Mary and Halley (sequel to When Mary Met Halley)

twenty five

Paramjeet gave her testimony Monday and was free to go after that. She and Leif rented a car and took their time returning, so it was the following Monday when they finally did, the third of December.

The bird made it known Leif had returned, cawing loudly from the front porch. It was late afternoon and cold as I ran out to the car and we had a group hug while jumping up and down. 

"Uncle Leif," Shiloh said once we were inside and settled down. "We need to put up the Christmas lights and decorations outside, we don't even look festive in any way! We look like grinches. And by 'we' I mean 'you' because you're gonna just hafta get on the roof." 

"The roof," Jasper echoed solemnly. He longed for the day he would be old enough to be allowed on the roof. 

"Da roof!" Hank chimed in cheerfully from the couch where he sat with his siblings watching Mickey Mouse. 

"Meow!" PK had to put in his two-cents worth from Jasper's lap. 

"So let's get everything out now and get started so we can surprise Auntie Halley for when she gets home from her visit," Shiloh urged him, looking up from the math game she was playing on her tablet. 

"Get to it, Uncle Leif," Paramjeet nudged him in the big chair, where she was half-reclined with her legs across his lap. Her relief at being done with New York was apparent, her whole manner lighter. 

"Me?" he asked with fake indignation. "Why am I being volunteered?" Poe made an equally offended sound from the TV.

"Um, because Mary can't climb on the roof, dumbass, and you're reckless to begin with," she pointed out matter of factly, smiling sweetly at him. 

He narrowed his black-outlined eyes at her but gave in. "You right, you right." He sighed and squeezed her leg above her kneecap so she slapped his hand and poked his own ticklish self in the side, making him squirm and do it to her other knee.

"You're gonna get kicked in the face," she warned, laughter rich in her melodious voice.

He pretended to give in and stop, then did it again really fast, leading to a full-on tickling war while we watched in amusement. It ended with her in an easy headlock while he mock-threatened to mess up her hair. 

"You win, you win," she conceded, and he kissed the top of her head before letting go, looking satisfied. "For once."

"I know," he said, leaving the arm looped loosely around her neck, his hand resting on her shoulder as she relaxed against him.

It was at that point I realized they'd slept together. They'd always been affectionate, but there was something next-level there now. "Oh shit," I said in surprise, then put my hand over my mouth. 

Everyone looked at me quizzically. 

"Just realized how many hotels only offer single-bed rooms, apparently," I explained, giving them both a look like oh my god how could you not tell me?

They both looked sheepish and proud and smug at the same time, even as Shiloh said, "Well I don't know what that even means, I'm sure." 

I wondered if it was just a friends-with-benefits thing, not that I cared either way. I much preferred him with Paramjeet, and a connection had always been there between the two. I just hadn't realized it was a foundation for something bigger. "Never mind," I told my niece, wondering how long this had been happening and how I'd missed it. "You guys," I said to my friends, pleased and wishing Halley was there to see. The crow made a happy noise in response to my tone.

"What's on head radio?" Leif asked. 

My smile grew when I realized. "I think there's something there that wasn't there before."