Chapter 215 Meeting Again
*In this life, and the next, yeh'll be me friend. – Nessie*
Nessie walked out of the office and into the kitchen. Her large belly was constantly in her way. Again.
This one, she swore, would be the last baby.
Her oldest, Abby, sat at the center workstation with her dad. This was their favorite place to hang out. Especially when Nessie was baking cakes.
Or cookies.
Or pies.
Or trying out a new recipe.
Her other three, nine year old Bella, and four year old twins, Daniel and Douglas, were playing with some of the other Shack kids out in the common room.
“Mum.” Her twelve years old daughter said causing Nessie to pull out of her thoughts. “Who’s Stephen?”
It was a name that she had not heard in years. Nessie and Knuckles shared a smile at shared memories.
“He was a friend of me and yer da’s. Where did you hear it?”
“I had a dream the other night. I was being chased by this crazy bear.” She said and did not catch the look that passed between her parents.
“But Grams appeared and told him to go back to the dark. Then everything got real bright, like bright white and shocking bright lights. The bear was gone. Then Grams told me to tell you that Stephen is ready to come home.”
The conversation left Nessie rattled. She took Abby to the Wiccan bookstore. After a short conversation with Ciera, Abby was given a necklace with a black tourmaline crystal and silver witches knot amulet.
As the blonde witch fastened the leather cord around the girl’s neck, she murmured a spell of protection.
“There now.” Ciera said looking at the amulet in the mirror in front of them. “Keep this on at all times. Yes, you can shower with it. That’s the most common question.”
Abby giggled because she was going to ask the same thing.
With bags heavy with their purchases, mother and daughter returned home. When Nessie was pregnant with Abby, they decided that they needed something bigger than the rooms in the Shack. But Nessie did not want to be very far from her kitchen.
Cookie and his crew built them a house behind the greenhouse. It faced the East so she could sit on her large porch and watch the sun rise. And on her back porch to watch it set.
As she parked her minivan, she saw movement in the greenhouse. Nessie waddled inside and was surprised to see Werewolf’s oldest son, Colton.
“Yeh finally found yer way home.” She smiled at the man who looked so much like his father.
“I did.” He smiled back and gave her a hug. “This is my wife, Tiffany, and our son.”
With one arm around his wife’s shoulders, he placed the his other hand protectively on the infant she was holding.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Tiffany said. “I needed a moment away from… everything. Colton said that it was peaceful out here and he’s right.”
“Thank yeh.” Nessie smiled as three of her younger children wandered into the greenhouse with their dad. “May I?”
“Oh, sure.” The younger woman handed over the bundle in the blue blanket.
Nessie held the baby close and gently ran her fingers across his forehead and then down his cheek. His golden brown eyes blinked open and he yawned.
“Hello, Stephen.” Nessie murmured as Knuckles kissed the top of her head.
“We call him Mitchell, his middle name.” Tiffany said quietly, surprised that the other woman knew his name. “It’s Stephen Mitchell.”
Nessie spoke over the baby in an ancient language before kissing his forehead and handing him to his father. She then took Tiffany’s left hand in her own and traced her fingers over some of the lines.
“Can I hold him?” Abby asked and Colton handed over the baby. She walked into the solarium, followed by her younger siblings.
“Beautiful lass, you have quite a story ahead of you. Never again will you feel the cold loneliness of your childhood. Hold fast to your children but let them spread their wings and fly.” Nessie smiled at her. “Welcome to yer new home and family.”
Colton kissed the top of his wife’s head. “I told you, Nessie just knows things.”
