A/N: As promised, we return to regular programming. Hope its length makes up for the (much) shorter
previous one. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, and also to Lissanne for beta-ing. Please
review, and thank you.
VII
November 25th
If there is one thing that never changes, it is the behavior of time. Ever noticed how in a moment, when one tries to
imagine the wait between now and some point in the future, it seems to be so many eons away and how on earth will the
wait be survived? But then, before you know it, you're at that once-distant point and the tune had been changed to
"Where on earth did the time go?"
Perhaps it was because she was so busy lately, but Emerson could hardly believe it when she realized that she was firmly in the month of November. Wasn't it just this morning that she'd been bellyaching to Brandon via letter about the conclusion of his September visit? And now it was November and there was no need to send any letter because he was here, in the flesh.
And what addictive flesh it is, too, she thought, ducking her head so he wouldn't see the blush that heated her cheeks at the thought. He would probably get ideas if he saw and they'd already used up enough time as it was.
She was in the process of packing a weekend bag. To her delight, her grandparents, Herb and Enigi Thomas who lived in Dallas, Texas, had invited her down to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with them. She'd pretty much forgotten about Thanksgiving anyway, which was understandable as it was thoroughly American and she was primarily British. She'd had a moment of panic upon learning that Harvard intended to virtually shut down for the holiday, because where would she go? She didn't want to go home to England, not with Christmas being just around the corner and so much work for her to do before then. Em honestly feared that if she went home before the allotted time, she would be distracted from course and would never be able to muster the strength to leave again.
And that would never do.
Brandon's visit had been coming up and he'd suggested they could just wile away the time together, even though the college town would be virtually deserted.
"Or I could get a Portkey from work and we could go somewhere, anywhere in the world that you'd like. The Nauru people liked me; said I could come back any time."
It had sounded very appealing but the problem was that all her professors had left huge amounts of homework assignments, most of them due within the week after the holiday. Em knew it would be very difficult to focus on her work if she was lying on a white sand beach in the South Pacific. And she couldn't afford to fall behind, not when there was so much she was trying to undertake. The slightest delay would surely mean that her stay away from her family would drag beyond two years.
And that, as well, would never do.
So it had been a huge relief when the letter had come from her grandparents, inviting her to spend the holiday. This was the best course of action, she was certain. Em was looking forward to seeing them, not having done so in almost a year. This would also be a good way to experience the full measure of a true American holiday. Although she rarely thought of herself as such, she was American, after all. At least by birth, and that was far from being a bad thing. Additionally, this way she wouldn't have to leave the country and thus be tempted to cling to her loved ones and not return, shattering her dream in the process.
"Bet you're looking forward to seeing Lyna, aren't you?" Brandon said suddenly.
Emerson smiled. "I am. I haven't seen her since I came here, which is a long time to go without my best friend!"
"It was nice of your folks to invite her," he commented, coming over to lean against her desk.
"Yeah, they're cool that way. Besides, they've always liked Lyna, ever since she visited them with me the summer before our second year at Hogwarts. And this'll be their first time meeting Davis."
"And me."
She looked up at him, her eyes softening. "And you. Are you nervous?"
"Not really, no," he said, shrugging slightly. He walked over and slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. "After your father, I imagine anybody else is a breeze."
His tone was light and playful but Em frowned. Was her father giving him as hard a time as she suspected? The two men had always gotten on well, what with being as consumed by Quidditch as they both were, as well as the longstanding professional and personal relationship between the two families. But Em couldn't forget the look she'd seen her father give Brandon shortly after they'd begun dating. With knowing Brandon as well as he did, couldn't her Dad put aside whatever fatherly uptightness he might have and cut Brandon some slack?
Her face must have shown some of her thoughts because Brandon touched her cheek. "It's nothing, Em, really. Don't worry about it."
"But I don't understand," she said, shaking her head. "He likes you, I know he does. Does he think he has to act all intimidating and forbidding, even with you?"
Brandon grinned. "Probably. Hell, if you were my daughter, I'd be suspicious too, even if I'd known the bloke since he was in nappies." His grin faded as he gazed at her and the look that was creeping into his eyes sent a tingle down her spine. "I'm glad you're not my daughter though, because the thoughts I'm having about you right now would make for a decidedly icky situation."
He kissed her and she kissed him back, even though she knew they really shouldn't, since their Portkey to Dallas would be leaving in thirty minutes and she still hadn't finished her packing. His hands wandered down her back to cup her bottom and she felt his erection pressing into her belly. Her body clenched in anticipation and she moaned as his lips wandered to her neck, nipping and caressing lightly.
Gasping, she put her hands on his chest. "Brandon, we shouldn't. I have to-"
His lips captured hers again, cutting her words off, and she shivered when his fingers danced over her skin, pushing her shirt up. Emerson closed her eyes, knowing she was losing the battle. She wanted him, even though she'd already had him twice since he'd arrived two hours ago. But how could she deny him? He brought her to life, he turned her on, invigorated her so that her love for him swelled throughout and seeped out the pores of her skin. Her body ached for him; they could always take a later Portkey, couldn't they, and-
But Lyna and Davis are expecting you to be there when they arrive. And what about your grandparents? You can shag Brandon after you get there, can't you? It's rude to make others wait just because you're feeling randy.
The thought made her open her eyes and, with supreme effort, she pulled away. "Brandon."
"Mmm?" He was deftly unhooking her bra.
She reached up to halt his progress. "Brandon, go sit on the bed."
His eyes darkened even as he grinned at her. "Yes, ma'am."
"Now, don't move," she said, reclasping her bra hooks and smoothing her shirt. "I need to finish packing because the Portkey leaves in under thirty minutes and you're distracting me."
"But-"
She took a deep breath, picked up a blouse and resumed folding. "No. You're not getting any."
"I already did."
"My bad, as Krishna would say. I meant you're not getting any more."
He laughed. "Okay. You're right. You have people who want to see you and I gotta admit that it'll be really ace to see Eric again. He's been practically sequestered in Asia with the Arrows."
Emerson looked over, puzzled. "Eric who?"
"Eric Huckleberry, my best friend from Hogwarts?" He chuckled. "Though I can see why you wouldn't remember him. I have trouble picturing the bloke myself; it's been so long."
"Of course I remember Eric," she said, impatiently. "But what do you mean it'll be ace to see him?"
"Well, he'll be at the ranch this weekend."
Em gaped. "What ranch? My grandparents' ranch?"
"Yeah," he said, looking bewildered. "Didn't I tell you-"
"No, you didn't," she interrupted incredulously. "I can't believe you would invite Eric to the home of people who are strangers to you!"
He stood up and gave her a cold look. "What're you implying? Because for your information, I had your grandparents' permission to invite him."
"You did?"
"Of course I did," he snapped. "Do you think I'm so lacking in social graces that I would do something as uncouth as that?"
Em squeezed her eyes shut for a second, her mind reeling. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply... that. But why didn't you tell me?"
"I'm sorry. I thought I had," he replied, shrugging.
His nonchalance annoyed her and she turned back to her packing without another word. That done, she shrunk the bag and put it in her pocket before walking over to her desk to scribble a note to Kady. Her roommate would be leaving later that night to spend the holiday with her own grandmother, but was stuck in classes at the moment. Em hadn't had a chance to say goodbye so this was the next best thing. Closing her eyes for a moment, she began to write. Brandon came up behind her and rubbed her shoulders.
She felt a surge of irritation and shrugged him off. "Do you mind?"
He looked surprised, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Sorry."
Ignoring him, she finished the note and placed a modified Honing Charm on the parchment. That way, if her roommate entered with another person, the note would stay put until Kady was alone. No use alarming the Muggles.
Em brushed by her boyfriend and into the living room, where she placed the note on the dining room table. After tucking her wand into her cloak, she fiddled with the clasp so she could avoid looking at him. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah," he said, sounding wary. They headed to the door but before she could open it, he stopped her and peered into her eyes. "Hey, you mad at me or something?"
"Gee, whatever gave you that impression?" she replied coolly.
The confused look on his face morphed into one of irritation. "Why don't you just tell me what this is about? Is it because I invited Eric or-"
"We have to go," she interrupted shortly, tapping her watch.
Not waiting for his response, she pulled the door open and stepped out into the chilly air of the early evening. The walk to the International Magical Arrivals terminal was spent in silence and Emerson fumed. She couldn't believe he'd had the nerve to invite his best friend! This was their one weekend together for the month. It was supposed to be their time together. He could see Eric any old time, if the moron could tear himself away from his precious Arrows long enough.
It wasn't that she didn't like Eric, Em reasoned, as they entered the bustling terminal. She did; he was funny and boisterous. But he was also very overwhelming. He tended to gobble up all Brandon's attention and energy, especially when he had alcohol in his system. He just had such a huge presence that one couldn't help but be sucked in by him, to the exclusion of pretty much all others.
"And then Brandon just sprang it on me like that," Em muttered irritably under her breath as she carried the Portkey, which resembled a relay baton, to a departure booth. "I bet he knew I wouldn't be too keen on the idea. That's why he went behind my back."
She glared at him and he looked annoyed. "Look, Em, I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I thought I had."
She didn't respond and a minute later, the Portkey activated. They arrived in a nearly identical booth at the Dallas IMA terminal. Emerson stalked out without a word, heading for the section that dealt with international arrivals. While they waited for Davis and Lyna, she crossed her arms and huffed silently.
"So when is he getting here?"
"Just a few minutes after the Chapmans, I think."
"Right."
Nothing more was spoken until Em saw Davis and Lyna emerging from one of the booths. Her best friend seemed to have spotted her at exactly the same time.
"Emerson!"
"Lyna!"
The two lifelong best friends ran to each other's arms in tears.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so happy to see you!"
"I've missed you so much, Em!"
They hugged for a long time before breaking apart, looking at each other and bursting out laughing.
"How're you?" Em asked, beaming at her friend.
Lyna smiled back. "I'm good. You?"
"Yeah." She turned to her friend's husband. "Davis! How're you?"
He hugged her. "I'm good, Em. How're you?"
The two women linked arms and began chatting as if they'd seen each other the day before instead of almost three months ago, to the amusement of the men. Em was so excited to see Lyna again that she'd pretty much forgotten her annoyance at Brandon.
But it all came rushing back when a booming voice intoned, "WOOD! YOU TOSSER!"
Brandon laughed as he strode over to the tall, ruddy-faced man with the wide smile. Em watched them do that typical male handshake-hug thing and in spite of herself, she felt a rush of love for her boyfriend. Even through her negative feelings towards him at the moment, she couldn't repress the bubble of happiness that formed within at seeing him happy. Did it really matter that he hadn't told her? She could share him, couldn't she?
But I don't want to share him, a bull-headed voice said in the back of her head.
"Emerson!"
She jumped and looked up but the next second found herself enveloped in a bear hug before being set back on her feet and held at arm's length. "My, you're looking mighty fine!"
She gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Eric. It's nice to see you, though I wasn't expecting to do that this weekend." She shot Brandon a look and he seemed to be gritting his teeth.
Eric looked around and snickered. "Looks like you're in the doghouse with the missus, eh?"
Brandon shrugged irritably. "Shall we head out then?"
They left the terminal and hailed a cab. Em made sure to sit between the door and Lyna. She knew she was being petty but it just irked her so much. Their time together certainly didn't seem to be as precious to him as it was to her.
Lyna nudged her. "What's going on with you and Brandon?" she whispered.
Emerson sighed. "Did you know that Eric was coming this weekend?"
"Yeah, I did," she answered. "Brandon told us at one of our Friday lunches."
"Oh."
Her best friend frowned. "He didn't tell you?"
"Nope. Not until less than an hour ago and it's really pissing me off."
Lyna looked sympathetic. "Well, I can see why it would."
"I can't believe he invited Eric, Lyna! Why not Andy, his brother? Why not Jason or Rupert or one of his other friends? Why Eric? He's just so-"
"Overpowering," Lyna supplied.
"Exactly. I don't want to share him," she moaned. "I'm horrible, aren't I? This is his best friend whom he hasn't seen in a while, but-"
Lyna bit her lip. "Well, look at it this way - he was going to have to share you this weekend. With me, you know. So it's kind of only fair, in a way."
Em sighed and leaned back into the seat. Looking over, she saw that he didn't seem to be doing any agonizing. He was slapping his leg as he and Davis laughed at something Eric was telling them. She sighed again.
The cab moved swiftly through the evening traffic and as they neared the Thomas Ranch, Em's thoughts drifted to her grandparents and she couldn't help but be very excited. The last time she'd seen Herb and Enigi was Christmas of the year before, and it was always such a warming experience being with them. They were just so open and embracing and she adored them.
Both of them were waiting on the front porch with its assortment of mismatched rocking chairs when the cab pulled into the yard. Emerson was out of the car as soon as it stopped, even as they hurried down the steps to meet her. She found herself smiling at the easy familiarity between them, which is typical only between long-married couples. Herb and Enigi were in their late sixties now, but they were still very healthy and strong. Only the silver in their hair really gave indication of their ages and the fact that they were magical also reduced the physical effects of time. Herb still oversaw the day to day operations of the ranch, which had a good-sized cattle herd and was very much self-sufficient. Meanwhile, Enigi handled the domestics of the enterprise.
"Papi! Maman!" Em cried, rushing to them. "Oh, it's so wonderful to see you!"
They enveloped her in their arms and she closed her eyes and breathed them in. They smelled so good, like new bread and fresh hay. After a long minute, they pulled apart and her grandmother kissed her cheeks.
"How're you, darling?"
Em beamed. "I'm doing very well. How're you two? You're looking good!"
Her grandfather chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that endearing way. "Getting by, Brown Girl. Getting by."
His use of his old nickname for her made her feel warm all over and Em hugged him spontaneously. He patted her back, still chuckling. Em pulled away and turned to her friends.
"Papi, Maman, here's Lyna."
"Carolyna! Oh, it's lovely to see you!"
Emerson stood back and watched as her grandparents greeted her best friend. They'd been taken with Lyna from the very first time they'd met her, calling her an "English Rose" of the highest order. Em used to tease Lyna mercilessly whenever that happened, prancing around with exaggeratedly dainty steps and affecting a deep Victorian accent while bowing and curtsying. Lyna would try to swat her but would be laughing too much to ever make contact.
"This is my husband, Davis," Lyna was saying, her eyes shining as she gazed up at him and Herb shook his hand while Enigi oohed and ahhed.
The two young women caught each other's eye and looked away so as not to burst out laughing. Doubtless Lyna was recalling all the "English Rose" instances as well.
"And you must be Brandon," Enigi said, and Em looked up. Her grandmother was hugging Brandon, who was smiling.
"Thanks for inviting me," he said, shaking Herb's hand.
Enigi made a dismissive gesture. "Oh, pish-posh. The more, the merrier, I say. Besides, we've been wanting to meet the man who seems to have so thoroughly captured our Em's heart, haven't we, Herb?"
Brandon's eyes met hers and her heart twitched in her chest. Oh, he had captured her heart, all right. He gave her a small, tentative smile and Emerson started to smile back, but the moment was broken by Eric's loud voice.
"Bloody fantastic place you have here!" he said, pumping Herb's hand while looking all around. "Would it be possible to get a tour?"
Herb laughed. "Of course. After dinner, or maybe tomorrow."
"Smashing!" Eric boomed. "And did you say dinner? I'm right starving, now that you mention it."
Enigi chuckled. "And we can't have that, now, can we? Right this way then, Eric, and we'll get you fed and watered shortly."
Eric bent and kissed her hand, then put his arm around her shoulder. "Lead the way, love."
Most everybody laughed but Emerson, feeling irritated, rolled her eyes as she followed them up the porch and into the house. Her happiness at being back in this warm and familiar place was tempered with annoyance at the way Brandon's friend was imprinting himself on it. Eric never shut up, never lowered the volume of his voice, never lessened the exuberance with which he did everything. He sat down beside Brandon before Emerson, who had been feeling conciliatory, could do so. The chair on Brandon's other side had already been taken by Davis and not wanting to be disruptive, Em just gritted her teeth and took the one across from Lyna. She could tell that Brandon was trying to catch her eye but she ignored him and devoted her attention to her grandparents, answering their questions about Harvard and her studies.
Just as they finished dinner, one of the ranch hands came in to give Herb an update on one of the cows who was calving.
"The calf should be here within another hour, I'd guess," the ranch hand, whose name was Archie said, adjusting his hat. "Everything seems to be going fine."
"So I don't need to come down?" Herb asked.
Archie shook his head. "Nah. We're all set."
"That sounds interesting," Davis commented. "Mind if we tag along?"
The ranch hand looked over and gave him a toothy grin. "Sure. I'm about to head back now, though."
"Wicked!" Eric exclaimed and Archie's grin widened.
Emerson took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second as her friends followed Archie across the room. Why was this bothering her so much? Why was she begrudging Eric the chance to be who he was? This was his personality. Why was she letting it irk her? He was just being himself.
But can't he be himself somewhere else?
"You wanna check it out?"
In her irritation, the words slipped out before she could stop them. "Why don't you ask Eric? I'm sure he would love to go."
She watched Brandon's mouth tighten as a flash of annoyance streaked through his eyes. He stepped closer and leaned his head forward so that, for a second, she thought he was going to kiss her.
But instead, his lips went to her left ear to whisper in a cold hiss, "What the hell's your problem?"
He stepped back and gave her a swift, hard look before turning on his heel and striding away to the door that Archie, Davis, Lyna and Eric had just exited through.
"Brandon-"
The door closed softly behind him, with a restraint that she knew he managed only because he was in the home of strangers, and she wanted to cry. What was she doing? She was pouting over having to share him with his best friend? At the rate she was going, she wouldn't get any of him at all because he would be too disgusted with her to bother.
"Brown Girl." Em bit her bottom lip and looked up at her grandfather. "Come sit with me."
She followed him wordlessly out the door to the front porch and sat down in the rocking chair closest to him. The wind rustled the leaves of the live oak in the yard, while somewhere to the right, a cow mooed. The misery swelled up within and overflowed and she sobbed miserably, sitting on the porch with her grandfather. He didn't speak, only patted her knee reassuringly and once she'd calmed down, handed her a handkerchief.
"Thank you," she whispered before wiping her eyes and blowing her nose. She heaved a great sigh and leaned back in the chair, which creaked and began to rock slowly.
"All right now?"
"I don't know."
Her grandfather looked over at her, his dark skin almost blending with the night while the porch light glinted off the whites of his eyes. "What's going on with you and your young man?"
My young man. Emerson couldn't help but smile for a second before it faded. "I'm so stupid."
"There, now, I highly doubt it," he said gently. "But why do you say that?"
She sighed again, then launched into the story of it all, their long-distance relationship and having only one weekend a month together. Brandon inviting Eric without telling her, and without seeming to have an inkling of how it appeared. Was he tired of her already? Did he not want to spend even three days with her without distraction?
"I mean, what do you think, Papi?" she asked, peering at him. "Am I being juvenile about this?"
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment before replying. "Well, you were going to have Carolyna here this weekend. And she's your best friend."
"Yes. But she has Davis, too. It's not like she will need to spend all her time with me, or even want to. I just figured Brandon and I would be together as a couple and Davis and Lyna as a couple too. I didn't factor in a big, loud-mouthed clown being with us."
"I understand that. And we can't control what emotions we initially feel about something. But we can control how we handle the rest of it."
She frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Well, it seemed to me that Brandon was trying to make amends just now," her grandfather said. "Wasn't he?"
"I guess."
"He tried to reach out to you and you brushed him off."
Em sighed. "I didn't mean to. That was stupid of me, anyway, because I wanted to see that cow, too. I'm training to be a veterinarian, for Pete's sake. It would've been neat to see from that perspective."
"You're not stupid, Emerson. You're a Thomas, at least partially, and Thomas women are very stubborn." He sighed sadly. "Sometimes to their detriment."
Em looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"
He didn't speak for a few moments and his voice was reflective when he did. "Have you ever wondered what happened with your mother and the Brunswick boy?"
My mother? Mum... oh, Julia. "Julia and Logan, you mean?"
"Yes. Julia and Logan. Have you ever wondered why they broke up?"
She frowned. "Yeah, I have. Do you know-"
He nodded. "They were together a long time, y'know. Almost ten years. Started dating when she was fourteen, even though her mother and I forbade her to date until she was sixteen." He chuckled to himself. "Stubborn, that one was. But I wasn't really worried, which is strange for the father of a teenage girl. I trusted Logan, you see. Have known him since he was born, watched him grow up into a fine man."
Emerson leaned slowly back into her chair, listening. She didn't dare shift any more, for fear that the chair would creak and distract him from his narrative groove. The story of her birth mother and her beau, Logan Brunswick, was something that Em had wondered about from time to time but she could never muster the gumption to ask about it, for fear that it would hurt her grandparents. It had been more than two decades since they'd lost their daughter, their only child, but pain like that never really goes away and she didn't want to be the one to disturb the wound.
But now her grandfather was speaking freely about it, of his own accord. So she sat quietly, watching him and listening with rapt attention.
"-two of them had always gotten on well together, almost like brother and sister. But of course they weren't siblings, so it wasn't all that surprising that as they entered the teenage years, those other feelings developed between them and came to light. They were inseparable, those two, completely wrapped up in each other. Oh, Enigi was certain it was only a matter of time before they would marry and she was already discreetly looking into what Cherokee customs Julia might want to incorporate into the wedding. Julia didn't know about that, of course, because Enigi didn't want her to think she was being pressured in any way. But that doesn't mean a mother can't dream, does it?"
He sighed. "If there was any downside to Julia and Logan finding each other as early as they did, it was what happened. Logan became restless. He became frightened because he could see where their relationship was going. He was only a young man and he'd been with the same girl for almost ten years. His eyes began to gaze around. Oh, he never cheated on her, but he began to wonder."
Emerson felt a chill of foreboding. She was certain that she knew what had happened next and her grandfather confirmed it. Logan had broken up with Julia, claiming the need to be certain that they were doing the right thing. And how could they be certain when neither of them had ever really dated anybody else? As her grandfather continued his narrative, Em found herself thinking about Davis and Lyna. They were so lucky, that they'd found each other again! They could have lost it all.
"That happened to Davis and Lyna, Papi," Em said quietly. "Lyna was heartbroken and they were miserable without each other. But they got back together, obviously. Why didn't Logan and Julia?"
Her grandfather smiled ruefully. "That's where the Thomas stubbornness comes in. Julia was hurt. There was no doubt that she loved him still, that she wanted to reconcile with him. But her pride wouldn't let her. He thought he could go out and have his fun and upon finding it not quite up to scratch, he could just prance back to her and just expect her to be free? He had another think coming, and she refused to take him back. She refused to talk to him, refused to even see him. I don't know who she thought she was fooling. The girl was crying herself to sleep every night, losing weight, moping around. There was one cure for what ailed her and she refused to take it, no matter how we all pleaded with her. They were young. We make all mistakes, couldn't she understand that? And she would snap that of course she understood that and-"
He rubbed his eyes and sighed deeply. "She cried a lot those days. It was a horrible feeling, seeing my daughter in such pain but being helpless to do anything about it. Of course I didn't know at the time that that helplessness was only a warm-up for what was to come."
Em reached out and squeezed his hand. "But they at least became friends again, didn't they? Before-"
"Yes, they did. They did eventually become friends again. He wanted her back, of course, but she said they would have to start all over again, go back to being just friends first. And that's what they were. They were friends. Then she went over to London for that conference-"
"-and met my Dad," Em supplied, feeling goose pimples erupting all along her arms.
Herb smiled over at her. "Yes. And you happened. She was so happy, you know? About you."
Em found herself blinking back tears. She was twenty-one years old, not far from the age Julia Thomas had been when she'd found herself pregnant. And not only that, but gravely ill. She couldn't imagine all the emotions that Julia must have experienced, how scared that young woman must have been. Her mother. "How did Logan react when he found out?"
"That she was pregnant? Well, he was upset at first. But he couldn't really dwell on it, could he? None of us could, because she was sick at the same time. And we all loved her too much to occupy ourselves with anything other than trying to help her through the difficult time."
The pain that suffused her grandfather's voice made Emerson's eyes overflow and she threw her arms around him. "Oh, Papi."
He hugged her tight, patting her back as if she was the one who needed comforting. "There, now. There, now."
When they pulled apart, they both wiped their eyes and were quiet for a moment. Emerson broke the silence. "Where's Logan now?"
"Oh, he's doing all right. Lives out west, Washington state. Or Oregon, maybe. Somewhere thereabouts. Married a lovely girl and they have two children now. Or maybe three; I can't remember for sure. He's a Healer, like his folks were. He's all right."
He turned to her and when he spoke, his voice was serious. "If what you have is important to you, don't let your pride get in the way. Don't make the mistake that Julia made, Emerson. Do you understand? If there was one thing she would've wanted you to know, it would be that. Because none of us have any idea what's in store for us. We don't know, so all we can do is make the best of what we have."
Em nodded slowly. "You're right."
He sighed and they were both quiet for a time, just listening to the sounds of the night, the whirring of crickets and the rustle of leaves in the wind. Her grandfather spoke again. "Other than this misunderstanding, how is the relationship? Are you happy?"
"I'm happy," she replied, smiling at him. "I love him. And I know he loves me, too. We have fun; we generally get along great. Obviously I get mad at him sometimes and he gets exasperated at me, especially at how I'm always late."
Herb chuckled. "Well, that's the black part of you showing itself."
"What do you mean?"
"Black people are notorious for being late, aren't we? Some people even say that Jesus Christ himself must be black, because that would explain why it's taking him so long to come back." He laughed to himself before continuing. "I know one person who definitely wasn't black."
Em grinned up at him. "Who?"
"Noah."
"The one with the Ark?"
"Yep. Want to know why I think he wasn't black?"
"Why?"
"Because there's no way he could've been on that boat for forty days and forty nights and not eat them two chickens."
Emerson laughed until she cried, doubled over holding her stomach while her grandfather chuckled beside her. Every time she started to recover, a glance at him would set her off again and she was still laughing when her grandmother came out onto the porch.
"What's so funny?" Enigi asked, looking with amusement between the two of them. She fixed her husband with a fondly suspicious look. "Herb, have you been telling silly stories again?"
He looked at her innocently. "Who, me? Never, Sweetness."
Enigi shook her head, moving to sit on the other side of Em. "I have never known a man for making people laugh like you, Herb Thomas. Why, the number of times I've been frightened that people would choke to death in my house! And it would just be him spinning his yarns."
"It sure charmed you back in the day, though, didn't it?" he said, leaning forward to grin at her.
She dropped her eyes before looking back at him. "It sure did. And it charms me still, even after nearly forty-five years of marriage."
Emerson gasped, her gaze darting between the two of them in awe. "Forty-five years?"
"Forty-five years next month, yes," her grandmother replied, nodding serenely. "We've had our ups, and oh Lord, have we had our downs." She paused and Emerson knew she was thinking about the loss of her only child, the loss of all the hopes and dreams that were wrapped up in that young woman. After a minute, Enigi reached over and grasped Emerson's hand, tears shining in her eyes as she smiled. "And then we went up again. The absolute best thing that came out of that horrible time was you. And all that we had hoped for for Julia, we hope for you now. I'm sorry if this adds a burden to you but we can't help it."
"Oh, Maman," Em whispered, hugging her. "It's not a burden. It will never be a burden to me."
They held each other for a moment and then the three of them sat on the porch for a long time, talking quietly in the night. Emerson found herself marveling at the strange way in which things worked themselves out. If she had gone with Brandon and her friends to see the calving cow, she'd have missed this wonderful evening of bonding with her grandparents, just the three of them without any distractions. Fate had a funny way of operating, that was for certain.
When they finally bid each other good night and went inside, her friends still hadn't returned and it was only then that she began to miss Brandon. Being with her grandparents had served to keep her mind off thinking about him, but now that she was alone, he filled her head again. Now that she was somewhat removed from her initial annoyance, Emerson was definitely regretting her earlier attitude towards him and with the counsel of her grandfather resounding in her head, she was eager to apologize and set things back to rights.
Sighing, she sat down on the bed before jumping up again and heading to the bathroom. She could at least take a shower while she waited for him to get back. When she emerged, however, the room was still empty and feeling a little worried, she put on clean pajama bottoms and a tank top and sat down to wait again. What if he didn't come back? What if he decided to just room with Eric?
It would be her own fault if he did; such a silly little spat. But maybe it would be for the best if they spent the night apart, gave themselves a little more time to expel any remaining irritation at each other. The thought made her sad and in an effort to distract herself, Em went back into the bathroom and began to comb out her wet hair. A sound in the bedroom made her whip around and her heart began to hammer inside her chest as she hurried back. He was standing just inside the room, holding the knob behind him and he looked up when she entered.
They stared at each other for a moment and Emerson felt herself blushing. "Hi."
"Hi," he answered, not moving from the door.
She bit her bottom lip. "I thought you weren't going to come back."
"Just needed to get my bag. I figured you might not want me to be here with-"
"I do want you to be here," she blurted. "I'm so sorry, Brandon. I'm really sorry for how I was acting earlier."
Brandon seemed to visibly relax and his hand fell away from the doorknob. "I'm sorry, too. I should have told you about inviting Eric."
She wasn't aware of moving but the next second she was in his arms and he was holding her so tightly that she could hardly breathe. But that was all right because she was holding him just as tightly, inhaling his scent that never failed to make her heart race. She loved him; she loved him so much.
As if hearing her thoughts, he pulled away and looked into her eyes. "I love you, too."
He touched her face, so gently that tears formed and rolled down her cheeks before she'd even realized it. Brandon brushed them away, leaned in and kissed her. Emerson melted against him with her arms around his neck, a low moan escaping her throat as her senses reeled with the taste of him. His lips were alternately hard and soft, demanding and caressing and she kissed him back, their earlier misunderstanding bobbing away into the distance.
But not beyond the horizon, she realized suddenly and pulled away. She had to let him know why she had been upset; it was the only way to truly sink and dissipate the dark formation that had sprung between them.
Taking his hand, she led him over to the bed and sat down beside him. She sighed before looking up at him. "The reason why I was upset is not so much because you didn't tell me but because you actually invited him in the first place. It just made me feel like the time we manage to have together isn't all that sacred to you."
"I'm sorry," he said, looking grave. "Our time together is definitely sacred to me, Em. When we're apart, I count the days until you're in my arms again. I have never been so happy as I have been since we got together."
She smiled tearily. "Me either."
"I wish we never had to be apart," he continued earnestly. "Do you know how many times I've entertained the notion of quitting my job and moving to Boston so I can be with you?"
"What? Brandon, no! That's-"
"Crazy, I know," he said, grinning. "But I can't help thinking like that sometimes. I'm completely mad about you, Emerson."
She gazed at him, wide-eyed. "I can't let you do that, Brandon, okay? You're letting me have my dream. How can I take yours away? We'll just have to... it's like you said, it will get easier with time, right?"
"That's what I hope, anyway," he answered, rubbing his eyes. He sighed. "I truly am sorry about Eric. I know he can be very-"
"In-yo-face, as Krishna would say," Em supplied with a snort.
He laughed. "Yeah, that. I honestly thought I'd told you. Though come to think of it, I should've known better when I couldn't recall you whinging about it."
She swatted at him and he grabbed her hand and playfully pushed her back on the bed, chuckling. Their play-wrestling quickly gave way to tender kissing and Emerson happily wrapped her arms and legs around him. They snogged for a few minutes but quickly realized that they were both too tired to go any further. Yawning, Brandon stripped down to his boxers while she pulled the covers back and they climbed in and snuggled against each other.
"I love you," Em whispered sleepily.
He brushed her hair from her face. "I love you, too. So much."
Emerson sighed and closed her eyes, feeling warm and safe. Feeling unburdened and secure in the love of the man who held her and in the love of the two people in this house whose blood she shared. How her grandmother could think their hopes for her could be a burden, Em couldn't figure out, because sleep claimed her before she could and when next she woke, the bewilderment was gone from her mind.
It was the smell that woke her, the smell of cooking sausages and the rich doughy aroma of freshly baked biscuits. There was also the unmistakable scent of pumpkin pie, reminding her that today was Thanksgiving Day. Em breathed in deeply and rolled over, to find herself looking into Brandon's brown eyes. He smiled at her and she smiled back, then closed her eyes again as she stretched.
"Mmm, it sure smells good in here, doesn't it?" she murmured.
"Yeah. It looks good in here too."
Her eyes opened and the look in his made her blush. She smiled. "We should head down before Eric gobbles up the whole thing, you reckon?"
He grinned. "Yeah, we should."
They headed to the bathroom and the crackling tension between them, even while doing something as mundane as brushing their teeth, had Emerson's heart pounding. As soon as they stepped into the shower, their plans to hurry to breakfast were forgotten and it was nearly an hour before they managed to leave the room.
Needless to say, Em was in a great mood as she headed down the stairs behind her boyfriend, pulling her hair back in a ponytail as she went. The warm, delicious smells enveloped her as she entered the kitchen and her stomach rumbled in anticipation.
Her grandmother looked up as they entered. "Oh, good morning, you two!"
"Maman," Em said, going over to kiss her on the cheek.
Brandon did the same, and then they went over to the table, where Lyna, Davis and Eric were already tucking into a Mexican-style breakfast. There were stacks of tortillas, eggs that were scrambled with spicy chorizo sausage and green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, and bowls of homemade salsa. Hot, flaky biscuits were piled on a plate beside an assortment of jams and marmalades and there were pitchers of both orange and pumpkin juice.
"Merlin, I can't wait to have some of this! Hey, Lyna."
The best friends hugged each other in greeting while the two men grunted through their mouthfuls to Brandon.
"Morning, all," he replied, sitting down.
Eric, whose cheeks were bulging, waved absentmindedly and Em smiled at him, all her ill-will towards him from the day before now faded from happiness and afterglow. "Hi, Eric."
The burly Appleby Arrows Beater swallowed his mouthful and grinned. "Morning. Say, you're in a good mood for a change. Seems to me like somebody got some."
Em leaned across Brandon to punch Eric on the arm while Davis and Lyna snickered and her grandmother went into the kitchen, shaking her head in amusement.
Eric moaned dramatically, clutching his arm before turning wounded eyes to Brandon. "You need to do something about your violent woman, mate!"
Brandon put down his glass of orange juice and glanced fearfully at Em. "What, and get my arse kicked?"
Everybody laughed and the tone was set for the rest of the meal. The young people ate ravenously and were not at all stingy with the praise they showered on Emerson's grandmother whenever she bustled into the room, long braid swinging at her back.
"Oh, go on," Enigi said dismissively, but she was looking pleased. "Just make sure you leave room for Thanksgiving dinner later today. We're having turkey with all the trimmings, of course."
"What are the trimmings?" Eric asked, and a long discussion was launched into the food and the history of Thanksgiving.
Em chuckled. "It's not exactly a pro-British holiday, is it? But we've all gotten over it by now. Even Canadians have a Thanksgiving Day, and they're practically British still."
Once breakfast was over, they all cleared the table and carried the dirty dishes and utensils into the wide country kitchen. Their offers to do the dishes were met with mild affront from Enigi, who shooed them out and told them to go find something else to do.
"The kitchen is my domain. Y'all will just get in my way and I have a lot to do before dinner."
Jumping at the chance, the men quickly headed out in search of Archie, whom they'd taken a liking to, but Em and Lyna stayed and tried to get Enigi to change her mind.
"Show us something, Maman, please? Like, what's that you're doing now?"
Enigi sighed, but they noticed her lips were twitching. The young women exchanged grins of triumph. "I'm making stuffing. It's a chestnut, onion and cornbread recipe that's been in my family for generations. First, you cut up the cornbread into little cubes and pop them into the oven for about twenty minutes, until they get dry. While that's working, I'm cooking up the onion mixture."
"What's in it, besides onions, obviously?" Lyna asked, peering into the large, sizzling skillet that was filling the room with delicious smells.
"There's red onions, shallots, leeks, celery and herbs with a little salt and pepper. Once this is cooked, it'll be combined with the cornbread, chestnuts and chicken broth and baked. Some people actually stuff the turkey with the stuffing, but I prefer to bake it separately. It's just a matter of personal preference."
The rest of the morning was spent in the warm kitchen, helping Enigi get the meal underway. Once there was nothing else to stir, chop or whip, Enigi forced Em and Lyna out. "Go have fun."
Em smiled at her. "Okay. Thanks for indulging us. Where's Papi?"
"Out and about all over the ranch, but you'll probably find him somewhere with the cows. He said something about checking on that cow and calf."
Lyna linked arms with Em as they headed out. "That was pretty cool to see, actually. The calving."
"Damn. I wish I hadn't missed it. Did you see the whole thing?" Em asked.
"We caught the tail end of it. It was amazing how that calf could stand within minutes of being born."
Em grinned. "Makes us seem pretty weak, doesn't it? But it's kind of a survival thing for them. Back in the wild days, the young had to be able to walk shortly after being born if they wanted to escape being eaten by predators. We're no longer in the wild, but some things never go away, I guess."
Lyna looked over at her. "How're you?"
"I'm good. I'm really good. Why?"
"You and Brandon seemed pretty ticked off at each other yesterday," she said, as they entered the corridor leading to the cow enclosure. "But it seems to be okay now. Is it?"
Recalling the morning's scorching session in the shower, Em smiled demurely. "Yep. We're okay now. But enough about me. How're you and Davis?"
Her best friend colored slightly. "We're great. We're-"
Em stopped and looked at her. "What?"
Lyna's eyes were bright, her cheeks reddening even more and she bit her lip for a second before answering. "We're trying to get pregnant."
"Oh my gosh! Lyna!" Em hugged her fiercely before pulling away. "Already?"
"I know. It's kind of soon, isn't it?" She sighed. "But I love him so much and I know he loves me."
Em nodded. "He's mad about you."
"And we just- even though we've been married only a year, we've been together for almost eight years. That's a long time and there's just so much love between us that we can't contain it. We have to have someone else to pour some of that love into. I don't know how to say it any better than that."
Em hugged her again. "That's beautiful. You'll be a great Mum."
"Do you really think so?" her best friend asked, looking nervous. "I'm kind of scared. I'm only twenty-one. But at the same time, I'm so certain about this. I have no doubts that I'm ready and Davis wants this too."
"I really hope it happens for you," Em said, smiling at her. "And you had better make me the godmother!"
Lyna scoffed. "As if there could be any other choice."
They looked at each other and laughed before linking arms again and heading into the building. They found Emerson's grandfather and spent the next hour wandering all over the ranch with him, listening to him explain the tasks that he was doing or checking up on. He introduced them to those workers who had voluntarily come in for a few hours, even though it was a holiday, which to Em was definitely a positive indicator of her grandparents' status as employers. Herb let them take turns driving the big hay-baling tractor, which was quite awesome, if a bit fearsome. As they headed back to the cow enclosure, they met up with Davis and Eric, who were looking rather rumpled and muddy.
"What happened to you two?" Lyna asked, wrinkling her nose at the smell they were emitting.
Davis laughed. "We were trying to be cowboys and obviously were not very successful. We're heading back to the house to clean up."
"Where's Brandon?" Em asked.
Eric jerked his thumb in the direction they'd come from. "Still back there. He looks just as frightful as we do but isn't ready to give up yet. Me? I'm done with farm living! Maybe I'll just feed the geese next time. That looks a bit easier."
Herb chuckled as he watched the two men (and Lyna, who had decided to go back with her husband, after shooting Em a wink) walk away. "Actually, it's not that easy to feed geese. They're greedy little beasts and can attack you if you're too slow with the dispensing."
"That should be something to see, then," Em said, giggling. She sobered and looked around. "Papi, all this seems so wonderful, so efficient and self-sustaining."
He smiled at her. "It does, doesn't it? And it will all be yours."
She frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you're our only heir. So when we're dead and gone, you'll be owner of all this."
Emerson gaped. She had never thought about it before. "Oh my God."
"Don't worry, you don't have to be a rancher if you don't want to be," he said, putting an arm around her. "You could always hire an efficient foreman to oversee everything, someone who knows how to handle such an enterprise."
Feeling somewhat dazed, she nodded. "I guess so. But that won't be for a long time yet. You and Maman will be around for a good many more decades."
"Ah, Brown Girl," he laughed, patting her shoulder.
They had reached the enclosure and Em giggled when she saw her boyfriend. Eric hadn't been kidding about Brandon looking a fright. His jeans and boots were covered in muddy manure and his shirt wasn't much better. At the moment, he was twirling a rope above his head, obviously in preparation to lasso the yearling calf that gazed balefully at him from across the pen. Em watched him let fly the rope, which caught on one of the young horns emerging from the calf's head. The calf bolted and Brandon was yanked forward, still holding onto the rope. He slipped and slid, trying to get his balance but was soon lying on his stomach in the mud, which obviously wasn't an unfamiliar place to be. It was quite a comical sight and Emerson was laughing so hard that she had to hang onto the gate for support.
He looked over at her and stood up, grinning. "Hey."
She giggled. "Don't quit your day job, Wood."
"Yeah, well," he said, coming over to the gate. He pulled his gloves off. "No chance of you hiring me as a cowboy, is there, Mr. Thomas?"
"I can't rightly say, son," Em's grandfather replied, his eyes crinkled in amusement. "That devil got the better of you."
"He sure did." The two young people watched Herb make his way over to talk to Archie. Brandon turned back to Em and smiled.
She smiled back. "Having fun?"
"Yeah." That familiar glint came into his eyes and he leaned forward.
Em shrank away. "Eww. I don't think so. You're stinky."
"Oh, am I?" he asked, grinning mischievously before grabbing her hands suddenly.
"Odie! What're you doing?" Em exclaimed, trying to pull her hands away. But he held her fast, while reaching down to unlock the gate. She tried harder to free herself as his intentions became clear but he yanked her inside the enclosure and pulled her to the ground. Em shrieked as he rolled her around in the cold mud and muck. "Brandon Wood!"
He laughed gleefully before pulling her up into a sitting position. "There. That excuse is moot cause you're stinky now too."
And he kissed her and when she opened her mouth to protest in indignation, he stuck his tongue in and it felt so good that she stopped fighting and kissed him back. They pulled apart slowly and it took her a few seconds to recall where she was. Brandon was grinning smugly at her and she rolled her eyes.
"There's no need to look so pleased with yourself, you know," she said huffily, standing up and brushing in vain at the mud smeared all over her jeans. She'd left her wand at the house, so a quick Scourgify was out of the question as well.
"Oh, on the contrary, I do believe there is." He leaned over to whisper, "I got to snog you, didn't I?"
In an attempt to hide her blush, Em shot him a look and turned back to the gate. She walked over to where her grandfather and Archie were standing, and the two men seemed to be keeping their faces carefully blank as she approached.
"I'm going in now. Obviously, I need to clean up."
Archie snorted. "Yeah, I can see that. You want to give it another go, Brandon?"
"Nah, I'm done for today, thanks," Brandon answered, coming up behind Em. "Maybe tomorrow."
Em and Brandon turned to go but just then Herb called, "Oh, Merry and her family will be here for dinner. I wasn't sure if Enigi mentioned it or not."
"No, she didn't," Em said, delighted at the news. "Awesome! I can't wait to see her!"
She and Brandon headed back to the house, hand in hand, and Em jabbered on excitedly the whole way. She had always liked Merry, who had been Julia's best friend and who had, over the years, become a good friend of Emerson's as well.
Upon reaching the house, they cleaned up and went downstairs to the living room, where they wiled away the time until dinner in a loud and energetic Quidditch discussion with Eric, Davis and Lyna. About half an hour before dinner, Merry arrived with her husband Dave, her nine-year-old son, Blake, and her daughter, Ella, who had just turned three. Merry, Em and Lyna hugged each other tight and began chatting merrily, just as they had over all those visits over the years. Merry still seemed so young and girlish, even though she was now in her forties. Perhaps it was because her children were relatively young or because she was so petite that that air of perpetual youth seemed to cling to her.
Enigi requested Merry's assistance in the kitchen for a moment, leaving Em and Lyna alone. The two of them leaned back on the couch and watched the going-ons around them. Herb and Davis were deep in conversation beside the dark cherry wood bookcases. Brandon and Eric were guffawing with Dave in another corner, while Blake lay on the rug beside the fireplace, absorbed in one of those Muggle hand held video games.
Lyna grinned. "Remember when he was just a chubby little baby?"
"Yeah, I remember," Em said, smiling over at the tow-headed blond boy. "Now Ella is the baby."
"She's so cute, isn't she? Like a little cherub with those cheeks and those big eyes."
They watched Ella struggling to get something out of a small plastic container that she held. Em was just about to go over and help when Ella stood up and went to Davis, of all people. Em and Lyna exchanged glances and quickly turned back to watch.
Davis looked momentarily surprised to see the little girl tugging at his hand. "Hey, there."
"I can't get this out," Ella said, holding up the plastic container.
"Oh," Davis said, stooping before her. "Let's see if I can do it." He wrestled with it for a moment before plopping out a ball of shockingly pink molding clay. "Here you go."
Ella gazed at him with her huge eyes. "Thank you." She broke off a big piece and handed it to him. "You can have some."
"Thanks," he said, squeezing it in his hand. "What shall I make with this? I know!" He rolled the clay into a ball then squashed it flat into a patty with his palms, and held it out to her. "Ta-da. It's a hamburger."
Ella looked at him with that certain brand of disdain that only three-year- olds can muster. "No, it's Play doh."
Over in the corner where she was sitting with Lyna, Emerson snorted, which set Lyna off and the two of them muffled their laughter in the cushions. Once they'd calmed down, Lyna looked adoringly at her husband, who was acquiescing that of course, Ella was right and what could he have been thinking and he was so silly, wasn't he?
"He'll be a good Daddy," Lyna murmured, almost to herself, blinking back tears and Em reached over and squeezed her hand.
"Yes, he will."
The two of them sighed in unison and giggled before falling silent. Emerson found herself watching Brandon and the memory suddenly popped into her mind of what her little sister, Davina, had said all those months ago. Vina had developed a crush on Brandon, for the main reason that Brandon didn't talk down to her, that he listened to her and heard her opinion.
That's the mark of good parent, I think, Em thought, and her heart hammered. Why am I thinking about this, anyway? We only just started dating. Nothing like that will be happening for a long time.
She knew, though, that there was no doubt in her mind that Brandon was the one for her. He was the one she wanted to be the father of those children she hoped to have at some distant point in the future. He was the one she wanted for her husband, and the thought sent a tingle down her spine.
As if sensing her gaze, he looked over at her and smiled. Emerson blushed at being caught staring but couldn't help smiling back. The moment was ended by Merry coming back into the room and announcing that the Thanksgiving feast was ready.
They all headed into the dining room, where a magnificent spread had been set out. The huge, golden-roasted turkey drew the eye first but arranged all around were bowls and tureens of mashed potatoes with roasted garlic, sweet potatoes, cranberry relish, sugar snap peas with chives ("In lieu of the everlasting green bean casserole," Em's grandmother explained drolly). There were baskets of hot, flaky rolls, boats of wild mushroom turkey gravy and bowls of salad. And let's not forget the chestnut, onion and cornbread stuffing, freshly baked and slightly cooled. Pitchers of iced pumpkin juice and sparkling fruit juices waited at intervals along the way.
Everybody oohed and ahhed as they took their seats around the long and well-laid table and Herb said a prayer of thanks before they all tucked into the meal, which turned out to be as delicious as it looked and smelled. The room echoed with conversation and rang with laughter and Emerson thought again how truly blessed she was. Here were all these people, having a wonderful time with family and friends, while under the table, her boyfriend kept reaching over to squeeze her leg. Her heart filled up with so much happiness, she almost couldn't take it and had to put down her fork for a second and compose herself.
"You okay?" Brandon asked quietly, sounding concerned.
She turned to smile at him, loving him. "I'm great."
He smiled back, then reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. She sighed happily and the meal went on, the savory giving way to the sweet, as pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple pie and rhubarb pie were brought out. Needless to say, everyone was thoroughly stuffed by the end and waddled back to the living room to collapse with contented grunts.
The evening passed quickly and by the time Merry and her family left, Emerson could barely keep her eyes open. She bid her grandparents and her friends good night and went up to her room, where she changed into her night clothes and climbed into bed. Brandon was still downstairs and although she tried to stay awake for him, her eyes slammed shut as soon as her head touched the pillow and she slept, deeply, dreamlessly, peacefully.
Over the rest of the weekend, she managed to finish all the assignments that she'd brought with her, in between trips into Dallas and the nearby cities, visits with Merry at her house and just day to day life on the ranch. When it came time to leave, Emerson felt sad but renewed and recharged. This time with her grandparents and her friends had been exactly what she needed, and she departed with the confidence that whatever might come her way, she could handle it. Because she wasn't alone and she would never be.
At the Portkey office, she hugged Lyna and Davis tightly, but didn't cry. She would be seeing them again in a few weeks when she would go home to England for the first time since August.
Brandon kissed her for a long time, slowly and tenderly, while they waited for his Portkey to be called, nuzzling her neck and whispering sweet words into her ear. "Christmas."
"Christmas," she said, smiling at him.
He kissed her again and a few minutes later, the announcer called the seven-thirty Portkey to London. They hugged each other fiercely before pulling apart and he touched her face.
"I love you."
"I love you, too," she whispered. "See you soon."
She watched him walk away and waved when he turned back to look at her. Only when he had disappeared into one of the booths did her hand fall to her side as she sighed and made her way over to retrieve her own baton back to Boston. She arrived at the IMA terminal, found the Apparation spot and was back in her Harvard bedroom within minutes, where she lay back on her bed and smiled to herself. It wouldn't be long now before she would be with her family, her parents and brothers. Her sister. Brandon.
"Christmas."
******
TBC
******
End Notes:
1. Herb's nickname for Em, "Brown Girl", is from a game we children used to play in Jamaica ("There's a brown girl in the ring, tra la la la la...").
2. The Jesus and Noah jokes, about the Ark and the chickens, is by the hilarious stand-up comic, Earthquake. He's on Comedy Central every now and then.
3. The recipe for the chestnut, onion and cornbread stuffing that Maman makes for the Thanksgiving dinner can be found here