“How are you doing?” I asked. “I know you felt the first vortex, did you feel the second?”
I pushed a stack of paperbacks out of the way with the edge of the platter, making room for the food. I poured crackers into a bowl and waved at the snacks. “Eat. You look half asleep.”
She rubbed her thumb over the bridge of her nose. “I’m not that tired, just thinking. And yeah, I felt the second vortex open.”
“Painful?” The kettle whistled and I walked that way. “Keep talking,” I threw over my shoulder. “I’m listening.”
“We were on the way back from the casino.” Delaney pitched her voice so I could hear her. We’d been doing that since we were kids.
“Did it hurt like last time?” I asked.
“Pretty much.”
“No,” Ryder said, pitching his voice too. “It was worse.”
“I don’t think that’s true,” Delaney said, loudly for me.
“I don’t think you were in any state to compare how bad it was.”
“Well, since it was happening to me, I think I am the only one whocouldsay how bad it was.”
It was funny how they were carrying on the argument loud enough for me to hear them.
“You were convulsing,” Ryder said.
I had placed the coffee pot, all the fixings, a tea selection, hot water and mugs on a serving tray. But hearing that made me stop cold.
I inhaled, exhaled, pushing away the knot of frustration and fear. Something had to change. Before she could be hurt again. And I was going to have to be the one who changed things.
I calmly walked into the room.
“I’m okay, Mymy,” Delaney said.
I placed the tray on the table. “Okay.”
“You don’t believe me.”
“I believe you.”
“She just believes me more this time.” Ryder planted a kiss on her temple, and she smacked his stomach. “Hey.”
“Don’t forget I have a dragon on my side.”
“Trust me. I can’t forget that thing.”
“Tea,” I said, dropping down into the chair across from them, “coffee. Oh, and…” I dug in my bag which I’d left on the floor by the coffee table. “Whiskey.” I thunked it on the table next to the cookies. “Because I think we’re going to need it by the end of the night.”
“I love your family gift.” Ryder bent forward, picked up a mug and the whiskey, and poured himself a finger or two.
“Why are we drinking?” Jean had changed out of her wet sandy clothes and had helped herself to a pair of my fuzzy pajama bottoms and a sweatshirt.
She’d also taken a quick shower to get the sand out of her hair.
“We drink because we live in Ordinary.” Ryder lifted his mug and took a swallow. He passed it to Delaney and she did the same.
“Looks like you two are off duty for the night,” Jean said as she eyed them.
“I’m not drinking any more than that one swallow,” Delaney said. “I don’t know about Officer Lush here.”
