Love and the White Wolf - Book 2

18. Nesting with a Side of Michael Bublé

The morning after the street party we had 19 people sleeping in our condo. We gave up our bedroom to several soldiers who joked about sleeping in Sarge's bed. But three in the bed and two cots on the floor meant five were in our bedroom. Zoe, Ramirez and another woman soldier slept on cots squeezed into the baby's room. We slept in the spare room. Scott and Hope slept on the sofa bed in my office. Kyle and Brad slept on opposite ends of the couch. The remainder slept on cots scattered throughout the living room. All cots were conjured by Wanda who said she would sleep elsewhere but would come back for breakfast.

We awakened early but laid in bed talking more about the events of the previous day. For the first time James felt a sense of closure about his parents and sister. It had affected him deeply to see them one more time and he finally understood how my own encounter with my parents in an afterlife state had affected me. We just started kissing which was leading somewhere when he suddenly stopped.

"I just realized something," he said. "Yesterday was our six month anniversary. We missed it."

"Or we celebrated in style by you getting shot, resurrected and rescuing me," I pointed out.

We laughed and kept kissing for a while. Then James remembered the spare bedroom hadn't been sound proofed so we stopped in case it led to something noisy. After checking his watch he said he was going to start breakfast. We had already brought a change of clothes in with us so we both got dressed freeing up an extra bathroom for everyone. A few people were already awake and greeted us when we came out. They all commented about the great soundproofing in the condo. We just smiled. Some people asked to help so James had them shredding potatoes and chopping onions for hash browns. He laid out two full packages of bacon on cookie sheets in the oven. By the time he started the scrambled eggs everyone was up, washed and ready to straighten up. People sat where they could to eat, even cross legged on the floor. Wanda appeared and took her breakfast over to the wide window sill so she could sit in the morning sun. James took a moment to stand in the sun beside her and I knew he was doing his morning affirmations. He turned to everyone there.

"Thank you for all you did yesterday," he said with emotion to everyone. "Together we apprehended a dangerous criminal and stopped a terrorist group from recruiting any more mercenaries. Personally, you helped protect my wife and son."

"I thought you didn't want to know what sex the baby is," said Sam with a slight smile.

"I didn't," said James, "but being around people with mystical powers sometimes means things get revealed to you. No, we're not naming this one after you, Sam."

"What Sharon Carter said about Theo," asked Scott. "Is he?"

"Okay, this one time I'm going to tell you people that Theo isn't my son," said James. "He's my clone and I don't think he got caught. I think he deliberately exposed himself to provide us an opportunity to take more effective action against his brother and Carter. This is all need to know people! Some chief of security I am when I can't even keep a couple of family secrets."

There was laughter and one of the soldiers joked again about sleeping in our bed. James gave him a dirty look and he zipped his lips.

"Seriously, Sarge," said Ramirez, "working under your command is a privilege. We know you care about us as soldiers but as people, too. Those soldiers who took custody of the prisoners were from about ten different units that have crossed paths with you. You're legendary because you were with the Howling Commandos in World War II. You fought back against your captors. Even though it took 70 years to finally escape them you never stopped trying. You do the right thing because it's the right thing to do. When it came time to put your life on the line you did it, even though you were terrified, we all knew it. You make us all want to be better soldiers and people. We'll follow you into battle any time. Just say when and where."