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Chapter 16 - Changes

Anne strode into the great room where I comfortably sat sipping mulled wine and absentmindedly watching the red and gold leaves fall softly outside the window. Without a word of greeting, she plopped down on the other end of the couch and sighed resigned. "Liam's coming to visit."

I stared at her for a second then craned my neck to look back outside up toward the trees.

"Uh, Grace?"

"Hold on a minute, I'm checking to see if the sky's falling."

"Ha ha, funny."

I finally turned to her and laughed. "I'd say it's about time!" She didn't look as pleased as she should. "How long has it honestly been? You met him in January, then the summer passed without a single mention, save for you going to see him four times under the guise of needing to buy "supplies" in London. You can only use so much paint, I wager. What took him so long?"

Anne was uncomfortable as she fiddled with her mobile phone in her hands. "It wasn't him," she admitted. "He wanted to come here, meet everybody, see where I grew up, all that. I just kept telling him it wasn't a good time."

"But why?"

"I think the answer is fairly simple." L spoke up then, engrossed in work at his laptop at the desk. "She's ashamed of us. She doesn't want her male friend to see what a madhouse this is."

"L! That's not true at all!" Anne colored, standing up distractedly. "I just, I'm afraid that everybody might just be a little overbearing for him. He was an only child, he doesn't know what it's like to have kids running around all over the place. It was only his cousin and him growing up."

"I think you're afraid that he'll meet Ella and she'll learn that he plans to propose." I teased, setting down my mug. I saw L smirk at me from where he sat and felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the alcohol. "I'm must say that you've made me feel horrid. I bet you've told him that we are cruel, frightening people of whom he'll take one look and then immediately run for the hills. And that's just awful since all we've heard of him is how sweet he is, and romantic, and erm, affectionate."

"We've definitely heard how affectionate." L rolled his eyes, typing at a ridiculous pace, his concentration returning to the screen. "Something I could have done without hearing in my lifetime, really."

"Oh L, hush. You could have avoided hearing any of our girl talk if you weren't so determined about hanging with Gracie so much." Anne teased back and I blanched, trying to turn the conversation away from the fact that L did tend to be around very often.

"Yes, Annie, we know he's a good kisser and has soulful brown eyes with glints of amber when he laughs, a deep voice and a smile that outdoes the sun." I recovered, repeating the litany I had heard ad nauseum over the summer with a smile. "Also that he's a gifted teacher and artist, loves kids and his grandmother emigrated from Jamaica. We know it all. Now tell me," I leaned forward, my expression serious. "What does he know about us?"

"Nothing, I bet." L commented and Anne groaned.

"L, seriously, cut it out. When the two of you throw a pity party it's unstoppable." My best friend took a deep breath and began. "I hate lying to Lee, but I obviously can't tell him that L's who he is and that you stopped the Liverpool bombing, and have found numerous missing children. I don't like keeping things secret, but he what he thinks is that L's an archaeologist on sabbatical and that you are a great teacher. He also knows G, that you are my best friend and that we're as close as sisters can be, and that I can find you, L, quite charming when you're not speaking which is the complete truth."

"At least you're honest." L shrugged. "I can always bring out the Queen Abatha ring story again if he cares to know about the treasures I've uncovered."