DRAGONJULS Storybook
~ Actions and Consequences ~
J M Dragon
Part Sixteen
© 2000 by J M Dragon
Email: jmdragon1@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: See Part
One
Chapter Twenty-five:
Jace had received a phone call from the Reverend Stott. Would she possibly mind coming over to the shelter for a couple of hours in the early evening to help with the meals, as his wife was sick. Jace had agreed readily, after all it was her opportunity to show Constance the project and also keep her mind off her own problems.
“Jake are you playing soccer tonight after school?” Jace asked the boy who was about ready to leave for school. They had discussed the two girls and the possibility that Jake might contract the disease. The head stated he would take his chances that Jake would not be affected this time around. Some kids were lucky!
“Yeah, why?” Jake looked at her his spoon full of corn flakes about ready to be demolished.
“I’m going to be in town early evening and I can bring you home. If you would like for me too?” Jace replied handing Elena a milk biscuit for her to chew on. Lisa was still sleeping and Jace had noticed that the little girl had not been quick to get over the lethargy. However, the doctor had explained the late sleeping was normal during the early stages and was to be expected.
“Sure that would be great Jace, want me to meet you any place special?” the boy crunched down on his cereal and Elena laughed at the noise, so he exaggerated it for the little girl.
“Do you know where Lasky Street is Jake?” Jace was concentrating on Elena spitting her biscuit out rather than the disconcerted look on the boy’s face.
“Yes,” he said tentatively, but Jace was now preoccupied with her daughter and didn’t hear the veiled message the boy tried to project in his voice.
“Great, then I’ll see you there around five thirty, okay?”
“Jace, that’s out of bounds. If I went there without an adult, I would be in trouble with the school. I will if you say so though.” Jake finished his cereal quickly, his mind on the place that Jace had suggested he meet her. It wasn’t the best area in town and he’d been warned by the schoolteachers never to go there, but if his ‘mom’ asked him, it must be okay, right?
Jace looked at the boy and shook her head briefly. What had she been thinking! “Sorry Jake, my mind was elsewhere. No, stay in school. Constance and I will be by to pick you up and please don’t come to meet me. I will definitely be there.”
Jake gave a shy grin, nodded his head and with a brief goodbye he collected his lunch and went out of the door, waving to them as he set off.
Jace gave a sigh of relief. Catherine would have killed her if she’d been responsible for another stupid decision regarding the children. Especially if something had happened to him and you never knew about these things in this day and age.
Constance chose that moment to walk into the kitchen and said a brief good morning to the blonde and her daughter, who looked at the strange woman.
“I see she has some of Catherine’s mannerisms.”
Jace looked at the women inquisitively. “What do you mean Constance?”
Constance smiled and she looked directly at the small child who now looked at her with a frown and a raised eyebrow, “See she even raises the eyebrow, you have to love that one in meetings.”
Jace looked at her daughter and she chuckled. Indeed she did look like Catherine, must go with the territory of living in the presence of the woman. “Funny, you’re right she does, Jake does too. Fortunately, Lisa and I have managed to refrain from following the pattern.”
Constance laughed softly and poured a cup of coffee for herself prior to sitting down at the table. “Perhaps you two don’t need the intimidating looks. Maybe you have hidden talents that do exactly the same, but in a different way?”
Looking at the dark woman opposite her, she reached for a drink of coffee and as she sipped it, she answered the question absently. “Yes, both Lisa and I talk our way in and out of situations. We are both very adept at it. I even think Lisa is better than me and she’s only nine.”
Constance didn’t know what to say the woman had just taken her coffee and was drinking it as if it was the most commonplace thing ever. “Yeah, I guess you do. May I ask you another question?”
“Sure go ahead. We love questions around here,” the external door opened and Grace walked in at that moment and smiled at both women. “Don’t we Grace?”
Grace walked in and looked at the coffee pot, which was almost empty and decided that a fresh brew would be much better and answered as she cleaned out the pot prior to refilling it. “Don’t we what exactly?”
Jace smiled and sipped from the coffee before she answered. “We love questions around here, common place wouldn’t you say?”
Grace chortled and turned towards the women having started up the brew again. “Yeah, common place, so what’s the question?”
Grace and Jace turned to Constance and she turned a bright pink on her dusky cheeks as she spoke. “Well, talking of common place, does helping yourself to someone’s coffee cup come under that category?”
Grace laughed out loud and put a hand on Jace’s shoulders, who then looked at the visitor in consternation and embarrassment. “I didn’t take your coffee, did I Constance?”
Constance smiled at Grace, who was now grinning like a Cheshire cat and the distressed look on the blonde’s face was so very endearing to the watcher. “I’m afraid you did. But that’s okay, it looks like a fresh batch is almost ready.”
“I’m really sorry Constance. I promise you it wont happen again. If you will excuse me for a moment, my daughter needs a change of clothes.” Both women watched as she deftly unhooked the restraints in the chair and Jace picked up a remarkably clean looking Elena from the confines and strode out of the room.
“I didn’t mean for her to be upset about it.” Constance remarked as Grace sat down in the chair vacated by Jace.
“Don’t worry about it. It is a trait that our Jace portrayed from the first day she came here. It’s from all the teasing, or when she’s preoccupied with something that it happens.” Grace volunteered to make the other woman feel better.
“You appear at home here, but don’t you live in the house across the drive?” Constance knew that Grace was important in the family for she had seen Catherine and the woman talking earnestly, then hugging warmly before she went.
“I was Catherine’s housekeeper for over six years. I married Colin Montgomery the ranch foreman last year. We are expecting our first child in six months. Does that answer the question?” Grace never stopped smiling as she spoke and went over to pour two cups of the steaming beverage.
“Yeah, thanks. I envy Catherine this place to come and live away from the business world, I suppose the world in general.” Constance spoke wistfully.
“Well, yeah! Destiny is a wonderful place, but the outside world does encroach inside the perimeter from time to time. That is why Catherine has left for the moment.” Grace drank heavily from her coffee mug. She had been having a heated discussion with Colin earlier about her travelling on the trust business to Christchurch and perhaps the North Island. He had been adamant she stay home and rest. She had been equally adamant, that she wasn’t going to sit around for the next six months and be cushioned in cotton wool. It was after all, a normal situation for many women carrying a child.
“She won’t be back quickly, this time you know?” Constance volunteered her limited knowledge of the situation preceding the trip to Greece.
Grace lifted her head and looked thoughtfully at the other woman. “Why is that then?” She’d talked to Catherine prior to her call to Greece and knew something of the background. Was there more to it than what Catherine had acknowledged.
“You know of her association with a woman called Hudson?” Constance watched the woman’s profile for any reaction.
“Oh, yeah! I know about Hudson, a nasty piece of work from all accounts.” Grace slowly remarked.
“Well all indications were that she had died in a freak accident earlier in the year. Now, it appears that might not be true.” Constance stated as if she was reading a prepared document.
“I see. So that’s why Catherine was so agitated and it will be very dangerous.” Grace whispered the words so quietly Constance had to strain to hear them.
“Dangerous? Possibly! We believe she was behind the shooting at Xianthos in New York and Catherine is adamant that she funded the kidnapping of Jace last year. We can’t prove any of it, but…really who else has such a grudge for the woman? She lived fairly peacefully here for over five years and suddenly she meets…well the bomb kind of went off didn’t it?” Constance was about to say Jace Bardley, but decided that might not be a good idea.
Grace heard the hesitation in the other woman’s narrative and decided to call her on it, no secrets in this house. “Constance who did Catherine suddenly meet?”
Constance wanted to run out of the room as fast as she could, but her legs felt like jelly, she hadn’t really meant to be disparaging about her boss’s partner. “Well, I….”
“That’s okay Constance, Catherine met me Grace. And well you know it. So don’t go teasing her, you know how wicked you can get.”
“Thanks. “ Constance muttered inaudibly.
Jace saw the uncertainty and smiled. “You’re lucky Constance. If Catherine were here, you would be in big trouble if she and Grace had their heads together and were teasing you.”
“I didn’t think that Catherine had that kind of sense of humour?” Constance was amazed that her boss would attempt to tease people. This place was certainly an eye opener.
“Sense of humour Constance? Please! You haven’t been fooled by those ice blue eyes and the stoic demeanour, now have you?” Jace walked over to the coffeepot and poured herself her own mug of coffee this time and sat down at the table.
“Well, I’m sorry Jace, but she is rather intimidating and she’s my employer also!” Constance said puzzled at the banter that was going on at Catherine’s expense.
“Yes of course that’s the only Catherine you’ve really had the opportunity to see but believe me in a couple of months you will known the true woman behind the mask she shows to the outside world. Here Constance she’s a very warm, loving and caring individual and we all love her for it and protect that image for her too!” Jace finished her voice a little sharper towards the end of the comment.
Grace watched the blonde explain with minimum words the true complexity of the woman she loved and how in no uncertain words she would defend that woman. Quite wonderful when you saw this small woman in action she was like a giant and everyone else was dwarfed in her presence when she came to Catherine’s character defence. “Yeah our Catherine loves a good joke and can take one also, the funnier the better in her book.”
“Well, I guess I’m going to be around a little while. So I might see it for myself.” Constance said her tone thoughtful.
“Count on it.” Jace said and they all laughed as they drank their coffee.
**********
Catherine sat on the patio of the breakfast area and contemplated the serene view. She was munching on croissants dripping with melted butter and tea, wonderful tea. She had surprisingly had a wonderfully peaceful sleep, with no nightmares. It was incredible!
Sarah chose that moment to come back into the area and smiling she waived at a seat and Catherine nodded her head. “What do you think of the Villa Catherine?”
Catherine turned to the older woman and looked at the warm pea green eyes that reflected a sense of peace along with the warmth. Her shoulder length chestnut hair was shining and Catherine couldn’t tell if the older woman actually dyed it or not, hard to say.
“It’s beautifully restored and I like it, very peaceful.”
“Yes, that it is. When I moved here with Const…your aunt it was quite derelict you know. We only had two rooms on the first level available for the first two years, along with this patio area and the kitchen downstairs. It was a difficult time and I wanted to go home several times, but…well anyway we managed.” The woman smiled and poured herself a cup of the still hot tea.
“I wouldn’t have thought my aunt would have bothered if the place was so in need of repair? Doesn’t sound like the woman I knew way back.” Catherine gave her a long look as she spoke.
Sarah shuffled a little in her seat and gave a weak smile. “Your aunt had her reasons for coming to live here. Now I’m glad she did, we have had a good life these past ten years or more. Time flies by you know.”
“Yes, I know it does, far to fast for my liking, but that’s life. It must have been expensive to actually restore it back to this…must surely be as original as it could be?” Catherine enquired, interested in the project for its own merits.
“I don’t know exactly how much….” She was stopped mid flow as Lukas Dimitrie entered the patio and said good morning and finished the sentence for her.
“The Villa building cost the best part of two million; the interior decorations and finishes another three, total project cost with some adjustments around five million.” Lukas sat down and waited for the question. It came swiftly.
“Would that be Greek drachma, US dollars or British pounds?” Catherine knew the man was toying with her. She accepted it as a less than subtle ploy to see if she was interested in what Sarah was talking about, or just being polite.
“British pounds.” He stated simply and smiled as she raised an eyebrow so similar to his godmother.
“You find something amusing?” Catherine eyed him suspiciously and waited for his answer.
“Now you mention it yes! Has anyone ever told you how much you resemble your aunt and those eyebrow actions? Right out of her bag of tricks, it’s uncanny.” Lukas was smiling and Sarah placed her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh.
Catherine eyed them both and something told her to lighten up and she laughed wryly, “Must be a family trait, huh?”
“Without a doubt my dear, without a doubt.” Sarah stood up to her small five foot two height. When Catherine and Lukas stood up it was like being flanked by bookends as they both towered over her.
“I must go and see Consty now. I will see you both a little later.” She scuttled away happily.
Catherine turned a quizzical eye to the man at the name that wasn’t familiar. “Sarah’s nickname for your aunt seems to work for them.”
“We never had shortened versions of our name. My mother thought it wrong if people could not be bothered to use the names we were given. She considered the names precious. I would have thought that my aunt would have adopted a similar practice?” Catherine comment questioningly. She was finding things out here that she had not thought possible.
“I wouldn’t know. It was in full force when I came to live here several years ago. Constantia is my godmother, if you are wondering how we met?” he supplied and smiled again at her.
“I just assumed that it was beneficial for you to stay on-site, as you are her personal assistant for her business interests. Which of course, must be heavily depleted if she spent so much money on the villa restoration.” Catherine poured herself another cup of the now cooling beverage she enjoyed.
Lukas pulled out a manila folder from the several he had carried with him into the area and placed it on the table. “I’ve talked to Constantia already about this. She agrees to your seeing a list of her investments; as well as the value to put your mind at rest that she is not financially embarrassed by the amount expended on the project.” He passed it over to Catherine.
She looked at the insipid front cover, her expression concentrated. One looking would assume she could see through the folder to the contents inside.
Taping a fingernail on the folder she gave it another long look and then passed it back across the table, “That’s okay Lukas. My aunt’s private finances are none of my concern. Thank you all the same.”
“She told me you would say that?” Lukas volunteered and watched the ice blue eyes look at him in surprise. They looked so much alike.
“Obviously knows me better than I thought. I’m going to be leaving later today. The ferry leaves at nine tonight, better get back she doesn’t…well let’s just say business calls.” Catherine thought better of voicing her doubts of the situation between herself and her aunt.
“I know of that call and she will understand totally. She is a very astute business person herself and her portfolio should you have deemed to read it would have enlightened you so.” Lukas had heard from Sarah the meeting had been strained between the two of them. And Constantia had cried during the night. Sarah had comforted her, but it wasn’t her understanding the woman craved, it was the younger woman’s who was asleep down the corridor.
“Would you be available to take me to the jetty tonight?” Catherine asked and walked over to the balcony and looked at the small yachts bobbing about in the picturesque bay.
“It would be my pleasure of course. But may I ask a small favour in return?” Lukas was never one to miss an opportunity, especially such a gift as this one.
“Sure go ahead. You can always ask.” Smiling wickedly at the now blushing man in front of her. In a strange familiar way he was quite sweet. She wondered if he had a love life or just loved the two women at the villa.
“I was wondering if you would offer me some advice on a few investments in the area you are most familiar. Constantia and I have differing views and I would appreciate yours, that is, if you could spare the time.” Lukas looked down at his well-polished black shoes waiting for the reply.
Catherine was flattered and her own cheeks stung a little with embarrassment at the request, gathering her composure. “Yes, no problem, but it’s a view not specific advice. All ventures have an element of failure as you will no doubt have experienced along the way.”
“Thank you, would you care to discuss it over lunch. It will be interesting to see how yours and Constantia’s views differ…if they do?” Lukas hurriedly picked up his files and with a wave he went on his way as she agreed to the lunch appointment.
‘Well at least it wasn’t all a waste of time. If I can offer practical advise, guess I’m still good for something. Now to call home! It will be early evening Jace should be home, as good a time as any to apologise.’ Catherine moved away from the edge of the balcony and looked up and was pierced by her aunt’s ice blue eyes in a look that to Catherine was unfathomable. The older woman turned her eyes away quickly and she decided to let it pass and go on her way to use the phone.
**********
Chapter Twenty-six:
Jace had brought Constance with her to the shelter. She had seen the look of anguish settle on the other woman’s face at the deplorable state of some of the frequent visitors of the shelter. Jace had gone along to help with the food and left Constance in the capable hands of the Reverend who had great pleasure in taking her around the shelter. Explaining in detail, not only their aim, but also some of the unfortunate cases they had tried to help and failed.
“We had a young woman who came regularly. She stopped coming a week ago and I asked her friend why? He wouldn’t say at first, but one day he just blurted it out her regular pusher had given her some bad stuff and it was all over. It was such a waste of life. She was so very clever. I haven’t told Jace yet. She gets so upset at the happenings down here. I wonder why she puts herself through it.” The Reverend responded softly, his quiet lilting voice clearly painting the picture for Constance as nothing else could.
“I appreciate the information Reverend. Believe me, I’m taking notes here.” Constance replied earnestly.
It was almost six in the evening and Jace looked around satisfied that everyone had been fed and given a blanket for the night. It was the most they seemed able to do. Looking at the time she suddenly remembered Jake. He would be waiting for them and they needed to go and pick him up.
“Constance do you want to stay here for a little while longer? I need to go pick up Jake and then I’ll return for you.” Jace asked calmly.
Constance smiled at the blonde and mouthed a silent yes as Jace headed of in the direction of her parked vehicle. Fifteen minutes later Jace pulled up outside the shelter and everything looked tranquil in the neighbourhood.
“Jake I will go inside and let Constance know we are ready to go. Do you want to come inside with me or wait in the car?”
As Jake was still in the muddy looking soccer shirt he had on at the practice session, with small specks of dirt covering his face, he shook his head.
“I’ll wait here Jace. I’m tired and my legs ache. It was a heavy work out tonight. I think the coach thought we were training for a cup match inside of the normal games!” Jake answered and grinned at the young blonde woman, who was returning a warm smile of her own.
“Won’t be long Jake. Then we can get on home where you can shower or maybe a bath might help you relax. See you shortly.” Jace opened her door and left the vehicle and ran inside the shelter to pick up her other passenger.
Inside Jace watched as Constance talked to one of the shelters regular occupants and she smiled wryly. ‘Hope you come to your senses Constance, for this is no life for anyone. And you know so much better and could do so much more than fall into the gutter and never get out.’
“Hey Constance, about ready to go?”
Constance looked up and gave her a bright smile, “Sure, be right with you.” She then bent her head back towards the person she was talking to and finished her conversation.
Several minutes later, as Jace looked at her watch for about the fifth time, she began to get impatient. She wanted to get home for Jake to get cleaned up, eat, see the girls and hopefully talk to Catherine. Constance was walking over to her with a thoughtful look on her face. As she did so, the door to the shelter sprang open and was bouncing on the hinges as a young man Jace recognised from her earlier visits ran inside shouting.
“Anyone know whose car is outside, someone is trying to steal it!”
Jace moved like lightening towards the young man, who grinned when he saw her. He liked the blonde American.
“Yes! Yes, I do. But there is a boy inside, is he still there?” the words falling quickly from her mouth in fear for her boy’s well-being.
The young man she remembered as ‘Steve’, yes, she was sure it was Steve, looked at her with fear in his eyes.
“I don’t know about that, but the window screen is smashed in and three of them are trying to steal it.”
Jace didn’t hear anymore nor the shouts that pleaded with her to be careful. She rushed out of the door and ran towards the spot where she had parked the vehicle.
“What’s with her, is it her brother or something?” The man grumbled at her lack of appreciation.
Constance looked at the Reverend. "Oh, hell!” She shot off after Jace at a breakneck speed.
“Not her brother no! Her son.” The Reverend answered quickly and went to call the police. He didn’t want to, but he felt he had no choice in the circumstances.
Jace shouted for Jake to stay in the vehicle as he looked at her with frightened eyes. Jace then turned her attention to the would be thieves. One man was wielding a heavy gauge steel tube at the vehicle and two others were holding a figure while another was punching the victim in the stomach region.
“Hey, you bastards, leave him alone!” Jace angrily shouted at the men, who turned around to face her laughing at her. She knew what they were thinking, one woman alone and a small woman at that…no match for them! ‘Well they were in Catherine’s words ‘bloody wrong’!’
The man who had been punching the figure turned his face to Jace; it held only evil there was no trace of any warmth or remorse in his actions. “Gonna stop me Blondie? Would love for you to try?”
Jace went further forward, then realised the figure they were holding wasn’t a man, but it was a young woman, in fact the young woman she had met at the shelter with Steve.
“ Leave her alone! What has she done to you?” As Catherine would say, in for a penny, in for a pound. Her wife’s sayings were helping her to focus on the problem in front of her.
“Nope, she owes me. She was trying to stop me from taking this car, which will net me some fast dough!” The leader of the three snarled maliciously and turned back to his victim.
“Don’t you dare hit her again, please!” Jace didn’t have any fighting skills. She had only words and she realised that those were not going to help this situation at all. ‘Oh, damn. Where was a cop when you needed one.’
Suddenly, the two figures slammed the captive into the side of the building again, watched it slump down, then moved forward towards Jace. At that moment Constance appeared and stood at her right side and from nowhere, Jake stood on her left.
“Jake you should not be out of the car. I told you to stay inside, it was safer.” Jace stated, but her instinct was now to protect her son not herself, as she shielded his much taller body behind her shorter one. If it had been a comedy sketch, you would have laughed at the little and larger preposterous situation.
Within seconds there was a scuffle, with several blows traded from all of them. The third men abandoning his attack on the vehicle to help his friends and even up the odds somewhat. As soon as it started, it ceased, as the siren of a police vehicle came closer and the three assailants’ left hurriedly not wanting to be caught. Leaving three bemused and somewhat bloody individuals standing in the street.
Jace immediately turned to Jake, “Are you okay Jake? Oh, God! Look at your face. They might have broken your nose again? I’m sorry I wasn’t tall enough to stop one of them from hitting you!”
Jake smiled at his ‘mom’ and placed a gentle hand on her nose, “I don’t know how you’re going to explain this to Catherine, Jace. But you will have at least one black eye.” He chuckled as he considered that conversation and felt proud that his ‘mom’ had defended him, even though he could fend for himself as Colin had been teaching him self-defence. Even Lisa had been learning some basic moves to protect her.
Constance had left the mother and son reunion and walked towards the bundled figure on the floor in the doorway. ‘Jesus, the woman looked a mess.’ “Can you get up or move at all?” her voice soft and warm.
Glazed eyes looked into hers. Her face was full of bruises and it appeared she was unable to say a word. “I’ll get an ambulance for you.” A hand suddenly found the strength to respond and she shook her head, Constance didn’t know what to do next.
The police arrived, as did the Reverend and Steve from the shelter. He rushed over to his friend and slipped his own trembling arms around the young woman and soothed her. Jace looked over at Constance who also had a bruise on her cheek, wonder how the others had faired?
Two hours later, they had all given statements and the police had been satisfied with the recollection of the events. Jace said she’d be happy to bring charges against the men who had attacked them. The police had called an emergency windscreen replacement company, which was now fixed on the vehicle. Although, she would need to take it to the garage to repair a couple of dents in the hood and some small patches of paintwork, it would soon be as good as new. Catherine’s valentine present was precious to her. She hated anyone else driving it but her. She even scowled at Catherine, if she ventured near her beloved vehicle. Catherine had said Jace thought as much of the car as she did Tralargon.
Walking into the house half an hour later, all three were laughing at what to them was now another episode in the life of being part of Destiny. Faith walked out of the kitchen and stood silently at the doorway observing them, at first with indulgence at their banter and then with horror as she saw all three faces looking the worse for wear. “What on earth have you three been up to, Jace?” her voice carrying into the room shattering the smiling faces.
“Faith, I can explain. It is not as bad as it seems, honestly.” Jake chuckled and Jace gave him a mock stern look. It was like facing your mother as a child when you had done something wrong.
Constance and Jake watched as the blonde cleverly steered Faith back in the kitchen. They both looked at each other, and then ran for the stairs. They both agreed silently that being out of the way was the best solution for now and shower wouldn’t be a bad idea either!
After talking to Faith and Judy for over half an hour and finally convincing them they were all okay and there wasn’t anything to worry about, she snagged several cookies as she retold the story. She was finally allowed to go shower as her two compatriots entered the room both looking remarkably better, if somewhat a little bruised.
“Way to go guys, leaving me to explain everything.” Jace remarked good-naturedly as she passed them both.
Constance responded for them both, “Well you did say this morning you were the one who could talk yourself out of a situation. Thought I’d see it in action.”
Jace turned her head and gave the woman a smile, “You’ll fit in here Constance. Really you will.” As she was about to leave, Faith stopped her and spoke quietly for her ears only.
“Jace, Catherine called about an hour ago. She said she’d call again tomorrow, she would catch you then.” Faith left her alone with that information as she walked towards the stairs.
‘Oh, no!' Catherine would wonder where she was and she certainly wouldn’t understand this little episode, no way.’ Her steps felt heavy as she entered her bedroom and noticed that the two girls were tucked up in her bed.
“Hey girls have you had a good day today?” Jace asked, as both children looked at her untidy appearance and the dark marks on her face.
“Have you fallen off a bike or something Jace?” Lisa asked as she sat up in the bed to observe her mother. Elena was watching her mother come closer and held out her arms to her mother.
Jace smiled at Lisa, and pulled her younger daughter into her arms as she sat on the bed. “No Lisa. However, Jake, Constance and I had a little trouble in town, but were good to go, as Catherine would say. Okay?” Jace chuckled as she realised she’d done that a lot today, quote her partner and it made her smile, ‘Hades I must be picking up her traits too!’
“Jace, Catherine would be mad and upset if she saw you like that?” Lisa offered up her childish logic, which usually wasn’t so childish.
“Yes, Lisa I know. But she will understand trust me.” Jace put Elena on one side and with a free hand stroked the red hair of the girl held close to her.
“You smell Jace! Will you have a shower before you come to bed?” Lisa wrinkled her nose and Jace looked at the girl, what were they going to do with her?
“That I will Princess. Then I need to have something to eat. How about a short story and we can all have an early night, what do you say?” Jace put Elena back in the bed and she dived under the covers giggling.
Lisa considered the proposal, “Could you tell us a short story before you go for something to eat? We might be asleep when you come back.”
Jace laughed softly. “Sure can princess, give me a few minutes and I’ll be right with you.” Walking towards the bathroom door she left it slightly ajar and turned on the shower. ‘God she hated not having Catherine here. She was now even more disappointed that she’d missed such a precious call from her partner. I’ll call her after I’ve settled the girls perhaps? She might be around. Mind you, it would be the middle of the night there, so she would call first thing in the morning. Yeah. first thing!’
Continued in Part 17
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