Gift of a Miracle

Chapter 17

By the time matters had settled, dusk had begun to prepare for its natural performance of closing the day. Kazuki gazed out to the darkening sky before pulling the window curtains shut in the spare room, as he turned around he caught Mother hovering at the room's entrance.

"Deborah had just gone home... she's quite adamant to help organise the restoration to the D'coye's house. Generosity had certainly run down her family's bloodline." She sighed. "It was fortunate the breakage of the water pipes hadn't flooded their house completely."

The pipes were Caitlyn's quick-thinking idea and very plausible. When Iliana said she'd wrecked her house down, she wasn't kidding... the interior of the house looked like a forgotten shipwreck.

"The act of generosity seems contagious..." Kazuki began. He glanced down at the bed where Iliana laid peacefully since he brought her there hours ago. "... I certainly wasn't expecting you to agree for her to stay here until their house is fixed."

"I should say the same about you... bringing her here out of the blue was... very unlike you!"

That was Father Benjamin's idea. It was only after they'd eventually defeated the Fallen Angels and Demons and had purified the souls, that the priest called back. His absence was due to a call he had with Cardinal Philippe... a conversation he hadn't the chance to explain when he found out what happened at the White Mansion.

"I'm assuming you've already told Father about this." Kazuki uttered.

His parents rarely kept secrets from each other, an honourable conduct in a relationship, but a bother for Kazuki.

"I haven't seen your Father since he closed the harbour this morning."

Kazuki's eyebrows shot upwards in surprise. "That's a rarity unless... Beach Cove is now no longer—!"

"Beach Cove still remains under our name... for the moment. Which leads me to ask you... what happened early this morning between you and your Father?" Mother inquired, leaning a shoulder on the doorway and resting a hand on her hip with an eyebrow raised.

Kazuki cocked his head. "Your meaning?"

"Your father's mood changed after his talk with you. I assume it had something to do with what was said between you two... I know how both of you can wind each other up." Mother's eyebrow lifted even higher.

Kazuki bit his lower lip with everything that had happened today ... he'd forgotten about that conversation.

Mother sighed once again when Kazuki remained silent. "Whatever was exchanged between you, I'll leave between you... but please Kazuki remember, your Father may appear as solid as steel, but he too has a heart."

A loud snore rippled from Iliana's direction. A smile crept up one corner of Kazuki's lips as Mother chuckled... the mood lightened.

"She's vocal even in her sleep." Mother muttered, gazing at the girl. "Judging from our last meeting, she's quite a feisty little thing. Although it was foolish to go after the stray dog, it was lucky they did... otherwise they would've been right at the centre of the pipe leakage."

Now that was Jung's idea... 'a stray dog had invaded their house and attacked Iliana's mother. Yuki died in an attempt to defend them and when the stray escaped, both mother and daughter ran after it but lost it when the mother lost too much blood.'

Kazuki stopped himself from rolling his eyes as he let out a light sigh when Jung's made up story returned to his thoughts. Although it seemed rather implausible in his ears, it was surprisingly believed by those who were told.