Grim Expectations (Aisling Grimlock Book 5)

by Amanda M. Lee

  “The future isn’t set in stone,” Maxine said. “There are many different paths in front of you. Although, to be fair, your future has both narrowed and expanded since the cop came into your life. I find it fascinating. I still want a look.”

  “But … why?”

  Maxine made me uncomfortable. There was no sense denying it. She told me terrible things that upset me regularly. Visiting her was never my first choice.

  “Because while I love your brother, you are the Grimlock who confounds me most,” Maxine admitted. “You’re petulant and whiny, but you have a strong heart and you’re extremely loyal. I’ve enjoyed watching you progress.”

  “Yeah, I think I’ll pass.”

  Maxine snorted as Redmond scowled.

  “Just give her your hand, Aisling,” he ordered. “We need her help, and she’s not going to give it until you trade something with her. We both know it.”

  “Can’t you just read her future from me?” Griffin asked.

  “Yes and no,” Maxine replied. “Your futures are definitely entangled, for better or worse, until the end. You won’t always be able to watch her every second of every day, Griffin. I know that’s what troubles you most – I feel the worry that you think you won’t be able to protect her – but you have to remember that she’s fully capable of protecting herself.”

  Griffin pursed his lips. “How did you know that?”

  “How did she know what?” I asked curiously.

  “That is my biggest worry,” Griffin said, glancing at me. “I’m terrified you’re going to walk out the front door one day and I’ll never see you again.”

  “Don’t you think I feel the same way about you?”

  “Probably, but that doesn’t change the way I feel, and I refuse to feel guilty about it.”

  I blew out a frustrated sigh but then reached out my hand so Maxine could take it. Her fingers were warm when they encompassed mine and she kept her eyes shut for a really long time before opening them. She seemed amazed when she released me.

  “You’ve done a lot of growing in a short amount of time, littlest Grimlock,” she said. “When you were a teenager I wondered if you would ever grow at all. Now you’ve proven everyone wrong and turned into the woman we all knew you could be.”

  “Oh, good grief,” I muttered. “I don’t need a pep talk.”

  “Aisling.” Redmond cast me a withering look.

  “It’s okay,” Maxine said. “Aisling is unsettled. She has that right. Her future is … shiny, though. It’s shiny, just like her eyes when she looks at Griffin.”

  “And I’m back to wanting to puke,” Redmond said. “I know you think you’re being funny, but I can only take so much. She’s still my baby sister.”

  “And yet she’s his heart,” Maxine said, giving Griffin an appraising look. “You have a solid spirit, son. That’s good. You’re going to need it with this family. Still, you love from a calm and soothing place. Your happiness will be profound because your loyalty cannot be measured.”

  Griffin’s cheeks colored under her scrutiny. “Thank you … I think.”

  Maxine chuckled. “As for you, sourpuss, you’re on the right track. Don’t let the others dissuade you from what you know in your heart. In the end, it will be up to you to save all of them.”

  “What does that mean?” Redmond asked, shifting from one foot to the other. “Are you talking about our mother?”

  “I’m talking to Aisling, not you,” Maxine clarified. “That’s all I’m going to say on that subject for today, though. Tell me why you’re here.”

  “We’re looking for a reaping family,” Redmond supplied. “The Grimleys. They went missing more than two weeks ago. We thought they were dead but … we’ve gotten some information that might indicate they’re alive. Have you heard anything?”

  “I’ve heard whispers,” Maxine said, bobbing her head. “They say the dead walk.”

  “I … what does that mean?” Griffin asked. “Are you saying the Grimleys are alive?”

  “I’m saying that people died and yet they somehow continue to walk,” Maxine replied.

  “Oh, no.” My heart sank. “Have they turned the Grimleys into wraiths? Is that their ultimate plan?”

  “Not wraiths,” Maxine said, rubbing her arthritic knuckles. “I’m not sure what they are, but I am sure that they’re not wraiths. They’re something different. That doesn’t mean they’re not dangerous.”

  “Do you know where they are?” Redmond asked.

  “No, but they’re not far,” Maxine answered. “If you wait too long the wraiths will find you and add you to the mix. That’s not what you want.”

  What was that supposed to mean? “So how do we find them?”

  “Use your head, little Grimlock,” Maxine instructed. “You already know how to find them.”

  I hate it when she talks in riddles. She thinks it’s funny, but it gives me heartburn. “Can’t you give me a hint?”

  Maxine smiled. “Let your head and heart collide,” she said. “They’ll never lead you astray.”

  And with that, I was done. “I told you this was a waste of time,” I muttered. “Now I need a doughnut to lift my spirits. I’ll be in a bad mood all day now, and it’s entirely your fault.”

  Griffin wasn’t perturbed by my tone. “What else is new?”

  28

  Twenty-Eight

  “I liked her.”

  I ignored Griffin’s gushing about Maxine and opted to settle on the floor with Cillian instead of sitting next to him on one of the couches in my father’s office. With nothing other than Maxine’s vague words to guide us, we were back to being nowhere. That meant we had to rely on our research – always a dubious endeavor.

  “You’re only saying that because she thought you were cute,” Redmond said as he popped the top on a soda and sat on the other couch. “She couldn’t stop fawning all over you. It was really quite disgusting.”

  “You’re only saying that because she paid more attention to Griffin than you,” I said, narrowing my eyes as I looked over Cillian’s stacks of paperwork. He’s the most organized Grimlock. At times I like it. Other times it baffles me. I have no idea where he got such a pragmatic mind in a sea of out-of-control emotional wrecks. “What are you doing?”

  “It’s called research,” Cillian said dryly, looking up from the book he perused. “I’m trying to identify all of the symbols on the seal Serena gave us. There’s more than just one.”

  “Yeah, I figured that out myself,” I said, lifting the seal from the floor to study it. It was round with four symbols spaced evenly apart at the edges. I’d seen all of the symbols before, but I had no idea what they meant. “This looks old.”

  “Oh, wow! What was your first clue?” Cillian deadpanned, snagging the seal. “Don’t get your grimy fingerprints all over it.”

  He was in a mood. “Why are you so crabby? Isn’t Maya giving you the loving you so properly deserve?”

  “Don’t talk about my sister that way, Aisling,” Griffin warned.

  “Why? You talk about our sister that way all of the time,” Redmond pointed out. “Why can you have a double standard?”

  “Because … well … I said so,” Griffin said, causing Redmond to bark out a laugh and Cillian to smirk.

  “Maya has been working her tail off at the hospital so we can have that extended weekend at the end of the month,” Cillian explained. “She’s really excited for me to meet her mother.”

  “What about you?” I asked. “Are you excited to meet her mother?”

  Cillian shrugged. “Mothers generally like me. I’m not worried.”

  “You’ll be fine,” Griffin said. “My mother likes everyone.”

  “Will she like Aisling?” Redmond asked. “I’m guessing not since you refuse to take her across the state and introduce her to the rest of your family.”

  Griffin’s brow creased as he regarded Redmond. I could feel his temper flaring. “My mother will like Aisling,” he said. “Sure, Ais
ling’s mouth is liable to get her in trouble, but that’s no different from a normal day here. You need to stop saying things like that, because it upsets your sister.”

  My father, who kept one ear on the conversation and his eyes on the daily newspaper, stirred at the end of the room. When I glanced in that direction, I found him staring at me.

  “What?”

  “I was just thinking,” Dad said, licking his lips. “This is the second time this topic has arisen and … well … even though it’s none of my business, I would like to know why you’re not taking Aisling home to meet your mother, Griffin. That seems somehow disrespectful.”

  If Griffin was surprised by my father’s tone he didn’t acknowledge it. “Aisling and I have already had this discussion, but I guess I can have it with you, too,” he said. “My mother was adamant about wanting me home for the holiday. She also wanted me to bring Aisling. I told her it was impossible.”

  “Because you’re embarrassed of Aisling?” Redmond asked, his voice icy. He liked to tease me, but I could tell he was ready to jump to my defense. “I’m not going to pretend she’s the easiest person to get along with, but if you’re embarrassed … .”

  “Yeah, that really sounds just like me, doesn’t it?” Griffin was annoyed. “I’m not taking Aisling home because I feel it’s a mistake to spread your father’s forces thin at this particular time. I am not embarrassed by anything where she’s concerned. I’m always proud of her.”

  Dad rubbed his chin as he studied Griffin. “What do you think is going to happen?”

  “I honestly can’t say,” Griffin said. “I simply have a bad feeling about leaving. This is the first big holiday you’ll be celebrating as a family since Mrs. Grimlock returned. I have no idea what will happen, but you guys make drama out of simple family nights. I’m guessing Thanksgiving will be outrageous … even by your standards.”

  “I’ve considered that myself,” Dad admitted. “Thanksgiving is usually a football and turkey day around here. Everyone is lazy and eats themselves silly. It’s not a fancy occasion. If you want to take Aisling with you … .”

  “We’ve already talked about it,” I interjected. “I want to meet his mother – although I am terrified that she’s going to hate me. Mothers don’t like me. I’m not like Cillian. I’m not ready to leave you right now, though.”

  Dad expression softened. “It’s only for a few days. I’m sure I’ll survive.”

  “But I’m not sure I will,” Griffin said. “If we leave town now, Aisling will spend the entire trip obsessing about Mrs. Grimlock and what she’s doing. She’ll wonder if you’re okay. She’ll wonder if Jerry is safe. She’ll spend the entire weekend on the phone checking on you and generally obsessing about everyone getting eaten because she’s not here to protect you. That will definitely irritate my mother.”

  “I don’t want to infringe on your plans,” Dad pressed. “That doesn’t seem fair.”

  “Life isn’t fair,” Griffin said. “If Aisling and I go with Cillian, that puts you down three people. If someone ever wanted to attack … that would be the prime time because you guys are joined at the hip otherwise.”

  “We know how to take care of ourselves,” Dad said. “I … feel guilty.”

  “Don’t,” Griffin said. “I have every intention of introducing Aisling to my mother before the year is out.”

  That was news to me. “You do?”

  Griffin nodded. “She’s coming out this way for Christmas.”

  My mouth dropped open as the realization washed over me. “She is?”

  Dad chuckled at the panic straining my voice. “Ah, that makes sense,” he intoned. “That’s probably a good idea.”

  “How is that a good idea?” I challenged. “We’re already living in a pressure cooker. Do you really want to add Griffin’s mother and Christmas carols to an already tense situation?”

  “It will be fine,” Dad said. “I look forward to meeting her. In fact, she can stay here if you like.”

  Griffin tilted his head as he considered the offer. “I’ll ask her if she’s comfortable with that,” he said. “I would prefer it, because I know she’ll be safe here, but she might feel more comfortable in a hotel.”

  “Whatever she wants,” Dad said. “Just let me know either way.”

  How could they be so calm while talking about something that was going to turn my world upside down? “Don’t I have a say in this?”

  “No,” Griffin and Dad replied in unison.

  Well, that hardly seemed fair. “But … what if she doesn’t like me?”

  “And here we go,” Redmond said, causing Cillian to snicker. “Now we’re getting to the heart of the matter. I wondered why Aisling wasn’t more riled about Griffin not inviting her west for the holidays. Now I know why.”

  “Oh, yeah, smart mouth? Why then?” My agitation grew by the second.

  “Because you’ve never met anybody’s mother before,” Redmond replied.

  “I’ve met Jerry’s mother.”

  “That doesn’t count,” Cillian said, screwing up his face in concentration as he racked his brain. “Holy crap! You’re right. Aisling has never met a boyfriend’s mother before.”

  “That’s probably because you guys always scared away my boyfriends after two weeks because you were buttheads,” I spat.

  “Calm down,” Griffin said, resting a hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay. This is why I didn’t want to tell you. I knew your brothers would freak you out. I should’ve thought better about announcing it here.”

  Dad chuckled as he stared at me. “You need to get a pretty dress,” he said. “Mothers like girls who dress appropriately.”

  “Ooh, something pink would be perfect,” Redmond said, moving his knee when I tried to slap him. “I’m going to text Jerry and tell him you need help dress shopping for Christmas. He’ll be so excited.”

  I risked a glance at Griffin and found him trying to hide his lopsided grin. He enjoyed my brothers teasing me about fifty percent of the time. He stood up for me the other fifty percent. This clearly wasn’t going to fall into that half of the equation.

  “Don’t even think about texting Jerry,” I warned. “If he’s involved in the dress selection I’ll come out looking like Jackie Kennedy or something. He’ll put me in one of those weird hats and make me wear heels.”

  “Oh, that’s got to suck for the Converse queen,” Redmond said, guffawing. “I want him to make you wear one of those little pillbox hats with a veil. We need to take a lot of photos, Dad. Make sure you have your camera ready.”

  “I’m ordering backup batteries right now,” Dad said, clicking away on his computer. “It will be a Christmas for the record books.”

  “You all suck,” I said, jerking away when Griffin tried to tug me toward him. He wanted to offer solace, but I was in no mood to be handled. “I think that having Griffin’s mother here for Christmas is a terrible idea.”

  “And why is that?” Dad challenged. “Do you think I can’t act as a proper host?”

  I would never suggest anything of the sort. “No. I think you’ll be a gracious host. It’s just … how will we explain Mom?”

  “That’s actually a good question,” Cillian said, shifting his eyes to Dad. “I wanted to bring this up with you in private, but it concerns Griffin and Aisling as much as it does Maya and me. What should I tell Mrs. Taylor about our work situation?”

  “I’m not sure,” Dad said, rubbing the back of his neck as he leaned forward. “I knew this would come up eventually, but I guess I didn’t envision it happening so fast.” His somber eyes landed on me. “Two weeks ago you were asking me for a pony and demanding a puppy and a golf cart for Christmas. Where does the time go?”

  “I never got the puppy, pony or the golf cart,” I groused. “You got me Barbie’s Dream House. I hated that thing.”

  “That was your mother’s idea,” Dad said. “She was worried you didn’t spend enough time taking part in the activities of young girls. Besides, Jer
ry really wanted that house. She thought if he played with it you would have no choice but to join in.”

  “Yeah? What happened to the house?”

  “I forget.”

  “You haven’t forgotten,” I challenged.

  “Oh, now I’m keen to hear what happened to the dollhouse,” Griffin said, moving from the couch to the floor so he could be closer to me. I didn’t fight the effort when he grabbed my hand and rested it in his lap. “Was fire involved?”

  “Fire was definitely involved,” Redmond said, smiling at the memory. “Aisling hated the house and she didn’t want it in her bedroom. Mom insisted it stay in there because she didn’t think Aisling needed her own toy room. Aisling would not stop whining, though.

  “So, one day when we had a babysitter because Mom and Dad were off somewhere – I forget where – we carried the house to the basement,” he continued. “We wanted to take it outside but it was too open. The servants avoided the basement because it was so dark and depressing.”

  “And it had snakes,” I added.

  “Stop with the snakes,” Dad ordered. “There were never snakes. Your brothers simply told you that to keep you out of there. That was their private space.”

  “You still haven’t told me what happened to the dollhouse,” Griffin prodded.

  “Oh, right,” Redmond said. “We were going through a G.I. Joe phase and Cillian was convinced he could build a working rocket launcher. We moved the house to the basement and used Cillian’s new toy on it. It went up like kindling. It was like a television explosion.”

  “It was also like a real fire,” Dad reminded him. “The butler panicked and called the fire department. By the time I returned home the police were on the lawn and my children were being interviewed by social services. It took days to sort out everything.”

  Griffin snorted. “Did everyone get in trouble?”

  “I believe Redmond, Cillian and Braden were grounded for being the masterminds,” Dad answered. “Aisling and Aidan were too young, and they had no idea the sort of ramifications they faced.”

  “Yes, we got punished, and Aisling and Aidan got cookies,” Redmond said. “It totally wasn’t fair.”