“You need me to take you back to Puerto Rico, pack your things, and get back here as soon as possible?”
“Well, almost as soon as possible.” Aaron smiled. “As quickly as the airline can get me here, so only as quickly ashumanlypossible.”
“Are you sure? I can get everything taken care of in the blink of an eye,” Mother Nature said.
Aaron shook his head. “I know, but I can’t think of a way to explain the accelerated timeline. Ruth thinks I’m in Puerto Rico. I need you to take me back now. Then I will pack, say my goodbyes to Kizzy and the Fierros, and get myself home in a matter of hours. It’s no big deal.”
“It sounds like a big deal to your daughter.”
Aaron gave her the hairy eyeball.
She threw her hands in the air and said, “Okay. I understand. I’ll get you there immediately, and you can get yourself back the slow way.” She gave him a smirk. “Thank you for not alerting curious humans.”
Aaron chuckled.
She rose and put her hand on his shoulder, and the two of them reappeared in Aaron’s hotel room in Puerto Rico.
“Thank you, Gaia. Are you sure there was nothing specific you wanted to talk about?”
“Positive.”
“All right. Will I see you later?”
Gaia nodded. “Of course. When the mood strikes, give me a call.”
“Or you can call me.” Aaron shot her a quick grin.
Mother Nature left him throwing his things in a backpack and suitcase as quickly as he could.
* * *
Gaia wanted to talk to Kristine, her muse of cell phones, radios, and all the communication devices that go mobile. He had said to call him. Well, that was something she would have to learn how to do like a human so he didn’t have to stand in the middle of Boston Common and shout.
Kristine was at work when Gaia popped in. The young redhead turned around and shrieked. She was in her office with the door closed; otherwise, Gaia would have changed into street clothes and knocked on the door.
“Goddess! I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Yes, I suppose I startled you.”
“You really did. In the future, would you mind knocking?”
Mother Nature looked at the ceiling, and aknock,knock,knocksound came from above.
Kristine tipped her head as she looked at Gaia. “Was that you?”
“Unless there’s someone upstairs who knocks on their floor.”
The muse sighed, walked over to her door, opened it a crack, and didn’t see anyone around. She closed it again and locked it. “What can I do for you, Gaia?”
“I want to learn how to use one of those little black phones that you carry around—correction—thateveryonecarries around.”
Kristine’s eyebrows tented. “Seriously? What kind would you like?”
“How would I know what I need? I put you in charge of all that stuff so I wouldn’t have to know anything about it.”
Kristine slapped herself upside the head. “I forget how much you don’t know about modern technology. Let’s go to the nearest store as soon as I finish my shift. We’re going to have to use my address, and your bill will come to me, and I’ll pay it.”
Mother Nature rolled her eyes. “Don’t be silly. I’m not going to pay for this thing. Neither are you. Just get one and show me how to use it. I’llborrowthe airwaves.” She said “borrow” as if putting air quotes around it.
