Page 5 of Stone

What she thought that she needed was a tall glass of tea. Along with as much chocolate as she could stuff in her face. Not only weren’t things even remotely going her way, but she doubted that things were going to go well for the kid either. Other than her name being Hailey, that was all she knew about her.

The ride to the house was quiet. She found herself dozing off and on, and it took her a while before she was ready to wake up. The house, a mammoth of a thing, was looming over her in the afternoon sun that made her think of money. And a great deal of it. That was when she noticed how the couple was dressed. Yes, they were monied, all right.

“I can read your mind, Sage. Yes, we’re monied but we don’t flaunt it around like some would do. Also, we’re considered old money. I’m not sure how that works but we have had money all our long life.” She asked him how old he was. “I don’t know exactly. I know that I’ve been around when things were much simpler. A handshake was as good as a contract and there were no homes, not a one around that we didn’t have a hand in building for the town’s people.”

“You’re not human.” When she thought of what she had said, she told him she was sorry. “Sometimes my mouth gets ahead of my head, and I just say what is right there.”

He laughed, and she felt embarrassed. When they welcomed her into their home, she went in with the knowledge that she’d never be able to count the amount of money that this home was worth. And she knew as surely as she was standing in the front hallway that she’d never be able to just hang out with these people. They were beyond anything that she’d ever encountered before.

“Remember, I can read your mind.” She told him that if he was offended, then he should stop invading her thoughts. All he did was throw back his head and laugh. Being embarrassed, usually, thatsort of thing never bothered her. She asked where she’d be staying. Sage found that she was exhausted from all the stress that had been going on.

“There is a room set up for you. Also, I wanted to clarify that you’re correct in saying that we’re not human. The family are wolves. Ancient wolves that have, as you were told, been around for a very long time. Longer than dirt, I’ve been told before.” She asked Edwin again when he’d been born, and he told her once again that he really didn’t know. But long enough to see things that wouldn’t bother her at all today. “My family is coming over for dinner tonight, and my brother, Jeffery, will be bringing Hailey over with their children.”

“I’m not good around a lot of people. I’ve lived alone since I was eighteen, and I like that.” Storm asked her about her family. “I have my mom. She goes through boyfriends like someone with a cold does tissues. I’ve not seen her in years, which I usually think of as a blessing. I know that I shouldn’t say that, but that’s just the way I feel about her.”

She told them about how she’d been to the airport to pick her up and she cancelled at the last minute. They told her that was cruel of her and that she might well be better off with her not coming to visit.

“Thank you. I needed that.” After being shown her room, Storm handed her a bag. It didn’t have any kind of printing on it and it did seem to be empty. “Thanks.” She laughed and explained to her what the bag was for.

“Just think of something that you’d like to have on, and when you reach into the bag, it will be there. It’s unlimited—I noticed that you only had your backpack for you to use, so I didn’t think you’d have much in the way of clothing.” She said that it had been last minute in her coming here. “I think you mentioned that. But the bag will help you out with anything you need. Even a toothbrush as well as paste.”

Thinking about the pretty sundress she’d seen in the airport, she was shocked that not only was it the dress she’d seen but her size as well as the green color that she wanted. Laughing, she asked her if she could have shoes as well.

“Whatever you wish. And you’ll be able to keep the things that you pull out, so we’re going to get you some luggage to take things back with you.” They both laughed and she found the pretty little sandals that matched the dress in the bag as well.

“A girl could get used to this.” She went to the bathroom and changed. It was a little big on her at first, but it molded around her petite body as soon as she realized that she’d gotten the wrong size. Giddy with the things that she was doing, she asked Storm why they’d do such a thing for a stranger.

“You’re not. A stranger, I mean. You were a person who was asked to do something nice for someone, and we wanted to make sure that you had all that you needed. And just so you know, I think that you’re right in thinking that the Danielsons are too old to raise a five-year-old. Perhaps things will turn out better for the two of you soon.” While she had no idea what that meant, she let it go.

For the first time in, she didn’t know when, Sage felt pretty. Having her room set up the way she liked, Sage took the advice of the other woman and laid down for a short nap. She’d gotten very little sleep over the last couple of days, and she was ready to do just what had been suggested.

~*~

Stone was happy that it was the weekend. He’d been keeping up with the kids in his class by answering questions that they had about the shooting that had happened earlier in the week. Just as he was ready to go home, the principal asked to see him. While he didn’t have much respect for the man, he was his boss and needed to do what was required of him to be able to keep his job.

“Are you…let me phrase this another way. I need for you to work this summer for the kids that are coming in for summer school.” Stone told him that he didn’t volunteer for that. “No, you’d not. But I still need for you to do it. All the other teachers have things that they’ve planned and since you have no family of your own, then I’m telling you that you need to pick up the slack and do this.”

“No. I’m a kindergarten teacher. And I know for a fact that none of my students need to stay over for the summer. And I do have a family as well. A large one, as a matter of fact.” Principal Jordenwaved him off. “I have no idea what that means but I’m not going to work the summer. I have plans.”

“You’re just going to have to change them. I told you what I need, and that’s the way that it’s going to be. You’re a good team player, usually Stone, and this is something that I am ordering you to do.” Stone stood up. “I’ll expect to see your schedule on my desk on Monday morning. Thanks.”

“I quit.” Before he could think about what he’d just done, Stone left the office and went to his room to start packing up his things. There wasn’t any way that he was going to work the entire summer when he wanted to just relax. It was his downtime, and he needed it as much as the teachers with families did. Edwin contacted him just as he was putting his things into his briefcase. The entire room of things were his, but he didn’t have time to pack them up just yet.

“Mr. Jorden just called me. He said that you were fired. That can’t be right, is it?”He told him that he’d quit and then explained to him what had happened. “I’m on my way there. Storm and Rain are with me, so expect the worst.”

“I can’t understand how it could be any worse right now. I’m out of a job that I love, and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.”He heard the ruckus at the front of the school and told his brother where he was.“Try to keep them from killing anyone, please? I just need help in packing up my room.”

“I’ll try, but I can’t make any promises. You know how they are when it comes to this family—maybe you should come down here. Things aren’t going well.”He rolled his eyes and picked up his briefcase.“Stone, I’ve been told to keep you from saying much. All right?”

“I can do that.”He looked around the big room and wondered what he’d do with all the stuff that he’d collected over the years. Deciding that he’d just leave it for the next person if they wanted it, he contacted his brother again.“I’ve decided that there isn’t anything that I want in here. I’m headed to you guys.”

The police were in front of the school by the time he made his way to the front offices. Whatever happened, he hoped the hell that he wasn’t going to prison over it. He’d hate to spend his summer months in prison for something that he’d not done. Putting a little more pep in his step, he was just coming into the office when he heard Roland Jorden being read his rights.

“He hit me.” Stone asked Rain if she was all right.“Of course I am. But the man thought that hitting me was the way to go. And since my mate is an FBI agent, the police were called in. Can’t have the little missus beat up, now can we?”

Stone was accused of causing a riot. The police, most of them laughing behind their hands, told Roland that he’d only just entered the room when they did. Case in fact, he’d let them in.

“He called his family in when I fired him. That’s bad enough.” Joan, the first cop on the scene, asked him if he’d been fired. He explained the situation to her and told her that he just wanted to have his summers off like everyone else did. “He doesn’t need the summers off. What’s he going to do? Lay around the pool all summer? I needed him to do what he was told, and like a little panty waste, he called in his family. I had it under control.”

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