Fantasy Fiction posted July 28, 2019 | Chapters: | ...22 23 -24- 25... |
Meeting Time!
A chapter in the book Renaissance of Enchantment
Chapter Seven, Part 2
by Y. M. Roger
Background We left off from the tenants' perspective as they observed Geoffrey's car pull up and Addison run out and hug the huge cat that had taunted Kato... |
[Previously]
"What in Hells’ name is that panther doing here?” Lyca turned and directed her question solely at Memphis.
Just as Memphis was about to open her mouth to answer, the back door to Geoffrey’s car flew open and Addy burst out, running as fast as he could across the expansive lawn toward the cat.
An ecstatic Addison hugged the cat as the large feline simply allowed him to do so.
Memphis’ arm gently brushed Lyca’s as she moved into the doorway to get a better look at what was happening out front. At their contact, Memphis felt Lyca tense up. Shortly, however, Lyca’s muscles returned to normal. At least Lyca did not pull away this time, and, for some odd reason, Memphis was secretly grateful for that small victory.
Addy laughed and teased the cat, and the enormous feline seemed to have all the patience in the world with the young boy. Memphis smiled and chuckled before stepping back to give Peadar her vantage point – she’d meet their new Guardian Protectress soon enough.
“Welcome to The Refuge, Marguerite Atkinson,” Memphis said to herself as she made her way to the kitchen, shaking her head slowly at everything that had just transpired. “I have a feeling it will be an experience for all of us.”
**************
[Now...]
So very thankful, Maggie reached up and touched Geoffrey’s shoulder from her back seat position.
“That’s why you sent your assistant last night.” Maggie smiled at him and then turned back around to watch Addison play with their Bongo. “You had Bongo shipped here by special courier.” She turned back briefly to Geoffrey and Stephen. “You don’t know how grateful I am. Thank you.”
Before either of the men had the chance to respond, Maggie got out and shut the door. Stephen looked at Geoffrey who sat, speechless, with a look of complete disbelief and perhaps a bit of confusion on his face.
“Geoffrey,” Stephen had that dom edge to his voice. “What in the blazes is that girl talking about?”
Geoffrey didn’t answer at first. He just remained seated and silent – his mind obviously searching or calculating something.
“Geoffrey!”
Instantly, Geoffrey snapped back to the present and looked at Stephen.
“Sir–uh, what?” Geoffrey fumbled as he was still contemplating what Maggie had just said.
Stephen frowned at Geoffrey and then let a faint smile play on his lips. He gently touched Geoffrey’s arm.
“You have no idea what she’s talking about, do you?”
Geoffrey took a deep breath and spoke in a loud whisper, as if to avoid having Maggie overhear him.
“You know, when she thanked me for the suitcases this morning, I agreed because I knew we really needed to get our bags checked and all else taken care of.” Geoffrey glanced at Maggie standing on the lawn outside the car, hands on hips in a relaxed stance with her back to them. “But an assistant and the cat? Stephen, I have no idea what in the world that sweet thing’s talking about!”
Stephen chuckled as he turned to reach for the door.
“Well, all’s well that ends well, eh?” That was Stephen: only worry about that which needed to be worried about. “Let’s get those suitcases out and into the house.”
Maggie just stood, staring at the huge house. Sure, she was watching Addison and Bongo, but the size of what was now hers was more than a little over-whelming.
“Maggie! He’s here!”
Addy was so excited. When Maggie had tried to explain to him on the plane that Bongo wouldn’t be coming with them, he had seemed lost for a time. It was almost like someone had taken away all of his spirit. She had promised him they could get another one at the local shelter – that since they owned a house now, they didn’t have to wait for another cat to adopt them. They could adopt a cat for real.
“And I think he’s happy to see you!”
Her platitudes and promises had done little to snap him out of his doldrums. But then, seeing Bongo waiting there at the front steps for them? Addy had immediately launched himself out of the car and something inside of her had relaxed a notch or two. At that moment, she had decided that Mr. Staltson was definitely okay in her book.
That maybe this was going to be a good thing after all.
Stephen stepped around her toward the trunk, but, when she turned to help, he assured her they could handle the suitcases.
“You go meet your tenants, young lady.” Stephen chuckled as he patted her shoulder, indicating the figures they could barely discern standing inside the front screen door.
Tenants. Yes, there were people in this house already. She had not just inherited a house and stables and land and….well, the package came with people, too. And now it looked as though she would have to thank those people – she paused in her thoughts as a small voice inside corrected her – to thank her tenants for caring for their Bongo today.
Hers. Maggie took another deep breath.
Behind her, she heard the trunk shut and the two men passed her, Geoffrey pausing to allow her in front of him as Stephen continued toward the front steps carrying their two suitcases. When she didn’t move forward immediately, Geoffrey smiled and touched her arm.
“You okay, Marguerite?”
Maggie let her mask of responsibility slip back into place – the one she’d worn since the day her father had left her in Central Park. She squared her shoulders and let that easy smile of complete control slide across her lips.
“Just fine, Mr. Staltson.”
She could be over-whelmed tonight in the privacy of her own room within this ridiculous monstrosity of a property. That thought, at least, made her giggle inside – just enough to get her moving toward the door beside Geoffrey.
“Good. Now, just like I said, there’s nothing at all to worry about,” Geoffrey said as they followed Stephen up the long front walkway, “the folks here are a bit odd at times, but they’re good people. Your Aunt Rosemary was very fond of all of them.”
Maggie swallowed hard and nodded as she listened. She had been psyching herself up for this part throughout the whole plane ride as well as during the car ride from the airport. This whole thing was legally hers. She was an adult now. She could do this…do formal introduction…do ‘being in charge’.
As they reached the steps, she decided it best that she and Addy walk in together. She stopped to squat down and butt heads with Bongo.
“Good to see you, Handsome,” she whispered to the big feline. The cat growled low in return.
Hearing the screen door open, Maggie stood and took Addy’s hand in hers. She noticed Geoffrey staring almost wide-eyed down at the cat.
“That is a really big cat!”
Maggie and Addy both laughed.
“Don’t worry,” Maggie bantered nervously, “I’m pretty sure he won’t bite.”
Geoffrey did not even crack a nervous smile as he made his way cautiously around the animal. In front of them, a rather short but quite solid-looking gentleman stepped outside to let Stephen in the house. Maggie’s laughter died on her lips although Addy continued to giggle as Bongo twined himself around the boy's legs.
Having to look slightly up as they were on the bottom step and Peadar was on the top, Maggie’s eyes met his and, immediately, she felt her entire body relax. Then he grinned, and that rough face of his was transformed into one of the friendliest and almost comical faces Maggie could remember. Removing his hat and bowing – he actually bowed to her! – the man spoke in a thick Irish brogue.
“Welcome, Mistress Marguerite.” The man radiated some sort of aura that she could feel along the hairs on her arms. It was an odd sensation she’d never experienced before, and she halted half-way up the steps to get a better look at him. “Wuz ye travels tolerable?”
Before she could answer, Geoffrey tugged her gently up the last few steps along with him and stepped in with introductions.
“Marguerite Atkinson, this is Peadar.” Peadar held out his hand as Geoffrey continued. “Peadar, meet Marguerite At–”
Standing a good foot taller than Peadar, Maggie reached out and grasped his large hand as she interrupted Geoffrey.
“Maggie.” She’d learned that a smile and a casual name went a long way in easing any tensions. She figured it would work just as well here as it had on the streets up in New York. She stumbled on her words just a bit as the warmth that had simply graced her skin now flowed in waves at their point of contact. “You can call me Maggie, Peadar.” She resisted pulling her hand back and continued her smile, but she didn’t shake for long.
Peadar didn’t seem to notice her reticence. In fact, his smile grew with her words and he added some enthusiasm to their handshake as he replaced his hat on his head.
“Ay, Mistress Maggie, eetz goo–”
“Just Maggie, Peadar,” She so wanted these introductions to go well, but she really did not want all the formality of ‘Marguerite’ to follow her around here. “And this is Addison.”
As if someone had snapped their fingers, Addy took his cue and ran with it.
“Oh my goodness, Mr. Peadar!” He excitedly held out a hand for Peadar to shake. “Are you a leprechaun?”
Geoffrey and Maggie just laughed and Peadar grinned at his enthusiasm, although a mischievous grin crawled across Peadar’s face as he took Addy’s offered hand.
“Ay, lad, that I am,” Peadar answered calmly, one eyebrow raised, as he glanced between Addison and Maggie, as though to gauge their reactions simultaneously.
Maggie just continued to smile as she reached over and patted Addy’s back.
“Wow, Addy.” She winked at Peadar. “How cool is that?”
Peadar let his gaze linger on Maggie for just a bit longer, narrowing his eyes, before looking back at Addison who was practically vibrating with excitement. Oh, yeah, Addison believed him.
“Awesome! So, do you really have a pot of gold somewhere?”
Something dark passed over Peadar’s face and was gone in an instant. But Maggie saw it and felt the disturbance across her skin. Instinctively, she jerked Addison’s little body back, breaking his handshake with Peadar.
Maggie’s laser focus bore into Peadar, and he took a step backward, bowing slightly and with much more humility this time. It looked as though he was going to say something when Maggie stepped in front of and past him, toward the door.
“Maybe you can ask Mr. Peadar about that another time, Addy.” She threw Peadar another warning glance as they followed Geoffrey inside.
“But, Maggie, I –”
Maggie tightened her grip on his little hand.
“Addison.” Her tone was firm and brokered no argument. Addison noted it right off and didn’t argue – it was an unspoken agreement between the two of them that when Maggie put her foot down, so to speak, Addison listened. No questions asked. But Addy did spare Peadar another smile and a small wave as he walked obediently beside Maggie.
And Peadar hesitantly returned them both.
Maggie made a mental note about Peadar including a plan to talk to Addison about the man later this evening – she wasn't exactly sure what to think at this juncture, but a fair amount of caution was warranted until she figured it out. Because if there was one thing that was a constant in Marguerite Atkinson's life it was this: that she always went with her vibes and feelings. They might not make sense all the time, but they had never steered her wrong. So, that wasn’t going to change any time soon…no matter where they were living.
To be continued…
List of Characters:
Maggie - Marguerite B. Atkinson. Maggie is Rosemary’s great-niece.
Addison (Addy) Westmorland - little boy with Maggie, being raised by her
Dorothy Westmorland - Addy's mother (deceased)
Eduardo - waits to walk Maggie home when she works late (back in New York)
Scully - with Eduardo to walk Maggie home from work in New York
Julio DeJesus - apparent maintenance man in Maggie and Addy’s building in New York
Punky & pals – group of young hooligans across the hall from Maggie & Addy’s place in New York
Bongo - Maggie & Addy's large, black cat
Twilight - Great Gray Owl seen outside the diner and at Maggie's apartment in New York
Rosemary - (deceased) Rosemary Fenna, Sister of the World Wide Hecate Order (WWHO) and Guardian Protectress of The Refuge
Demetrius - tall, mysterious male resident of The Refuge, marked for death (perhaps more) by the WWHO
Peadar - Irish male resident of The Refuge, helped Rosemary with upkeep
Lycaois - (aka Lyca) Goth, warrior-looking female resident of The Refuge
Freki - Lyca's over-sized pet 'dog'
Koko - Native American male resident of The Refuge, has unending optimism and warmth about him...most of the time
Kato - large male Refuge resident who wears the clothes of a teenager. Kato is a young lion-shifter.
Memphis - nymph from Demetrius' original homeland, now auberge factotum to The Refuge
Geoffrey Staltson - Rosemary's lawyer and friend to the residents at The Refuge
Charlise Staltson - Geoffrey's wife (they have a three-way marriage - Geoffrey, Gary, and Charlie)
Gary Staltson - Geoffrey's husband
Stephen - private investigator employed by Geoffrey
Jinx - computer hack/whiz working with Stephen, handles all the tech-forensics for investigations. Jinx is Stephen’s partner.
"What in Hells’ name is that panther doing here?” Lyca turned and directed her question solely at Memphis.
Just as Memphis was about to open her mouth to answer, the back door to Geoffrey’s car flew open and Addy burst out, running as fast as he could across the expansive lawn toward the cat.
An ecstatic Addison hugged the cat as the large feline simply allowed him to do so.
Memphis’ arm gently brushed Lyca’s as she moved into the doorway to get a better look at what was happening out front. At their contact, Memphis felt Lyca tense up. Shortly, however, Lyca’s muscles returned to normal. At least Lyca did not pull away this time, and, for some odd reason, Memphis was secretly grateful for that small victory.
Addy laughed and teased the cat, and the enormous feline seemed to have all the patience in the world with the young boy. Memphis smiled and chuckled before stepping back to give Peadar her vantage point – she’d meet their new Guardian Protectress soon enough.
“Welcome to The Refuge, Marguerite Atkinson,” Memphis said to herself as she made her way to the kitchen, shaking her head slowly at everything that had just transpired. “I have a feeling it will be an experience for all of us.”
**************
[Now...]
So very thankful, Maggie reached up and touched Geoffrey’s shoulder from her back seat position.
“That’s why you sent your assistant last night.” Maggie smiled at him and then turned back around to watch Addison play with their Bongo. “You had Bongo shipped here by special courier.” She turned back briefly to Geoffrey and Stephen. “You don’t know how grateful I am. Thank you.”
Before either of the men had the chance to respond, Maggie got out and shut the door. Stephen looked at Geoffrey who sat, speechless, with a look of complete disbelief and perhaps a bit of confusion on his face.
“Geoffrey,” Stephen had that dom edge to his voice. “What in the blazes is that girl talking about?”
Geoffrey didn’t answer at first. He just remained seated and silent – his mind obviously searching or calculating something.
“Geoffrey!”
Instantly, Geoffrey snapped back to the present and looked at Stephen.
“Sir–uh, what?” Geoffrey fumbled as he was still contemplating what Maggie had just said.
Stephen frowned at Geoffrey and then let a faint smile play on his lips. He gently touched Geoffrey’s arm.
“You have no idea what she’s talking about, do you?”
Geoffrey took a deep breath and spoke in a loud whisper, as if to avoid having Maggie overhear him.
“You know, when she thanked me for the suitcases this morning, I agreed because I knew we really needed to get our bags checked and all else taken care of.” Geoffrey glanced at Maggie standing on the lawn outside the car, hands on hips in a relaxed stance with her back to them. “But an assistant and the cat? Stephen, I have no idea what in the world that sweet thing’s talking about!”
Stephen chuckled as he turned to reach for the door.
“Well, all’s well that ends well, eh?” That was Stephen: only worry about that which needed to be worried about. “Let’s get those suitcases out and into the house.”
Maggie just stood, staring at the huge house. Sure, she was watching Addison and Bongo, but the size of what was now hers was more than a little over-whelming.
“Maggie! He’s here!”
Addy was so excited. When Maggie had tried to explain to him on the plane that Bongo wouldn’t be coming with them, he had seemed lost for a time. It was almost like someone had taken away all of his spirit. She had promised him they could get another one at the local shelter – that since they owned a house now, they didn’t have to wait for another cat to adopt them. They could adopt a cat for real.
“And I think he’s happy to see you!”
Her platitudes and promises had done little to snap him out of his doldrums. But then, seeing Bongo waiting there at the front steps for them? Addy had immediately launched himself out of the car and something inside of her had relaxed a notch or two. At that moment, she had decided that Mr. Staltson was definitely okay in her book.
That maybe this was going to be a good thing after all.
Stephen stepped around her toward the trunk, but, when she turned to help, he assured her they could handle the suitcases.
“You go meet your tenants, young lady.” Stephen chuckled as he patted her shoulder, indicating the figures they could barely discern standing inside the front screen door.
Tenants. Yes, there were people in this house already. She had not just inherited a house and stables and land and….well, the package came with people, too. And now it looked as though she would have to thank those people – she paused in her thoughts as a small voice inside corrected her – to thank her tenants for caring for their Bongo today.
Hers. Maggie took another deep breath.
Behind her, she heard the trunk shut and the two men passed her, Geoffrey pausing to allow her in front of him as Stephen continued toward the front steps carrying their two suitcases. When she didn’t move forward immediately, Geoffrey smiled and touched her arm.
“You okay, Marguerite?”
Maggie let her mask of responsibility slip back into place – the one she’d worn since the day her father had left her in Central Park. She squared her shoulders and let that easy smile of complete control slide across her lips.
“Just fine, Mr. Staltson.”
She could be over-whelmed tonight in the privacy of her own room within this ridiculous monstrosity of a property. That thought, at least, made her giggle inside – just enough to get her moving toward the door beside Geoffrey.
“Good. Now, just like I said, there’s nothing at all to worry about,” Geoffrey said as they followed Stephen up the long front walkway, “the folks here are a bit odd at times, but they’re good people. Your Aunt Rosemary was very fond of all of them.”
Maggie swallowed hard and nodded as she listened. She had been psyching herself up for this part throughout the whole plane ride as well as during the car ride from the airport. This whole thing was legally hers. She was an adult now. She could do this…do formal introduction…do ‘being in charge’.
As they reached the steps, she decided it best that she and Addy walk in together. She stopped to squat down and butt heads with Bongo.
“Good to see you, Handsome,” she whispered to the big feline. The cat growled low in return.
Hearing the screen door open, Maggie stood and took Addy’s hand in hers. She noticed Geoffrey staring almost wide-eyed down at the cat.
“That is a really big cat!”
Maggie and Addy both laughed.
“Don’t worry,” Maggie bantered nervously, “I’m pretty sure he won’t bite.”
Geoffrey did not even crack a nervous smile as he made his way cautiously around the animal. In front of them, a rather short but quite solid-looking gentleman stepped outside to let Stephen in the house. Maggie’s laughter died on her lips although Addy continued to giggle as Bongo twined himself around the boy's legs.
Having to look slightly up as they were on the bottom step and Peadar was on the top, Maggie’s eyes met his and, immediately, she felt her entire body relax. Then he grinned, and that rough face of his was transformed into one of the friendliest and almost comical faces Maggie could remember. Removing his hat and bowing – he actually bowed to her! – the man spoke in a thick Irish brogue.
“Welcome, Mistress Marguerite.” The man radiated some sort of aura that she could feel along the hairs on her arms. It was an odd sensation she’d never experienced before, and she halted half-way up the steps to get a better look at him. “Wuz ye travels tolerable?”
Before she could answer, Geoffrey tugged her gently up the last few steps along with him and stepped in with introductions.
“Marguerite Atkinson, this is Peadar.” Peadar held out his hand as Geoffrey continued. “Peadar, meet Marguerite At–”
Standing a good foot taller than Peadar, Maggie reached out and grasped his large hand as she interrupted Geoffrey.
“Maggie.” She’d learned that a smile and a casual name went a long way in easing any tensions. She figured it would work just as well here as it had on the streets up in New York. She stumbled on her words just a bit as the warmth that had simply graced her skin now flowed in waves at their point of contact. “You can call me Maggie, Peadar.” She resisted pulling her hand back and continued her smile, but she didn’t shake for long.
Peadar didn’t seem to notice her reticence. In fact, his smile grew with her words and he added some enthusiasm to their handshake as he replaced his hat on his head.
“Ay, Mistress Maggie, eetz goo–”
“Just Maggie, Peadar,” She so wanted these introductions to go well, but she really did not want all the formality of ‘Marguerite’ to follow her around here. “And this is Addison.”
As if someone had snapped their fingers, Addy took his cue and ran with it.
“Oh my goodness, Mr. Peadar!” He excitedly held out a hand for Peadar to shake. “Are you a leprechaun?”
Geoffrey and Maggie just laughed and Peadar grinned at his enthusiasm, although a mischievous grin crawled across Peadar’s face as he took Addy’s offered hand.
“Ay, lad, that I am,” Peadar answered calmly, one eyebrow raised, as he glanced between Addison and Maggie, as though to gauge their reactions simultaneously.
Maggie just continued to smile as she reached over and patted Addy’s back.
“Wow, Addy.” She winked at Peadar. “How cool is that?”
Peadar let his gaze linger on Maggie for just a bit longer, narrowing his eyes, before looking back at Addison who was practically vibrating with excitement. Oh, yeah, Addison believed him.
“Awesome! So, do you really have a pot of gold somewhere?”
Something dark passed over Peadar’s face and was gone in an instant. But Maggie saw it and felt the disturbance across her skin. Instinctively, she jerked Addison’s little body back, breaking his handshake with Peadar.
Maggie’s laser focus bore into Peadar, and he took a step backward, bowing slightly and with much more humility this time. It looked as though he was going to say something when Maggie stepped in front of and past him, toward the door.
“Maybe you can ask Mr. Peadar about that another time, Addy.” She threw Peadar another warning glance as they followed Geoffrey inside.
“But, Maggie, I –”
Maggie tightened her grip on his little hand.
“Addison.” Her tone was firm and brokered no argument. Addison noted it right off and didn’t argue – it was an unspoken agreement between the two of them that when Maggie put her foot down, so to speak, Addison listened. No questions asked. But Addy did spare Peadar another smile and a small wave as he walked obediently beside Maggie.
And Peadar hesitantly returned them both.
Maggie made a mental note about Peadar including a plan to talk to Addison about the man later this evening – she wasn't exactly sure what to think at this juncture, but a fair amount of caution was warranted until she figured it out. Because if there was one thing that was a constant in Marguerite Atkinson's life it was this: that she always went with her vibes and feelings. They might not make sense all the time, but they had never steered her wrong. So, that wasn’t going to change any time soon…no matter where they were living.
To be continued…
List of Characters:
Maggie - Marguerite B. Atkinson. Maggie is Rosemary’s great-niece.
Addison (Addy) Westmorland - little boy with Maggie, being raised by her
Dorothy Westmorland - Addy's mother (deceased)
Eduardo - waits to walk Maggie home when she works late (back in New York)
Scully - with Eduardo to walk Maggie home from work in New York
Julio DeJesus - apparent maintenance man in Maggie and Addy’s building in New York
Punky & pals – group of young hooligans across the hall from Maggie & Addy’s place in New York
Bongo - Maggie & Addy's large, black cat
Twilight - Great Gray Owl seen outside the diner and at Maggie's apartment in New York
Rosemary - (deceased) Rosemary Fenna, Sister of the World Wide Hecate Order (WWHO) and Guardian Protectress of The Refuge
Demetrius - tall, mysterious male resident of The Refuge, marked for death (perhaps more) by the WWHO
Peadar - Irish male resident of The Refuge, helped Rosemary with upkeep
Lycaois - (aka Lyca) Goth, warrior-looking female resident of The Refuge
Freki - Lyca's over-sized pet 'dog'
Koko - Native American male resident of The Refuge, has unending optimism and warmth about him...most of the time
Kato - large male Refuge resident who wears the clothes of a teenager. Kato is a young lion-shifter.
Memphis - nymph from Demetrius' original homeland, now auberge factotum to The Refuge
Geoffrey Staltson - Rosemary's lawyer and friend to the residents at The Refuge
Charlise Staltson - Geoffrey's wife (they have a three-way marriage - Geoffrey, Gary, and Charlie)
Gary Staltson - Geoffrey's husband
Stephen - private investigator employed by Geoffrey
Jinx - computer hack/whiz working with Stephen, handles all the tech-forensics for investigations. Jinx is Stephen’s partner.
Recognized |
Gonna try to get a few out over the course of the next week or so....teacher meetings start this week so, summer's almost over...ugh. :) ;) Thank you for reading me! :)
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