Chapter 23 #2
Carolena tapped on the door jamb as she stepped over the threshold. “Hello!” she said, greeting everyone.
“Welcome!” Angelle called out. “I’m so glad you’re here!” she said, hurrying around the kitchen island to hug Carolena.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world. Lily popped in earlier to say you and Boon were inviting us all to a cook out, so you know we had to be here,” Carolena said.
“You’re always welcome here,” Angelle said, hugging Carolena again.
“Thank you, Angelle. I appreciate that.” Carolena looked around the house. “You’ve got such a beautiful home, Angelle. Carnage said it was nice, but it’s hard to get more than ‘it’s got rooms’ out of him as a description.”
“That’s right! You haven’t seen it yet. Please, make yourself at home. Go take a look and see the rest of it,” Angelle said.
“You sure?” Carolena asked.
“Of course. You’re family,” Angelle said.
Carolena went off to do just that, and they could all hear her oohing and ahhing all the way back to the kitchen.
“Knock knock!” a soft, very melodic voice called from the door.
Angelle looked over at the door and was immediately struck with the beauty of the woman standing there. She was stunningly beautiful and exotic, but at the same time a little quiet and unsure of her reception.
“Aubreigne!” Lily said, picking up Eli and carrying him on her hip as she moved toward Aubreigne.
“Hi, Lily. What a handsome little man!” Aubreigne said.
“This is my grandson, Elijah. He looks quite a lot like his father,” Lily said as she hugged Aubreigne.
“That would be Brandt, right?” Aubreigne said, pointing over her shoulder toward the group of men bonding around the roasting hog.
“That’s him,” Lily said.
“I did have a little to do with it, too,” Tempest said, as she waved Aubreigne in. “Come on in,” she said.
“Thank you,” Aubreigne said, finally entering the house.
“This is Angelle, Boon’s mate. And I guess that makes her my aunt-in-law,” Tempest said, making a funny face.
Angelle laughed. “I guess it does.” Angelle wiped her hands on a dishtowel and started toward Aubreigne. “Welcome, Aubreigne,” Angelle said, extending her hand to shake Aubreigne’s.
Aubreigne grasped her hand delicately, then offered her the basket she was carrying. “I brought some vegetables from my garden. I thought they might go well with whatever else you are having.”
Angelle looked into the basket and practically drooled. “Ohhh! Squash and eggplant! And onions! This is wonderful! Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome,” Aubreigne said, liking the girl immediately. It was clear that she was very honest, very sincere, and Aubreigne liked that… no games of any type.
“Come have a seat and visit with us while we get everything ready,” Angelle said. “This is my mother, Avaleigh. My father is downstairs.”
“He’s the tall, dark male? Dragon, right?” Aubreigne asked.
“Right,” Avaleigh said, extending her hand toward Aubreigne. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
“And you,” Aubreigne said.
“I have to admit, I’ve heard about you and your mate. I’ve been anxiously waiting to meet you. You have such a romantic love story,” Angelle said.
Aubreigne laughed. “I wouldn’t say it was all romantic, but we’ve got some kind of story, that’s for sure. I have to say, I’ve heard of you, too. And I’m very impressed with all I’ve heard.”
“I’m nothing special,” Angelle said, “I’m actually a very shy girl. I mean, I still wake up every day amazed at all this,” she said, indicating everything around her.
“But you’re also very strong, and that is the part I admire most. All of this was meant for you. I have no doubt you’ll teach us all a thing or two,” Aubreigne said.
Angelle smiled as she put the basket down on the counter top, flattered and reassured to know that Aubreigne didn’t think poorly of her because of the way she’d handled Saige. “Lily told me that you tended her injuries. Thank you. I’m glad you were able to take care of her.”
Aubreigne smiled slightly and canted her head, her long black hair shifting like a curtain of silk when she did. “I’m not quite sure what to call that. I didn’t expect you to be thankful to someone for treating the injuries of the woman who tried to come between you and your mate.”
“And my home. And my entire future,” Angelle said. “But the simple truth is, I didn’t want her to die. I just wanted her to go away and leave me and mine alone. I’m glad she’s recovering.”
“You’re a very kind, very complicated young lady. And I was right. I’m very impressed,” Aubreigne said.
“Oh, you made it!” Carolena said, as she walked into the room and spied Aubreigne sitting at the table.
“We did! Amilanu is downstairs huffing around the fire pit with the other males,” Aubreigne said.
“I hope you don’t mind. We invited a few friends along the way,” Carolena said to Angelle.
“I’m glad you did. I’m not brave enough to walk up to people’s homes I don’t know and say ‘Hi, I’m Angelle. Do you want to be my friend?”
Carolena laughed. “You won’t have to. Carnage has pretty much taken care of it for you.”
“Yes, don’t tell my father anything you don’t want everyone to know. He loves to deliver news to anyone who might not know it yet,” Lily said.
“I’m okay with that. I have nothing to hide,” Angelle said.
“You look great,” Tempest said to Aubreigne. “You never, ever age.”
Aubreigne smiled at her. “It’s the genes,” she mock whispered. “But thank you. I haven’t seen you in far too long. You should come home more often. We miss you.”
“I try. I just get so busy,” Tempest said.
“Deaumanique is going to be sorry she missed you, and everyone!” Aubreigne said, making eye contact with everyone.
“How is she?” Tempest asked.
“She’s doing well. She and Shane are traveling a little. They try to take at least one trip a year.”
“I’ll have to make a trip back especially to visit her,” Tempest said.
“She’d like that,” Aubreigne said.
“Come on in, I’ll show you around,” Boon said as he walked through the door.
“This is nice,” Amilanu said, following right behind Boon.
“Thanks,” Boon said. “Angelle, this is Amilanu. He’s Aubreigne’s mate; Amilanu, this is my mate, Angelle,” Boon said proudly, unable to even temper the love clear in his gaze when he looked at Angelle.
“Angelle, what a wonderful surprise. I hear you’re quite the protector!” Amilanu teased.
Angelle blushed, her eyes wide in surprise at Amilanu’s words.
But Lily averted an awkward moment as she started laughing. “It’s not nice to tease her! She’s not used to you yet. Angelle, Amilanu has a wicked sense of humor as I’m sure you’ll find with time. Don’t let him rattle you.”
Angelle smiled again, shaking her head a little. “And they told me you were nice…” she said, as she began to slice the eggplant and squash to cook alongside everything else they were making. She looked up suddenly as she had another thought, “at least now, that is,” she added with a wink.
“Ohhh! That’s good. That’s a good one,” Tempest laughed. “Because he used to not be nice.”
“I beg to differ! I have always been nice. The other person I carried around inside me, not so much. But, he’s like that, you know? All about himself, or so I remember,” Amilanu said.
Angelle grinned as Amilanu followed Boon out of the room to go see the rest of the house.
“Don’t pay any attention to him. If he likes you, he’s teasing you,” Aubreigne said.
“He’s not worrying me. I like him, too,” Angelle said.
The sound of more footsteps coming up the steps let them all know that someone else was arriving.
Angelle almost held her breath, but decided that this was what she’d signed up for, and if anyone showed up upset that she’d driven Saige out of her house, well, then, they could just turn around and go back where they came from.
She watched as a beautiful male came into view guiding a very pretty, but obviously very delicate female by the hand.
“Brannaugh, come right in,” Lily called. “Kamilah! Don’t you look lovely!”
“Thank you,” Brannaugh said, performing a little bow before he stepped through the doorway and into the room, leading the woman, who was obviously named Kamilah, inside with him.
“Thank you, Lily,” Kamilah said, her voice soft and sweet.
“May I introduce you to my sister-in law? Angelle, this is Brannaugh and his mate Kamilah. Brannaugh and Kamilah, this is Angelle, Boon’s mate. Her mother Avaleigh,” Lily said gesturing to Avaleigh, “and her father, Daniel is downstairs with everyone by the fire.”
“We are charmed, and humbled to be invited to your home,” Brannaugh said, bowing again to both Angelle and Avaleigh.
“Thank you so much for coming,” Angelle said.
Brannaugh inclined his head.
“Would anyone like something to drink? We have lemonade and sarsaparilla tea. It tastes like root beer,” Angelle said.
“Root beer? I don’t believe I’ve tasted that,” Kamilah said, looking up at Brannaugh for confirmation.
Brannaugh smiled down at his mate. “If you’ve tasted sarsaparilla tea, you’ve tasted root beer. But if you wish, I shall procure some of it for you so that you can try it yourself.”
“Would you?” she asked.
“Definitely,” Brannaugh promised.
“I think for now I would like a bit of lemonade,” Kamilah said.
“I’ll get it for you,” Tempest said, hopping up and taking a glass from where they’d been put out on the table, then filling it with ice and lemonade. She handed it to Kamilah.
“Thank you, Tempest,” Kamilah said.
“Your home is quite lovely,” Brannaugh said. “Boon has done well in providing for you.”
“Thank you so much! I think so, too. He’s in the sitting room at the back of the house with Amilanu. You're welcome to go visit with him if you’d like,” Angelle said.
“Who’s welcome to go visit with me?” Boon asked, as he and Amilanu came back into the kitchen. “Brannaugh!” Boon exclaimed. “I’m so pleased to see you and Kamilah here.”
“And we are pleased to be here. You’ve a beautiful home, my friend,” Brannaugh said.
“I especially like the way the water flows on both sides of the house. It gives you calming views from all sides,” Kamilah said.
“I like that part, too,” Angelle said.
“We’re going back down to check on the hog, want to come with us?” Boon asked.
“I would,” Brannaugh said, as he and Amilanu shook hands and exchanged a few pleasantries.
“Come on, then,” Boon said, leading the way.
“Would you like to sit with the women, dear, or return to the fireside with me?” Brannaugh asked, clearly wanting her to remain at his side.
“Would it be alright if I accompanied you to sit with the gentlemen?” she asked.
“Most certainly,” Brannaugh said. He looked up and focused on Angelle. “I’m sure we’ll get the chance to visit further later this afternoon. I look forward to it.”
“Me, too,” Angelle said.
Brannaugh led Kamilah through the door and down the steps, but in only a few seconds Kamilah was right back in the house. She smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling as she focused on Angelle. “And good for you for standing up for your own!”
Angelle laughed as she nodded.
Kamilah held a finger in front of her lips to indicate not to tell Brannaugh she said what she did, then spun on her heel and hurried to join him just as he called her name from the bottom of the steps.
The women all laughed.
“I like her. I like them both, but they’re very formal,” Avaleigh said.
“They come from a different time,” Lily explained. “Brannaugh was once a noble in the Fey court, and Kamilah has always been a very delicate, very feminine type of woman. They fit together very, very well. But they’re both wonderful people.”
“There’s a bit of spark to Kamilah that he might not be aware of,” Angelle said.
“Oh, I’m sure he knows. He just lets her think he doesn’t,” Tempest said laughing.
“’Gel!” Carnage bellowed from down by the fire.
“You’re being summoned,” Carolena said.
“Alrighty, then,” Angelle said, setting down her knife to go in answer to Carnage’s call.