Page 13 of Harman

“I suppose that would be left up to me as well.” Carrie could hear the strengthening in her voice the longer they spoke to each other. Carrie continued to ask her questions about the estate, and she could tell that her cousin was getting stronger all the time. “I know a little about the estate. Rain told me that I was to inherit everything so that I would distribute their wealth to the right places. She also told me that they were going to crash and not survive, but she didn’t give me any details. I’m thankful that they were together when they breathed their last breaths. I’ve never met a more dedicated couple to each other than the two of them were.”

“That is what I think about when I would see you and Harman together. Devotion as well as undying love. That’s the two of you, too.” She thanked her cousin. “All right, let me tell you my news. Joey and I are moving to the States. Can you tell that I’ve been practicing my proper English?”

“I did notice that, aye.” Carrie thanked her. “What are you going to do when you get here? I’m assuming that you’re going to live close to us. Please, please, please?”

“We are. There is something else that I need to make you aware of. Joey found out just as we were getting home. I’m not supposed to tell you this, but Belinda has cancer. She has it in her blood, and they don’t know if there is any hope for her. Joey is devastated, as you can well imagine. The kids don’t know, but I think they know that something is going on. My heart hurts for them all the time now.”

“Oh, those poor babies. And Joey. She’s not that old, is she? I mean, older than us but not by much.” Carrie told her what she knew. “Thirty-five. I’m so heartbroken for that as well. I know that they have small children, and I loved meeting them. I hate that…there is so much that Belinda is going to go through with this. I wish I could do something for them all.”

Carrie and her cousin talked for another hour. She not only made Katie feel better, but she did as well. After hanging up the phone, she got up. There would be no—

“Holy fuck. Where did you come from?” The woman said she’d come to help her family. “My family? What do you…who are you?”

“Storm Griffin. I missed meeting you when you were in the States. But duty calls. Your cousin, Katie, is my sister-in-law. But I came here because I didn’t know where your brother lives. If you could give me an address, the two of us will pop right in there and out again, and no one will be the wiser.” She asked her what they were going to do. “Make it so your sister-in-law doesn’t die. I’m sure that no one wants that. By the way, you’re fixed up too. No more cancer on you, either. It was very kind of you not to want to tell your cousin, but I believe Katie is much stronger than you guys give her credit for. What’s your brother’s address?”

Carrie didn’t know what was going on, but she prattled off the address where her brother lived. Knowing it by heart, she could have driven there blindfolded. After being told she could open her eyes, Carrie hadn’t even realized that she’d closed them. The two of them were standing in Belinda’s kitchen. The very person they had come to see was sitting at her kitchen table sobbing into a napkin. Not caring what her friend and sister was crying about, she pulled her up from the table and hugged her tightly.

She noticed the look on Belinda’s face when Storm hugged her. It was like she was in pain and shock at the same time. After getting another hug from Belinda, they sat down with her at the table. She started talking about how the cancer hadn’t been caught soon enough, so there was little they could do for her other than to make her comfortable at the end.

“You have nothing to worry about.” Belinda thanked Storm and told her that it was going to devastate her parents when they found out. “Then don’t tell them anything. But I think you misunderstood me, Belinda. You really have nothing to worry about. The cancer is gone, and you’re as healthy as…I was going to say ox, but that’s kind of rude. I’m trying to work on my tact at telling people things. How’s it working so far?”

“I have no idea. I don’t know anything about you, but for what little Joey knew about you and your husband. Are you really the queen of all wolves?” She said that she was and smiled. “That is so awesome. I know a few wolf shifters around here. They really keep things on the low down so that people don’t know…I guess humans don’t know. I think people would be upset about finding out about them. But to…you said that the cancer is gone? How is that possible?”

“I’m very magical. I’ve made you immortal. Your entire family is now. Including the child that you carry.” Belinda put her hand on her belly and looked at her husband’s cousin. “She didn’t know either. As I said, I’m very magical. So is my sister, Rain. We have this thing going about how to outdo the others when it comes to this family. We love the Griffins so much and consider you a part of our family as well.”

But I’ve only just met you. What if I’m a terrible person?” Without answering her, Storm just smiled. “As I said, I don’t know you, so that could be a good smile or not. Tell me what you’re saying to me so that we’re on the same page.”

“You’re an immortal. You won’t ever die. Not if you’re shot in the heart or have your head removed. That last one is something that you should avoid at all cost. You’ll still be alive thanks to my magic, but you’ll also be headless. Best let that one never be a problem.” Carrie wasn’t sure if she was joking or not. As Belinda had been saying, they didn’t know the woman. “Also, because you’re now a part of this family, you have wealth beyond anything that you’ve ever thought of. And since I know you were all planning to go to the States, thinking that Joey would want to move on, you’ll have a lovely house, staff, as well as a job. Though you never have to work, there will be a job too that you can step into as soon as you’re ready.”

“This is too much.” Storm put her hand on Belinda’s. “I just don’t know what to think about this. I mean, I’ve only been…will my children stay little like they are now? I don’t know, wouldn’t that it would be such a burden to have them at this age all the time, but I’m sure that people will talk.”

“They’ll grow up and age until they’re twenty-five or so, then they’ll simply stop ageing. Believe it or not, Harman is thousands of years old. So is his entire family. Also, and I find this is the best perk of all. You’ll never gain weight unless you’re breeding, what they call a woman with child, then that weight will simply fall off in a few days. Your children will be safe too from any kind of diseases as well as long term hurts. They can be hurt, don’t get me wrong on that, but there will never be a life-threatening thing for you to worry about. To any of you for the rest of your long lives.”

Carrie looked at Belinda and then at Storm. Her head was just wrapping things up about the information, but it really was too much to be thrown at someone who was new to the magic. She finally found a question that she could ask without making herself look foolish.

“You said that we’d have wealth. Break that down for me in terms my brain can handle. When I spoke to Katie while there, she was worried about the money that she had and wondered if it would be enough to carry out her dreams.” Storm asked her what the dreams were. “Oh, well, she wanted us all to be together from now on. I think that one is about to happen. But she wanted an old building where she could have her practice and where she could see people crossing the street if she were to look out. I think she had that or something like that at Barnhart, but I’ve never been to their offices.”

“Mr. Barnhart sold her his name, his public name, so that she could attach herself to his clients. After a few months, he wanted her to drop his name and just use hers. Edwin was also able to purchase the building that they had offices at. It will be Griffin Law Firm when all is said and done. Katie will be taking on cases for the family, but she’ll also do other work that is near and dear to her own heart.” Carrie asked if it had been expensive. “A buck. So no, not expensive at all. Jimmy told Katie and my mate that he was just too old to go back to working as an attorney to straighten out the mess that Jimmy had made. In order for her to prosper, he did it this way so that Jimmy would also be out of a job.”

“That’s wonderful for her. I do hope she takes the biggest office and has windows put in if there aren’t any there now. I bet…well, she’ll need a few weeks to get over the death of the Barnhart’s. The way that Katie spoke about them, I think they were closer than boss to employee.” Storm told her what she’d heard. “Yes, I can see that, especially after meeting Jimmy. Having her for a daughter would have been a perfect blend for Katie. However, I can’t help but think that she’d not be what she is today if she’d been pampered—just an idea on how they would have treated her.”

“You’re more than likely correct on that.” Storm looked around the room, and Carrie did as well. The place that she was living in wasn’t all that much different than the house where they were currently living. A dump. Belinda had done a wonderful job of making it less dump-like and more homey. But a dump is what it was. She looked at Storm when she said her name softly.

Belinda had gone to answer the phone, so it was just the two of them at the table. Telling her that this was all any of them could afford, she knew that there was a bit of a bite to voice. Storm didn’t laugh at her. Nor did she make any kind of comment on living conditions.

“We’re not a wealthy family here. No one is, actually. I think that’s why Joey is so keen about getting out of here so that his kids will have a better chance than we’ve had. My parents are both gone and so is Katie’s. But Belinda has family, and they are very…unpleasant to be around. I think it’s been several years since she’s had contact with them.” Storm told her that they didn’t like that their child was living in such conditions and blamed it squarely on Joey’s head. He’d have a better job had the two of them not blackballed them all over town.”

“Ya see. I knew that they’d done that.” Belinda sat back down and asked what she’d missed. Storm told her, and she could see on Belinda’s face that it had been Joey on the line. Then she told her the sad news. “He’s been fired? For what reason may I ask?”

“He missed too much work.” Belinda started crying and held her daughter on her lap, who was trying to comfort her mother. After a few minutes, Belinda looked at her and smiled. “I’m finished with the lot of them. My sister told Joey when he was fired that she took great pleasure in having him being terminated. And she’d continue to do so until I got some sense in my head and came home. Only I can’t bring the children with me. They want nothing to do with them as they’re, and I quote, ‘damaged from having a sorry drunk like their father.’ Joey doesn’t drink. I’ve never seen him with even a beer in his hands in all these years.”

With Storm’s help, they were able to get things squared away with the houses. Carrie didn’t even want to go back home to get some of her things. But in the end, since they were leaving here first thing in the morning, Carrie was going to have to sleep there one more night. Also, which she thought was hilarious, they weren’t going to mention anything to their landlord or Belinda’s family. Not even later, Belinda told her.

Carrie made her way home after having dinner with the Griffins. Katie had been popped in, as well as Harman, to celebrate, and she was shocked once again by the look of love they both had on their faces. She wanted a love like that someday and hoped that it would come along soon. But she was immortal now. Perhaps she had a little while longer to hunt down her mate. Laughing, she pulled a shirt that was miles too big for her over her head after undressing and got into bed.

Tomorrow was going to be a good day and spent with family. She could hear Joey laughing in the other part of the house and wondered if Belinda had told him about the baby and no carcer news. Rolling to her side, she looked out the broken window over her bed and watched the cars fly by. Since the houses were so close side by side as well as front to back, there had never been a yard that anyone could play in. She wanted that, too. A magical place to raise her children. Yawning, she closed her eyes to get some rest. Tomorrow was going to be exhausting, and she couldn’t wait.

~*~

---