Manitou Springs

by Claudia Hall Christian

  “This is about Cleo,” Noelle said with a nod. “Right?”

  Tanesha gave Noelle a slight nod.

  “What?” Delphie asked at the same time Sam said, “The cat?”

  The other adults just looked confused.

  “Show us,” Seth said again.

  “I’ll just tell you, Grampa Seth,” Noelle said. “You know how much Rachel loves Cleo, right?”

  Seth nodded. Rachel often brought the cat with her when she came to visit Seth. He also knew that when Rachel was a preemie, the cat had never left her side. Her purring and warmth helped Rachel grow into the adorable little girl she was now.

  “Where did Cleo come from?” Athena asked.

  “I gave her to Sandy,” Heather said. “She’s a rescue.”

  The adults nodded as if Heather had said something significant.

  “She’s just a cat?” Athena pointedly asked Heather.

  “No,” Delphie said at the same time Heather said, “Sure.”

  Delphie shook her head and gave Heather a strong look.

  “Okay, okay,” Heather laughed. “Don’t turn your Oracle voodoo on me.”

  “May I see this cat?” Athena asked.

  Teddy set the black and white cat on the floor. She walked over to Athena and sat down. Athena laughed.

  “I’ve wondered what had happened to you,” Athena said.

  Cleo licked a paw in response.

  “Please do go on,” Athena said to Noelle.

  “Rachel has been going to school for the last month or so,” Noelle said.

  “Since we started the new term,” Teddy said.

  “She’s been doing really well, but sometimes she gets scared,” Noelle said. “She’s smaller than the other kids. I mean, not smaller than Maggie, but she doesn’t have Maggie’s charm.”

  “There’s a bigger kid in her class that isn’t very nice to Rachel,” Nash said.

  “Calls her a ‘kike’ behind the teacher’s back,” Teddy said. The adult’s scowled. “We don’t know what that means.”

  “It’s a cruel name for a Jewish person,” Seth said.

  “But Rachel’s not Jewish!” Ivy said.

  “Her great-grandfather is,” Seth said. “My mother was. It’s a weird bloodline thing.”

  “Oh, sorry,” Teddy said. “I didn’t mean to say a bad word.”

  “Rachel isn’t a great talker,” Ivy said. “So she just freezes up.”

  “What does this have to do with what happened today?” Sam asked.

  “Rachel’s been taking Cleo with her to school,” Noelle said. “Katy made it happen.”

  “It’s kind of a secret,” Nash said.

  “Not among us, you know,” Ivy said.

  “Just grownups,” Noelle said. “We just did it so that Rachel was okay in her class. With Cleo there, Rachel’s really confident and happy.”

  “She’s doing better at school,” Nash said.

  Noelle nodded.

  “Rachel brought Cleo to the wedding because she’s scared about Mom and Dad going away,” Noelle said.

  “There was a cat in the church?” Seth asked.

  Noelle nodded.

  “Nobody could see her,” Nash said. “Not even us.”

  “We didn’t know she was there,” Teddy said. “Or at least I didn’t know she was there. Did you?”

  Nash shook his head as did Ivy. Noelle looked away rather than answer.

  “So we have a chapel with a powerful Titan and a couple Goddesses in the audience,” Seth said. “A sword of power and a magical cat and an Oracle plus her protégé. Anything else?”

  Noelle, Nash, Teddy, and Ivy shook their heads in unison.

  “Now will you tell us what happened?” Blane asked.

  “Of course,” Heather said.

  Denver Cereal continues . . .

  Glossary of Characters

  Aaron Alvin:

  Father of Ava; also called “The spider” by Yvonne Smith.

  Abi the Fairy:

  General in Fairy Corps; great-grandmother of Tanesha; Fin’s partner

  Aden Norsen:

  CEO at Lipson construction; single father of Nash and Noelle; husband of Sandy.

  Alma Fontaine:

  Mother of Heather Lipson; Psyche.

  Alexandra Hargreaves:

  Identical twin to Max Hargreaves; ‘The Fey;’ the leader of the Fey Team; wife of Dr. John Drayson; sister to Colin and Samantha Hargreaves.

  Anjelika:

  Megan, Mike, Steve, Candy and Jill’s mother; grandmother to Katy; wife of Perses.

  Andrea Menendez or Andy Mendy:

  Mother of Sandy; Seth’s love & lover from the time he was 14 until he lost her when he was 30.

  Annette:

  Reality television star; mother to Jabari; Jeraine Wilson’s ex.

  Arthur “Raz” Rasmussen:

  Member of the Fey team; boyfriend of Samantha Hargreaves.

  Ava — Amelie Vivian Alvin:

  Denver Police Crime Lab Technician; fiancé of Seth O’Malley; daughter of Aaron Alvin.

  Ben Red Bear, Detective:

  Denver Police Detective in charge of investigation of rapes; possibly involved in the distribution chain.

  Bestat Behur:

  Partner to Zack Jakkman; stepmother to Teddy; dragon.

  Beth Baker:

  Ava’s best friend; Child Psychologist; murdered by Saint Jude.

  Blane Lipson:

  Jacob’s ‘cousin;’ assistant to Jacob Marlowe at Lipson Construction; Chinese Medicine doctor; husband of Heather; father of Mack; getting bone marrow transplant for HIV infection.

  Bob aka ‘Blood spatter Bob’: Former expert forensics instructor with the FBI; currently a laboratory technician in Ava’s Denver Police Department lab.

  Bumpy Wilson:

  Good friend of Seth’s; medical doctor; father of Jeraine Wilson, husband of Dionne, born Leroy Wilson.

  Candace or Candy Roper:

  Daughter of Anjelika; sister to Jill.

  Charlie Delgado:

  Stepbrother of Sandy; street kid; drug addict; moved in with Sandy in Cimarron.

  Chesterfield or Mr. Chesterfield:

  Rodney Smith’s large black dog, which he was given in prison from the Puppies for Prisoners program; best friend of Jabari.

  Celia Marlowe:

  Wife of Sam Lipson; mother of Valerie Lipson and Jacob Marlowe; Delphie’s best friend; died of cancer nine years before Denver Cereal begins.

  Cleo:

  Black and white cat belonging to Sandy.

  Colin Hargreaves:

  Brother of Alex, Max and Samantha Hargreaves; Homeland Security Agent; Fey Team member; father of Paddie Hargreaves.

  Dale:

  Boyfriend of Beth Baker, Amelie’s best friend; housemate of Amelie; Handyman who lives with Seth O’Malley, best friend to Charlie.

  Delphinium or Delphie:

  Psychic; beekeeper; master gardener; best friend of Celia Marlowe; girlfriend to Sam Lipson.

  DeShawn Jones:

  Ex-drug dealer; current site manager at Lipson Construction

  Dionne Wilson:

  Wife of Bumpy Wilson; mother of Jeraine and LaTonya; medical nurse; singer.

  Erik Le Monde:

  Father of Wanda; plumber; works for Lipson Construction.

  Edie the Fairy:

  Second daughter of Queen Fand & Manannán; younger sister to the Blue Fairy and elder sister to Mari; nanny to Jill and Jacob’s twins.

  Edith Stiefel:

  Mother of Wanda. Ex-wife of Erik Le Monde.

  Evette:

  Secretary of Jacob’s for one week; claims romantic relationship between them.

  Fand, usually Queen Fand:

  Queen of the Fairies; wife of Manannán; ancestor of Jacob Lipson.

  Fin, Finegal, sometimes Prince Finegal:

  Eldest son of Queen Fand and Manannán; heir to throne; great-grandfather to Tanesha; partner to Abi; medical student.

  Fran: A
laboratory tech in Ava’s Denver Police Department lab.

  Frankie Aziz:

  Boyfriend of Wanda Le Monde; videographer of group of rapists; brother of DPD Sergeant Aziz.

  Giovani:

  Live in helper to Ivan and Nadia. Lives in New York. From small village in Italy.

  Gilfand:

  Loyal male servant of Queen Fand; one of the oldest fairies; appears as a gargoyle.

  Heather Lipson:

  One of Jillian Roper’s group of best friends; mother to Mack and Wyn; wife to Blane Lipson; mother of Tink; Hedone, child of Psyche and Eros; current acting Eros/Cupid.

  Honey Lipson:

  Paralyzed; stepdaughter of Sam Lipson; wife of Sergeant MJ Scully; mother of Maggie; Lives at the Castle and works at Lipson Construction.

  Jabari Wilson: Young son of Jeraine Wilson and Annette; biological child of Tanesha Smith and Jeraine Wilson

  Jacob Marlowe:

  Son of Sam Lipson and Celia Marlowe; husband of Jillian Roper; brother of Valerie Lipson; president of Lipson Construction; owns his own rehabilitation business; carpenter; hockey player, teller of Denver Cereal.

  Jeraine Wilson:

  R&B sensation; husband of Tanesha Smith; son of Bumpy; drug and sex addict.

  Jeraine Wilson, Junior: Young son of Jeraine Wilson.

  Jillian or Jill Roper:

  Daughter of Anjelika and Perses; mother of Katy Roper; wife of Jacob Marlowe; ex-wife of Trevor Mc Guinsey; pregnant with twin boys.

  John Drayson, MD:

  Vascular surgeons; husband of Alex Hargreaves.

  Julie Hargreaves:

  Mother of Paddie Hargreaves; wife of Colin Hargreaves.

  “Ivy” Anna Marie McDonald:

  Street child; friend of Tink and Charlie’s; youngest assaulted in rape case with worst injuries; Delphie’s niece.

  Katy or Katherine Anjelika Roper Marlowe:

  Daughter of Jillian Roper and Jacob Marlowe.

  Leslie: A laboratory tech in Ava’s Denver Police Department lab.

  Leslie Roper:

  Wife of Steve Roper; mother of infant Elisa Roper.

  Levi Johansen:

  Won Delphie in a card game when she was 5-6; held her as a slave/The Oracle Tabor; attempted to kill Delphie; deceased.

  Liban:

  Queen Fand’s twin sister; looks like Cleopatra.

  Lizzie O’Malley:

  Daughter of Seth O’Malley; Biological mother to Conner Hargreaves. Girlfriend of James Schmidt.

  Mack Lipson: Infant son of Heather and Blane Lipson.

  Margaret Peaches or Sergeant Margaret Peaches:

  Fey team member; partner of Sergeant MJ Scully.

  Manannán:

  A Celtic sea deity; possibly first ruler of the Isle of Man; husband of Queen Fand, ancestor of Jacob Lipson

  Maresol Tafoya:

  Seth O’Malley’s housekeeper; mother of Bonita’s Seth’s second wife; friend of Delphie.

  Max Hargreaves:

  Identical twin to Alex Hargreaves; brother to Colin and Samantha Hargreaves.

  Megan Roper:

  Daughter of Anjelika and Perses; partner of Tim; mother to Ryan and two other boys.

  Mike Roper:

  Son of Anjelika and Perses; husband of Valerie Lipson; art mentor to Noelle Norsen; hockey goalie; painter.

  Michael Bladen Roper Marlowe:

  Infant son of Jill and Jacob Roper-Marlowe; identical twin of Tanner.

  Mitch Delgado:

  Sandy’s stepfather who she called ‘Dad’; father of Charlie and Sissy; Seth O’Malley’s best friend; died of lung cancer 8 or 9 years ago.

  MJ or Sergeant Michael Scully Jr.:

  Fey team member; partner of Sergeant Margaret Peaches; husband of Honey Lipson.

  Molly:

  Bookkeeper for Jacob Marlowe’s rehabilitation business; wife of Pete.

  Nadia Kerminoff, MD

  ER doctor, ex-lover of Ivan, Russian mother, wealthy American father; “dark arrow” soulmate of Nash Norsen.

  Nash Norsen:

  Son of Aden and Nuala Norsen; brother of Noelle Norsen; “dark arrow” soulmate of Nadia Kerminoff.

  Nelson: A lab technician in Ava’s Denver Police Department lab; potential love interest of Blane Lipson.

  Noelle Norsen:

  Daughter of Aden and Nuala Norsen; sister of Nash Norsen; artist.

  Nuala Norsen:

  Ex-wife of Aden Norsen; biological mother of Nash and Noelle Norsen.

  Paddie Hargreaves:

  Best friend of Katy Roper; nephew of Alex and Max Hargreaves; son of Colin Hargreaves.

  Patty Delgado:

  Mother of Sissy and Charlie; mother to Sandy; wife of Mitch Delgado.

  Pete:

  Husband of Molly; father of her children; friend of Aden Norsen.

  Perses:

  Paid assassin; rescuer, Titan, and biological father of Jillian Roper.

  Rodney Smith:

  Father of Tanesha; imprisoned for 26 years for a murder he didn’t commit; husband of Yvonne Smith; site manager at Lipson Construction.

  Ryan:

  Oldest son of Megan Roper and Tim.

  Sam Lipson:

  Husband to Celia Marlowe; married to Tiffanie Lipson; boyfriend of Delphie; father to Valerie and Jacob Marlowe-Lipson; step-father to Brianna, Becky, Honey and the ‘step-whore.’

  Samantha Hargreaves:

  Sister to Alex, Max and Colin Hargreaves; girlfriend of Art Rasmussen; best friend of Valerie Lipson; criminal defense attorney.

  Sandy Delgado Norsen:

  Best friend of Jillian Roper; one of Jill’s group of best friends; wife of Aden Norsen; hairdresser.

  Sarah:

  Yellow Labrador belonging to Jacob Marlowe.

  Scooter:

  Gift from Celia and Delphie to Jillian on her marriage to Trevor McGuinsey; taken care of for last 4 years by Delphie after Trevor put him up for adoption; Katy’s constant companion.

  Sergeant Aziz:

  Denver Police detective assigned to investigate rapes; does nothing to protect his brother, Frankie.

  Seth O’Malley:

  Godfather and biological father of Sandy; best friend of Sandy’s step father; Denver Police Detective; gifted composer and prodigy pianist

  Stepsister or Stepwhore:

  Eldest daughter of Tiffanie Lipson; sister to Honey, Briana, and Becky Lipson; step-daughter of Sam Lipson; second wife of Trevor McGuinsey.

  Steve or Stephen Roper:

  Son of Anjelika; middle child of Roper family; medical nurse to Honey Lipson; husband of Leslie.

  Sissy Delgado:

  Stepsister of Sandy; anorexic; talented ballet dancer; lives with Sandy and Aden.

  Tanesha Smith:

  One of Jillian Roper’s best friends; wife of Jeraine Wilson; medical student.

  Tanner Handy Roper Marlowe:

  Infant son of Jill and Jacob Roper Marlowe; identical twin of Michael.

  Teddy Jakkman

  Son of Fey Team member Captain Zack ‘the Jakker’ Jakkman; best friend of Nash Norsen; dates Noelle Norsen.

  Tink or Tiffanie:

  Street kid; friend of Charlie Delgado’s; attacked and beaten by gang of rapists, Heather and Blane Lipson’s adopted daughter.

  Tim:

  Partner to Megan Roper; father of Ryan and two other children.

  Trevor Mc Guinsey:

  Ex-husband of Jillian Roper; assumed father of Katy Roper; fiancé to the step-whore.

  Valerie Lipson:

  Daughter of Sam and Celia Marlowe; wife to Mike Roper; soap opera and movie actress.

  Wanda (Wade) Le Monde:

  Met Sissy at Eating Disorder Inpatient Treatment; transgender child; daughter/son of Erik and Edith; girlfriend of Frankie Aziz.

  Wes or Wesley Kapanski:

  Hollywood producer; Was engaged to Valerie Lipson at the beginning of Denver Cereal.

  Yvonne Smith:

  Mother of Tanesha Smith; forced into prostitution
after her husband was imprisoned.

  Zack ‘The Jakker’ Jakkman

  Father of Teddy, Britanie, and Samuel Jakkman; ‘The pilot’ to Sissy & Charlie; Sandy’s childhood pen pal; friend of Sandy’s.

  The story continues at

  Denver Cereal.com

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  More about Claudia at: ClaudiaHallChristian.com