Brilliant Minds: The Wainwrights of Sunset Valley – Chapter 42

Brilliant Minds: The Wainwrights of Sunset Valley

Chapter 42

While her parents and Patrick vacationed in France, Blair enjoyed her time babysitting little Orion.  She adored her alien half-brother, even though the reality of who he was and where he came from was still hard for her to wrap her mind around at times.  Sometimes she would study his unusual features and ponder it all.  It was almost impossible to believe he was really the result of an experiment that aliens had run on her father, yet there he was.  When she thought about it, it struck her how different and comparatively normal her own upbringing with her parents was in comparison.  Them having Patrick after she’d grown up and moved out had been surprising enough, but then they’d won the lottery, and then, Orion happened.  Life had twists, turns, and surprises for everyone, but in the last several years, it seemed like her family’s had been more like a rollercoaster.  Not to mention all the changes there had been in her own life.

Orion waved at her parents’ old home as she pushed the stroller past it.  It was the first day of spring and the weather was warming up.  The Sekemoto family lived there now:  Leighton and his wife Monika, their son, Tom, who was around Chris’ age, and Tom’s older half-brother Sam.  They had kept the outside largely the same, but Blair had never been inside or visited since her parents moved out.  Blair smiled at Orion, who seemed quite interested in the house.

“Did you know Dad and Mom used to live there, and me too, a long time ago?  Way before you were born.  They moved to your house when Patrick was your age.”

Orion didn’t say anything, but kept looking intently.  It almost seemed like he did know, on a level deeper than just having it explained to him.  Blair wondered if that was possible.  Sometimes, when Orion looked at her, it was like he saw right into her.  Her father had told her the aliens knew all sorts of things about them, to the point where he was paranoid about it.  He believed they were telepathic.  She wondered if he was right, at least in Orion’s case.

Blair loved having Orion around, though.  He was a well-behaved toddler, not prone to tantrums or crankiness.  His motor skills were well-developed, above the curve for his age, even, and he’d learned to walk early.  He was also potty trained and knew a lot of words.  He was a little too bold about climbing and exploring for her liking at times, though.  She was glad that she and Cycl0n3 never got around to un-child-proofing much of the house from Chris’ toddler days.

Having Orion there, and the crib set up in Chris’ bedroom again, made Blair wistful for the days when he was a baby.  She’d been thinking about how nice it would be to give Chris a little brother or sister.  Cycl0n3 was also on board for that, but they both felt that their house was too small for a full-time family of four.  Having to accommodate Orion made that clear.  They would have to save money and move somewhere more spacious first.

For just the length of her parents’ trip to Champs Les Sims, though, it wasn’t bad.  Just a bit cozy.

Cycl0n3 picked up a sleepy Orion.  “The Chief Engineer needs to go off duty,” he said, using Blair’s nickname for him.  “One to beam to the crib.”

Orion let out a little squeal as Cycl0n3 tickled him, made cuter by the unique reverberation of his voice.  Cycl0n3 found who and what Orion was mind-blowing, but he accepted it, and thought it was cool.  The need to keep his origins a secret appealed to the part of him that liked trolling.  Keeping that under wraps was like pulling a fast one on society.  Not to mention, it left him with prime material for ribbing Boyd when he felt like it.  While his alien probe joke had obviously crossed a line, Cycl0n3 would always enjoy pushing right up to such lines.

Chris also had fun with Orion there.  He was used to being an only child, or a younger one with Patrick.  Even after Orion had gotten big enough to play with, when the extended family got together, Patrick tended to take charge because he was older.  With just Orion, Chris got to be the big kid for a change.  Orion liked playing with him, too.  They were at the activity table together, and Chris showed him how to build things with the blocks.  “See, you can make a tower like this, and then we can use it for a fortress.”  He picked up an action figure and put it in the structure they were building.

“Make tall.”  Orion handed him a long block.

Chris considered it.  “Sure, we could probably make it a little taller.”  He placed a second block to brace the one Orion gave him.  “Yeah, that’ll work.  It could be a lookout tower.  Since the table’s the mountain, they can see the enemy coming for miles from up here.”  He put on another block.  “Now we need a roof.”  He reached into the block bin in the middle of the table, but when he did, his elbow brushed against the side of the tower, and it started to wobble.

“Oh, no!”  Chris tried to grab the blocks in time to steady them, but his clumsy catch only made it more unstable.  It gave way under his fingers.  “No!”

But to his amazement, it didn’t fall.  Right before his eyes, two pieces seemingly righted themselves back into place.

“What the…”

He noticed Orion staring and pointing at it.  “No fall.”

Chris blinked in amazement.  “Whoa!  You—did you fix that with your mind?”

Orion smiled proudly.  “Fixed!”

“Holy llama!”  He stared at Orion.  “You’ve got super powers.  I didn’t know you had super powers!  Patrick didn’t tell me you had super powers!”  Chris was giddy with excitement.  “How’d you do that?”

Orion stared at the table and moved his arm.  Another block moved, although not as fast or as precisely.  He tried to concentrate harder, but it seemed to become more difficult.  He stopped suddenly and sat down, shaking his head, frustrated.  He picked the block up with his fingers.  “Move hand.”

“Oh, you can’t do it all the time,” Chris realized.  “Like you’ve got a battery or only so much power.  Well, maybe it’s something you have to practice or train.  Like the mutants of Z-men learning their powers.”  He put the block where it was supposed to go and smiled at him.  “That’s okay.  It’s still really cool.  And maybe it’ll get easier as you grow up.”  Chris remembered what his parents told him about how important it was to keep it secret that Orion was an alien.  “That’s probably something you be careful doing, though.  Like when you go to school and stuff, don’t show other kids that.  Other than me and Patrick, I mean.  We already know, so… it’s okay to use your powers with us.  That’s cool.  As long as you don’t wedgie me, of course.”

Aside from playing with Orion at home, Chris had taken a real liking to scouting.  His troop took a fishing trip to Sunnyside Strand where he learned a lot about it.  He and his friend Tad Wolff, who he’d met in scouts and was the exact same age he was, each caught a few fish to show off to their parents at the end of the trip.

Neither Cycl0n3 nor Blair had any idea what to do with Chris’ catch of the day, as neither were skilled enough at cooking to do anything impressive with it.  Blair ended up calling “Aunt Emma” to ask for suggestions, and she came over and made a plate of fish and chips out of it.

“We’ve really missed your cooking,” Cycl0n3 told her.

“And you too, of course.”  Blair hoped she wouldn’t take Cycl0n3’s remark the wrong way.  “This is so good.  I love fish and chips.  Thanks so much for making it.”  She looked over at Chris.  “And I’m so proud of you, my little fisherman!”

Chris felt a bit of pride, but also embarrassed at his mother’s gushing.  “Mom!  I’m not little.”

“You know me.  I love showing off my ‘leet kitchen skillz,’” Emma said with a teasing look in Cycl0n3’s direction.  “And hey, your little brother even likes the kiddie version.”  She watched Orion chow down on some of it cut up in a bowl.  “How do you like having a temporary little brother, Chris?  Even though he’s your… uncle, right?”

“Yeah, my little uncle,” laughed Chris.  “That’s kind of weird, but he’s cool.”  He thought about Orion’s secret block-moving powers, but didn’t say anything.  “I like being the older one for once.  Usually that’s Patrick.”

Blair smiled at him.  “Well, maybe someday you’ll be a big brother.”

Emma raised an eyebrow.  “Oh?”

“Not in the immediate future, though,” Cycl0n3 clarified.

“We’re hoping to move somewhere a bit bigger before then.”

“Ah.  I understand.”  Emma paused, and then continued with a gleam in her eye.  “Though, between this room of us here, uh, Auntie Emma may be having one of her own soon.”

“What?”  Both Blair and Cycl0n3 were surprised.

“Jared and I are kind of serious and, well, you know, sometimes things happen.”

Cycl0n3 chortled.  “You got knocked up, didn’t you?”

“Cycl0n3!”  Blair shot him a sharp look, and hoped Chris did not ask for an explanation.

Emma took it in stride.  “It wasn’t planned, but it’s good.  We’ve been talking marriage anyway, and I want kids.  I’m moving in with him soon.  Connor lives with his ex who’s his friend now or whatever, so we’re fixing his old room up to be the baby’s.  You’re the first I don’t live with that I’ve told, but aside from them, Connor, and obviously, Jared, you’re the only ones who know.”

Blair had mixed feelings about Emma’s announcement.  She was happy in that she seemed excited, but on the other hand, she could not imagine her marrying someone like Jared Frio and having a child with him being anything but a mistake.  “Good luck.  You’ll be a great mom.”

“We’ll be sure and give your kid all the noisy toys,” Cycl0n3 teased.  “Hopefully he or she will be less of a handful than Tam.”

“The only roommate I’ve ever had to babysit is you,” Emma quipped back.  “At least until Blair moved in and took over that job.  I’m sure they’ll all be fine without me, though.  We all make a lot more money now than we did back in those days.  Parker gets lots of O.T. with the force, Stiles makes big bucks at his gigs, and Tam rakes it in pretty well working for Vita.  It helps being the mayor’s favorite when it comes for raise time over at city hall.”

“I bet.”  That reminded Cycl0n3.  He owed Nancy Landgraab a call back about that case against the mayor…

After Emma went home, Cycl0n3 returned that call.  He had not abandoned Nancy’s case after the beating he took at the Outstanding Citizens warehouse, although the thought had crossed his mind in the days afterward while his ribs healed.  Instead, he’d gone back to investigating what he could online, or anywhere thugs wouldn’t find him and beat the tar out of him again.

“Ah, Mr. Sw0rd.  Good to hear from you.  I was hoping you had some updates on my case.”

“I’ve got some information.  You’re definitely onto some funny business, especially when it comes to one of their local investments in the job program.  Outstanding Citizens Shipping.”

“Oh, that place.”  He could hear the disdain in her voice.  “From what I’ve heard, it’s all thugs and creeps working there.  They probably hire those ‘unhire-ables’ because they’re criminals, and the tax break is just a bonus.  I know I wouldn’t leave my car unlocked if I had to park within a block of it.”

“It’s pretty shady.  I can confirm that.  I did some on-site investigating and, well, an altercation with their security landed me in the ER.”

“Oh, dear!  Are you all right?”  She sounded concerned, but Cycl0n3 was not sure if it was for him, or for the integrity of the case.  Or if he’d ask her to pay his medical bills.  He’d considered that, but Blair had good insurance, and he planned to just pad a fee for his pain and suffering into his incidentals when the time came.

“I’m fine.  Thanks.  Luckily, my brains are hardier than their brawn.  I did have to lay low until the heat came off me as far as they go, but I can tell you this.  A bunch of the businesses benefitting from Mayor Alto’s tax breaks are owned, at least in part, by organizations that can be traced through a paper trail back to her husband.  Nothing illegal, but, well, probably not the best P.R. for the mayor if it got out.”

Cycl0n3 could almost hear Nancy’s smugness through the phone.  “Indeed.  Can you give me some of these names?”

“I’ve got it all in a file, but I’d like to follow up on a few more leads first.  You know, fact-check a couple of things and see if one or two other things I’m waiting to hear back on pan out.”

“All right.  Thank you for the update.  Do keep me in the loop.”

“No problem.”

Cycl0n3 was following up on some of those leads when he got a call from the Sunset Valley chess club.  For a long time, he’d written off the notion of competitive chess in a non-online environment as a hobby for pretentious intellectual snobs.  His mother-in-law’s success at it did not exactly change that image.  He liked and respected her, of course, but Susan Wainwright was exactly the kind of personality that he trolled mercilessly online.

However, Cycl0n3 had grown bored with MMO gaming after TarzWar’s heyday passed, and his guild friends all moved on to other things.  He kept in touch with those he’d been closest with, and still played console games with some of them, but it was a different sort of fun and not as much of a challenge.  That was an aspect of chess he truly enjoyed—strategic play and anticipating the moves of another player.  Chess was a classic game for that, and he was good at it.  His matches online had proven that.  He knew he could compete on the local circuit, so he wanted to give it a try, just for fun.

His first scheduled match was against Miraj Alvi, at the library.  Although it was early spring, it was cold that day, and there had been a dusting of snow overnight, so the match was held inside.  His opponent was a clean-cut, well-mannered guy, much younger than him.  While they chatted during the match, Cycl0n3 felt old as it struck him how much younger his “just out of high school” opponent really looked compared to him.  A part of him did not want to admit was the age he was, even though he was married with a house and family, a career, and all those other adult things that were typical of someone his age.  Besides, his life was on track, and he was pretty content.  He was okay with getting older, in truth.  It was just being “old” he had an issue with.

The match against Miraj was a challenge, and he kept him on his toes.  They went back and forth, thwarting each other, but the mood remained upbeat.  Miraj was a good sport.  While Cycl0n3 was used to playing games with individuals who talked smack or goofed around, he had more fun than he expected, even though none of those things happened in the chess match.  They shared lighthearted banter, and Miraj took him taking his queen in stride, even when it led to Cycl0n3 declaring checkmate a few moves later.

Miraj looked over the board.  “Are you sure I can’t…?  No, you’re right,” he conceded.  “You’ve got me cornered everywhere.  I’m defeated.  Good game.”  He extended his hand.

Cycl0n3 shook.  “Thanks.  It was fun.”

“It was.  I’m going to have to keep a few of those moves in mind.  Good luck on the circuit.”

“You too.”  Cycl0n3 put his jacket on.  “Maybe our armies will clash again sometime.”

“I look forward to it,” Miraj replied as they walked out.

After the match, Cycl0n3 shopped before heading home.  He picked up a gallon of milk from the grocery store, put it in the car, and walked down to the bookstore to see if they had anything interesting in.  Before he got there, he noticed familiar faces talking together in front of it: Parker Langerak and Nancy Landgraab.  Cycl0n3 was curious what Tamara’s roommate and sort-of boyfriend, and the wealthy business tycoon that hired him, had in common, or how they knew each other.  It was apparent from their body language that their conversation was not casual met-on-the-street acquaintance chatter.

Cycl0n3 slowed his pace, trying to remain subtle as he approached.  Parker, you aren’t seriously hitting on that old gold mine, are you?  Although Parker had a reputation for being a ladies’ man—before Tamara, he’d had a string of girlfriends, from what he’d heard from Blair, who worked with him on the force—he had trouble imagining he could seriously be attracted to Nancy Landgraab.  Not that Cycl0n3 thought she was ugly or anything, but she was old enough to be Parker’s mother, a first class snob, and from what he’d seen, happily married.  Parker had never struck him as a gold-digger or someone looking for a sugar mama.  Someone sleazy like Xander Clavell, sure, but not Parker.

The mystery deepened when Nancy handed Parker what looked like an envelope, and he quickly stuffed it into his pocket.  Cycl0n3 could hear a bit of their conversation as he got closer.

“… trust that’ll take care of it?” Nancy asked with a pointed look.

“Sure thing.”

“Good.  I’m glad to know I have friends I can count on in the SVPD.”

Cycl0n3’s eyes went wide.  That wasn’t… had he just heard Parker accepting a payoff or a bribe?  He took a couple of swift steps to the side of the building, before they spotted him, so he could listen inconspicuously and make sure.

“You’ve got nothing to worry about.  I’m on it.  By tonight it’ll be a done deal.”  Parker sounded confident and friendly, almost like he was talking to a friend about having their back covered.

Nancy was equally warm.  “It’s much appreciated.  Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

That was the end of their conversation, and Nancy Landgraab headed for her car while Parker pulled out his phone.  He sent a text, and then made a call.  “Yeah, I’m on my way in now.  Just going to grab a drink at the java hut and then I’ll be there.”  He paused.  “Oh, no problem, Hank.  I’m cool with the O.T. tonight.  There’s stuff I need to get done anyway.”  He listened a bit and then nodded.  “She told me she’s training him tomorrow.  I can give him a rundown.  Tell him to stop by my desk when he gets in.  I’ll show him. … Okay.  Bye.”  Parker hung up and hurried across the street.

Cycl0n3 was unsettled.  What he’d witnessed had been too vague to be proof that Nancy paid Parker to do some policing of some sort in her favor, but it sure sounded like it.  And she hired me to get dirt on Vita Alto paying off people in city hall?  Rich pot, meet rich freaking kettle, Cycl0n3 thought bitterly.  He hoped he was wrong.  Blair liked Parker, and she was honest to a fault.  If Parker was taking bribes, Blair would be devastated, and then she’d do whatever was in her power to put a stop to it and out all the guilty parties.  That was a given, and when it happened, it would be ugly.  Then there was Tamara, romantically involved with Parker, working for the woman that that Nancy was paying him, and possibly Parker, to undermine and get information on.  Cycl0n3 didn’t like any of it.

He leaned against the side of the building, and considered whether he should tell Blair now, or wait until he had more information.  After thinking on it, he decided on the latter.  At least working for Nancy Landgraab might make it easier to get information on her.  May the least messed up rich family win, I guess.  And my wife and Tam not lose in the process, Cycl0n3 thought as he returned to his car.

The next day, Cycl0n3 stayed home with Orion while Blair partnered up with a new recruit on the force.  Hank had been promoted to Vice Squad, and Justine had him training with one of the senior officers there.  The new recruit that Blair was working with was no stranger, though.  She had known Arlo Bunch for years.  It amazed her how time had flown that Arlo, who she remembered as one of the young kids on the block growing up, was now a young man on the police force with her.  It turned out the two of them even had similar career aspirations, the agent branch.

They were sent to question Agnes Crumplebottom in regards to a complaint made against her by Xander Clavell.  Arlo had never had the pleasure of making Xander’s acquaintance, but Blair was curious as to what they would discover.  Xander claimed that Agnes was stalking him.  “She’s following me around, lurking around my place, leaving messages… her name ought to be Agnes Creeple-bottom!  Just like her and her dead husband buried in her yard.  I told her I’d call the cops if she didn’t knock it off, and she didn’t.”

“Xander said that?”  Agnes was disgusted by the explanation after letting them inside.  “That man has been nothing but a headache.  I dated him—foolishly, I might add—and when I realized he was only interested in my money, I dumped him.  He’s bitter and making up stories to harass me, because I saw through him.”

“And the dead husband—?” asked Arlo.

Agnes’ frown deepened.  “My husband drowned in an accident on our honeymoon years ago.  Erik’s grave is in the yard.  Family tradition.  We’ve always kept our loved departed ones close.”

“Nobody is questioning or investigating your husband’s death, ma’am,” Blair reassured her.  “Officer Bunch, I checked into that before we came here.”

“Oh.  Sorry.”  Arlo gave her a sheepish look.  “So you haven’t been calling or following Mr. Clavell around, then?”

“I went to his place to drop off some things he left here.  I certainly didn’t want reminders of him around.  I suppose I should’ve just mailed them, but shipping is frightfully expensive, and gas was cheaper.”  She scoffed.  “But then he’d probably accuse me of sending him a bomb.  I don’t believe this.”

“Our records do show a number of phone calls from your number to his,” Blair pointed out.

Agnes folded her arms.  “I called him trying to find out when and where I should leave his things.  I called several times because he wasn’t returning my messages, and I just wanted to be done with him.”

“I see.”  Blair took some notes.

Arlo nodded with her.  “That all sounds reasonable, ma’am, but, since there’s been a complaint, we advise you to avoid contact with Mr. Clavell from here on out.  You’re not in any trouble, but if you don’t see or talk to him, he won’t have grounds to send us here to bother you again.”

“Avoid him?  Hah.  Gladly.  Advise him to do the same in regards to me, thank you very much.  Will that be all, officers?”

“I think so,” said Blair.  “Thank you for your time.”

Although her day training Arlo had gone well, Blair was glad to get home.  She looked forward to being able to relax with Cycl0n3, Chris, and Orion.  Her littlest brother was waiting at the door when she came in, and she picked him up and gave him a hug.  “I’m glad to see you, too, Chief Engineer!”  She took a few steps in to greet her husband and son, but stopped short when she saw the room had been rearranged… with an expensive looking TV as a centerpiece.

“Hey,” Cycl0n3 greeted her, while Chris called over cheerfully.

“Hi, Mom!  Look at all the cool stuff Dad got!  New TV, video games, stereo…”

Blair then noticed it was not just a television, but also a shiny new video game console, a small but not-cheap stereo, and, wait, was that a new laptop on the desk?  “So I see.”  She was not nearly as excited as Chris was.  Everything looked nice, but expensive, and she thought they were saving their money for a move.

She set Orion down.  “Chris, would you mind going to play with Orion in your room while I get my coat off?  I want to talk to your father for a minute.”

“Okay.  C’mon, Orion.  Let’s play with the blocks again.”  He took him by the hand and led him to the room.

Cycl0n3 caught the note in Blair’s voice.  Although the purchases had been an impulsive buy, he thought they were worthwhile.  He’d gone to the electronics store only planning to get a new stereo after their old one broke that morning.  Then the clerk showed him the deals on the TV, and how it was even better when bundled with the new gaming system, and there was also a deal on the laptop.  It had been a while since he treated himself.  Their house was pretty bare bones, and it was nice to have some upgrades.  “What’s wrong?  Don’t you like it?”

“Like it?  I didn’t know we were getting it.  How much did all this cost?  Did you just finish a big case or get a bonus or something?”

“No, but don’t worry.  I got some good deals, and it’s nothing we can’t afford.  We saved a few grand on the new car when we bought it, so I figured, we originally budgeted so much for that, and this was just a few hundred more.  We’ve got plenty more than that in savings.”

Blair frowned.  “You dipped into savings for this?  When we’re trying to buy a new house?”

“Just a couple hundred, like I said,” Cycl0n3 said defensively.

“A couple hundred past what we saved on the car, you said.  That was a few thousand.  That was supposed to put us closer to getting a house!”

“A penny saved is a penny earned, right?  So it was like getting all of this for a couple hundred on the old spreadsheet.  And our old TV sucked.  Come on.  That picture is beautiful.  It’s not like I went all out and got that monstrosity—that gorgeous monstrosity—your parents have in their living room, or anything.  The deals on this stuff were amazing.  And look, now we’ve got a better stereo, better games for me and Chris, the new laptop…”

“Speaking of which, a new laptop?  Really?”

“You know me and my undying love of computers.  Besides, now we’ve got my old one for Chris, or you, if you want me to clean it up and pass it on to you.  It’s got way better stats than that dinosaur you insist on keeping.”

“I don’t need a new computer, Cycl0n3.  But we do need a bigger house, especially if we want another baby.”  Blair’s voice wavered.  “I can’t believe you spent all that money without even talking to me about it.”

Cycl0n3 was taken aback by her reaction.  While he’d expected a little grousing, he had honestly thought she’d like the stuff he bought and think it was worth it, even if it wasn’t something she’d have gotten on her own.  “I thought it’d be nice having a TV that wasn’t from a thousand years ago, and the new stereo.  That’s what I went out for.  That junky old one finally gave up the ghost after my last duct tape and wire job ran its course.  Come on.  We’ve been living with bargain basement stuff forever.  This improves our quality of life.”

“Not the value of our house, though,” Blair pointed out.  “If you were going to spend on appliances, why not get a shower that has more than four cold needles or a stove that heats evenly, or maybe a fridge that doesn’t smell like your dirty socks?  This is all stuff we’ll take with us.  That other stuff would at least get us a better selling price.”

“Being able to keep what I buy is kind of the point,” Cycl0n3 retorted.  “Why spend on stuff we won’t even get to enjoy that long if we’re going to sell?”  He frowned.  “And my socks don’t smell like the fridge, thank you very much!”

“You still should’ve asked me before you bought it!  I’m not even saying I’d have said no, but—”

Cycl0n3 groaned.  “Yes, you would.  You’ve shot me down every time I’ve brought up getting a new TV in the last couple years.  And I’ve been upgrading my laptop piecemeal for ages, because I know how you’d react to the price tag of the one I really want.”

“So you’re saying you just bought it behind my back because you knew I’d say no?”

“Easier to ask for forgiveness than permission,” Cycl0n3 muttered.  “Not that I should need it for my own money.”

“For our own money,” Blair stressed.  “That’s what marriage is, Cycl0n3.  A partnership.  What’s mine is yours and yours is mine.  Ours.”  She sighed in aggravation.  “Why did you even need a new laptop, anyway?”

“Why don’t I?  How could I resist the lure of the sexy new model, especially when the old one is always performing erratically, crashing unpredictably, and giving me a lot of crap?”

Blair narrowed her eyes.  “That better not have been a crack at me.”

That made Cycl0n3 angry.  Although the retort that sprang to mind was “if the motherboard fits…” he managed to refrain from saying it, mostly because it hadn’t been what he meant until Blair erroneously drew that conclusion.  It hurt him that she thought he would.  While he’d never deny he shot off his mouth without thinking too often, he legitimately made an effort to not say things that he knew would hurt Blair.  “You think I’m that much of a llama’s south end?  Really?”

Blair stuttered, but Cyl0n3 kept going.  “If I’m that bad, why do you even want another kid with a selfish, inconsiderate, money-spending jerk like me, huh?”

“Cycl0n3, that’s not what I meant.”

“What did you mean, then?”

“I—I’m sorry,” Blair said through tear-filled eyes.  “I didn’t mean to hurt you.  I know you’re not mean to me on purpose.  I just… I just wish we could’ve talked about all this first.”  She sobbed.  “Not fight about it.  I don’t want to fight with you.”

“Well, I’m not having a great old time with it, either,” Cycl0n3 snapped back.  “You think this is fun for me?  News flash: it sucks.”

“Then let’s stop.”  Blair met his eyes.  “I’m sorry I assumed you were being hateful.”

Cycl0n3 drew a deep breath and calmed down.  “And I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about buying the stuff.  I didn’t think you’d mind once you saw it only set us back a little.  I didn’t know you’d changed the budget around.  Maybe next time, let me know that?  And I’ll run major purchases past you from here on out?”

“Yeah.  Okay.”  She drew him into a hug.  “I love you.”

“I love you, too.  So, how about we let the kids know it’s safe to come out of exile, and go try to enjoy the TV you didn’t really want but will hopefully come to love?”

Blair smiled despite herself.  “All right, but you’re making dinner.”

“Okay.  One pot of macaroni and cheese, coming up.”

After the argument that Cycl0n3 jokingly called “TVgate” was over, life returned to normal, or as normal as it ever got, in the Sw0rd household.  The day of Boyd, Susan, and Patrick’s return to Sunset Valley arrived, and they picked up Orion on their way back from the airport.

“I’m glad you all had a great vacation, and that you’re a champion now, Mom.  Welcome back.”  Blair handed Orion to her father.  “We’re going to miss you, Chief Engineer.  He was very good.  No trouble at all.”

Boyd smiled at Orion and bounced him.  “Good.  I’m glad you were on your best behavior for your big sister.”

“Of course, we didn’t expect anything less from him.”  Susan straightened Orion’s jacket.

“Those were some great pictures you shared from the trip,” Cycl0n3 said.  “Congrats again on the big win, Susan.  So humble Sunset Valley now boasts a chess champion.  Nice!  But be careful.  I’m a competitive gamer, and I just won my first match on the circuit here.  I may steal your title someday.”

“That’s chess Grand Master, and over my dead body.  You can try, though,” she said with a light laugh.

Cycl0n3 grinned.  “Eh, maybe I’ll just wait for you to kick off, then, and beat the rabble left.  I won’t have to wait forever.  You are way older than me, after all.  Wouldn’t want to start a family feud.”

Susan shot her son-in-law a withering look, while Boyd quipped, “Survey says: wrong answer.”

“So, were you able to get me a magic French gnome?”  Chris was hopeful.

Patrick shook his head.  “Nope.  They didn’t have any gnomes for sale there.  But we saw one in a museum and got pictures.”

Susan smiled at her grandson.  “We did bring back some things for all of you, though.”  She handed Chris a box.  “This one is for you.”

Excited, he opened it.  Inside was a beautiful amethyst carved in a sun cut pattern.  “Wow!  It’s pretty.”

“That’s an amethyst, of a type only found in France or space rocks,” Boyd told him.

“Thank you!  It’s cool.  I’m going to keep it on display!”

“This one is for you, Blair.”  Susan handed her daughter a larger box.  When she opened it, she saw a beautiful vase inside.  “An antique French vase.  Perfect for displaying all the flowers you want, whether you pick them yourself, or he gives them to you to get out of the doghouse.”

Blair giggled.  “Thanks.  It’s very nice.  I love it!”

“Last but not least.”  Susan handed Cycl0n3 a bottle of nectar.  “Perfect quality meloire grape.  Ancient vintage.  I recommend saving it for a special occasion.”

“Like maybe a new house?”  Blair gave her husband a knowing look.

“New house?”  Boyd and Susan gave their daughter and son-in-law a surprised look.

“We’ve been thinking about it,” Cycl0n3 told them.  “Nothing definite yet.  Thanks, though.  We’ll drink it on a suitably snooty occasion.”

Blair gave each of her parents a hug.  “Thanks again, and it’s good to have you back.  You too, Captain.”  Blair ruffled Patrick’s hair.

“Aw, c’mon, Blair.”  He smoothed it down.

“Thank you for taking such good care of Orion while we were away,” Susan told them.

Boyd shifted Orion in his arms.  “Speaking of which, he’s getting pretty tired, so we ought to get him home.  We’ll get together and catch up soon.  Take care.”

“Bye!”  They waved as they left, and as Blair watched them go, she found herself thinking once again how much things had changed, and of changes she’d like to see come.