Page 56 of Truly, Madly Viking

"I am not pushy. I am not a wench. I am not your Valkyrie. And, most definitely, I am not your destiny."

But Maggie wasn't so sure about that last.

A short time later, while Joe showered noisily in the bathroom down the hall, Maggie heated up the Texas chili she'd made the girls for dinner, along with a loaf of warm sourdough bread. She glanced out the kitchen window and noticed something important... the first star of the night. Could it possibly be shining brighter than ever before? And that constellation over there... surely it wasn't configured in the shape of a whale, just as the girls had noticed many weeks ago.

No! It's just my imagination.

Still...

"Thank you, God," she whispered.

"Look at him. Look how handsome he is, even asleep."

"Shhhh. Mom told us to stay away... not to disturb him."

"He's so big. No wonder he ate the entire pot of chili Mom made for our dinner, and a whole loaf of homemade bread."

"I've always wanted a big father."

"Me, too."

"He looks a little bit like Kevin Sorbo... that guy who used to play Hercules on TV."

"I think he looks more like Ricky Martin."

"I think he looks better than both of them."

"I think he looks like... a dad ."

There was a long sigh then. Actually, two long sighs at the same time.

As Jorund emerged slowly from a deep sleep, he heard voices discussing him. Whoever they were, they must be pay-shuns of the hospital if they actually thought he resembled that Greek man of strength, Hercules. Right now Jorund felt weaker than dragon piss. And had someone really said that he resembled that infuriating singer with the magic hips, Ricky Martin? Jorund would never swing his hips like that in public... or in private, either. It was not manly, in his opinion.

He cracked both eyes open to mere slits, then shot bolt upright, which caused him to almost fall off the piece of cushiony furniture called a sofa, where he had fallen asleep after a most satisfying shower and dinner. He'd been talking with Mag-he about what he would do next when his eyes had drooped shut.

He had not wanted to be here when her daughters returned. But it was too late now. Two young girls with blond braids and silver jewelry on their teeth were staring at him. Twins.

"Go away," he said in a growl.

They looked fearful, but stood their ground.

"We've been praying for you every night," one of them said.

"Me? Why would you pray for me?"

"Mom said you were lost, and we prayed that she would find you. Mom drove around the bay lots of times, trying to find you."

"She did?" But Jorund had forgotten himself. He wanted naught to do with these urchins who reminded him so much of his own daughters. "Did I not tell you to go away?"

"Where should we go? This is our house."

"Can you not go to another chamber?"

"We want to watch TV. This is the TV room."

"Where's your mother?"

"Taking a bubble bath."