Chapter 20 The Clairvoyant #3
“Life will never be the same without Mom,” I replied.
“And sometimes, I think about the fact she’ll never meet Battle, or Prue, Tempie, Chassie, see this gorgeous house, meet the kitties and Bartholomew.
And that hurts. But, yeah. I feel lighter here.
I feel comfortable here. This house is beautiful, but it wouldn’t be half as pretty if there wasn’t so much love here.
Even the staff seem like family. So, I guess… yeah.”
“I love that,” she whispered.
“I do too,” I agreed.
“I’ll talk to Alex. So, how’s the book going?”
We chatted book, Alex, Matty, Rayray, her work, Alex’s work and grandparents. And when we hung up, I was glad I called, I was glad she knew, I was glad she sounded good.
And I was glad I could call Battle before I went to sleep.
He answered on the second ring.
“Hullo, love,” he greeted.
“So, Prue’s clairvoyant is the real freaking deal,” I shared.
“You’re joking,” he replied.
“Battle, I cannot tell you how eerie-cool it was. She outed Hamish!”
His “She didn’t,” sounded hot-guy shocked.
“She did. And told her off for hiding behind Chassie in not making a commitment.”
Battle started chuckling.
“She confirmed that Charlie’s letters still exist too,” I continued. “Though, she couldn’t tell us where they were.”
There was hesitation before he noted, “That seems convenient.”
“Honey, I believe every word out of that woman’s mouth. Chassie’s reading was one word, ‘yes,’ and none of us know what that’s about, but Chassie really did, and it made her happy.”
“It made her happy?”
Mm-hmm.
He had a treat waiting for him.
“You’ll be glad you came home early, baby,” I said softly, thinking it was time to give him hope. “She’s really coming into her own.”
“Fuck,” he bit with grave feeling. “That’s great.”
“It so is.”
He gave that a moment before he asked, “Did you do a reading?”
“Yes, but mine was weird. She just said to choose the ring wisely. I didn’t get it, she couldn’t tell me more, so I challenged her.”
“Of course you did,” he murmured with admiration.
I was so fond of him.
“I reshuffled the cards, and this is where it got eerie-cool, she pulled the exact same thirteen.”
“She could know sleight of hand, Vivi,” he cautioned.
“If she does, she’s the master. When I said I reshuffled, I really did. She just took them and threw down. It was crazy.”
“Choose the ring?” he asked dubiously.
“I don’t know. Chassie joked it was my precious.”
“Chassie joked?”
Right.
Time to confirm that hope and hope I was right in confirming it.
“Honey, shaking her shit, I don’t want to get your hopes up, but it seems to be working.”
He let that sit a beat too, before asking, “And Tempie?”
“Once we got in the car, she admitted she’s seeing someone, and he might be a candidate.
Obviously, Chassie and Prue wanted to be all over it, but I warned the girls to back off.
They weren’t happy about it, but they did.
She isn’t missing Chassie no longer needs her hovering.
Prue either. If she screws that pooch, it’ll be all on her. And Ravenna warned her about it.”
“I’m still uncertain about this Ravenna character, but perhaps I should find words to say to Tempie.”
“I think that would be good.”
“It’s also good I’m home tomorrow night then.”
“Oh so good,” I said, adding weight to it.
“I missed you too, darling.”
So fond.
“Are you almost ready for bed?” he asked.
“I’m going to do a bit more on my book outline, then hit it.”
“Right. It’s late. I’ll leave you to it. I hope to be home tomorrow around six, latest seven. I’ll see you then.”
“Will it turn you off if I’m wearing a gauzy dress, draped over the front balustrade, wasting away waiting for you when you drive up to the house?”
He burst out laughing.
“I’ll aim a fan at me so my dress can drift off in a ghostly fashion to up the drama,” I offered.
He kept laughing.
I loved giving him that.
Then he asked, “Do you own a gauzy dress?”
“Maybe the girls and I can nip back to Glastonbury to look for one.”
“Your usual clothes will work as wardrobe to your pining.”
“I suppose,” I fake groused.
“You do need to go shopping though, love. Rally and Court’s wedding, according to their invitation, is ‘spring formal.’ I don’t know what that means, but since I’m in the wedding party, my wardrobe is set.
Perhaps ask Tempie if your last gown is appropriate, because I fear the two I’ve seen may not be. ”
Considering the fact I was saving two, maybe three months’ rent, I could spring for another fancy dress.
And maybe a few sexy nighties.
And a few other things.
I’d packed three huge suitcases, and since I sometimes never even got out of my pajamas when writing, I thought I’d be covered.
I had no idea I’d be courted by a duke.
“I’ll ask her.”
“Good, darling. Now I’ll let you go.”
“See you tomorrow night.”
“You absolutely will. Sleep well.”
“You too, Battle.”
We hung up.
I didn’t grab my laptop at once to dig into my outline.
I held my phone to my chest and cast my gaze to three cats, all of whom had claimed their own papers to lie on.
“He’s so dreamy,” I told them.
Only Baby Blue lifted her head.
She looked at me and blinked.
She did not lie.
And she knew what she was talking about.
He was.
So dreamy.