THE BAGGAGE HANDLERS

(The direct continuation of Just Between Us)

By Atonia Walpole

(Picture creations also by Atonia)

Part 1

There were three days left in October but as far as Terry was concerned it was the end of the month. Why drag it out past the weekend? He had Jacky packed up to go and waited by the door while he ran back to get Joe. Joe was actually a stuffed Curious George monkey. He smiled as his son came running with his little friend.

“Can we go now?” he tilted his head and asked.

“Yes.” Jacky looked up at him as if to say what you are waiting for. He was ready to get to the airport. He and Joe were going to see Mummy and Maxi. Max and Rose were secondary.

Max and Maxi waited at the airport in Marseilles for Terry’s plane to touch down. There wasn’t a need for Terry to have to rent a car every time he came over. They had two plus the truck, bike and the little TR3 Spyder his Uncle had hidden in one of the garages. Max found it one day and cleaned it up. Toni said it looked like a toy car.

Terry planned to spend a couple of days. He’d been avoiding the subject but it was time to talk to Toni about Jacky’s schooling and what he wanted to do about it

“Hi, Terry.” Toni was pulled into his arms for a good hug. Jacky had already got his and was off with Maxi to explore.

Max went to the sink and filled a kettle. It was too early for booze and too late for coffee. He made tea.

“You’ve lost some weight.” Terry ran a hand up her back and down again before releasing her.

“A few pounds I didn’t need. I don’t know why but they seem to be falling off. I weigh less than I did before I got pregnant with Rose. How are you?” She thought he looked damn good as usual. He felt good through his clothes. He was casual in jeans and a pullover today.

“I’m good.” She smelled good, fresh and clean and slightly floral. He was still holding onto her hand. “Hope you don’t mind about the few days early.”

“Not at all,” Max replied. “We’ll bring him back mid-November.”

“Ah, about November. What are the plans for Thanksgiving?”

“John has suggested we all come over,” Max answered. “We can do that or go to Virginia. I think Toni wants to go there.” He glanced at her.

“It’s been awhile. I would like to go to the house and make sure it’s still standing. You’ve been there, haven’t you, Terry?”

“Um-hm. I did stop by for a day or two when I was in that area. It looked lonely.”

“I imagine it is,” she said. “I haven’t been back there since you went to Bolivia.”

“Seems like a long time ago.” Terry poured himself a cup of tea from the pot Max brought to the table.

“We were all together that Christmas, last time for that, too.” Max poured a cup for Toni and himself. “A lot has happened since then.”

“Yeah.” Terry stirred his cup. “Well, have you, uh, contacted the rest of the family about going there?” He sipped his tea.

“No, not yet. If you’re in then we’ll call John and send an SOS to Jack.”

A loud crash and a wail brought all three of them to their feet. “I’ll go!” Max set off for the stairs.

“Boys are tough.” Terry smiled a little at Toni’s expression.

“Yes, but they break all the same.”

Max came through the house with a tricycle and two boys behind him. “This goes outside from now on. Jacky was going to ride it down the stairs.” He glanced at Terry.

“Is he okay?” Terry asked.

Max indicated him with his head. Jacky had a red mark on his arm but was more interested in the biscuit tin on the table.

Terry grabbed his arm and looked at it. “Well done, Jacky.”

Toni took him on her lap and gave him two cookies and he was to share with Maxi. “He’s getting so big. There’s nothing babyish about him anymore.” She hugged and kissed him and he squirmed to get down.

Terry looked at her and Jacky together. It warmed him.

Max was on the phone with Aubrey Duncan as he set the tricycle outside. “You’re sure? All right, I’ll deliver.” He came back inside. “Aubrey must have his radar out. He says if Jacky’s here and if it’s all right can he have both boys until dinner time? He wants to give them their puppies to bring home."

“What puppies?” Toni turned around and looked up at him.

“Some mongrel dog he has whelped and Maxi’s seen the puppies. They were up there last time looking at them and picked one apiece as their very own.”

“Oh, dear. I know how this is going to work. They’ll want to keep them inside, in the nursery. Tuppy will have a fit and the dogs will be put outside where they will cry all night. I’ll get up and bring them in to our room so I can look after them and then you know they will become OUR dogs.”

Max bit his lip. “I’m only the chauffer. Take this up with Aubrey.”

Toni waved them off and shook her head. “That’s all we need.”

“You don’t like dogs?” Terry asked.

“I do like dogs. I like cats, too, and we’ve got several of them around here. There’s Duflot’s dog around all the time, as well. I suppose Jacky can take his home with him.” She raised a brow.

“I suppose not,” he grinned.

“That’s not fair to the child to give him a dog and take it away,” she tried.

“No one is taking it away. It just will live here…with his mother.”

“Too many things he loves live here with his mother. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do.” Terry set his cup down. “All things he loves except one.”

“You should move into one of the empty buildings attached here to the chateau then all his loves would be in one place.”

“I don’t see that happening.”

“You are stubborn, aren’t you?” She took a drink. “You’re staying for two days?”

“Yes, hope I’m not imposing.”

“No, you never do.” Absently she picked up a leaf from the center of the table. Maxi had gathered leaves the day before and she’d ironed them between sheets of waxed paper.

“You never made that book, did you?”

“Book?”

“The first day I met you, you were picking up leaves in the woods.”

“I threw them away because you were horrid to me.”

“I never got any better, did I?”

“Yes, you did. You became very good with me. Too good.” She bit into a ginger biscuit. “You caught me hook, line and sinker. Blinded me.”

“Is that what you think? I blinded you?”

“In a way you did. Max and I went for a ride a couple of weeks ago and we talked.” She told him what Max had said. “I had to agree but the thing was I didn’t care because I loved you and I never gave him a chance.”

“You spent more time with Max than any of us. What more could he have done? Forgive me if I don’t feel bad about it now. In a moment of remorse and regret I did feel bad about it and I knew what I’d done was wrong; I’d used fire on you when it wasn’t the thing to do. No one else used their element to entice you. In a twelve hour period I went from married to single. I gave away the only thing that I loved. I did it to make up to him for what he’d lost with Connie and further back with you. Every day of my life I regret it.” He got up and took his cup to the sink.

“I can’t make it better for you, Terry.”

“I know. I know you can’t. I look at you now with Maxi and Rose and I know. I still love you, maybe even more than I did. I’m outside looking in and I see you.” He took a breath. “I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately. I guess it’s the season.”

“Who do you think about in winter?” She got up and moved over to him and slid her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest.

“You.” He kissed the top of her head. “And in spring and summer.” He lifted her chin and kissed her.

Toni pulled away from him and moved to the doorway. She’d heard Rose in the garden. Tuppy took her over to see Ludivine.

“Hello, love. Ooo what have you got there?”

Rose had a cookie. “Mmmm,” she answered.

Toni chuckled and turned to Terry. “All good food is called mmm.”

Terry picked her up and sat her on the counter while she ate her cookie and offered him bites.

“What language does she speak?” he asked.

“Her own,” Toni replied. She was glad Rose had come home when she did. Terry was needy; he was always needy and subtle about it. He could pull her in with a look. She took the sippy cup Tuppy handed her and waited until she had gone upstairs.

“What happened to your mysterious caller? Max said you were dating her.”

“Max is correct to a certain point. We go out occasionally.”

“Good. I’m glad you have somebody.”

Terry wasn’t going to discuss her with Toni. “Have you seen Jack lately?”

“No, I haven’t. I hope he can come Thanksgiving. It bothers me sometimes knowing I can’t pick up the phone and call him. Rose was sick a while back. Well, she was sick when we left England. It went from her head to her chest and then her ears. I wanted to tell him and couldn’t.”

“It wasn’t life-threatening. You could have called him if you wanted to badly enough.”

“No, it wasn’t life threatening. It was just a little kid’s illness. I just wanted to tell him without all the…it’s difficult, Terry.”

“I’m sure it is. He loves his children, all of them, Toni. I’m sure it bothers him, too. I know it bothers him that he can’t see you when he wants to. Rose is part of that.”

“You forgave me for Rose before…before you left me, didn’t you?”

His face showed the pain. “There was nothing to forgive. The fact that you were carrying Jack’s baby at that time didn’t figure into it. It didn’t help but…no, luv, that was not something I held against you.”

“Max said if you hadn’t had a moment of insanity I would still be with you. I would be. Because no matter how bad things got, I loved you enough, Terry. Fate decided otherwise for us. When I look back I don’t see how it could have come out any different. I already had taken over Maxi because Max was so devastated he couldn’t care for him. It was a shock and a turning point for all of us, like we turned a corner or something and it was all spiraling out of control. John was broken and bruised, Jack overwhelmed by our pregnancy, Max in mourning and you…you wanting to leave me, not letting me come home. It was a nightmare and as much as I want to forget it, I can’t. It won’t leave me alone.”

“As you said to me a moment ago, I can’t help you, Toni. I wish I could turn back time and do things differently. I’d turn it all the way back to the House of Four Seasons. I used you, sweetheart, to get what I wanted. I wanted you and a life outside of magic.  I wanted more than three months with you out of a year.”

“You set me up. Max saw it right away but I didn’t until much later. I was pregnant with Jacky and you were at the House being healed. You’d lost your memory of me. It wasn’t fair to Max. I don’t care what you say, it wasn’t fair to him. He didn’t know what I was going to do and he didn’t even get to discuss it with me. He was right. I knew when you left me at the end of November. I was all about giving everyone a chance. Jack knew what I was going to do and it was him that called Max in. He didn’t even know why he was there.”

“We’ve all made mistakes, Toni, all of us. Turns out we’re human after all.” He wet a paper towel and wiped Rose’s hands and face and set her down on the floor.

Toni took her to the den to her toys. She was on the verge of becoming emotional. All the old pain wanted to come out and play and play with Terry. Why was she beating him up today? Because she read the need in his eyes, tasted it in his mouth? Don’t come at me with need. She bit her lip and blinked it away.

Terry leaned against the kitchen counter. This was not going well and there was no way he could bring up Jacky’s school now. It seemed like they were all doing some soul searching and wanting answers. What did the past matter now? He tossed the paper towel into the trash can and opened the back door. He walked out and looked down at the vineyard. Only a few leaves remained on the vines and they were multicolored. The vines were going to sleep.

He thought about what he’d said and, yes, they had all made mistakes. If it can’t be fixed it has to be endured and that’s where they were now. He thought about John and how he’d escaped the worst of it. He was smart keeping his family in America and staying out of the drama over here. He’d been smart to do what he did at the House, too. Even though it put Toni through a rough time it was the only thing he could have done.

Now, what was to be done? It was as if she wanted some action and there was none he could take. They were all fucked.

Max pulled the truck back into the garage. Duncan would bring the boys home and without car seats. Toni wouldn’t like that but it was less than three miles and he’d strap them in. He came around the back and noticed Terry in the rear garden. He hesitated and then walked over to him. The air was thick with it…whatever it was.

“I left Jacky and Maxi with Aubrey and they’ll be fine. He loves playing Grandpa to those kids.”

“I’m glad they’ve got one.”

“What’s up with you?”:

“Ah, I don’t know. We’ve been dredging up the past.”

Max walked over to the wall and sat down on it. “That’s been going around for awhile. I think we’ve settled it between us, Toni and I.”

“I don’t know if it will ever be settled, Max. We can talk it to death and it still lives. The past is…past. We can’t go back and change anything. We might like to but…it’s all gone and we need to move forward. We’ve all said how sorry we are for what happened.”

“What happened, which one?”

“Pick one, does it matter?”

“No, I suppose it doesn’t. I know with us some things have been kept hidden away and we finally or I finally opened up. I’m not sure it made me feel any better but at least now she knows some of what I’ve been carrying around inside.”

“I don’t carry baggage anymore. I have one regret that I can’t put away for good. I’m trying and sometimes I think I’m successful. I can go days, weeks even, and then some little something will spark it and there it is again. “

“Then how can you say you don’t carry baggage? You do, Terry, just like the rest of us.”

Part 2

In Bonnieux the trees were already bare. Industrious residents had swept up the leaves and added them to growing compost piles in the back gardens. It was a quiet Sunday morning and all the good citizens were in church except of course the cats down by the bakery. Church bells were ringing and echoing through the narrow streets and alleys.

His head vibrated with the peels as he made his way from the bakery with the box of croissants. Max made the run into  town for the delicacy. Ludivine was at Mass and there were no pastries for breakfast. The bells could be heard at La Siroque but other sounds threatened to drown them out. The boys were awake and along with Rose, a chorus  of high pitched voices filled the old chateau. The puppies had spent the night inside and while Toni went around with a wet mop and a roll of paper towels and disinfectant spray the children were chasing the puppies up and down the hallway.

Tuppy, upon arising and finding the puppy poo and wet, decided it was time she started attending Mass again.

Toni took the wet mop to the old scullery and rinsed it out. This was not something she wanted to do this morning. Between Max, Terry and herself they’d finished off three bottles of wine the night before. That was a bottle apiece and she felt it. Terry was in the kitchen making coffee.

“Where’s Max?” he asked.

“Gone into Bonnieux for croissants. He might be English but a part of him has been had by croissants.”

“Shall I start breakfast?”

“No, not yet. We can wait for him to get back. The kids need some juice.” She went to the cabinet for three sippy cups.

“Look, um, about last night…”

“No, we were all emotional. It was probably good that we just let go. It’s been bottled up here for some time. It was good…it was.”

“I don’t do that, you know?”

“I’ve seen you in tears before. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I don’t let go. I like to think I have some control over my body and mind.”

“It’s okay, Terry.” She poured out some coffee for herself and him. It had been a strange night. After putting the kids to bed they pulled out a bottle of wine and began just talking and one thing led to another. It became heated at times but each had their say. They loved, laughed and cried.

The children came in with the puppies. Terry put the dogs outside and sat them down at the table with their drinks. It amazed Toni how quickly they responded to him. It was the same with Max but she could call and cajole and threaten all day and they dawdled and ignored her.

Max arrived and breakfast began. Toni and Terry cooked and Max refereed the children. Later they poured outside for the kids to run and play with the puppies. Max sat back in the chair and looked at Toni and Terry. It was all out in the open now and there were no secrets between them. He felt good about it and thought Toni did, too. Terry, well, he’d get over it. He smiled a little and looked away. Better to know than not to know.

Rose found her little riding toy and Toni pushed her around.

“Ever think what it would be like without kids?” Max asked.

Terry glanced over at him. “No, I think we might be different people without them.”

“You’re probably right. We were meant to have children. That’s something Toni wanted before she ever left the House. She and John talked about it. I talked her out of it. It wasn’t the time or place.”

“Well, it was impossible.”

“I’m sure we could have if she wanted it badly enough.”

Terry watched the boys rolling on the ground with the puppies nipping at their arms, legs, faces. “She wanted Jack’s baby. Maybe not consciously, not out loud, but she did. Otherwise how do you explain it?”

“I can’t. Why is it important to you?”
 

“Oh, it’s not, no, it’s not.”

“But you brought it up, so it is.”

“I’d been very open with Toni. She had you when it pleased the two of you. Jack was…something else. I was never comfortable about him after the incident in Paris.”

“You were the calm one. I never suspected you resented him at all.”

“I’m not sure resent is the right word. I didn’t trust him, Max. He had the ability to take her away, back into his time, and I couldn’t control it.”

Max smiled a little to himself. Had he not been in the same place?

“I have the utmost respect for Jack but I don’t trust him.”

“You know I used to feel the same way but after that little episode in London at his cottage I’ve, uh, come to understand him a little more. If something happened to us, you know , natural disaster or something, he would take her back and the children and care for them. He’s very conscious of our feelings, too.”

“Well, as it is it’s not my problem anymore.”

“Yes, it is. Last night we were one for all and all for one.”

“Last night we were drunk.”

“Oh, so in the clear light of day you’re on your own again?”

Terry looked at him. “I’m always on my own.”

“Only because you want to be.” Max stretched. “Toni’s back must be breaking.”

“I don’t want to be on my own. That was the whole point last night. I’d rather be with Toni.”

“But you aren’t. You could be with her more but you choose not to. That’s okay if that’s how you have to live it.  Rose is twenty-one months old now. Forgive and let it go. I had to do that.”

“What do you mean forgive, forgive who?”

“Toni.”

“I don’t blame her. It was Jack.”

“No, it wasn’t. She could have said no way and it never would have happened like it did. I’m sure he can be very persuasive but if she didn’t want it he wouldn’t have succeeded. It was the same between us back then. I never once took advantage of the situation.”

Terry cocked a brow. “Yes, you did. Every chance you got.”

“I’m really tired of this, Terry. Like you said last night, the past is past. Let it alone. Dredging it up accomplishes nothing.”

Terry was quiet for awhile.

“I don’t know why we are all at sixes and sevens with each other,” Max sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“Neither do I. Do you know I came over here to talk to her about Jacky’s schooling?”

“Oh, well, I wouldn’t dare.”

“I’m not. It’s not the right time.”

“She won’t allow it, Terry. I might as well tell you that. She’s already been in Bonnieux and talked to Madam about preschool. Maxi will be a year behind him because of the way their birthdays fall.”

“It’s not all up to her.”

“The two of you have to come to an agreement and don’t look to me for support for your end. I have to live with her.”

Toni had pushed Rose until she couldn’t straighten upright. She picked up the little glow worm ride and took it around to the front where she could use her legs to push herself along. After she got her going she made for the iron chairs and table  to  sit down.

“Papa, Papa!” Rose squealed.

Toni turned quickly. Oh, dear God! It was Jack squatting down by Rose and talking to her. She felt the chair on the back of her legs and sat down. Everything would be all right now. It would all settle because he was here. How she knew that…she shook her head…he would make it all right.

He was very aware of Toni seated about ten feet from him but Rose had his attention for now. He listened to her, spoke to her and finally reached into his pocket and brought out a little whistle and showed her how to blow it. She couldn’t make it blow but was interested in it all the same. After awhile she began to push herself along on her worm and Jack stood and came over to Toni, lifted her from her chair and hugged and kissed her.

“Jack.” She kissed him back. “What have you got in your pocket for me?”

An amused light came into his eyes and he looked to the side a moment. “I’ll show you later.”

She grinned and hugged him again. “It’s so good to see you.”

“How are you, Pet?” He noticed the smudges under her eyes and that she’d lost weight. “Are you well?”

“Yes, I’m okay. I’ve not been sick or anything. We had a late wine-filled evening last night. Terry is here.”

“Ah, I see. You are not happy.”

“Yes, I am, actually I am very happy. It was just…we were trying to lay old ghosts.”

“They are best left alone.”

“I know.” She kept touching him. Yes, he was really there with her. Finally she leaned against his chest and he put his arm around her.

She wasn’t all right, not at all, and he intended to find out why. He rubbed her back and felt her catch a sob. “Shh, Pet, don’t.” He pulled away and went for Rose. Picking her up, he came back and slipped an arm around Toni and led her into the house.

As he was leading her into the den, Max came in through the kitchen and saw them in the hallway.

“Where did you come from?”

“Far away.” He gave Max a dark look.

Max blinked and walked to the den. Jack put Rose down so she could play. Toni had turned away and found a box of tissues.

“What have you done to her?” Max asked.

“I? I haven’t done anything. This is how I found her so I ask you, Max, what have you done to her?”

“Oh, please!” Toni croaked.

“Toni, what’s wrong, love?” Max went to her side, arm around her waist.

“Ghosts…we should have left them alone,” she sobbed into his shoulder.

Max looked up and met Jack’s stern and unforgiving face.

Part 3

It was hours later before jack was able to talk to Max and Terry alone. The day had been filled with children. Toni cooked dinner for them all and Max helped her clean up. Ludivine and Tuppy had Sundays off.  Toni took them up to the nursery to settle down. The boys were in the bath and she got their beds ready. Not that they would stay in them but the effort was made and clear indications set out.

Jack had agreed to Thanksgiving in Virginia and so Max went into his study to contact John. The other two followed him in there and closed the door.

“Well, I don’t know the date, John. It’s an American holiday.” Max leaned back in his chair watching his brothers prowl around each other. “It’s on a Thursday, right?”

John found a calendar and told him the date. “Yeah, we’ll be there, nothing else planned. It will be good to be together again.”

“R-ight.” Max saw Terry stop and give Jack a look.

“What’s up?” John sensed something.

“Ah, usual shite. Um, I’ll call you later or e-mail.” He hung up and wrote the date in his calendar, made notes about flights and sat back in his chair. “All right, I call this meeting together.”

“I think I’m going to go home tonight.”

“There are no flights left to London, Terry.”

“I should have left earlier then.”

“Why? Is it me you don’t want to talk to?” Jack asked him.

“I’m that tired of talking, mate. I am.”

“I will ask you both a question. Why was Toni crying when I came? What have you done and don’t give me – nothing.”

“We had a long night, Jack. Much wine was consumed and emotions surfaced. I think we ran the gamut,” Max answered him.

“It’s not over for her. She doesn’t look well.”

“She’s tired and emotionally spent as we all are,” Terry replied.

“Why do you do it? Why bring up all the pain and hurt we’ve all suffered and feed on it? Are your lives that empty that you must fill them with this?”

“I’m not sure you can include yourself in the pain and suffering, Jack.”

“Do you think, Terry, that you are the only one…or Max here? John had his heart broken and he retreated and never came back. I, too, suffered loss. All those years at the House before she ever came. I was always very careful not to get emotionally involved. I kept a distant heart, if you will, until she came and reminded me I am a man.  I fell in love with her that first year when I was sent in to rescue her. Three years went by before she called me for her season. As you know I did see her from time to time. She gave me something that first spring.” He reached in his shirt and detached the leather string around his neck. “She gave me this…a jade. Through all my wanderings I have kept it. It’s never cold as you might think a stone to be. It holds her warmth and her love for me. I had her for two seasons. Two, but it was enough. I knew I couldn’t come out with her and so I came out of season in January.

“You speak of pain…imagine yourself in my position with a wife and twin daughters. I could have detached myself as you did, Terry, and you, Max, and come out into this world to live. I would also have never seen my family again. Like John I couldn’t do that, but my situation was a little different in that I live in the early 19^th century.

“I cannot be with her as you are, Max, or you.” He looked at Terry. “Only times like this when I find a day or two in which to disappear. I don’t want the whole sordid story of your drunken night last eve. It needs to stop…whatever it is…stop it because it is making her ill.”

“You’re right, it does need to stop. She and I worked out our past a few weeks ago. I don’t know what Terry brought over here but it affected all of us.”

“Don’t lay it all on me. She was ready for it. She came at me last night ready to tear me apart. I thought we’d solved all our problems a while back but we hadn’t. Everything just got pushed down and smoothed over. We’ve got to stop this, I agree. We’re tearing each other apart.”

“It will stop now, tonight. I’m taking her with me for two days. Rest assured I will bring her back on Tuesday evening. I trust this does not interrupt your schedule?” He looked at Max.

Max finally let out the breath he’d drawn. “We don’t have a set schedule except where the children are concerned.”

“I’m not taking Rose. The weather is very unpredictable, as I’m sure you know, on the coast right now. She needs to get away from the two of you. And whilst she is gone I suggest you make amends to each other, look to your children and decide how you are going to conduct yourself with Toni.”

Terry closed his mouth that had dropped open at Jack’s announcement. “You waltz in here and just take her!” he said with some heat.

“Yes, indeed I do. Should I leave her at your mercy? By tomorrow she would be abed,” Jack answered with his own heat.

“Wait a minute! Jacky has just arrived. Terry is due to go back to London. Rose is…Tuppy will be back tomorrow night.”

“I’ll stay until he brings her back. I’ll help with Rose.”

“I can handle Rose. It’s Jacky and Maxi together.” Max  rolled his eyes. The children were not the problem. Ludivine and Duflot would help with the boys. No, it was the idea of the thing. That he could, as Terry said, waltz in there and spirit her away. And not into the next room or next state but 200 years away. It didn’t set well with him. He got up and went to the cognac bottle.

“Max, she needs a break from both of you. This says nothing about how she loves you because I know she does. This constant tension is draining her.”

“I didn’t come over here to start all this, to bring up the past. I wanted to talk about Jacky and his preschool. We never got to that. I’m sorry, Max.”

Max knocked back a drink. “All right, take her. Just remember to bring her back because I do know where you stay now.”

“Of course I will bring her back. I would never do that to either of you. Do you think I would separate her from her children?” Sometimes he despaired of the two of them. He moved over to the drinks tray and poured a little cognac into a glass.

“Does she know?” Max asked, still not happy with what was about to happen.

“No, she does not,” Jack answered.

“What if she doesn’t want to go?” Max smiled a little.

“Well, there is that, of course. It’s up to her but for her own health and benefit I will urge it upon her. As I said, she needs a break, if only for 48 hours. The two of you have created this problem, now fix it.”

There was no doubt in Terry’s mind but that she would go. He thought Max was holding on to hope.

Toni read two books to the boys. She could tell they were both sleepy but one wouldn’t give up until the other did. She kissed them both and promised to kiss their puppies now in a kennel Max found down at Duflot’s house. The puppies were in the old scullery. She turned off the lamp and sat in the rocker. It had a nice little comforting creak in it. Rose was already asleep. A bath and a drink and she was always ready to go to sleep.

The nursery was a comforting place, she thought. It was warm and safe and as she rocked she watched her boys go to sleep. She covered up Jacky and Joe and slipped Maxi’s thumb from his mouth. Next door was Rose’s little room. She still slept in her crib. Toni turned on the monitors in both rooms and went downstairs. She went in and took the puppies out for a whiz and then back in their kennel with a little kibble and water. The warmth from the stove heated the kitchen and it felt good tonight. It was getting cold. She rubbed her arms and leaned on the counter.

She dreaded meeting up with Terry and Max. Not so much Max but she’d had enough of their pain and needs. She had needs, too…well, Jack was here and she couldn’t hide out in the kitchen all night. They weren’t in the den so she stayed and picked up toys. Not in the living room or the entry room. She went up the stairs and turned to the right. Max’s study was down that way and a light was on under the door. So that’s where they were? She hesitated, not knowing if she should go in or go back downstairs by herself.

The door opened and Max came out.“Hi, love, what are you doing hanging out here?” He came over to her and put his arms around her.

“I came looking for everyone. The children are asleep, dogs fed and watered.”

“Step in here a moment.” He led her down a short hall. “I’m sorry for the stress we’ve caused you and for my part in it. I love you and I don’t mean to upset you.”

“Max, I…”

“Jack wants to take you with him for 48 hours. He says you need it, need a break. Terry will stay here and help until you get back.”

“What…tonight?”

“Yes. It’s up to you, Toni. If you go, I promise you it will be different here when you return. And if you don’t go…it’s still going to be different. Terry and I both recognize what this is doing to you.”

“But Rose is asleep…”

“Not Rose, just you. He says the weather isn’t nice for her to go.” Max looked into her eyes. “He wants to bring you back Tuesday evening.”

“I…I don’t know what to say, Max. You can’t possibly want me to go?”

He smiled, “Aren’t you perceptive. I don’t want to be separated from you for one hour, much less 200 years. However, if you want to go with him, it’s okay. I think he’s right about you needing a break. Don’t tell him I said that.”

“Max, darling.” She put her arms around his neck and they kissed. “I love you so.”

“You’d better put some clothes and things together, something warm and weatherproof. I’ll let him know. And what I said…Terry and I are going to sort ourselves out once and for all. No more of this, ever again.”

He felt her wet cheeks in the darkened hall and kissed her again, pulling her tight against him. “Now go pack.” He gave her bottom a pat.

Terry had a glass of cognac now and smelled one of Max’s cigars.

“Don’t you dare,” Max said as he came in the door.

“I wouldn’t.” Terry put the cigar down.

“I found her in the hall out here and I told her. She’s going and, um, has gone to pack.”

“You’re a good man, Max.” Jack smiled and set his glass down.

“Either that or I’m a fool. You’d better not let anything happen to her.”

“You know I will protect her from harm.”

Terry stared at him. He didn’t like this at all and if it were up to him he would have told Jack to piss off. Max was being awfully accommodating.

It went quiet enough in the room that you could hear the old clock ticking. Jack walked over and looked at it. “Does it still strike the hour?”

“Um, no, it just makes a little click. I think Uncle Henry might have dismantled the chimes.”

Terry got up and went to the door. “Going to take a piss.” He walked down the hall and to Toni’s bedroom and opened the door. She was brushing her hair, having changed her clothes and packed a bag still on the bed.

“Don’t do this, Toni.” He came over to her and turned her around. “Don’t run away. I’ll leave and it will be all right between you and Max.”

“There’s nothing wrong between me and Max. We understand each other. I need this, Terry.”

“You don’t need to go back 200 years. Take him to Paris or anywhere for that matter. It’s too dangerous, luv. Look what happened to Max when he tried to come back.”

“You forget, Terry. Jack will not let me go alone. He’ll bring me back here. I’m safe with him.”

“I’m sorry, Toni. I didn’t meant to start a war. I love you, honey.” He took her in his arms. “I’ll worry…you take care of yourself.” He kissed her and then pulled away.

“You and I know each other very well. For some reason we wanted to hurt each other last night. I don’t want to get like that again because I really don’t want to hurt you.” She kissed him gently and stepped back.

“Tell Jack I’m ready.”

He looked at her a long moment and turned and left.

She came out of the bedroom with her little bag a few minutes later. Jack was waiting for her.

“Well, she’s gone.” Max moved over to the window and looked out. “Can you feel it?” He turned and looked at Terry.

“Yeah, an emptiness. But I’m used to that, Max.”

“I’m not and I can’t say that I like it.”

“Why did you let her go? You could have stopped her.”

“Because I love her.” Max turned from the window and looked at Terry.

ON TO 48 HOURS WITH JACK

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