The Misadventures of Anna Cabbot

High Hopes

Shortly after midnight Monday morning, Jamie retraced his steps down the dock to where he'd seen Anna and Carson off on their trip out onto the lake. He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets and scanned the horizon. Settling his weight evenly on both feet, he sighed.

"Should have brought your own book," Thom said, setting two bags with collapsible lawn chairs between them.

"I can't read in this dark."

"Not my fault you weren't blessed with such good night vision." Thom set up his chair and dropped into it. He pulled a battered paperback from his jacket pocket. "Should have been born venik."

Jamie snorted. It wasn't the first time he'd heard that and wouldn't be the last.

Thom made himself comfortable. "You want me to read to you?"

"What did you bring?"

"Carpe Jugulum."

"Seriously?" Jamie sighed and reluctantly set up the other chair.

Setting one leg on his opposite knee, Thom side-eyed his brother and said, as blandly as possible, "It speaks to me."

"Sometimes I don't know what to do with you." Jamie sat and zipped his jacket all the way to his chin. "I honestly don't."

He hummed cheerfully.

Jamie leaned his head back. "Please, Thom."

Thumbing open to the first pages, Thom began to read.


Hudson and Les showed up a few hours later. Les draped a checkered fleece blanket over a sleeping Jamie and tucked the sides in around him. He also repositioned Jamie's head so his neck wouldn't be so sore when he woke.

"Any sign of them?" Hudson asked, leaning his elbow on Thom's shoulder.

"Nope." He glanced at Jamie, his fingers never pausing their crochet work. "I'm getting a little nervous."

"You think they won't be back tonight?" Les came up behind him and rested a hand on the top of his head. Not quite a hair tousle — Thom didn't like those — but enough of a touch to let him know his older brother was there.

"I'm not sure what's going on out there, but I think they might have found more than they bargained for." Thom scanned the lake for any sign out of movement, much like he'd done since Jamie had fallen asleep. "How tight is the no interference clause?"

Someone inhaled sharply.

"You think he could?" Hudson asked, the warmth of his elbow disappearing from Thom's shoulder.

"I think he's not going to think rationally about this whole thing," Thom said slowly. "I can't blame him. I wouldn't be able to, either, in his shoes. I just want to be prepared for what happens when the shit hits the fan."

Les sighed. "I can talk to Nana. We'll go over potential scenarios and figure out what our response to each of those will be." He clapped Thom on his shoulder. "You'll watch him this week?"

"Super Schedule Man? Sure." Thom shrugged. "I'm not human but I still do need to sleep." He looked down at his lap to check his work.

"Jamie doesn't and he seems to do okay."

"James falls asleep in his dinner more times than he should," Les said flatly.

Thom craned his neck around to look at Hudson. "I pulled him off a plate of mashed potatoes once. It wasn't pretty. Ever seen a grown man hork smashed root vegetable out both nostrils?"

Les flicked Thom's ear. "Don't be gross."

He snorted; his hands kept moving, looping yarn.

"Whatcha makin'?" Hudson asked quietly, apparently sensing a change in topic was necessary.