Chapter 20 #2
“Home is where you are, my Sayang. Before we decide anything, I need to finish reading the scrolls. If I am to be gone as much as my father was, I want you to be where you are surrounded by family. Whether that is here or West Virginia, I will let you decide.”
Silas had squatted beside the creek, letting his fingers dangle in the water.
“Just throwing this out there. If you do decide to move to West Virginia, I would love to buy this property if you haven’t built anything on it.
I can have my privacy, plus I can keep an eye on your home, assuming you don’t sell it. ”
“No, I’ll keep it for when we come visit.” Carleigh looked around. She loved this spot, but she had her heart set on moving to West Virginia. “Let’s put a pin in building something here until we know what your duties are. If you are going to travel, I would prefer Gemi be next door with us.”
Bayu looked around wistfully. “Now that I have Tiger back, I would like to have the commitment ceremony. I want us to be fully mated before I get my first task.”
“We can do that tonight if you like?”
“I would. I guess I should get back and start on the next scroll.”
“You don’t sound enthusiastic.” Carleigh was worried about her mate. His hesitation was strong through their bond, but he wasn’t one to complain. At least not that she’d heard over the last week.
Bayu watched as a robin pecked at the ground close to the water, coming up with a worm. “The longer it takes to read them, the longer I have until I fulfil the requirements of my title. I am not looking forward to leaving you and Juni.”
“I’m not either. I would like more time with you, but I understand about duty.”
Bayu took one more look around before leading them back the way they’d come.
They had just exited the tree line when Carleigh heard her name being screamed from a sad little cub.
She ran flat out, leaving Bayu and Silas to catch her.
Gemi was standing on the patio with Juni in her arms, doing her best to console the boy.
He wiggled until she placed him on his feet, and Carleigh knelt in time to catch him when he flew at her.
“What’s wrong?”
“You was gone,” he managed between sobs. Juni stuck his face in her neck, his tears soaking her skin.
“Oh, my boy. I just went for a walk while you took a nap.”
“Carwee… no… weave…me,” he managed between breaths.
“I’m right here.” She didn’t tell him she always would be because at some point she would have to go to the office.
That was going to be a problem if he continued to have separation anxiety.
She didn’t understand why he was so attached to her when there were several other women around, including Gemi.
Maybe Gemi handing him off the way she had made a bigger impact than they realized.
It also made her wonder about the relationship the two of them had for the last year.
Why wasn’t Juni clinging to Gemi instead of Carleigh?
Carleigh walked over to the patio set and eased down on the glider, rocking back and forth.
Bayu sat next to her and rubbed his hand up and down Juni’s back.
He narrowed his eyes as he studied the boy.
After a few seconds, a warm sensation surrounded Carleigh and Juni, and the cub stopped crying.
He raised his head and reached for Bayu, who settled him on his lap.
“You are okay, Juni. Mama and Abah are here, and we love you very much.”
Juni looked around, his little face scrunched. “Abah?”
“Yes, I am your abah, and Carleigh is your mama. You are our son.”
“Abah no hewe. Him go bye-bye.”
Bayu’s blue eyes darkened as they turned to Gemi. “How would he know that?”
Gemi clasped her hands in front of her, looking between the brothers. “Your father had powers, Bayu. Ones we do not know of. Maybe Hariz came to him in a dream? He did not visit Juni at my house; this I vow to you.”
Bayu inclined his head. “Forgive me, Auntie. It was a shock to hear him speak of Father since he has been with you for the last year.”
“All is well, Nephew.”
Carleigh reached over and rubbed Juni’s toes. For some reason, the boy enjoyed having his feet massaged. Then again, so did Carleigh. “This will be a work in progress, getting Juni used to us being his parents.”
Bayu pressed a kiss to Juni’s head as another wave of warmth surrounded the three of them. Carleigh didn’t know if Bayu was aware of what he was doing, but she welcomed the calm. Juni reached for her again, and she took him readily.
Bayu stood. “I am going to read the next scroll. If I haven’t come up for air by the time supper is ready, please come get me. I tend to get lost in the words once I begin.”
Carleigh hugged the boy a little tighter as her mate went inside.
She once again set the glider in motion and did her best to keep her emotions positive.
She didn’t want to add to Juni’s stress.
He settled his head against her chest and drifted off to sleep.
Being a cub was hard work. Gemi watched the two of them for a few minutes before walking down the steps, continuing past the pool, and disappearing into the trees.
Juniper and Kat joined Carleigh, taking the chairs across from her. Juniper placed her feet on the edge of her seat and wrapped her hands around her shins. “Do you also find it odd that Juni seeks you out instead of the woman who raised him for the last year?”
Kat reached over and brushed Juniper’s hair off her shoulder. “Gemi told your father and me that she wasn’t given a choice in taking Juni. She is older, never had a mate, never had kids of her own. Was that also her choice? We do not know the whole story.”
Carleigh had no definitive answers. “No, but she was devastated that Juni sought me out instead of her. I saw it in her eyes. She loves him, but he could be reacting to the fact that she handed him off to strangers and disappeared on him without so much as a goodbye. He was taken from the home he knew, twice. Then he was put on a jet for the first time causing him to shift during takeoff, then brought to a new home with so many new faces, even if the new home and faces were welcoming. That’s a lot for anyone, but for a toddler?
Who knows what his little mind is thinking?
All I know is I will be here for him until he adjusts.
I will work from home as long as I have to.
I was hoping that by having Gemi here, I could go to the office a couple of days a week, but I will not risk his well-being. ”
“Your father and I are here for you, Carleigh. As long as you need us.”
“I appreciate that. I didn’t say this to Bayu, but I think once he finishes reading the scrolls, our lives will become even more chaotic.
I just pray this Violet witch is telling the truth and can shield Bayu.
I don’t want him wandering the planet, doing his Nuhuala thing, with the Black Lotus able to find him.
It’s going to be hard enough watching him leave and not knowing when he’ll return.
If it weren’t for Juni, I’d demand to go with him. ”
“And then I would have both of you to worry about,” Kat said. “It’s bad enough when your sister travels on these safaris by herself. I found a gray hair last time she left.”
Juniper snorted. “You did not.”
Kat blew her youngest daughter a raspberry. “It looked gray.”
“You’ll be glad to know I don’t have any safaris planned for the foreseeable future. I’m staying close to home in case Carleigh needs me. Maybe I’ll take up children’s photography for a while. I have the perfect subject in mind – the cutest little one I’ve ever seen.”
“Yes, please. I doubt Gemi took many photos of him, and I want his pictures all over the house. That, and a family portrait. One with the three of us, then another with everyone. The walls are bare since Mom took all her photos to the new house. I wish you had your camera with you. Bayu wants to do the mating ceremony tonight.”
Juniper dropped her feet and popped up. “I was going to order groceries to be delivered since Gemi has a dish she wants to make, but I can stop by the store on my way back from getting my camera. Do you and Bayu need anything?”
“I don’t want to bother him, but I’m in the mood for Crab Rangoon, so if you’ll get the ingredients, I’d appreciate it. Oh, and some more fish crackers. Juni loves those.”
“You got it. Text if you think of anything else.” Juniper popped a kiss on her mom’s cheek, and then she was gone.
Carleigh glanced over at her mom. There was a tightness around her eyes that wasn’t usually there.
Kat hadn’t been happy that Julian was going to fight the Black Lotus.
On one hand, Carleigh understood. That was her mate, and she worried.
But Julian was a Gargoyle, and even though he spent most of his time behind a computer, he was still a warrior at heart.
She would probably feel the same when Bayu left for his tasks.
She wouldn’t get mad at him, but she would worry.
He would leave her and Juni alone the way his father had left Bayu. Carleigh wasn’t looking forward to it.