The Summer of Bells: The Essences Saga - Book #2

Summer: Chapter 2

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Chapter Two

“Happy Birthday!” Silas threw his arms wide as Min stepped out onto his patio. He planned and worked hard all day to set up for her. Silk ribbons in a butter yellow and moss green were hung from his house, outlining the patio from above. A comfortable teak dining set was decorated with a white table cloth and more of the silk ribbons. And a second table held a small round cake and two small, wrapped boxes, one tied with yellow, one with green. A nearby grill emitted tendrils of smoke and scents of the chicken he was cooking for her birthday lunch.

“Silas,” she started to complain, “I told you this isn't necessary. The girls already threw me a birthday party. And besides, you know this is all a sham anyway.”

He pulled her over by her hand and sat her down in one of the teak chairs. “I wasn't able to make that party, remember? And I've been meaning to ask you about that sham business anyway.” He walked over to the grill, lifting the lid. The aroma of grilled chicken and pineapple wafted out strongly. He removed a couple of kabobs from the grill, placing them on a platter, and sucking on his thumb when he burned it. He looked over his shoulder to see if she would respond to his words.

“What do you want to know?” she asked warily.

“Well,” he began, setting the platter on the table. There were two bowls of salad and some bread at each place setting. “The one thing I've figured out about you is that you are sentimental, in a way. I was wondering what your birthday really meant to you.”

Her birthday. This was one of those things that baffled him. Since he found out the truth about Min, he had practically avoided any additional information. He accepted her, and that seemed to be enough at most times, but he just didn’t know a lot about her. Min tended to shy away from freaking him out about the complete nature of herself, as though she kept a promise to herself about it.

“In a sense, it is my birthday. If you remember the story I told the girls about my . . . um, parents, most of that had some truth to it. I was found wondering a road in the middle of the night, and an elderly couple did find me. From what they told me, I placed my birthday as close to the real day of my human birth as I could figure.” Min stopped to let that absorb. He sat in the chair next to her, studying her. Just as he thought. Her birth date was another one of her sentimental notions. Min had a propensity for that kind of thing.

He served her lunch. Silas talked about his upcoming trip. The state's foster care department had appropriated eight homes in various areas to be set up and made ready during the summer months. The first two would be in Nashville, and he was rushing to get everything prepared. A sub-department was being set up as well for the new homes. They will still be within the foster care programs, but separate also. The homes will be given a new title: Youth Care Residences. Silas talked about the trouble he was having with the contractors in renovating the homes and arranging appropriate training for employees. His face darkened when he spoke about the two hundred teenagers in the state that need stable homes, and brightened as he told her a few funny stories that happened when he met with a few of those kids. Silas was compassionate when it came to children. He loved every and all children, and claimed that he had never met a bad child, just a bad life for the child.

As he rambled on, he noticed her expression steadily growing sad and wistful. Min could never have his child. A woman's body needed to grow and age, and change, to be able to bring life into the world. She couldn't do any of that. He once told her that was a discussion for another time, but the lack lay heavily on his heart.

He paused to eat, hoping she would forget her worries, but her eyes narrowed and looked through him. He dropped his fork on his plate.

“You're doing it again, aren't you?” His question redirected her attention.