8. Rory
CHAPTER 8
RORY
They thought I was a Hunter. Some sort of magical Green Beret, based on what Mercy and Garfield told me. A Hunter would’ve definitely been helpful in rescuing Pia. And someone like that would’ve been easier to wrap my brain around than the freaky dragon-slash-giant hedgehog-slash-donkey who a few minutes ago had casually popped a Ouija board out of their side and ordered me to move the hammock around.
Could I just go back to my boring life from yesterday?
But when I glanced over to check on Pia, who had dressed in Dimi’s clothing and was tentatively smiling up at me, I dismissed my wistfulness. Rescuing her was the most important thing I’d done in my entire life.
I didn’t bother correcting Shane’s assumption that I was a Hunter, or Ellis’ that I’d performed the rescue on my own. I handed Ellis my end of the throw blanket, and when our fingers touched, I felt a zap of static electricity.
Shaking my hand, I asked Pia, “Do the clothes help?”
She nodded. She’d put on everything except the shoes and socks. I could only imagine how clothes might feel like armor to her now. I hoped dryads had therapists. She’d need to talk to someone.
“How about some water?” Ellis handed her one of the bottles he’d brought out.
“You know,” Grandfather said. “You’re going to have to tell them about us at some point. Some point soon.”
I made a face at him but covered it up by rubbing my sleeve across my forehead like I’d felt an insect or something.
He waved toward Shane and Ellis. “They’re magic people. Do you think a man who can see ghosts is any stranger to them than... that creature?” He jutted his chin at Ms. Jackson.
Okay, he made a good point.
Lorraine looked up from where she’d been stroking Pia’s hair. “We need their help to get Pia to the local dryads. She needs people like herself.”
Well, fuck. I hated, fucking hated, explaining my ability to people. Especially after what’d happened the last time.
Dimi appeared next to Shane, pointing at something midway between him and Ellis. “And look at this piece of crap bond they made without you. Better get started by spilling the beans about being a Medium so you can get to the fun part.”
She’d been complaining about the state of Shane and Ellis’ “bond” since we’d walked into the house. All I knew was that their “bond” was why they couldn’t be more than a few feet apart from each other. It didn’t seem fun, but I didn’t want to know why Dimi thought I was responsible for fixing it. I wasn’t getting involved. I’d just make sure Pia would be okay, then I’d go back to my regular little life.
Except I did need to do something about Uncle Hugo and that asshole Randolph Chamberlain. Maybe I could borrow one of those Hunters. No need to involve Shane or Ellis, or their “bond”.
Pia handed the empty water bottle to Ellis. I asked her, “Are you ready to, uh, try out the apple tree?” It wasn’t like I knew exactly what she’d be doing with the tree, but I wanted to be supportive.
She reached for my hand. I walked with her over to the tree trunk, and she threw her arms around my waist. “I’ll be right here if you need me,” I told her.
“Me too, baby,” Lorraine whispered, though of course Pia couldn’t hear her.
She released me and turned to the tree. Then she just... walked into it. And she was gone.
I sucked in a breath. “Where did she go? Is she alright?” I gazed wildly around at the ghosts, Shane, Ellis, and Ms. Jackson.
“She’s fine,” Shane said, echoing what I was hearing from the ghosts. “She’s in the tree. She’ll come out when she’s ready.”
I sagged. “Okay. Thanks.” I went over to the hammock. “Can I sit here?” I asked Ms. Jackson. They nodded, and I sank down into the rope netting. I leaned back and closed my eyes. Shit, what a fucking night it’d been. My arms ached, and I didn’t want to move.
“Why don’t you put your feet up and take a nap?” Ellis suggested.
Okay, I’d move for a nap. I scooted around until my whole body was on the hammock. It swayed gently, and I sighed. I might never get up.
Ellis draped the throw over my legs.
“Thanks. Talk later,” I slurred as I let sleep take me.
The smell of bacon frying woke me. The sun was up, but the light filtering through the apple tree leaves was still weak.
“He wakes!” Grandfather announced.
I groaned and rubbed my eyes. The muscles in my arms were fucking sore. Sitting up, I examined the apple tree. No sign of Pia. Hopefully she was healing.
I put a foot on the ground to stop the hammock from swinging, then I stood up. Crap. I hated sleeping in shoes and socks, and these dress shoes were pinching my toes. Maybe one of my hosts had large enough feet that I could borrow a more comfortable pair.
Grandfather, who was pretending to sit on the end of the hammock, smirked. “Shane and Ellis were arguing about you last night.”
I frowned. “Why?”
He chuckled delightedly. “Apparently that Ellis likes you. You know, likes you. And since Shane and Ellis are bonded, which Mercy says means they’re permanently married with magic, Shane’s a little miffed. But I told Mercy you’re polyamorous, so if you can win over Shane, there won’t be a problem.” He winked at me.
I groaned. “Is that what Dimi meant when she said I needed to fix Shane and Ellis’ bond? She wants me to, what, sleep with them? I don’t have a magic dick.” Though it wouldn’t have been a hardship to have sex with them. Ellis was attractive, and so was Shane, but I’d been focused on Pia last night, so it hadn’t seemed important.
He cackled some more. “That’s a good one. I’ll have to tell Dimi. ”
“Grandfather!” Fucking hell. “Tell her I’m not doing it.” Especially if only one of the pair was interested in me.
Shit, was I disappointed Shane wasn’t attracted to me?
Shaking my head, I turned to the apple tree. The potted plant was still next to the trunk, and it had grown at least a foot during the time I’d been asleep. The new leaves were blurring the twisty shape it’d had the night before.
“Hey, Pia, if you can hear me, I’m just going inside to clean up and get some breakfast. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” At least it was only April, so the weather was bearable.
I walked to the house, grimacing at my uncomfortable shoes. The back door was cracked open, and I could hear dishes clinking.
When I reached the patio, I took my shoes off. I pushed the door wide, and the first thing I saw was a huge tiger sitting next to the kitchen table. I gasped, clutching my shoes to my chest.
The tiger turned, showing me the Ouija board on their chest. Fucking hell.
“Oh, Ms. Jackson. Hey.” Did I sound as casual as I was trying for? Hopefully I’d get used to their different forms before they gave me a heart attack.
“Good morning,” Shane called out. He and Ellis were in the kitchen emptying the dishwasher. At least none of the ghosts were in here. Grandfather had stayed in the back yard.
“Good morning. Um, is there a bathroom I could use to clean up?”
“Sure. Down that hall on the left.” Shane eyed me up and down. “You want to borrow some sweatpants? ”
“Thank you, but what I really need are some different shoes.” I rubbed my hand through my hair. “I promised Pia I’d stay. Would it be okay if I asked a friend of mine to bring some clothes from my apartment?”
He shrugged. “Of course. Are they your partner?”
I shook my head. “I’m not in a relationship.”
Shane frowned. He opened his mouth to say something, but I held up my phone. “What’s your address? No, wait. I have it from last night.”
I opened my texting app. The phone still had a decent charge, but I had a cable in my car in case it got low.
Hey, are you at home?
I headed for the bathroom while I waited for a reply. I’d hold off on the shower until I had clothes to change into, but I needed to piss and wash my face.
I’d barely shut the door behind me when he replied.
Manny
Just got off shift. Whatchu need?
Can you please run by my place and pick up some clothes for me? I’m in the Second Ward. Long story, but I only have my tuxedo and I can’t leave. These shoes are fucking torture.
Manny
You can’t leave? Is last night’s hookup holding you hostage? Or is this a BDSM thing? Do you have a safe word?
Fuck off. No, I promised this little girl. Again, long story.
Manny
I gotchu.
Thanks. I owe you. Here’s the address.
Manny
Cool. I used to have a client on that street back when I did in-home caregiving. I can be there in 30. I’ll text you when I get there
You’re the best
When I returned to the kitchen Shane asked, “You want coffee? I was about to make eggs and toast.”
“Sounds great, thank you. Black is fine.”
“Sure. Have a seat.”
There were four place settings at the table, one of which was in front of Ms. Jackson. I could either sit next to or across from them. Fuck it. I pulled out the chair to Ms. Jackson’s left. I didn’t know what real tiger fur looked like up close, but Ms. Jackson’s seemed to have squiggly lines running through theirs. Weird.
Shane and Ellis came out of the kitchen. Ellis handed me a cup of coffee, and Shane put a bowl of it in front of Ms. Jackson. The two of them went back to the kitchen, and I watched Ms. Jackson lap from the bowl. Only a little splashed onto the table.
I sipped my coffee, hoping the caffeine would help me make sense of everything around me.
Shane’s phone rang, and he groaned.
Ellis said, “Tell me that isn’t your fucking boss again.”
Shane shook his head and set the carton of eggs on the counter before answering the phone. “Ricky, it’s my day off, remember? I’ll be back tomorrow.”
I couldn’t hear exactly what the man on the other end of the call was saying, but it had a real my-way-or-the-highway tone to it.
Shane put his hand over his eyes. “Fine, fine. I’ll call him. Text me the number.”
He hung up as his phone pinged with a text.
“What’s the matter now?” Ellis’ expression was grim.
“Ricky tried to do a landscape design on his own, and the client threatened to hire another company.”
“Can you at least eat before you call them? You didn’t get much sleep.”
Shane sighed. “No. I won’t be able to relax until I deal with this.”
Ellis shook his head. “I can’t believe they won’t pay you for working on your day off.”
We listened as Shane placated the client and promised them a new design as soon as he returned to work on Thursday. He must be some hotshot landscape architect or something.
Ellis put plates of biscuits in front of me and Ms. Jackson. “This’ll help tide you over while we wait for Shane to finish his call. Rory, would you mind putting butter and jelly on Ms. Jackson’s biscuit? I’ll bring it over in a second.”
“Sure, no problem.”
He brought out a stick of butter on a plate with a butter knife, then jars of jelly and marmalade with individual serving spoons for each .
He went back to the kitchen, and I turned to Ms. Jackson. “What would you like on your biscuit?”
The letters sparkled on the Ouija board. I-L-I-K-E-B-U-T-T-E-R-A-N-D-I-W-A-N-T-T-O-T-R-Y-B-L-U-E-B-E-R-R-Y-J-A-M
“Got it.” My stomach growled. I hoped there were more biscuits.
I got Ms. Jackson’s biscuit ready. As soon as I put their plate back in front of them, they ate the whole thing in one bite.
A moment later I decided I couldn’t throw stones at their table manners since I ate my biscuit in only a couple of bites myself.
My phone chimed.
Manny
You dog, you hooked up with Shane Costa? He’s my old client’s grandson! I haven’t seen him since then, but he was hot as fuck. BTW I’m outside
I hadn’t even finished reading the text when the doorbell rang.
“Sorry, that’s for me,” I said, pushing my chair back.
Before I could stand, Ms. Jackson got up and loped toward the front door.
“Shit!” I raced after them, but I wasn’t very fast in my socked feet. Ellis and Shane came out of the kitchen and followed, but none of us would make it in time.
Like a slow-motion nightmare, Ms. Jackson put their huge paw on the door handle and somehow opened it.
“No! Manny, they’re friendly! ”
Manny’s face changed from a grin to a shocked “O” in an instant. He threw the Trader Joe’s bag he was carrying at Ms. Jackson’s head and darted to the side. Ms. Jackson ducked to avoid the bag then leaped forward.
I finally made it to the door. Ms. Jackson was standing in the middle of the walkway between the house and the street, in plain view of the entire neighborhood. I didn’t see Manny. Or anyone else for that matter, which was lucky.
“Manny?”
“Shhh!” came from my right. “It’ll hear you!”
I went to the side of the porch and looked over the railing. Manny, still in his cartoon character scrubs from work, was huddled in the low bushes that lined the side of the house.
“It’s okay. The tiger won’t hurt you.”
He peered over the edge of the porch. Ms. Jackson was walking toward us. “Fuck!” He stood up and I helped him climb back over the railing. Luckily his slight stature meant he wasn’t too hard to lift, but my sore arms protested the entire time. “Get inside, hurry!” He pushed past me, but Shane and Ellis blocked his path to the door.
“Manny?” Shane asked, his eyebrows popped high. “You know Rory?” He turned to Ellis. “Manny was Granny’s main caregiver before she died. Manny, this is Ellis.”
Manny fidgeted, fists clenched and shifting back and forth on his feet. Ms. Jackson was almost to the porch steps. “Yeah. Hey. Nice to meet you. Uh, can we please go inside?”
I positioned myself between him and Ms. Jackson. “They won’t hurt you. I promise. I’ve been here for hours, and they’ve been perfectly nice. ”
He blinked at me, then craned his head around me to watch Ms. Jackson approach. “Um, it’s a pet? Like, who keeps a tiger as a pet in Houston?”
“Um. Not a pet. It’s complicated.”
Ms. Jackson walked up the steps. Ellis walked over and reached out his hand to stroke their fur. “See? They’re friendly.”
Ms. Jackson slowly approached Manny. He backed up until he ran into Shane, but he didn’t try to move further. Ms. Jackson sniffed at him, then butted the top of their head right into Manny’s stomach, hard enough that Shane had to steady him with his hands on his shoulders.
“Uh, what’s complicated about them being a pet or not?” Manny didn’t take his eyes off Ms. Jackson. They nudged their head in between Shane and Manny, and then shoved Manny toward the front door.
“What’s happening?” he whisper-shrieked.
Shane opened the door. “Just go with it. They have their own agenda, we’re finding out.”
Ms. Jackson herded Manny through the door. The rest of us crowded after them, though I remembered to snag the Trader Joe’s bag, which had my clothes in it. Ms. Jackson didn’t stop until Manny was at the dining table. They pushed out the chair to the right of where they’d been sitting earlier. If I sat down in the same place I’d been sitting before, Ms. Jackson would be between me and Manny.
“I’ll, uh, set another place. Rory, could you get the desk chair from the guest bedroom? It’s down that hall.” Shane pointed. “Manny, you want some coffee?”
Manny responded with a faint affirmative. I went into the guest bedroom. A small desk with a rolling chair and a desktop computer filled one corner, and the other side of the room had a double bed with an old-fashioned lace coverlet and a nightstand. A duffel bag sat unzipped on the bed with an orange shirt half inside, but the bed was made so I couldn’t tell if anyone was sleeping there. I left the Trader Joe’s bag on the bed so I could change later.
I rolled the chair to the table. Shane and Ellis had arranged the other chairs and placemats so there was room for all of us.
I peeked out the back window, but I only saw the ghosts hanging out by the hammock. When I took my seat at the table, someone had refreshed my coffee. Manny was staring at Ms. Jackson.
“You can pet them,” I told him.
He looked at them doubtfully. “Why does their fur look like it has writing on it?” He tentatively brushed the back of his fingers along Ms. Jackson’s shoulder.
“They’re magical,” Shane said from the kitchen. “Like we’re pretty sure literally created with magic.”
Manny raised his eyebrows at Shane then looked at me. I shrugged. “Wait til they decide to talk to you. You’ll see.”
Ms. Jackson slurped their coffee and ignored us. Manny picked up his mug but just stared around wide-eyed and didn’t speak.
Shane brought out plates of eggs, bacon and biscuits for me and Manny. Ellis followed with one for Ms. Jackson, though they didn’t get bacon. I would’ve thought a tiger would want meat, but maybe magical dragon-hedgehog-donkey-tigers were different.
Shane and Ellis sat down with their own plates, and Manny finally perked up. He gestured between me, Shane, and Ellis . “I like this for you, guapo . Much better than that last couple you were with.”
My mouth was full, so I bugged my eyes out and shook my head, taking a sip of coffee so I’d be able to speak. But before I could, Ellis said, “With as in, in a relationship with?”
I cleared my throat, but Manny powered on. “Oh, yeah. They were jerks. Decided he wasn’t good enough for them or some shit. It really messed with his head.”
“Manny!”
He didn’t look at me, but pointed his fork at Ellis. “Can you believe it? Kicking him to the curb because of the gifts God gave him.”
“Manny, that’s enough.”
He turned to look around the room, his face lighting up. “Oh, I forgot. Is your grandpa here? Hi, Grandpa! How’s it hangin’?” He set his fork down and waved his hand furiously while turning in a half-circle.
Shane and Ellis stopped eating.
“Manny, no. He’s not here.”
“You know, I liked it better when he called me Mr. Blackbourne.” Grandfather said from beside me. I started, then covered my eyes with my hand.
“Oh, I know that look!” Manny crowed. “Hi, Grandpa! How’s the stick up your ass? Are you clenching tighter since Rory’s found new partners?” He casually flipped the bird in the general direction of the living room. “Rory’s grandfather is a homophobic, polyphobic ass,” he informed Shane and Ellis as he scooped up some eggs.
I rubbed my forehead. “He was . I keep telling you, he’s changed since he died. ”
“And I keep telling you , it doesn’t make up for the shit he did when he was alive.”
I held up a hand toward Manny. Why did we have to keep having this argument? “He apologized and I accepted his apology. Plus, he helped me rescue a little girl last night, so I think even you can agree he’s making an effort not to be a jerk anymore.”
Grandfather chuckled. “You don’t need to defend me, Rory. He’s not wrong about how I used to be.”
“What little girl?” Manny demanded.
“Wait,” Ellis said. “Are you talking about a ghost?”
Shane chimed in. “You’re a Medium? I thought you were a Hunter.” He shook his head. “There aren’t any Mediums in the campaign. We discussed it on a Zoom call.”
Manny said, “Dead people can wait. Where’s this little girl?”
I groaned. Time to spill the beans, as Dimi had put it. I held up both hands. “I will answer all of your questions if you’ll let me talk.”
They all shut up. Ms. Jackson slurped at their coffee.
I held up one finger. “I can see ghosts. I’m not a Hunter, but I didn’t correct you because I was hoping to be gone from here before we had to have this conversation.”
Manny opened his mouth, probably to ask what a Hunter was, but I pointed the finger I’d raised at him. “All of your questions will be answered eventually.”
He rolled his eyes but didn’t speak.
“My grandfather is a ghost. Last night he was following my Uncle Hugo around, and Hugo went to a party at Randolph Chamberlain’s house. ”
Shane and Manny sucked in breaths in unison.
“Right. The billionaire. Uncle Hugo moves in expensive circles.”
“Thanks to your grandfather’s money,” Manny muttered.
I ignored him. “When Uncle Hugo was talking to Randolph Chamberlain, Grandfather noticed another ghost, who turned out to be a dryad.” I looked at Manny. “Like the tree spirits, but they can look like humans too, apparently.”
“Um, okay?” His eyebrows were trying to merge with his hair.
I told them how Lorraine had shown Pia to Grandfather, and he’d come to get me. Then I described sneaking into the mansion and hearing that Uncle Hugo wanted a captive of his own. “The ghosts helped me get Pia to the car, and then they figured out we should come here for help.”
Next to Grandfather, Dimi snorted. “Don’t tell my grandson I’m here until you have to. He won’t be able to handle it.”
Ellis frowned. “I think we’re going to need the long version of that story soon, but are you saying you don’t know about the campaign?”
I cocked my head at him. “Like a political campaign?” I dimly remembered Mercy mentioning a campaign last night.
“Not important right now!” Manny shouted. He gripped the edge of the table so hard his fingers were white. “Where. Is. The. Little. Girl? ”
Shane took that one. “She’s in the apple tree out back. Um, like inside it, not climbing it. She needs to hang out with it until her magic heals up. She’ll come out when she’s ready.”
Manny frowned but relaxed a little. “Okay? ”
I nodded. “I promised her I wouldn’t leave, which is why I asked you to bring my clothes.”
He chewed on his lower lip while he stared around the table at us. “And Ms. Jackson? Where does she—sorry, they—fit in?”
Ms. Jackson turned their head toward Manny, then they leaned over and licked the side of his face.
“Ewww!” He rubbed his cheek with his napkin.
The rest of us laughed. Ellis said, “We’re not really sure. They were... inanimate originally. It’s a long story. But they asked to come visit me and Shane. I live in Dallas, so we came here first.”
Ms. Jackson stood up before bumping Manny with their head until he stood as well. They shoved him until he started walking, herding him out to the backyard.
I stood up to follow. “Manny’s a pediatric nurse, in case you couldn’t tell by the scrubs.”
Ellis hmmmed . “Interesting how Ms. Jackson seemed to know that even before they met him.”