“There’s a bucket and soap near the sink,” Ginny said, and wiped a strand of blond hair from her forehead.
Dylan nodded his head at her and then bent to lift a couch in order to clean the floor underneath it. He wore a white sleeveless shirt and his muscles bulged as he picked up the piece of furniture. It took a few seconds for Aspen to realize that she was staring, and she forced herself to walk toward the kitchen.
“I put some clothes in the closet in your room,” Ginny said. “You can work harder with the right gear.”
“Cool, thank you so much. I won’t be long,” she murmured. She rushed into her old room and changed into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.
While Sandy cleaned the countertops in the kitchen, she filled a bucket of water in the sink and soaped up a cloth. She wiped the table and chairs, and within minutes the warm water was filthy.
“I thought we didn’t have electricity here.” Aspen pointed to the electrical appliances in the kitchen.
“Actually we do, but only for big appliances. We have to get Fire Walkers to repair things if they break, so we only use power for fridges and things like that.” Sandy grinned.
“I know what you mean. I’ve fried so many things in my life that I’ve been banned from touching them.”
“You should be fine now,” Sandy said. “The leather wristband absorbs most of the energy, but you have to concentrate, and don’t grab the microwave when you’re in a hurry. The lights are switched on by sound. Clap your hands when you need them.”
“Whew, I’m glad about that. I wondered how we were going to cook food.”
After she’d finished cleaning the last chair, Aspen stepped outside to throw the dirty water in the backyard. The house was positioned slightly higher on the incline, and it had an incredible view of the lake in the distance. When she looked to the left, her breath caught in her chest. The yard was beautiful.
The grass was trimmed short, and a striking tree covered in bright pink blossoms hung over a stone fireplace close to her. If she placed a few chairs around the fireplace, it would be an ideal spot for a barbeque. She saw an area next to the fireplace that had been paved with chalky stones. They had a rough, blackened surface, and small pieces of ash clung to the grass nearby. Ruby must have burned the yard trimmings there, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust. Trust her to notice that instead of the magnificent view. With a sigh, she turned around and walked back into the kitchen.
Once she’d filled the bucket with water again, she was about to wipe out the fridge when Leeman’s voice called out from the living room.
“Hello, Dylan, Ginny. Is Aspen here?”
“She’s in the kitchen, sir.”
Aspen poked her head around the door. “Uncle Leeman. It’s so nice to see you again.”
Her uncle’s long dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail behind his head, and he filled the doorway with his huge size.
“Princess, come here and give me a hug. I’ve missed you.”
The cloth she was holding dropped to the floor as she wiped her hands on her shorts and ran to him. Leeman enveloped her in a bear hug.
“Did you know about my dad’s house?” she asked after he’d released her.
Leeman gazed around the kitchen sadly and sighed. “Yes, he was so excited to finish it. He wanted to bring you here permanently. Demothi did everything in his power to help him.”
There was a slight pause before he looked at her and pinched her chin affectionately. “Your father was so happy when you were born. He was very proud of his baby daughter, and he loved your mother very much.”
The air became colder in the house as he spoke, and Dylan touched his arm as Lavendula fell. “Can you help Aspen, please? She’s got a problem at home.”
Heat flared in her cheeks and she looked down.
“What’s wrong, Princess? Is it your mother?”
She stared at Leeman’s huge boots and couldn’t get the words out of her mouth. After a short silence, Dylan spoke for her.
“Her stepdad is a bastard. You should see how he treats Aspen and her mom. And he makes her sleep in a room no larger than a closet. Her mom can’t say a word because they don’t have money or anyplace else to go.”
Leeman bent down so that he could look into her eyes. “Is that true, Princess?”
Tightness gripped her chest. The constant feeling of helplessness was difficult to bear on her own, and she looked at her uncle with big eyes and whispered, “Yes.”
Leeman reached out and tugged her back into his arms. “Why didn’t you say anything, Aspen? I didn’t know you were unhappy.”
The light had faded in the room, and the cool air of Lavendula made her shiver. She sobbed softly in his embrace.
“Shh, I’ll fix it,” he said softly. “Don’t you worry.”