Secondhand Garagyre

Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

PAISLEY

The sound of little feet traipsing down the steps next to my bed are what wakes me. Used to this routine, I gather the covers in my left hand, ready to toss them back when my bedroom door creaks open, just wide enough for my boys to scamper out. A deep, hushed voice stops me before I can swing my legs out of bed. “ Be silent, little beasts. Your human needs her rest. I gather that you both need to go into the out to do your business, so come along.”

If he’s trying to earn brownie points, he’s doing a marvelous job. I don’t ever get to sleep in. Not that it bothers me, I wouldn’t trade my boys for anything, but every so often it would be nice if they didn’t get up at dark-thirty a.m.

Relaxing , I sink back into the comfort of my warm bed and doze on and off for a while. I vaguely hear Laithog opening my bedroom door and letting Merry and Pippin back in with me before rolling over and slipping into sleeps embrace again.

The next time I wake, sunlight is streaming into my bedroom through the cracks in the curtains. I must have slept later than I thought. Rolling over, I check the red glow of my alarm clock across the room and see that it’s shortly after nine o’clock.

Wait …

SUNLIGHT !

Bolting out of bed, panic racing through my body, I fling my bedroom door open, while avoiding a startled Merry and Pippin , screaming for Laithog . “ LAITHOG ! The sun! We didn’t make arrangements to hide you from sun!! Where are you?!” my words crack at the end, desperation running through me, far deeper than it should for only knowing him for half a day.

The sound of the back door closing catches my attention and I rush through the living room, ignoring the throbbing in my body as it protests the abrupt motions I’m forcing it to perform, through the connecting door into the kitchen just as Laithog steps into the house, sunlight streaming across his body.

I stop, dumbfounded.

He said…sunlight is his greatest weakness…?

The smile that grows on his face is less unsettling this morning than it is yesterday, though I don’t process why . My mind is too full of the fear he died due to my carelessness.

“ Paisley , be at ease. I am unharmed. I’ve just finished warding the edges of your property,” he soothes both hands raised in a reassuring manner.

“ The sun…”

“ You said…”

“ HOW ARE YOU NOT DEAD , LAITHOG !” Is what I finally bark out. My shout makes his earn pin back against his head as a look of contrition replaces his smile.

“ Ah . Ehm . Yes , well. I will have to explain that, whilst apologizing for appropriating one of your items from the locked room next to the library.” My eyes narrow as I cross my arms and start tapping one of my feet.

Just what is he doing in my jewelry room, and what did he mean he took something out of there?!

Sensing the change in my mood, Merry and Pippin sit on either side of me and stare at Laithog , silently judging him for whatever it is that he did to upset me. What loyal little fluffylumpkins they are.

“ Perhaps we should move to the communal room? I started a fire earlier and…” his words trail off when he notices my attention is captured by what is on his left wrist. The flash of silver there wasn’t present yesterday.

I take a step closer to get a better look. “ Why are you wearing that cuff? It took me forever to find something like that! It’s worth quite a bit, and I intended to resell it in my shop!” I exclaim indignantly.

“ Erm , yes. That is the bit I need to explain, if you will allow me to do so,” he replies, a slight edge to his tone.

With a huff, I turn and slowly flounce to the living room, or as he calls it the “communal room,” only to see that he did, in fact, stoke the fire and I can see flames merrily licking across fresh logs. Merry and Pippin following behind me as usual.

Stiffly marching across the room, I carefully sit on the couch tucking my legs underneath me, aware that I’m only wearing my old lady nightgown and a pair of granny panties. Finally being mindful of what my body is screaming at me, I wait for Laithog to settle himself across from me.

Only he doesn’t.

He walks past me on the couch calling Merry and Pippin as he stalks to the front door as I absently notice the small wooden box full of natural stones, I found at a garage sale is sitting on the coffee table in front of me. “ Little beasts, come. It is time for you to go into the out. Neither of you have been out in some time,” his deep voice states.

Merry and Pippin trot across the living room, out the glass-paned storm door onto the patio as Laithog closes the door behind them. Leaving the solid wooden front door open so the sunlight streams in through the glass of the storm door.

Well .

Shit .

I can feel the beginning of something that bears the resemblance of guilt building in the pit of my stomach.

I may have overreacted.

A bit.

Okay …so I totally overreacted.

Stupid mornings…