Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 129951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
“This is really cool, Viv. Alex and I were talking about taking the kids out there in June or July. It’s expensive, and they’re too young to remember much of such a momentous vacation, but they miss you, and Alex and I do too. Maybe we need to talk about that more seriously, when it comes time to meet him?”
It was already time, as far as I was estimating.
Though, I should probably give it more and talk to Battle about it.
Even so, I said, “Yeah, maybe talk seriously with Al. But I don’t think I’ll have to try too hard to get Battle to fly home to visit me when my visa runs out. You can meet him then.”
“Let me share this news with Alex. I’m really happy for you, Viv. You sound…” She let that lie for a spell and finished, “Like before Mom died.”
Yeah.
Ugh.
“Life will never be the same without Mom,” I replied. “And sometimes, I think about the fact she’ll never meet Battle, or Prue, Tempie, Chassie, see this gorgeous house, meet the kitties and Bartholomew. And that hurts. But, yeah. I feel lighter here. I feel comfortable here. This house is beautiful, but it wouldn’t be half as pretty if there wasn’t so much love here. Even the staff seem like family. So, I guess…yeah.”
“I love that,” she whispered.
“I do too,” I agreed.
“I’ll talk to Alex. So, how’s the book going?”
We chatted book, Alex, Matty, Rayray, her work, Alex’s work and grandparents. And when we hung up, I was glad I called, I was glad she knew, I was glad she sounded good.
And I was glad I could call Battle before I went to sleep.
He answered on the second ring.
“Hullo, love,” he greeted.
“So, Prue’s clairvoyant is the real freaking deal,” I shared.
“You’re joking,” he replied.
“Battle, I cannot tell you how eerie-cool it was. She outed Hamish!”
His “She didn’t,” sounded hot-guy shocked.
“She did. And told her off for hiding behind Chassie in not making a commitment.”
Battle started chuckling.
“She confirmed that Charlie’s letters still exist too,” I continued. “Though, she couldn’t tell us where they were.”
There was hesitation before he noted, “That seems convenient.”
“Honey, I believe every word out of that woman’s mouth. Chassie’s reading was one word, ‘yes,’ and none of us know what that’s about, but Chassie really did, and it made her happy.”
“It made her happy?”
Mm-hmm.
He had a treat waiting for him.
“You’ll be glad you came home early, baby,” I said softly, thinking it was time to give him hope. “She’s really coming into her own.”
“Fuck,” he bit with grave feeling. “That’s great.”
“It so is.”
He gave that a moment before he asked, “Did you do a reading?”
“Yes, but mine was weird. She just said to choose the ring wisely. I didn’t get it, she couldn’t tell me more, so I challenged her.”
“Of course you did,” he murmured with admiration.
I was so fond of him.
“I reshuffled the cards, and this is where it got eerie-cool, she pulled the exact same thirteen.”
“She could know sleight of hand, Vivi,” he cautioned.
“If she does, she’s the master. When I said I reshuffled, I really did. She just took them and threw down. It was crazy.”
“Choose the ring?” he asked dubiously.
“I don’t know. Chassie joked it was my precious.”
“Chassie joked?”
Right.
Time to confirm that hope and hope I was right in confirming it.
“Honey, shaking her shit, I don’t want to get your hopes up, but it seems to be working.”
He let that sit a beat too, before asking, “And Tempie?”
“Once we got in the car, she admitted she’s seeing someone, and he might be a candidate. Obviously, Chassie and Prue wanted to be all over it, but I warned the girls to back off. They weren’t happy about it, but they did. She isn’t missing Chassie no longer needs her hovering. Prue either. If she screws that pooch, it’ll be all on her. And Ravenna warned her about it.”
“I’m still uncertain about this Ravenna character, but perhaps I should find words to say to Tempie.”
“I think that would be good.”
“It’s also good I’m home tomorrow night then.”
“Oh so good,” I said, adding weight to it.
“I missed you too, darling.”
So fond.
“Are you almost ready for bed?” he asked.
“I’m going to do a bit more on my book outline, then hit it.”
“Right. It’s late. I’ll leave you to it. I hope to be home tomorrow around six, latest seven. I’ll see you then.”
“Will it turn you off if I’m wearing a gauzy dress, draped over the front balustrade, wasting away waiting for you when you drive up to the house?”
He burst out laughing.
“I’ll aim a fan at me so my dress can drift off in a ghostly fashion to up the drama,” I offered.
He kept laughing.
I loved giving him that.
Then he asked, “Do you own a gauzy dress?”
“Maybe the girls and I can nip back to Glastonbury to look for one.”