The crumb of delicate pastry suddenly turned to dust in his mouth. He knew what was coming next.
“We’ve got it all worked out. Bella Young is going to take the middle states, and Beka Yancy is going to take the West Coast.”
It took him a minute to realize what she’d said. “Wait—aren’t you going to take the West Coast? After all, you teach out of Davis in California.”
“That was one of the things I was taking care of,” Baba said. “Picking up the few belongings I cared about from my apartment out there and putting in my resignation at the school. There’s a nice little community college not too far from Dunville that I can teach at part-time if I still feel the need for some kind of respectable job. And I thought maybe I’d teach folks like Michael and Lily how to grow herbs and harvest the ones that grow wild around here. There’s quite good money in that, you know. Could be a boost to the farmers in the area, if they want to get on board.”
Liam was dumbfounded. “Here? You’re staying here?”
“Where else am I going to find pie this good? Besides, I’ve grown quite fond of this town, and there are some good people here. If I’m going to settle down somewhere while Babs is growing up, I can’t think of a better place to do it.”
Liam was still trying to wrap his mind around the concept. “So you’re going to raise her in the Airstream?”
“No. It’s really too small for a growing child. Besides, I’d kind of like to have a regular refrigerator for a while,” Baba said with an infinitesimal twitch. “I bought a house out on the South River Road, the old yellow farmhouse with the gray shutters and the red metal roof.”
“I know that one,” he said. “It’s a great house, but people say it’s haunted. It’s been empty for years.”
Baba laughed. “I’m not worried about a few ghosts. I get along fine with the dead. The house is perfect; not too far from the town and school, but quiet and private enough that no one will notice if things get a little strange from time to time. I’ll just park the Airstream out back, so it is handy on the occasions when I have to hit the road to deal with something, and it will still be close enough to keep an eye on the doorway to the Otherworld.”
“Oh,” Liam said. “Will you take Babs out with you when you travel?”
“Sometimes; she has to learn about being a Baba. Although I just hope I’ll do a better job of teaching her to be a human being than my Baba did with me.” She sighed.
“You’re a terrific human being,” Liam protested.
“Oh please, even Alexei says I have the social skills of a cranky mountain lion, and he’s been known to start bar fights just because someone didn’t pass the peanuts fast enough. I’m not sure I’m a great role model for a little girl.” She twisted one strand of inky black hair between slender fingers, as close to nervous as Liam had ever seen her. Apparently trying to raise a child was a lot more intimidating than facing off with monsters or trying to save the world.
“You’re smart and tough and dedicated to helping those who need you; she couldn’t ask for better,” he said. Baba’s checks turned slightly pink. “Of course, you’re also odd, mysterious, and infuriating . . . but that part actually grows on a person after a while.”
“I’m glad you think so, because I was wondering if you might be willing to help out with little Babs; you know, teach her some of the things about being Human that I never really got the hang of. Maybe show her which movies to watch. Take care of her when I had to leave town.”
“You want me to babysit?”
“Actually, I was thinking that the house on South River Road was pretty big for just the two of us and one large dog who is sometimes a small dragon. I was wondering if maybe you were tired of living in an old house filled with bad memories, and might be interested in making some new, better ones with us. Maybe help me learn to be a better Human too.”
There was a moment of silence as what she’d said sank in. “Barbara Yager—are you proposing to me?”
Her high cheekbones turned even pinker and she looked down at the table, not meeting his eyes. “Yes. Yes, I am. I realize it is a crazy idea, but what do you say?”
There was silence again, and Baba started to get up, fumbling with her chair.
Until Liam said, “Not as crazy as it would be to try to live without you. I haven’t been able to take a deep breath since I got to that meadow and found the Airstream gone. I missed you every minute of every day since then. In fact, it was so hard being without you, I went out and bought this, in case by some miracle you actually came back.”
He pulled out a black box, and opened it up to show her a ring—a round circle in the shape of a golden dragon, with a sparkling diamond held in its mouth.