Page 39 of Nineteen Eighty

Other unfinished business, involving Maureen.

Charles decided he’d been remiss about this long enough. He’d deal with it before the christening, so Maureen could proceed with her new family in peace.

CHAPTER 12

Unfinished Business

With Connor giving his days to Tulane Law, Elizabeth needed something for her own. Colleen hadn’t come back to her about the Council, but she couldn’t wait around. Atticus was good company—though he seemed now to be more bonded to Augustus after spending the summer at Magnolia Grace—but sitting around a quiet apartment with a lazy dog wasn’t helping Elizabeth’s natural depression.

She tried sitting down to write, but found the only words she had were her truths, and she wasn’t ready to commit those to paper. Not yet.

Augustus had mentioned Ana had a cold, and Elizabeth knew he didn’t step foot in the office when Ana was under the weather. So she grabbed Atticus and jumped in the car, heading for her brother’s.

She still had her own key. He hadn’t asked for it back and probably never would. But she didn’t live there anymore, and he wasn’t expecting a guest, so she knocked.

Nicolas answered the door, but Augustus was hot on his heels, admonishing him, what did I say about opening the door?

“Oh, you both have colds?” Elizabeth asked, kneeling down to check her nephew’s forehead. Atticus bounded past her, heading straight to Augustus for head pats.

Nicolas nodded. “Ana got me sick. I didn’t get her sick. She’s the sicko.”

“I am not!” Ana howled from behind him before erupting in a coughing fit.

“I see,” Elizabeth replied, winking at Augustus. He rolled his eyes, smiling. “Convenient that neither of you have to go to school.”

“I don’t know what that means,” Nicolas said.

“It means—” Ana started, but Augustus told them both to get back in bed and rest.

They both huffed off, racing each other up the stairs before Augustus got on them once more, this time for exerting themselves when they were supposed to be resting so they could get better.

When they were gone, he hurled his body forward in a dramatic sigh. “They’re more work when they’re not feeling well.”

“I can watch them. Go on into the office.”

“It’s fine. We just got the winter edition approved through editing, so this week is slower than usual.” He pointed toward the kitchen. “Coffee? Tea? Apple juice?”

Elizabeth laughed. “I know where the drinks are, if I want one.”

“I couldn’t turn off my inner Mama if I wanted to.”

“None of us could,” she said, following him in. Atticus stayed at Augustus’ heels. “Mama thinks I should take my estate entitlement and get a house for Connor and me.”

“What do you think?”

“That the apartment is big enough for the three of us.”

Augustus filled the kettle with water and turned the stove on. “You and Connor want kids?”

“I suppose so.”

“Having a yard is nice, with little ones,” he said. “Having space for them to work off that insane amount of energy they never seem to run out of, is helpful.”

“Plenty of parents live in apartments.”

“True,” he said. “I don’t think you came by to talk about apartments and houses, though.”

“Connor started his law program.”

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