Through the Darkness: Of Love and Loss Series Book One

43

The next several days passed in tiring chaos full of laughter and even some treasured moments shared with William and Anne. Everett found himself, on several occasions, pining for the day when he and Elyria would be able to share such moments with their child.

On Thanksgiving morning, Everett awoke with bleary eyes to the faint smell of roast turkey and the quick patter of Elyria's bare feet running to the bathroom.

Amidst pained groans and rubbing at the knot in his thigh, he sprang from their bed—much like a wounded gazelle with a pride of lions chasing after it—and followed after his wife in case she needed assistance.

"Morning, Auntie El, Uncle Eberett," Anne chirped from the kitchen. "You wanna help me and Mama make rolls?

Elyria gagged and slammed the bathroom door in Everett's face. So much for intending to be of assistance.

Releasing a heavy sigh, Everett ran a hand over his face and through his hair to help wake him up. Then he turned and smiled at Anne. "Looks like Auntie El's going to miss out, but I'd love to help—it's one of a plethora of things I happen to be good at."

Anne's face scrunched in a comical look of confusion, "What's plefora?"

"Plethora," he said with a smile, "it means excess or a lot of something."

"If you say so," Anne said with a shrug. "We can't pinch any dough though, can we, Mama?"

Daphne winked at Everett and grinned, "That's right."

"B'cause it'll give us a belly ache and make us poopie."

Everett covered his mouth and coughed back a laugh. "Good to know. There's nothing worse than being poopie on Thanksgiving, isn't that right?"

Anne nodded.

Daphne cleared her throat. "Well, now that we've established the rules and are all duly cautioned against the perils of eating raw dough, have both of you washed your hands?"

Anne held out her hands for inspection. "See how clean?"

"Wonderful job, darling," she murmured and placed a kiss on the top of Anne's head. Then, meeting Everett's gaze, she arched her brow. "And you, Captain?"

Everett hid his hands behind his back. "Dirty as the day I was born. But perhaps if you'll step aside, I may rectify the issue."

When all hands were washed, and the dough made, enough flour for another batch coated both the kitchen floor and Anne.

Daphne covered the bowl of dough with a cloth and set it off to the side to free up the counter, smiling in greeting when Elyria opened the bathroom door. "Morning sunshine, would you like something to help settle your stomach so today isn't a day of misery for you?"

Elyria covered her mouth and closed her eyes with a low groan. Then she spun on her heel and ran back into the bathroom. She returned a few minutes later, a hand pressed to her rounded belly as she padded across the floor to the kitchen. "Please tell me you made your pretzels, or I shall be devastated."

"I have, indeed." Daphne opened a large glass jar filled with soft pretzels on the counter. Handing two to Elyria, she then turned and poured a glass half full of semi-cloudy liquid that smelled like lemonade. "I also made this for you," she said, setting it on the counter before her. "Take a sip."

Elyria took a cautious sniff before drinking, waited a moment, then took a longer one and set it back on the counter with a pleased sigh.

Daphne winked at Everett. "I'll leave you the recipe."

"I'd appreciate it," he said, kissing his wife's brow. "Anything to help her feel better."

"When's dinner?" Simon asked, covering a yawn as he entered from the guest bedroom using his crutch. "I thought Everett and I might take the children out for a little drive around town unless you need us to stay and help."

"That's a wonderful idea, darling," Daphne exclaimed with a wide grin. "I could use a few moments of peace and quiet."

Simon stole a quick kiss from his wife and waggled his eyebrows, "Any chance I just earned myself an entire pumpkin pie for a reward?"

"No."

Everett and Elyria laughed.

Simon shrugged and flashed a lopsided smile. "Can't blame a man for trying." Holding out his right hand to Anne, he said, "Well, Annie, my girl, shall we go on an adventure with your brother and Uncle Everett?"

Anne looked longingly at her father, then to the bowl of dough waiting to be made into rolls—clearly torn between the two.

In the end, Simon and the promise of adventure won out. Fifteen minutes later, the men and children loaded into Everett's car with a supply of blankets to help keep them warm.

Everett gripped the steering wheel and turned to Simon while he let the car warm up a little. "Anywhere particular you'd like to see?"

"Actually," he murmured with a mischievous smile at Anne sitting between them and William in his lap. "There's a place for sale three or four houses down I saw a few days ago... I'd like to check it out."

Everett released the brake, threw the car into reverse, and turned out onto the road. "Ben Andrews old place... he built it about five years ago, but never had the chance to live in it." He lowered his voice and whispered, "He booked passage on the Lusitania."

Simon hmmm'd and nodded, "So no one's lived in it all these years?"

"Nope." Everett glanced at Simon and maneuvered the car over to the snow-covered curb in front of the house in question. "His wife remarried a year later, having never set foot in the place. It's been up for sale ever since."

Simon turned to Anne and pointed at the home, "What do you think, Annie? Should we go take a look?"

She nodded and smiled. "It has a porch swing."

Simon looked out the window and laughed, "That it does."

They climbed out of the car and trudged through the snow, looking in the windows of the single-story home.

On a whim, Everett tested the back door and found it unlocked. "They must be expecting us."

Simon grinned and motioned Everett ahead.

It had a welcoming feel, like that of an old friend. Dust motes glittered like diamonds and danced in the sunshine spilling through the many windows.

But other than being cold, dusty, and needing a good airing out, the spacious four-bedroom house seemed in good condition. Especially considering how long it had been sitting vacant.

With each step across the polished wood floor, tiny puffs of dust rose up, floating in the beams of sunlight streaming through the grime-covered windows. They quietly walked from room to room; even Anne and William made no sound, leaving a noticeable trail on the floor until they found themselves back where they'd started.

Everett turned to Simon, but the question he wanted to ask died on his tongue at noticing the peculiar look on Simon's face as he took one last look around.

Motioning them out, he closed the door firmly behind them and trudged through the snow on their way back to the car. "Anywhere else you want to go?"

Simon stared at the house, a peaceful expression on his face, and shook his head. "Around town, perhaps."

Once loaded inside, Everett glanced at Simon. "You were awful quiet... what did you think?"

Simon kissed William's head and turned to meet Everett's gaze. "It felt like coming home."