Page 67 of Long Live the King

Beaty put her hands on her hips, “Mookie talks tae me all the timeandhe spoke tae me in the dream, Zachary! He said, ‘NowI feel complete.’”

Zach started laughing. “Well as long as Mookie is happy.”

Beaty pulled the chick from Archie’s arms and put him on Mookie’s back. Mookie looked adorably at Beaty and then tried to turn to see the bird and then back at Beaty. She said, “See?”

Though Mookie’s expression was more like:What now, with this thing on my back?

The chickie lowered itself to sitting, comfortably. Beaty, Zoe, and Isla all folded their hands under their chins and said, “Aw!”

I said, “I guess this is a thing now, Magnus is just going to love it.”

Beaty said, “I think we ought tae call her Saddle.” Most of the kids applauded and cheered, frightening the bird, but they crowded around, patted it and petted Mookie until the bird calmed, sitting down on Mookie’s back again — except Archie. He had an expression on his face as if he were trying to be excited but something was weighing on him. The expression looked a lot like the one Magnus wore when things were going wrong.

Archie stood in the outskirts as Beaty said, “I told ye, Mookie is finally complete with his Saddle.”

Then he ended up standing right beside my seat on the tall kitchen chair.

I put my arm around him and asked the group, “What are you kids going to do with the rest of your day?”

Isla said, “Watch Saddle sit on Mookie.”

I teased, “Sounds like you’re ‘complete’ now too.”

Zach muttered while he put a pan of sausages in the oven for our dinner. “Complete nut jobs.”

Archie put his head on my shoulder.

I whispered, “How are you doing?”

“Okay... it’s nothing.”

I kissed his temple. “You sure?”

He nodded against my shoulder. “Just thinking about something.”

“If you need to talk, I’m here.”

He nodded again, and stood there for a long time, as all the other kids excitedly hung around with Mookie and Saddle, he clung to me.

I felt his forehead.No fever.

He said, “I’m not hot.”

I said, “Just worried?”

He said, “Aye,” sounding much like his Da.

Finally Ben turned on the Playstation and called into the kitchen, “Archie, come play!”

He said, “In a minute!” He looked at me. “Where do you think Da is right now?”

“He’s in Riaghalbane, likely having dinner with your grandmother.”

He nodded. “That’s probably okay, he’s got a guard there.”

“Yes, he definitely does.”

He called back to Ben, “Coming, Bug Man!” And ran off.

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