Camarin elected to spend her rain days in Being-Land. She promised to return when the weather cleared.
Grant hung around, although he stayed in the lantern. He mentioned writing letters and reading. I knew I could’ve summoned him at any time, but I decided not to. He’d earned a break.
I’d signed up for an online French III course. It wasn’t necessary for Newman, but it had become necessary to me. Even though making a D on my high school transcript turned out to be one of the best things that had ever happened to me, fixing it had become a matter of pride.
The assignments turned out to be fairly simple. Grant and Camarin had been speaking in French with me throughout the past few days, and after a few fumbles, I’d slipped back into it well enough. Since one of the first assignments had me writing a two-page essay on my choice of topic, my instructor would be learning more than she ever wanted to know about prepping for a stacked stone wall.
My phone rang at midnight. I slid out of my papasan chair and crossed to my nightstand. “Hi, Lacey. Is something wrong?”
“I need a huge favor.” She was breathing heavily, as if she’d been running. “Can you come to my house?”
“Right now?”
“Yeah. Mom’s changed anti-depressants, and she’s having a reaction to the drug. At least, that’s what I think. I need to take her to the hospital. Henry’s asleep, and Eli is away this week at a soccer camp. Can you come?”
“Sure. Of course. I can be there in ten minutes.”
“Okay, we’re leaving. The key will be in the mailbox.”
I changed into shorts and a T-shirt and then ran downstairs to find the lantern. Henry adored Grant. The genie was coming with me.
The key was where Lacey said it would be. I unlocked the door, and we slipped inside.
It was quiet. The lights were blazing in the kitchen, but other than that, the house was dark.
“I’ll check on Henry first.”
Grant nodded. “I’m right behind you.”
We tiptoed down the hall and nudged Henry’s door open. He was sprawled on his stomach, facing the wall, his even breathing a sign that his mother’s emergency hadn’t disturbed him.
I pulled the door shut and returned to the living room with Grant.
“Everything looks fine,” I said.
“I agree. And now, I shall adjourn to the porch swing for the night.”
“Are you sure that will be comfortable?”
His lips curved. “Certainly. I find that I enjoy sleeping outside.”
“Okay, then.” I looked around self-consciously, too restless to go to sleep yet. “Do you want a cup of tea or something?”
“I need nothing else except to retire.” He inclined his head and disappeared into the shadows of the foyer. Seconds later, the front door made a soft click.
He might not need tea, but I did. After shamelessly judging their tea selection, I brewed a cup of Sleepytime, wiggled into a corner of their couch, and sipped. Fortunately, it lived up to its name because it wasn’t long before I stretched out.
It was actually a very comfortable couch. Maybe if I just closed my eyes...
A hand shook my shoulder enthusiastically.
“Sara. What are you doing here?”
My eyes fluttered open. Henry’s face peered down at me from an uncomfortably close distance.
“I’m sleeping.”
He snorted. “Not anymore.”
