curse. He didn’t want to tangle with Mia in front of Cid and Ted. Mia was trying to raise Brian to be courteous and kind. She had opened up to Murphy after he carried her and Varden to the farmhouse that fateful night.

  She had confessed, “I’ve been entrusted with raising two very different boys in a society that isn’t exactly enamored with the differences in people. I don’t want either of them to feel less, or superior, than the other children they will meet. Murph, I think I’m way over my head.”

  He had held her son while she cleansed herself and pulled on the nightgown her mother-in-law had sent for her. Mia had just given birth and was dog-tired, but her body had already started to heal. He could see the scars of carrying the large child upon her body. She was no longer the young woman he lusted for, yet she had become someone he could not exist without. He handed her sleeping son to her. “I’ll get the bassinet,” he said.

  When he got back with the small bed and the other things she needed, he found her asleep with Varden lying with his eyes open in the crook of her arm.

  “Hello, Varden,” Murphy said, picking up the baby. “Time for Uncle Murphy to get you cleaned up.” He took him into the nursery and gently wiped away the birth residue. Varden held on to Murphy’s finger to steady him. The child was strong; even the ghost could tell it. Murphy also saw that Varden, like his brother Brian, could see him.

  As Murphy wrangled with the diaper and snapped the undershirt, he sang to him, “Oh, where have you gone, Billy boy, Billy boy? Oh, where have you gone, charming Billy…”

  The child looked up at the see-through man who cared for him. He could see a glimmering within the see-through man’s chest, and it pulsed with light. He burbled.

  Murphy looked down at the child. “Your name is Varden. You were named for a valiant birdman warrior. You are heir to the house of He-who-travels-through-time and are the second of Mia and Theodore Martin’s children. Your brother Brian will be a great sage when he grows up. You’ll be his and your mother’s protector in your realm. I will protect all of you from mine. I give you my axe, valiant Varden.”

  “I couldn’t have said it better myself,” Angelo said, stepping out of the shadows. He looked over at Murphy and explained, “I felt her pain. I knew the child was coming.”

  Murphy looked at his sometime nemesis. The birdman had morphed into his human form, a very large and tall Italian man with large dark eyes.

  “He pulled himself out of her womb,” Murphy said. “He grabbed my fingers and pulled. His body folded in like a bird. He’s one of yours.”

  “Ours,” Angelo said. “Varden belongs to all of us, Stephen. May I complete his care?” Angelo asked.

  “Why?”

  “If I don’t, he’ll fly away on us,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. Angelo ran his hands over Varden. “He is so strong. It must be the superhuman blood. Birdmen are born weak but pliable.”

  Varden looked at the large dark-haired man whose hands tingled when he touched Varden’s skin. He saw the effulgence that radiated out from his center and pulsed quicker than the see-through man.

  Murphy heard heavy footfalls, and before he could bring up his axe to protect them, Victor burst into the nursery.

  Varden saw the massive man with the impressive wings walk forward.

  “I’ve brought the medallion.” He handed it to Angelo.

  Murphy watched as Angelo took the charm off the necklace. He opened Varden’s undershirt and lay it on his chest.

  “The Brotherhood of the Wing welcomes its returning brother. Long live Varden.”

  “Long live Varden,” Victor repeated proudly.

  The medallion eased through Varden’s chest and rested just behind his heart.

  “It will stay here until he is of age,” Angelo explained to Murphy. “When he is ready, Victor or I will call the medallion forth, and then, and only then, Varden will get his wings.”

  “So, this is Victor’s brother?” Murphy questioned.

  “He is and he isn’t,” Angelo said. “He will grow and learn like any other child, but part of him will remember great battles and the honor of his namesake.”

  “He is a lucky child.” Murphy turned to Victor and said, “Mia mourned the loss of your brother for many weeks.”

  “I wish I could have told her that she had him within her,” Victor said. “But it would have only confused her.”

  “No, it wouldn’t. Never discount that woman in there. She is stronger and smarter than any of us here,” Murphy said.

  Victor walked over, and Angelo handed him the baby. He cradled Varden gently in his arms and whistled a strange birdlike tune. He reluctantly gave him back. “I sense the men of the house. They will be returning shortly.”

  “I need to see to Mia,” Angelo said. “You go and stall them.”

  Victor nodded.

  Angelo handed Varden to Murphy. “How will he stall them?” Murphy asked.

  “Victor can make the snow do a lot of interesting things,” he said and left the room.

  Murphy adjusted Varden’s nightclothes and swaddled him like he had seen Mia do when Brian was a baby. He walked him to the master suite and moved quietly into the room. There, Angelo was covering Mia up.

  “She will be sore, but she is sound. The damage the child did is healing. How she bore him for so long is a miracle. Let her sleep. In sleep there is healing.”

  “She’s already fed him,” Murphy reported.

  “Look at us warriors, we’ve become nursemaids,” Angelo said, laughing. “I rue the day I turned away from her. She would have given me many children.”

  “That’s not the way the story was written,” Murphy said sagely. “If it were my story, she would have never had to experience any pain, but she would have been hurt just the same,” he said sadly. “As Mia would say, ‘It is what it is.’”

  They heard a vehicle making traction up the drive.

  “You better go now,” Murphy said. “I will wait until they come in.”

  “Thank you. Please tell her we were here. We shall keep no secrets.”

  “When the time is right, I’ll tell her,” Murphy promised.

  Angelo left, and Murphy lay a sleepy Varden down in the bassinet. He moved down the stairs to greet the returning males.

  Dieter opened the door, and Brian ran in. “Wait until I tell Mom about what we just saw.”

  “Brian, lower your voice,” cautioned Murphy. “Your mother is sleeping.”

  “K,” he said and walked into the kitchen to pout.

  “Is she well?” Dieter asked, concerned.

  “I need to talk to Ted first. Please wait down here.”

  The young black youth was puzzled but sensed that all was fine.

  Lazar and Cid walked in carrying some groceries. Ted brought up the re
ar. “Murphy, I tried calling Mia, but she didn’t pick up.”

  “She was busy,” Murphy said. “I have to tell you something in private. Come.”

  Cid nodded. “Go, I’ll keep the kids busy.”

  Ted followed Murphy up the stairs and stopped with him at the door to the bedroom.

  “What happened? Is she alright?”

  Murphy saw the panic in his eyes and held up his hand. “All is well. Come and meet your new son.”

  “What?” Ted asked as he rushed in and saw his sleeping wife.

  Next to her, Murphy was lifting a baby boy out of the bassinet. “He is healthy. I’m not sure I did the diaper right. I’m all thumbs.” He handed Varden to Ted.

  Ted looked down at his son. “Welcome to the Martin family, little dude.” It seemed to Ted that the baby smiled. “Murph, he’s so big. Did he split her in two?”

  “It was an experience I don’t want to repeat,” Murphy told him honestly and then described every gory detail.

  Cid had told Murphy later that, with his super hearing, he heard Murphy talking to Ted. He patted Lazar on the arm and whispered, “Mia gave birth while we were gone. Mother and son are doing fine.”

  “We need to celebrate!” Lazar blurted out.

  “Celebrate what?” Dieter asked. “I didn’t do that well today.”

  “He stunk,” Brian lied.

  “Oh, I stunk, little man,” Dieter said, picking up Brian and walking to the back door. “I’m going to take this stinky garbage to the can.”

  “Ahem,” Ted cleared his voice from the doorway. “May I introduce you, gentlemen, to the newest member of the Murphy farmstead?”

  Dieter turned Brian around, and there in his father’s arms was a yawning baby.

  “My god, he hasn’t any teeth,” Brian said to Dieter.

  “Brian, I think that’s how babies come,” Dieter said. “His soul is so strong and old. Varden...”

  “Yup, that’s his name. Varden Reginhard Charles Martin,” Brian said, touching the baby’s little fingers. “Try saying that three times fast.”

  “How’s Mia?” Lazar asked. “Does she need anything?”

  “She was sleeping,” Ted said, handing Varden to Cid. “I’ll go and ask.”

  They watched as Ted ran down the hall and disappeared up the stairs.

  “Uncle Murphy,” Brian said, bored by the no-toothed brother already, “Guess what we saw?”

  “I don’t know. What?” Murphy said, playing along.

  “We saw a line of snowmen marching back and forth across the road.”

  “It looked like they were soldiers doing a drill,” Dieter said. “Cid had to stop the van or we would have smashed into them. When they were finished, we drove by them. They were lined up on either side of the road, but when we looked closer, there weren’t any marching snowmen at all. It was an illusion.”

  “I wish I could have seen that,” Murphy told them, but he felt he had seen something so precious already that nothing would ever compare.

  Chapter Two

  To say that Susan Braverman was a force to be reckoned with was to underestimate her. She not only babysat Brian and his new brother Varden, but she was a chairperson for the Chicago Bears Fan Club North, and she had become the volunteer equipment manager for the Big Bear Lake high school’s sports teams. She loved to organize the gear, repairing tears, sending the uniforms out to be cleaned, and no one said no to her when she was fundraising for the athletic program.

  Her only child, Tom, was still living at home. He was a successful law enforcement professional who saw no reason to leave the nest. Susan and her husband were puzzled by his not moving on. It wasn’t money. Tom earned a good wage. He simply liked living at home. His parents were busy people, and at times, they all seemed to be more roommates than family. Susan was certain that, as soon as Tom was in a serious relationship, he would leave the house.

  “Mom,” Tom said when she picked up the phone. “I heard from an old classmate that the junior college over in Wyandot has decided to suspend their physical fitness program. All of their equipment is up for grabs. First come, first served.”

  Susan looked at her watch. “Let me make a call, and I’m going to head over.”

  “Better rent a small truck. I’m telling you everything is available, and it’s free.”

  “I’ll see if Mia can spare Ted and Cid. We could use the PEEPs truck,” she said and hung up without a goodbye.

  “I don’t care if you’re in the middle of think-tanking - which looks suspiciously like videogaming to me,” Mia said. “Susan has had our backs for two years. It’s time we had hers.”

  “How come Lazar gets to stay home?” Ted asked.

  “Because he’s my favorite. Now get,” she said, pointing to the door. “The best things will be snapped up.”

  “What things?” Cid asked as he, too, had his coat tossed to him and was pointed to the door.

  “Don’t ask, just do,” Ted said in his Yoda voice. “When Mia gets that tone…”

  Mia laughed. She knew what she was doing. Ted wasn’t lazy, but he was overly focused at times. Mia saw this as an opportunity for the Martins to be good neighbors to their good friend. All it took was a few hours of the men’s time.

  Lazar stood with his hands on his hips. He was well-balanced on his artificial limb and could probably do more, physically, than Ted. He didn’t like being set apart because of his disability. “Mia, could I speak with you a moment?” he asked.

  “Sure, as long as it’s not about me not sending you out with a flea in your ear,” she said.

  “But it is. I can do…”

  “Anything, and more than those two jokers, but I need them to do this. If I send you, it will look like I sent our beloved, but hired, man to do our volunteer work for us.”

  “Oh. I can see that. For a moment…”

  “You thought I was underestimating you?”

  “Well, yes.”

  “Dear lord, no,” Mia said, digging two beers out of the refrigerator. “Listen, what do you hear?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Exactly, no bleeps and pops from that damn game they were playing. Brian and Varden are sleeping. Dieter is at Mark’s. It’s just us adults enjoying peace and quiet,” she said, walking into the living room. “Come on, sit down, take a limb off. Shit, did I just say that?” Mia asked, horrified.

  “Yes, but I loved it,” Lazar said. He sat and took off his leg and rubbed the stump. “If you were a guy, I’d be in my boxer shorts right now.”

  Mia laughed. She opened her beer and took a long pull of the icy brew.

  Lazar knew that Mia had to stop nursing Varden due to the baby being allergic to something in her milk, so she had started drinking coffee again, and now beer.

  “I’ve missed this,” she said, indicating the beer. “I’m not really a beer drinker, but because I couldn’t have it, boy oh boy, did I crave it.”

  “It’s like me and toenail polish,” Lazar joked.

  “Lazar, that is so wrong,” Mia said. “I could paint the toenails on your other foot.”

  Lazar blushed. “Okay, secrets out, I don’t have any toenails on this foot.”

  “Really?”

  Lazar took a swig of beer and pulled off his shoe. He took off his sock and shoved his foot in Mia’s direction.

  She didn’t see any malice in the action; she just looked at his foot. “You weren’t lying. Did you ever have toenails?” she asked, interested.

  He shook his head. “I feel so deformed,” he said with a gleam in his eyes.

  “How would you feel if you had wings and then had them ripped off?” Mia asked.

  “Damn, I heard that happened to you, but I thought wings were a metaphor for freedom.”

  “Wait, I can prove it,” Mia said, scrambling off the couch. She ran her hand along the small bookshelf next to the television set. She pulled out a bible and sat back down. She opened it and pulled out a few pictures she had stored there. “Mark Leighton t
ook these pictures of me when I wasn’t looking, or I would have smiled.” Mia handed the photos of her after the tornado at Wolf’s Head Lake to Lazar and watched his face.

  “If I didn’t know Mark, I would swear these were computer generated. Ouch, that must have hurt,” he said, holding up the picture of Mia with her wing bent backwards and Orion trying to help her reset it.

  “That little man is my grandfather. You’ve seen him around.”

  “Orion Stavros is your grandfather? He can’t be…”

  “He’s 400 years old, something like that. He has wings too.”

  “He still has his?”

  “Yes.”

  “How did you lose yours?”

  “Saint Michael, Prince of Angels, tore them off in a rage. The story is a bit long, but since I didn’t want them anyway, he sort of did me a favor.”

  “I only lost a leg.”

  “I’m sorry you lost your leg. I know somebody who could get you toenails…”

  “No, that’s alright.”

  “How about a leg?”

  “Ted’s already done that.”

  “I mean a real leg?”

  “How would I explain it?”

  “Same way I did the wings, I didn’t.”

  “Tempted,” Lazar said and drank more beer.

  Mia took another drink and leaned back. “It’s nice talking to an adult.”

  “Ted and Cid…”

  Mia opened one eye and dared him to continue.

  “Okay, maybe that was a bad choice.”

  “Two bad choices. I am counting.”

  “When are you going back to work?” Lazar asked.

  “I’m in the next rotation. PEEPs are doing a series on debunking common haunts. They don’t need my expertise for faux ghosts. Audrey and Mike have got it covered.”

  “I talked to my parents about the Sentinel Woods property,” Lazar began.

  “I hope you talked them out of it. Sinkholes are still a possibility even beyond the wooded area.”

  “My grandmother would like to meet the creature.”

  Mia sat up straight.

  “I don’t suppose you can arrange a meeting?” he asked.