Fate Forgotten (9 page)

She sighed. It was one of the unavoidable topics that always seemed to come up in any conversation. “France is home for us, Mum. And Garrit is busy. He can’t always get away for a trip so easily.”

“Well that’s no reason why you can’t come visit by yourself!”

“Alex was much too young to be carted all around the continent. I’m sure you’ll see more of us in the future.” She wasn’t sure if it was an empty reassurance or not. A lot depended on how this visit went, and what happened with Adam. Garrit would never be easy letting her visit alone. “You’re always welcome to come see us, too.”

Mia sighed loudly. “Mum, I need you to fix my pillow. And I can’t hear my show! Can’t you two wait until it’s over before you start in on these things?”

“What things?” Garrit asked, stopping to greet his mother-in-law with a kiss on the cheek. “Anne,
tu es ravissante
. How are you?”

“Oh, fine, fine. I was just telling Abby how we missed seeing you at Christmas.” She helped Mia with the pillows.

Garrit picked up Alex and sat down next to Eve. “You’re more than welcome to visit any time you wish, Anne. I’d be happy to send you tickets.”

“It’s just not the same as having my daughter home, Garrit. I’m sure you understand.”

“Unfortunately, we’ve had our hands full with Alex this year, but I’m sure things will start evening out soon. I’m so sorry I keep Abby from you.”

“I’m sure Abby wouldn’t be kept if she didn’t want to be,” Adam said from the doorway. She frowned at him, but he seemed to ignore it. “I was under the impression that once you left for university, you were rarely spotted at home again.”

“In the way of all poor students, I’m afraid it was cheaper to stay on the continent than go back and forth all the time.”

“And why wouldn’t you? France is quite lovely.”

“Very.” But she had no idea what he was getting at. Or why. And she could feel Garrit’s growing irritation beside her. “How was your holiday?”

“It was very nice. But it would have been so much nicer to have everyone home,” Anne said.

Eve sighed. If this was how the whole visit was going to go, she might insist they get a hotel room somewhere. And thank God they were staying with Mia and not her parents.

Adam laughed. Then cleared his throat, stopping as suddenly as he had started. “Sorry.”

She glared at him.

It’s just entertaining to know that I’m your preferred irritant, that’s all. This time two years ago, you wouldn’t have dreamed of sitting in the same room with me. Now you’re grateful to be sleeping under my roof.

There’s still plenty of time for me to change my mind.

He smirked, but he didn’t look in her direction, his eyes on Mia with all apparent attention to what she was saying.
I don’t doubt that you will.

“Garrit, do you mind keeping Alex? I want to go find my father.”

“Of course.” He kissed her cheek. “If you need anything, just shout.”

“I think I’ll be fine.”

His eyes shifted from her face to Adam. “Even so.”

She nodded and stood up, excusing herself to follow the trail of her father’s mind and escape her brother’s thoughts.

When Adam joined her in the library a short time later, Eve was surprised Garrit wasn’t fast on his heels.

Can’t you take a hint?

He smiled and sat down across from her.
I’m sorry, I was under the impression you were trying to escape your mother.

I don’t know why I even came.

If you hadn’t, you would’ve been subjected to the same criticisms, only more vociferous. Why do you care? These Watsons aren’t your family. You’ve made that clear.

She frowned and glanced at her father, who sat snoring in a chair with a book open in his lap and half a glass of port at his elbow.
They raised me. They loved me. Just because they’re not DeLeons doesn’t mean I don’t consider them to be family. And if I didn’t, do you really think they’d be able to drive me this crazy?

He chuckled.
Anne is certainly problematic.

Mia, too.
She sighed.
But it would be cruel to abandon them, regardless.

Abandon them to me, you mean. That’s what you’re really worried about, isn’t it? What I’ll do to them if you absent yourself completely.

She looked back at him, startled.
No.

No?
He stared at her.
Is that trust, Eve? Maybe just a hint of it?

No. I just think you care about Mia.

His forehead furrowed and he looked away.
Not enough.

Enough to leave.

I’m not a monster, Eve. And hurting your sister will hardly help me later.

She shook her head, but said nothing. It troubled her that he was thinking to the future. To a future that may involve her. It was an impossible thing. All of this.

He didn’t come alone, you know,
he said. She could tell he was irritated, now. Whether from her unspoken thoughts, or because he had admitted more than he had meant to, she didn’t know.

Who?

Your husband. Didn’t you wonder why he agreed to this so easily? Here, in my own home, where he has no control? Where your safety isn’t guaranteed by DeLeon lands?

She scowled.
Since I have yet to discover what exactly DeLeon lands offer for protection that the rest of the earth doesn’t, I didn’t really think about it.

He smirked.
Ah, yes. How could I forget that they prefer to keep you in ignorance.

The secrets he keeps aren’t his to tell. Nor, I suspect, are they yours.

I don’t understand why you don’t just read their minds. You’re more than capable. Or maybe you aren’t. Frankly, I can’t imagine how you’ve lived all these years, remembering everything, without the slightest clue. It all seems so obvious.

What are you talking about?

Thunder rumbled, and his eyes left hers. He stared past her with an expression of growing disgust.
Nothing. I’m not talking about anything.

She looked over her shoulder, but there was nothing more than the window. The sky had grown dark, and lightning flashed in the distance, followed by more thunder. “It’s a little bit cold for thunderstorms, isn’t it?”

Adam snorted. “Somehow I don’t think the weather has anything to do with it.”

Lightning flashed again, and thunder crashed loudly enough that her father sat up in his chair. “Oh. Abby. When did you arrive?”

“A bit ago.” She crossed the room to hug her father. “I didn’t want to wake you.”

“I was just resting my eyes, that’s all.” He kissed her cheek. “Where’s my grandson?”

“Garrit has him, with Mum and Mia.”

He grunted. “Braver man than I, then. Still, I suppose I should go say hello and reassure your mother I’m still alive.”

“One of these afternoons you’ll wake up to find you have another grandchild, John.”

Her father smiled and gripped Adam’s shoulder as he passed him on the way to the door. “Yes, well, the sooner the better for you, the way the women have been carrying on. It’s a relief to have you join us, Abby. Other than Ethan, there hasn’t been a shred of reason in this house.”

Adam grimaced. “Maybe I’ll be able to convince the doctor to induce labor the next time Mia makes me call him in a panic at two in the morning.”

“It’ll pass, Ethan. And you’ll forget all about it when you have your baby in your arms. Too busy screaming at it to stop crying all night long to care about how miserable a pregnancy it was.” Her father chuckled at himself and left.

She shook her head, waiting until the door had shut behind him. “It really isn’t that bad, you know.”

“Easy for you to say, you were made for it.” Adam leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs out in front of him. “It will certainly be a relief not to worry that Mia is going to burst while I’m out getting groceries.”

“You’re better suited to be a father than anyone else on this earth, Adam.”

He laughed. “I think that’s the last thing I ever expected to hear you say.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Do I? I always thought you found me lacking.”

“I was referring to your innate talents. Your personality has nothing to do with that.”

“Ah.” He smiled. “And here I thought maybe I had made some progress.”

Adam. You know it isn’t that simple.

Why not?

There are rules.

God has been gone a long time, Eve. Those rules haven’t applied in millennia.

The angels are still here.

When was the last time you saw one? Spoke with one? Heard of one?

She frowned and turned her face away. Michael’s reminder wasn’t something she wanted to talk about with Adam of all people. She didn’t even want to remember it had happened. And there hadn’t been any sign of him since, thank all that was holy.

Even If the angels are here, I think they’re the least of our worries.
He leaned forward.
I’m in love with you, Eve.

I’m sorry.

You wouldn’t even be having this conversation with me if there wasn’t something in you that wanted me too.

She shook her head.
I don’t. I’m happily married. I love Garrit. And you love Mia.

Not like this.

She swallowed, looking away from him. Maybe this was the reason she had dreamed of Thorgrim. But she didn’t want to sympathize. She didn’t want to grant him understanding. Whatever it was he felt, it didn’t matter. It was too dangerous. They couldn’t be together. Not without ruining everything. And she’d already lost the man she loved most.

“Who was Thorgrim?”

She stiffened, just hearing his name bringing his face to her mind, as she had seen him in her last life, while she had been hallucinating. “No one.”

“No!” Adam’s fury erupted out of nowhere, and he was on his feet suddenly, grabbing her by the shoulders. “Look at me.” He shook her. “Who was he? Look at me, Eve!”

“No one!” But he was staring into her eyes, using the contact to rip into her mind. Thorgrim’s face hung between them, her life with him playing behind her eyes uncalled. Thorgrim working on the boats for the village. Thorgrim, kissing her by the rocks. Thorgrim holding her while she confessed her history. Thorgrim feeding her strawberries he’d found, God knows where. Thorgrim making love to her, devouring her with his eyes, the heat of him seeping into her soul. Thorgrim glowing with pride as he held their son.

“No. No, No, No!” He let her go so forcefully the chair slid back almost a foot. “You arrogant bastard! You had no
right
! She was mine!”

She closed her eyes, her head pounding. His shouting made no sense to her, and his anger was overwhelming.

Lightning flashed so bright even her closed eyes were stunned, and then a thunderclap shook the windows. Her headache eased and Garrit pulled her into his arms, murmuring reassurance. She heard Alex crying distantly, and Adam still shouting. Still raging. Against Thorgrim?

“He’s dead, Adam. It was three thousand years ago!”

“You!” Adam stabbed a finger at Garrit. “You invited him into your home. Do you have any idea who he is? Who he was? What he’s doing? What he’s already done!”

“Ethan! What happened?”

He spun and stared at his wife, and Eve felt the fury drain out of him in that moment. “Nothing. I’m sorry.” He crossed to her and buried his face in Mia’s hair. “I’m sorry.”

Garrit pulled her to her feet. “
Ça va?
”

“I’m fine. I don’t know what happened. One minute it was fine. Everything was fine. I was telling him what a good father he would be, and the next…” She shook her head, staring at Adam and Mia. She was running her fingers through his hair and he was kissing her as though they were alone in the room. Eve looked away, back to Garrit. “He just started shouting at the window.”

“Raving like a madman, more like.” Garrit frowned. “Who were you talking about? Who is dead?”

She shook her head again. Wishing the thought had never occurred to her. Wishing she’d never laid eyes on Lars Owen to remind her. “Just a man I used to know. One of my husbands, ages ago.”

Garrit’s hands tightened. “
Quoi?
”

“You’re hurting me, Garrit. Let go.” She pulled free and stared up at his face. He looked gray. “What’s the matter?”

He stared over her head and she turned to look. Adam held Mia, her back to them, and his face twisted still, but she saw them exchange a look. Garrit and Adam. A look of understanding and determination. And then Mia pulled him from the room.

Chapter Nine: Future