“Possibly. But she’s beginning to open those doors now. Interesting.”
“Fascinating. I’m enjoying her tremendously … sometimes.” She sipped her wine. “When I don’t have to be on guard that she’ll do something that will hurt her. The salvation for both of us has been that she’s kept herself busy. Now she wants to help MacDuff in the mist. We’ll see if he gives in on it.”
“Well, maybe we’ll be able to give her something else to do instead.” She smiled. “If she’d be willing to help. She did offer, didn’t she?”
“Eve.” Jane’s eyes were suddenly narrowed on her face. “What are you up to?”
“You sound like a mother suspicious of a mischievous child.” Eve’s smile widened. “Don’t worry, I think you’ll like this. Though it may surprise you. It surprised me.”
Her eyes widened. “Good God, you’re pregnant again.”
Eve’s jaw dropped and then she threw back her head and laughed uproariously. When she could finally speak, she said, “In my wildest dreams I never thought you’d go in that direction. No, Michael is quite enough for me at present.” She looked at the sleeping child and her face softened with love. “More than enough. I’ve just come to believe that we should try to be more than enough for him. Take all the extra steps to keep him safe and secure.”
“With you and Joe as parents, there’s no question that Michael will be both,” Jane said. “And you know I’ll be here for him forever.”
“Yes, I know that’s true.” Eve reached out and covered Jane’s hand with her own. “And I couldn’t be happier to trust him to you if it became necessary. You’re everything he would need.” She shook her head. “But Joe and I have no intention of giving you our son anytime soon. Forget it. Life’s too good with him around.”
“That goes without saying,” Jane said. “Then what the hell extra steps are you talking about? You’re driving me crazy.”
“Sorry. It’s just one extra step that’s going to happen here at Gaelkar.” Her smile was gone and her hand tightened on Jane’s. “I asked MacDuff’s permission to arrange for Joe and I to be married here.”
“What?” Jane stared at her, stunned. “Married?”
Eve chuckled. “That was my reaction when I made the decision. And Joe’s was even more extreme. He practically went into shock.”
“You’ve been living together for years and you’ve never seen fit to get married. I just assumed that it was the choice you’d made. I didn’t know if you’d even discussed it.”
“We discussed it. For years after I lost Bonnie, our relationship was very rocky. I was obsessed, and he couldn’t stand the pain I was going through. We weren’t even sure it would survive while we were trying to find her killer. Then, later, it was so solid and secure that saying words in a registry or chapel didn’t seem necessary.” She added softly, “We knew what we had and that love was the only thing that was important.”
“But that’s changed now?”
“No, that’s still the only thing that’s important.” She smiled. “But we’re ready to let the world in to see what they’re missing.” She made a face. “In exchange for making Michael’s life easier by letting bureaucracy take him under its wing.”
“Easier?”
“Entrance into medical facilities, schools, anything that requires the system to work. The world runs on the concept of certain rules of behavior and family order. I want everything to go smoothly for him. We adopted you when you were ten, and thank heaven you were healthy and didn’t require hospitalization at any time. But when we entered you in college, it was a nightmare of paperwork.”
“I remember. I was a street kid who’d lived in dozens of foster homes. There weren’t any good records of who my real parents were.”
“And Joe and I had to sign medical permission slips for each other because we weren’t married. Bureaucracy, again. Times are changing, but bureaucracy keeps growing.”
“And you want to eliminate that hurdle for Michael.”
“All the hurdles. Of course, I’m not going to be able to do that. But maybe I can help get rid of this one.”
“Maybe you can. How do you feel about it?” She gazed at Eve searchingly. “It’s not only Michael. It’s you and Joe.”
“How do I feel about it?” She was silent, thinking. “I don’t have any experience with the conventional happy home. I’m illegitimate; Bonnie was born out of wedlock, too. Joe’s parents were married, but it didn’t make for a happy home or family. You came into our lives when you were ten and those years with you couldn’t have been happier, but they weren’t ordinary, either. In the end, I believe the only important things are love and family. Joe and I are fantastically blessed in that department, and I can’t imagine an official document making it any better. But if that document makes it a little easier for Michael to negotiate a few of the pitfalls of this world, then it will make me happy.” She looked at Jane. “Is that enough of an answer?”
Jane nodded. “Anything that makes you happy is the right answer.” She could feel her eyes sting with tears. “But why here? Why now?”
“Michael is almost two. You said yourself that he’s changing all the time. He’ll have to face the world sooner than we think. I figured it was time to start putting preparations in motion.” She looked out at the lake. “Why here? I kept thinking about Cira and her son Marcus and the mist. I kept thinking how close I felt to Joe when we were here when I was pregnant with Michael. It’s totally private and there won’t be any question of publicity of any sort. It just seemed the right place.” She smiled. “And you were here. I couldn’t tell how long you’d be tied up with MacDuff’s treasure hunt, so I arranged to come to you.”
“I’m glad you did.” She grinned. “But I would have dropped MacDuff to come running to you.”
“I think he knew that, and it may be why he’s been so cooperative,” Eve said. “He said anything I wanted would be provided.”
Jane had a sudden thought that put a damper on the euphoria she was feeling. “That’s why he was putting on the extra guards. He wanted to make sure that I’d feel you had full protection.” Her gaze flew to Eve’s face. “I’m not sure you should have come. Lisa is here, and she might still be a draw for Santara. I don’t want you and Michael exposed to any threat.”
Eve tilted her head. “And do you feel Lisa is in danger here?”
“No. I wouldn’t let her stay here if I did. I made certain she’d be safe. MacDuff is supercareful and so is Jock. And Caleb looked over the security and approved it.”
“But you still aren’t sure it’s safe enough for us?”
“You’re Eve.” Jane looked at the sleeping boy. “And Michael. I want to wrap you both in cotton wool.”
“And you’ve done it. Do you think MacDuff didn’t tell me all this? That Joe didn’t call him and talk to him? Do you think I’d put Michael in danger?” She reached out and covered Jane’s hand with her own. “Do you know that MacDuff’s guard Darren searched my car before he let me cross the perimeter, even though he’d been told to expect me? This may be the safest place on the planet right now for Michael.”
Jane still gazed at her uncertainly.
“I feel this is the right place.” Her hand tightened on Jane’s. “And so does Michael. I’d know if he was in danger.”
Jane believed her. She drew a deep breath. The decision had been made. All she could do was embrace it.
“When? What day?”
“I haven’t decided. It depends on Joe. Within a week or so.” She chuckled. “But it’s not as if MacDuff is going to have to go to elaborate lengths to help me out. This is going to be a very simple ceremony.”
“Most weddings start out that way, I understand. Why does the date depend on Joe? Why did he stay behind?”
“He’s bringing a few guests, and he may have trouble locating them.”