by L M Lacee
CHAPTER NINE:
B ack outside ten minutes later, June and Sage’s arms were fill of little girls. They stood looking out at the fading stars as dawn started to lighten the sky. “His face was priceless.” Stated June
“Bet it was not as good as the lovely Ella’s?” Laughed Sage.
“So funny!” They said together.
Yawning Sage asked. “So how old are dragons then?”
“That is not the question.” June told her. “The question is how old do they get?”
“Well hell! That is a question.” Giving herself a shake, Sage said. “So the girls are well. Do you know if I have a place to stay?”
June looked at her strangely, then whistled loudly. A few seconds later a car came from around the back of the building. “You are the weirdest female I have ever known.”
“Wow! That is saying something. I know the females you know!”
“Laughing here! Now you have a home here already.”
“Really?” Sage asked surprised. “When did that happen?”
“Since just after your first mission.”
“Amazing!” Sage could not keep the amusement from her voice. “Do you have one?”
June shook her head. “No, it has never felt right.” Then she asked. “Wasn’t it you, who sent a message a few days ago to say you were coming and you had young ones and could your home be ready? Which it is.” She pulled open her car door as Sage went around to hers, she heard June mutter. “How you knew about Molly I don’t understand?”
But as she said it quietly, Sage didn’t have to reply. She could not tell her that the Goddess had sent the message. Because apparently she knew Sage was coming home to stay and she had remembered Sage’s stipulation. Although June knew about the Goddess, no one knew Sage was on intimate terms with her. So she just grinned saying. “Okay Miss know-it-all. Where is this home of mine?”
June snorted then gave the teenager driving, Sage’s address. They had no time for conversation as a few streets later the car was pulling up at the curb. Four streets back from the town’s main road. They got out after a round of thanks to the driver. And stood on the sidewalk in front of a large two story, wooden house. It looked like any house in any average town in any county of America. It was painted light blue with white trims. Sage loved it at first sight.
One look at her face and June laughed, launching into her best Realtor voice. “This house has five bedrooms, four up, one down. Five and a half full modern bathrooms, it also comes with a separate lounge and formal dining. It has a state of the art kitchen with dining nook as requested. All appliances are new and the kitchen and bathrooms are fully stocked. It has a library which could be used as an office and a sun room which can be converted to a playroom. Also as requested the wrap around porch is equipped with swings and rockers. The home comes with every convenience one could desire, if one is not there please just call the builders and make your request. The backyard will be child friendly with outdoor play equipment as soon as the fence is put in place.”
The humor left June’s voice as she hugged her friend one armed and whispered. “Welcome home Sage!”
She handed her Ava and started to walk down the street. Sage, Molly and Ava watched her as she turned and walked backward, saying. “I’m off for two weeks, maybe three, enjoy your family and home.” With a grin she called. “Can I stay with you when I return?”
Sage grinned back called. “Silly female of course you can and June you be careful out there, it’s getting bad.”
June stopped. “I will. I promise, see you in two weeks.”
She lifted her hand and waved then, turned around and ran. Sage and the girls watched her until she made the corner at the end of the street. She stopped and cupped her mouth yelling back at Sage. “HOPE YOU LIKE YOUR HOUSE WARMING PRESENT!”
Then she was gone. Sage shook her head and asked a wide eyed Molly. “Now what house warming present would that be?”
“Mama me ungry.” Was Molly’s only reply.
“Of course you are. It has to be time for breakfast. Let us hope Auntie June was not kidding about the kitchen being fully stocked.” Hitching both girls higher on her hips she started the short walk to her very first home. “Let’s go in and see what I can find for breakfast.”
Placing one foot on the bottom step leading to her new painted white wooden front doors. She was surprised when they opened. The female standing there was at least sixty with silver streaks among the brown of her hair. She had kind, slightly haunted light brown eyes and an apprehensive expression. She had a face that had seen a lot of life with laugh lines ingrained around her eyes and mouth. She stood at least five foot ten inches to six feet tall, and possessed a nice rounded body that Sage found soothing, probably because it reminded her of hers.
“I take it you are my present from June?” She asked as she made it up the final steps, the female wrung a dish towel between her hands as she answered in a soft slightly accented voice. “It would seem so yes. My name is Grace Orlov. June said you would be in need of a housekeeper, she thought we would get along.” Hesitantly she asked. “Do...do you need a housekeeper?”
Sage shrugged. “Probably! Grace is there coffee and something for the girls?”
“Yes, I was told what to have ready for you, if you would like to come this way I will get you settled.”
Sage looked around as they passed through the doorway, there wasn’t much to see as they were led down a short, wide hallway. Besides stairs leading up to another floor. There were closed doors on the left and right she could see an opened door and glanced into what appeared to be the library. June was right it would make a great office which she will need.
She walked on beautiful hardwood floors that seemed to be throughout the house. The walls were painted a nice soft blue with white trim, it was a home that was waiting to be lived in. Following Grace with the two girls she stepped into her kitchen and sighed with delight as Grace watched her fall in love with her kitchen.
Grace’s smile grew, it was impossible for it not to, as the female in front of her did a slow circle looking at everything. Sage fell in love with the polished hardwood floors and the French blue country cabinetry. The black granite counters and stainless steel appliances were everything she had wished for when she had thought of her kitchen in her own house. There was not a thing she would change about this room.
She absolutely loved how they designed the kitchens eating nook, to resemble a diner’s booth. From the white wood table to the deep blue benches on either side. Just as she had drawn in her journal. Sage drew in a breath as she realized she was in the house of her fantasies. It looked like the Goddess had taken her doodles and given them life. She was impressed, it truly was everything she had imagined, but better. Thank you Goddess.
You are most welcomed my Sage. Enjoy your new home and family.
Finished with her inspection, she and Grace together helped the girls into highchairs. Grace quietly told her. “Someone brought over the highchairs and cribs, along with bedding and clothes for the girls as well as a few toys. There were several bags delivered earlier. I assumed they were yours and placed them in the master bedroom.”
Sage smiled and said softly. “That was very kind of you and them. Grace relax please, everything is fine. How about we get some coffee and something for the girls to eat and then sit down and talk?”
“That sounds good if you would like to take a seat. I will get your breakfast.”
Sage went to say she was not hungry but Grace looked so worried she relented. “Thank you that would be lovely.”
A few short minutes later Molly had eggs and home-made hash browns with toast and juice in a baby cup. She seemed to be able to feed herself with a small spoon and by using her hands, so Sage left her to it. The baby Ava was in a more padded version of a highchair and Sage said to Grace. “Do you think she can eat solid food?”
Grace placed a plate of eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast before Sage. With one sniff S
age realized she was indeed hungry and dug in.
Returning with two mugs of coffee and a baby bottle, Grace looked at the little girl. “I was told to have this ready.” She showed her the bottle. “I am not sure if she can eat solids, usually shifter children eat solid food faster than human children.”
Sage eyed the little girl and smiled as she made a grab for Molly’s food. “Well okay we should probably find out. We will try her on eggs. If she eats them and doesn’t choke to death, we are all good. If she cannot eat it, we will give her the bottle and I’ll call someone to ask”
In saying so, Sage gave Ava some of her scrambled eggs and they watched her little hands scoop the food into her mouth. She seemed to be doing great, Sage relaxed and scooped more eggs onto her tray. Then she looked at Grace and asked. “What do you think?”
Grace took a drink of her coffee and barely stopped the shudder of distaste crossing her face. Sage grinned as she bent her head over her meal. “Well if it was me, I would do as you have done, all young ones are different. How old is she?”
Sage replied. “Around five months, we think.”
Grace nodded. “That is what I thought, start her on soft food, see how she goes, then we can graduate. As for, I am sorry I don’t know the girls names?”
“Oh right, well this is Ava and as I said she is around five months old. The other is Molly and she is around fifteen months old. They are both shifters. They scent like cats but what do you think?” Sage asked casually, bears had the best sense of smell of all shifters. Grace was a full bear, she sniffed delicately. “Both Lynx.”
Sage knew Grace would be right, and she could now say with certainty Molly was a Lynx. Young shifters had very little control until around the age of five. So they would shift between human and their animal often. Now when Molly did the same if she indeed could, no one would believe she was only a half-blood. Then Sage would not have to find an explanation which she did not have, as to why her daughter was so very different to other half-bloods. As she ate her food, she decided when she knew Grace better she would tell her about Molly, until then only June and Claire would know.
Lifting her head from her plate of food, she asked Grace. “Are you really going to suffer through that cup of coffee?”
Grace smiled, the first relaxed one she had given since she had opened the front door to Sage. “Was it that obvious?”
“Yep, what do you normally drink?”
“Tea.”
“Grace have tea and can I please get a refill?” Sage said in between bites. “We will get along just fine if we both don’t pretend, drink tea. I like coffee. It will work better if we know each of us is honest.”
Grace came back with her tea and Sage’s coffee then said. “Well in the spirit of honesty. Molly scents human.”
Sage a fork of food half way to her mouth slowly lowered it and said. “Yes in the spirit of honesty, Molly comes from a human mother and a lynx father. She shifts fully.”
Grace nodded. “Stranger things have happened. Do not look so devastated. She is special and a symbol of hope for any who can also shift but are too frightened to say.”
Sage placed her food in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “Well! Let us not make a show of it, but we will not deny it either.”
“Sounds logical.” Grace agreed, who with that, started to feed Ava some more eggs and toast. When Sage had finished her plate, she pushed it away, Grace went to pick it up. Sage laid her hand over the top of it saying. “Thank you Grace that was the best food I have had in months.”
She inclined her head in thanks. Sage yawned then suppressed another. “So you say June said I would need a housekeeper?”
At her nod, Sage continued. “She is usually right about things like that! Although I am concerned, we may not have the same definition when we say housekeeper? So what would you consider the duties of a housekeeper to be?”
Grace smoothed her dress down over her lap as she thought about the question. “I think to me it means I take care of your home. Cook, tidy and clean. I really love little ones, so I guess I am hoping I could help take care of Molly and Ava as well?”
Sage nodded and said. “Okay, you do not look like a housekeeper or at least what I think a housekeeper should look like. So tell me, what is the real reason you want to do this?”
Grace smoothed her dress once more, then she looked up at Sage. “My family think I am old… too old to do anything. They say that I am the one in need of looking after. I am sixty-five, not a hundred and five. Some of my kind are just hitting their prime at my age. I am not old!”
She looked at Sage and for the first time Sage saw beneath the apprehension to the hurt and loneliness of the female.
Grace sighed and closed in on herself a little, her voice was soft when she said. “I lost my mate, Ivor two years ago and it was very difficult. We were not soul mates obviously but still a mate is a mate and he was a lovely man.”
“How long were you together?”
Grace smiled as memories crowded her mind. “We were together for forty-five years.”
“A lifetime?”
“Yes it was and a good life. We were very happy.”
Sage frowned as she asked. “You are not from this country?”
“I was born in America but when I mated Ivor we settled in Russia. I found my way to Dragon’s Gap after Ivor passed away.”
“Did you have children?”
“Oh yes, two boys all grown now with families of their own.”
“Are they here?”
“Yes thank the Goddess. They came here a year after the Goddess had proclaimed the sentence.”
Which is what it was termed now. The death sentence for the shifters. Unless you were in the Goddess’s favor and you found your way to Dragon’s Gap, like Grace’s family apparently had. Sage was pleased with them here it meant they were saved and now they would live whatever their normal life span was or whatever it would become.
Everyone knew dragons were longer lived, so if mated to one it was hoped the female’s life would increase as well. What was not known but only expounded on. Was if by living at Dragon's Gap without being a mate to a dragon but surrounded by dragon magi. Would a person’s natural life be extended? Time would soon tell, as no one else was saying.
Grace said. “After Ivor passed away, it took me time to come to terms with being alone and losing a mate is hard. Obviously I have known of Dragon’s Gap for years. Before you ask my Ivor was a friend to a dragon many years ago. We had planned to retire here. I decided to come for my boys and their families and because I promised Ivor if anything ever happened to him I would. I should tell you that I still have days where I feel lost and some days it is all I can do to make myself get out of bed. So that is why I wish to be here, I want to be surrounded by life, the young and you and your friends. To have a reason to get up and face the days and maybe I will be able to sleep at night. Do you understand?” She looked at Sage with a deep sadness in her eyes. “I hope you never have to go through something like that.”
Sage murmured, wiping her eyes. “I do understand, really I do and I think it must be like losing part of your soul. Your heart.”
Grace said like she had expected Sage not to have understood her. “Yes exactly! I am better than I used to be but it is a time thing so I have been told.”
Sage frowned as she asked. “But your sons, they don’t think you are better?”
“No, they think I am still too fragile!” She snorted. “Fragile! Tell me?” She said with fire in her eyes. “How are you fragile when you are a bear who survives her mates passing and crosses an ocean by herself… really…too fragile to work!”
Sage winced as she asked. “Oh my! Tell me they didn’t say that to you?” Before Grace could answer. Sage just started to laugh and then she laughed harder. Soon Grace found herself laughing for the first time in a long time along with her. When she thought about her son’s reactions after she told them she was going to find work, she laughed harder. Fina
lly, she wiped her eyes saying. “Thank you Sage. I needed that.”
Sage wiped her own eyes as she asked. “So why me?”
“June thought we would be a good mix.”
Sage sighed and rubbed a hand over her face. “Do you know who I am?”
Grace dipped her head. “Hopefully my employer?”
Sage frowned and Grace said softly. “You are Sage Harris, a witch and a wolf, an improbability. Niece to the people who condemned some shifters to death and the rest of us to evolution whether we like it or not. I know?” She said when Sage went to talk. “Some say death, but I do not believe that. I think the Goddess knows something we do not yet.”
Fascinated Sage asked. “What?”
Grace had a faraway look in her eyes, much like Sage’s mother would have when she was foretelling a future. “I think she found that dragons were dying and that witches could mate with shifters and produce young. Also, that half-blood shifters would and could shift. I believe she knew that magic was starting to stir in the world again.”
“How do you know this?”
“Because I am bear and we get glimpses of the future when we are permitted. And at least two improbabilities roam the earth. So to answer your question, yes, I know who you are. You need me Sage Harris, you and your very special girls need me. If only to remind you that you are not now or ever were responsible for your uncle and aunts choices. That was their destiny. Your destiny is something else entirely and not what you have been doing for the last few years.”
Sage went over Grace’s words and knew she was right. The weight from that terrible night was easing, it had been for some time now. Maybe it was time for it to be taken from her shoulders. Sighing in relief as she finally understood her recent restlessness she held her hand out and when Grace took it, she clasped it saying. “Okay then, welcome to our family Grace Orlov.”
CHAPTER TEN:
A fter Sage and the girls all got some much needed sleep. They along with Grace spent the next few days together exploring their new home and settling in. Learning about each other and mapping out what they wanted for their home, the girls and their immediate future. Then over the next two weeks, they went about obtaining and achieving everything on their wish lists.
