Parchment & Pearls

26. Goodbyes Of Both Kinds

Chapter 26

Goodbyes Of Both Kinds

I tried to act normal.

And it so wasn't working.

By the next morning, half of those who had been there left. Emmy's parents were back to New York, my parents were back to Atlanta with Anna and Tate, the Misra's were back to India, and the Knights Council members to Pallandino. Everyone else was sticking around for a few more days.

It helped that Beau, Gage, Ash, and Savannah were still there, too, and would be for at least another week. We hadn't decided just when it was safe enough for them to head back home, but we were going to have someone keeping an eye on them whenever they did.

The day they'd been there without me, they did a little bit of exploring of the manor. Mostly, they'd spent their time in the library with everyone else, worrying over when Drake and I were going to get there. So the following day, I took them around the manor, showing them every nook and cranny I knew about. They were more than impressed as I went on and on about the place as we went through every room, since I did know the history of it and the surrounding lands.

By the end of our tour that lasted several hours, we'd ended up in the training room. John, Ryan, Jason, Ren, and Nathan were play fighting with Sterling, Aiden, and Grant. Emmy, Elena, Stella, Jamie, Tory, and Audrey were sitting on the sidelines, talking and grinning when the little boys would make a good hit. Avery was seated in Elena's lap and Jamie and Audrey had the twins, who were wide awake and watching the excitement.

When John offered to show them a few things, Gage was the first - and only - one to take him up on the offer. Of course, he didn't want to fight the guys, though.

"Get over here, Hattie," he grinned at me as he tugged me with him. "You said you'd teach me a few things."

"I'm not in the mood, Gage," I shook my head. "John's better than I am, so..."

"Can John do all those ninja moves?"

"Hell no," John laughed as he sat down by Emmy and Sterling sat in his lap. "And I'd probably pull something if I tried."

"You sound like an old man," Emmy laughed, brushing his hair back from his sweaty forehead. "You're not even thirty."

"That's still old," Sterling grinned, poking his big brother on the cheek, which made John laugh as he started tickling him.

"So," Gage started again, stepping in front of me. "How fast can you take a person down?"

I had opened my mouth to answer, but another voice cut in.

"Less than ten seconds," Drake said, leaning against the door with his arms crossed over his chest. "First time we really had a conversation was when she was telling me she could beat my ass in less than ten seconds. She did it, too."

Cruz came up behind him, but didn't stop like Drake had, and headed inside to take a seat beside Jason.

"I promised I'd never piss her off after I saw that go down," Jason grinned. "You sure you want the wrath of Hattie?"

He said he did...but I quickly changed his mind when I did the same move on him I had on Drake all those years ago. The look on his face when he landed on his back made everyone laugh, even me. When I helped him up, I'd looked toward the doorway, only to find Drake gone. I hadn't been the only one expecting him to still be there. It was Beau's eyes I'd met next just before he gave me a slight smile.