by Alexie Aaron
“No and no,” Cid said.
“Give her the card,” Jake as Marvin hissed from the screen.
“Oh, crap, I almost forgot,” Cid said. He pulled open the drawer of Ted’s workstation. He took out a small envelope and handed it to Mia.
She looked at it and recognized the scrawl of Ted’s Mia on the front. She opened it and slid out the folded piece of paper.
I cordially invite you to join me for dinner at Chez Ted at eight.
Formal dress required.
Love, Ted
Mia clutched the letter to her chest. “Oh my god, I have nothing to wear,” she said and ran out of the office.
“Did Lazar find her little gold dress?” Jake asked.
“Yes. He said it keeps falling off her hanger and ends up in one of her boots,” Cid said. “I suggested, since it’s made of gold chainmail, that she may as well fold it and put it in the safe.”
“What did Mia say?” Jake asked, curious.
“Nothing I’d like to repeat.”
Chapter Thirty-four
Mia swept her hair up in a messy topknot. She let the dress slide over her slip. She slid on some sandals that she would probably kick off as soon as she sat down. She looked at the clock and took one last look at herself in the mirror. “It’s Ted, why are you nervous?”
There was a tap on the door. She ran out and opened the bedroom door. There was no one there. She looked down and saw a tiny LED votive candle setting next to a golden paper rose. She picked up the rose and followed a line of similar candles down the steps. The living room was dark except for a path of candles. Mia followed them to the dining room where there stood a small table with two chairs. She walked over and ran her hand over the linen tablecloth. Guitar music played just above a hush. She sensed Ted there.
Mia turned and looked at Ted. His auburn curls were free of his hat. He wore dark pants and a dark shirt, no tie.
“Welcome to Chez Ted. You look beautiful, Mia.”
“Thank you, Ted. You’re so handsome tonight.”
“Allow me to seat you,” he said and pulled out the chair.
Mia sat down and looked up, and Ted planted a light kiss on her lips. He stood back up. “Tonight, we will be dining on Cid’s gumbo and Lazar’s upside-down cake. I wanted to just take you to the Taco Bell, but I got outvoted.”
Mia heard a pop from the kitchen.
“That should be the champagne.” Ted left the room.
Mia was overwhelmed. She dabbed at her eyes and dropped the napkin as the door opened and Ted breezed in with two glasses of bubbly. He handed her one and said, “Minnie Mouse, from the first moment I held you in my arms, I felt your love. Your love warms me when I’m cold, calms me when I’m fidgety, and makes me laugh when I’m sad. The merest brush of your fingertips drives me insane with desire. I have seen you at your worst and at your best. I have seen myself in like forms reflected in your eyes. You’ve always been free with telling me how proud you are of me. Tonight, I want to express how proud I am of you.”
“Thank you, Teddy Bear.”
“I raise my glass to my hero, Mia Martin. You’re fierce, gentle, beautiful, talented, sexy, and a wonderful mother. May you always return to me.”
They clicked glasses, and Mia sipped the delicious wine and sneezed as a few bubbles made their way up her nose.
Ted laughed.
“I feel suddenly shy tonight,” Mia said. “My hands are shaking. I’ve faced frost giants and Ralph, but tonight, I can’t seem to calm down.”
“Well, you are with Batman,” Ted said.
Mia laughed. “That must be it.”
Lazar came in bringing hearty bowls of gumbo. Cid followed with a basket of hot corn muffins.
“Ignore them. Cid, stop looking down Mia’s top. Honestly, you can’t get good help these days.”
“I love the candles and the golden rose,” Mia said.
“Brian helped me make the rose,” Ted confessed. “Everyone had a job. Including Varden.”
“What was his job?”
“He picked out the music with Dieter’s help.”
“I’m overwhelmed.”
“I love you, Mia. I’m not the most romantic of men. I’m clueless at how to express myself. The only thing I understand is the equation that is us. No matter the variables, it always works out.”
“That is so beautiful,” Mia said. She set her spoon down and cleared her voice. “I have a question to ask you. It’s probably why my hands are shaking. Will you give me a daughter tonight?”
Ted’s face lit up. “Are you sure? She will probably have a Martin beak and…”
“She will be beautiful because her father is the most understanding, accepting, loving man I have ever known.”
Ted got up. He walked in the kitchen. She heard Cid and Lazar agree to go out for a late movie. She heard the back door slam. Ted came back.
“Do you want dessert?”
“Maybe later,” Mia said, standing up.
Azrael had just finished inventorying his souls when Lensic walked in with a wry smile on his face.
“Spit it out, what has you so happy?”
“We have the opportunity to move two birdwomen souls tonight.”
“Two?” Azrael asked, surprised.
“To the same woman.”
“I’m interested. Tell me more.”
“The mother is a powerful hybrid, and the father is a genius. There are crone genes in both eggs and a lot of birdman DNA.”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were talking about Mia and Ted Martin.”
“I am.”
“Twins?”
“Fraternal, so we have time. Both eggs are seated and secure.”
“Michael is rather upset with Mia, but he loves children, so maybe they can reach a détente.”
“I heard it was Mia who was upset with Michael,” Lensic corrected.
“They are both troublesome. Seeing Mia fat with twins will make Michael smug, and Mia’s pregnancy will slow her down.”
Lensic rubbed his hands together. “We can move one or two souls, or we can give them both new souls.”
“I was just going through our inventory,” Azrael said. “We need to move the older souls, so we’re going to reincarnate two.”
“Who’s your favorite?” Lensic asked, looking at the list.
“Genevieve is a beautiful soul. I remember her fighting to save her nest from the tiger. She would be a good fit,” Azrael said.
Lensic looked at the book and pointed out, “Maeve is next.”
“Refresh me, how did she die?”
“She was a scholar when the great birdman library was raided. She fought for her books.”
“Maeve and Genevieve. I think this will be a wonderful pairing,” Azrael declared. “I love my job.” He sat down and composed an email to his new friend Cid.
~
Mia awoke to find Ted still wrapped around her body. She turned her face and kissed his nose. He opened his eyes.
“Hello, Teddy Bear, the best lover and smartest man I know.”
“What about Cid?”
“I haven’t tried Cid.”
“And you never will. Kissing Angelo may be one thing, making the boy’s balls drop is another.”
Mia giggled.
“Do you think we were successful?” Ted asked, running his hand on Mia’s stomach.
“Mother Nature said there were two eggs there. So I figured one would…”
“Two eggs?”
“Yes, it’s unusual but not impossible.”
“But, Mia, I have super sperm,” Ted said.
“Super sperm?” Mia questioned.
“My legions will not give up,” Ted said.
The sound of a pair of running feet and the frantic pounding on the door stopped their conversation.
Mia ran to the bathroom so she could pee before any bad news was brought.
Ted opened the door.
Cid stood there with a silly look on h
is face.
“What’s the emergency, or have you come for a threesome?” Ted asked, miffed.
“Where’s Mia?” he asked, craning his head to look in the room.
The toilet flushed, and a Chiefs-jersey-wearing, worried Mia rushed into the room. “What’s wrong? Who’s dead?”
Cid pushed past Ted.
“I was only teasing about the threesome,” Ted called. “Mia, protect yourself, the boy’s gone mad.”
Cid swept Mia up in his arms and walked out of the suite into the sitting room behind the nursery. He gently set Mia in the rocker and tucked the afghan Audrey made for the Martins around her legs. Ted, who was trying to figure out if he could take Cid or not, followed.
“Ted, stand by your wife.”
Ted did as instructed and asked, “What’s going on? Did you win the lottery?”
“No, you did. I got this email from Azrael.”
“Careful, he’s a practical joker,” Mia warned.
“But not about his job,” Cid said. He pulled out a paper from his back pocket and unfolded it. He cleared his voice and read:
Last night, Mia and Ted Martin conceived two daughters. At nine o-clock Central Standard Time, we sent two souls to Mia Martin. Genevieve and Maeve.
“Two, I told you I had super sperm,” Ted said, bending over and kissing his wife. “I could not be happier.”
“Twins…” Mia said, spellbound. “I didn’t think when - oh wow, one Martin kid is big enough but two?”
“There’s more. Do you want to read it or…”
Mia looked up at Cid with love in her eyes and said, “You brought us wonderful news; you read the rest.”
The souls of these birdwomen are special, and I have waited for the right family to send them to for over a hundred years. Genevieve was an only child born into a poor family. She worked hard to help her parents, and when she was old enough, she took it upon herself to get a position watching a large nest of birdman children. One night, a tiger attacked the nest. Genevieve saved all the children before she perished. Because of her valor, the birdmen ascended her as a warrior.
“She sounds like Angelo,” Mia said.
“May I continue?” Cid said.
“Please.”
Maeve was never seen without a book in her hand. She worked in the great library of the birdmen and was rising fast in the hierarchy there. She would have been the first female librarian if the demons didn’t attack and destroy the place. During the battle, she held off a half legion of demons while the others managed to save most of the documents and books there. She died with a sword in her hand, and a book was found secreted on her body. This book was the Birdman Book of Souls.
“She will be like Cid,” Mia said. “Ted, I think we have the godfathers for our girls. What do you think?”
“I’m so happy, Mia, you can kiss Mike twice.”
Mia and Cid looked at Ted like he was nuts.
“I love our boys, but I have so wanted little girls to have tea parties with, to protect, and, in some cases, arm. Cid, we are going to have to rethink this house. Varden isn’t going to want to be too far from Mia’s room and…”
Mia tugged Ted down to her. “We have time.” She released him and looked back up at Cid. “Did Azrael say anything else?”
Dieter, Brian, and Varden will know who’s who. But later you will know Genevieve by her fierce green eyes. Maeve will have brown ones, and both will have Mia’s nose.
“Thank God! I just couldn’t do this to my girls,” he said, touching his nose.
Cid cleared his voice and continued.
I would like to congratulate the most perfect couple and wish them many decades of happy marriage. Azrael.
~
Mia rang the bell.
Quentin opened the door and swept Mia up into his arms. “The grapevine, also known as Ralph, has told me the most wonderful news.”
“And that would be?” Mia asked, not quite sure what Quentin heard.
“That you’re going to be a mommy twice over.”
Mia smiled. “I came to see Baxter because I wanted him to check things out.”
“Mia, you’ve had two children already.”
“But two at once…” Mia said, her hands shaking.
Baxter walked out of his office and over to Mia. “You’ll have help. You didn’t use the charm to travel here, did you?”
“I didn’t because I didn’t know if it would hurt the babies.”
“It won’t, but I applaud your caution. Come. I’ve been working on a list of dos and don’ts…”
He was interrupted by a crowd of nymphs. They pushed the men aside, and one knelt and put her head on Mia’s stomach. She purred like a cat. When she was done, she stood up and cradled her arms and held up two fingers. The others danced around in joy.
“Genevieve and Maeve,” Mia said. “Azrael reincarnated two souls. They will eventually both have wings and my nose.”
“Thank God!” Quentin said. “I have already set aside some money for their plastic surgery, just in case. Now I can use it on something else.”
“Come on, I love my husband’s nose.”
“Baxter, she’s still delusional. Please go and shrink her.”
Mia sat down.
“How did the boys take the news?” Baxter asked.
“Brian was a bit worried. He’s not fond of Sabine’s daughters. Ted told him he would be their big brother and that they would listen to his wise advice. Brian said he would rather have a flying horse, but he was happy just the same.”
“Varden?”
“He put his head on my stomach and said, ‘Welcome to the nest, baby sisters.’ The most emotional reception was Dieter. He cried and promised to protect them with his life. He had me stand up, and he said he could see the two souls and they were strong.”
“Murphy?”
“Murphy’s gone. I haven’t seen him since the battle. Mother Nature assures me he still exists, but I can’t sense him anymore.”
“How does this make you feel?” Baxter asked.
“Sad, very sad. I was looking forward to exchanging exaggerated stories of the battle with him. In short, I miss my friend.”
“You have other friends.”
“But Murphy is different.”
“Maybe Murphy is changing. Or he could be on the pirate ship? You said he loses track of time in the GSD.”
“Why didn’t I think of that?” Mia asked. “I’ll go right now.”
“Mia, you can’t go into the GSD pregnant. It’s too dangerous. Leave this in my hands.”
“But he is my friend.”
“Murphy is a friend to all of us.”
A light tap on the door preceded a procession of nymphs. Each brought Mia a gift, salves to rub on her stomach to make the skin elastic, teas to ease her stomach, a bracelet of polished lake stones.
Mia thanked each one. When she recognized the nymph who saved her life, she left her chair and knelt before her. The blue woman put her hand on her heart before touching the top of Mia’s head tenderly.
The nymphs left, and Mia got up and returned to her chair.
“What was that about?” Baxter asked.
“She rescued me from the bottom of the lake after the spiral. I would be dead if not for what she breathed into my lungs.”
Baxter walked around and pulled Mia to her feet. “You are a compassionate, accepting woman. It makes me proud that you’re finally accepting what is so miraculous about you. In this world, there are so many hidden people. Some have wings, some have gills, but what they all have in common is the need to save the innocent while trying to exist unnoticed. They are the flashes in the peripheral vision that are dismissed so readily. The nymphs are kin to selkies and often mistook for mermaids. They left the oceans when mankind began to hunt the whales in ships. They are the reason the Great Lakes turn over, bringing the cold water to the top. They are fighting to keep the lakes clean, but I fear, unless we help them, they will fail. I’m working on a way to g
ive them an existence on top of the water. So far, I’ve been able to extend their time on land, but they need to return to their realm after a few days.”
“So there is no hybrid in the making?”
“No, Mia, they can give comfort but can’t have a human/nymph child.”
“Are there males?”
“They are both male and female.”
“Whoa.”
“You’re thinking about a world without us irritating and insecure males, aren’t you?” Baxter accused.
“Well, yes.”
“Care to share your thoughts?”
“As a person who lives with and is surrounded by many males, I think I would miss your gender. It’s not that I can’t imagine feeling protected and challenged by a female society, but you males are just so damn amusing.”
Baxter sat back and took off his glasses and cleaned them. “Amusing?”
“Nonstop comedy show.”
“I’m beginning to understand why Nicholai smacks your behind,” Baxter said.
Chapter Thirty-five
The ship rocked on the waves from a cold front moving through the Midwest. Murphy sighed as a bout of sickness turned his stomach. He cursed his rashness. Mia said that sometimes he didn’t think things through.
Mother Nature had warned him to stay away from the pirates, but he thought he’d just sneak on the ship and talk to Harley. Unfortunately, the captain was waiting for him when he climbed aboard. Murphy wasn’t really surprised by the reception he got after Mia’s power play during the frost giant battle. Captain Waite had him thrown in the brig.
He now knew that Waite had hoped to use him as bait. He wanted his revenge for the dressing down he received from Lucifer, and that involved taking Mia into his bed. If Lucifer wanted her, she must be a feisty woman, just the type who would make a good wife for the surly sea captain.
“I want to talk to the captain,” he told the night watch. “Tell him I have information about a certain yellow diamond.”
