Chapter Five – Elise

After Frankie and Adam left for their date, Elise managed to put the twins to bed, and get them off to sleep. After cleaning the already spotless kitchen, Elise went outside and inhaled the scent of pine trees. The summer sun was setting behind the mountains, and the stars were coming out. It was a fine night. The kind of night to walk hand in hand with the man of your dreams.

Elise remembered the romantic walks Delia and Terence had taken. Strolls along the beach. Along the edge of deep lakes, and through forests. Delia used to come home and tell her sister all about it. The sights, the scents, the feelings she had for her mate. Elise wished her sister was here, so she could share her own newfound love with her.

The small things, brief moments she would have shared with Delia, a joke, a view, a book, that she missed. Now she had Hank. He would never take Delia’s place, but he would help fill the hole in Elise’s heart.

The sound of a baby crying brought Elise back to her duties as babysitter. She turned away from the forest and went inside, climbing the stairs to the room the two girls shared. “What is it, Elise?” The baby hiccupped and stopped crying as she gazed up at her namesake. “What do you need?”

Elise slid her hands under the baby and held her close, rocking her slowly. Once she quietened, Elise put the baby over her shoulder and rubbed her small back. Baby Elise often got colic, and this soothed her. In her crib, which was pushed up against Elise’s, Delia opened her eyes but didn’t cry. Instead, she watched Elise swaying, singing a soft song, “Winter Moon,” one of Hank’s album tracks which had never been released as a single.

She was a walking, talking encyclopedia for Hank Rivera. But those facts only scratched the surface of the man. Elise needed to get under his skin, and into his heart, to help him deal with a past that still haunted him. They were similar in a lot of ways. Each holding on tightly to their own sadness. But Hank didn’t realize this. When he’d spoken of his father, he’d been shocked that old memories could still hurt him.

“Perhaps together, we can let them go,” Elise told the two girls. “Just as together, you have helped me.” She kissed Elise’s cheek and placed her down in her crib. “Go to sleep, my precious girls.”

She sang softly as the two babies drifted off to sleep, safe and content. “I wish you both long and happy lives.”

Then she slipped out of the room and tiptoed downstairs. Boiling the kettle, she made herself a cup of chamomile tea and took it to the living room. Sitting down in the darkened room, she curled her legs up under her body and leaned on the side of the chair, letting memories of the past sweep over her. The more she let Delia in, the less the memories hurt. Elise had gone over them, and over them, like watching an old movie. Some of the more vivid memories would trigger obscure snapshot images of events that hadn’t meant much at the time but now were treasured like a precious jewel.

Hank was right, some jewels were too small to see, unless you looked deeper in the knowledge that they were there.

Elise sipped her tea and listened to the hoot of an owl calling its mate. Outside the window, deer gathered to eat the grass on the new lawn Frankie had laid. The world moved on.

An hour later, the sound of car wheels on gravel alerted Elise to Frankie and Adam’s return. She got up and went to the kitchen, setting the kettle to boil. “Tea?” she asked as they entered the kitchen.

“Yes, please. How were they?” Frankie asked quickly as she took off her wrap and looped it over her arm.

“Absolutely fine. Elise woke once, a bit of colic, she soon went back to sleep,” Elise reassured her.

“Thanks for looking after them.” Adam produced a bouquet of flowers. “These are for you.”

“You didn’t have to, looking after the girls is a joy. A treat.” She smiled happily and took the flowers, kissing Adam and then Frankie.

“We wanted to get you something. Today isn’t just about us, it’s about you, too. You and Hank.” Frankie itched to go upstairs and check on her babies, but she resisted the urge and they all sat around the kitchen table, drinking tea.

“How was your evening? Did you go to the hotel?” Elise asked.

“Do you mean, did we see Hank?” Frankie asked lightly.

“No.” Elise shook her head. “Although if you did see him...”

“We didn’t. Frankie insisted we go somewhere else. So, I didn’t talk shop with Julius.” Adam avoided the glare of his wife.

“Instead, we went to Antonio’s in Bear Bluff, so Adam could check out the competition,” Frankie said tartly.

“I didn’t,” he protested.

“I was joking,” Frankie told him. “Although their menu is more adventurous than The Catherine.”

“I thought that, too,” Adam replied absently. “But it didn’t have the attention to detail...”

“There, you were comparing,” Frankie said triumphantly.

“It’s a habit.” Adam drained his cup. “You don’t have your car, Elise. Shall I take you home?”

“No,” Elise said quickly. “I have a ride.” She looked at her watch. “He’ll be here in ten minutes or so.”

“Hank is coming here?” Frankie asked. “Can we say hi?”

“You sound like my parents,” Elise told her.

“She’s getting in practice for when Elise and Delia have boyfriends.” Adam ducked as Frankie swiped playfully at him.

“And what will you do?” Frankie asked. “Challenge them to a bear fight?”

“That’s a good idea. Their dates will have to beat me in a fair fight before they are allowed to leave the house. What? I have to know if their dates can protect my precious girls.”

“In my view, our girls have to learn to protect themselves.” Frankie nodded at Adam. “They are not damsels in distress. Delia and Elise are going to hold their own in whatever they choose to do.”

Elise watched Frankie and Adam as they sparred. “I believe those two girls are going to know exactly how to look after themselves, and how to wind their mom and dad around their little fingers.” She held up her pinkie finger, which sent a flashback memory to the front of her mind.

They were ten years old, Elise and Delia had been to the fair. Delia had won an enormous teddy bear, it was bigger than either of them. Elise was jealous, she’d tried several times to win the bear herself but failed.

After an hour of Elise sulking, Delia had set the teddy bear down next to Elise and said, “He’s yours.”

“Really?!” Elise jumped on him and gave him a bear hug. But as she stroked his plush fur she realized why Delia had given her the bear. Setting him back down, Elise told Delia, “We can share him. Nothing will ever come between us. Pinkie swear.”

“Pinkie swear,” Delia had replied as they hooked their little fingers around each other.

“Elise. We lost you for a moment,” Frankie said, touching her arm gently.

“I was remembering Delia.” Elise wiped a tear from her eye. “A good memory.” She stood up and collected the cups. “I’ll wash these while you go and check on the girls.”

“Thanks.” Frankie slipped out of the kitchen.

“We had a great time,” Adam said as he got up and grabbed the towel to dry the cups. “It was good to see Frankie out of the house.”

“She’s doing okay, isn’t she?” Elise half turned, a tightness in her chest as worry filled her.

“She’s fine. Everything is fine. Frankie and the girls continue to amaze the doctors.” Adam put the cups away. “I can’t believe how happy I am. And I hope you and Hank are blessed, too.”

“We’re older and wiser. Although he makes me feel young again. When he sings I’m a teenager once more, filled with hope and optimism.” Elise smiled wistfully. “Who would have thought?”

“You must miss Delia more at times like these.” Adam leaned back against the countertop.

“I wish I could share this with her. She’d be so happy for me.”

“When I look at the girls, how close they are, I can’t imagine what it would be like for them to be apart.”

“I hope they never find out.” Elise picked up her flowers. “I’m going to stroll down the trail and meet Hank. I’d like a few moments alone.”

“I’ve upset you, I’m sorry.”

“I’m not upset.” Elise tilted her head to one side. “These last few months have dredged up so many memories. I’m trying to find a way to deal with them without simply reburying them. I want to remember Delia, the highs, and the lows. And meeting Hank has been...wonderful, but it also fills me with sorrow.”

“Because he’ll never meet Delia. And she’ll never meet Hank.” Adam’s expression conveyed his understanding.

“The two most important people in my lives will never meet, never have the chance to say hello.” Elise walked to the front door. “I just need a few minutes alone.”

“Is it too difficult?” Adam asked directly.

“Is what too difficult?” Elise responded.

“Looking after the girls. Did we make a mistake asking you to be involved?” Adam’s voice was low and gentle.

“Goodness, no.” Elise shook her head furiously. “Those little girls mean the world to me. I love them already. They give me hope.”

Adam’s smile was soft, full of sympathy. “Then, if it’s okay, I’d like to ask you to babysit once a month, so I can take Frankie out. She loves being a mother, but I want to remind her she’s her own person, too.”

“Good idea. Let me know when you want me to babysit again, and I will.” Elise looked at her watch. “Hank will be here any minute, I’ll see you soon, Adam. Tell Frankie goodbye and that I’ll call her tomorrow.”

“I will, good night, Elise.” Adam watched her go until she stepped off the porch and made her way along the trail toward the road. As the darkness enveloped her, she heard the click of the latch as Adam closed the door. She was truly alone out here.

Breathing in the scent of the night, she allowed her senses to adjust to the darkness. She might not be able to use her eyes, but she could hear and smell and tell which direction the trail led in. Elise reveled in the night. Owls hooted, small creatures scurried about, finding food and taking it back to their nests. Some would have young to feed, others would be storing food for the winter. All of them had one thing in common, the need to preserve life.

And tomorrow Elise would start her new job, where her sole aim was to match shifter organs to those in need of life-saving surgery.

But tonight was all about her life. And that of her mate. Breathing in and breathing out, she walked halfway along the trail before headlights ahead warned her of a vehicle approaching.

As the headlights drew closer and the lights blinded her, she stopped and closed her eyes, allowing the nearness of Hank to imbue her soul with hope.