THE ELIZABETH SERIES
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
PARENTS
By JoLayne
EnyaJo@aol.com
RATING: PG
CHARACTERS: M, Elizabeth, Claire, Dallas, Faye, Gladys, Martin,
Norma, horses
SUMMARY: Methos and Elizabeth settle into life in California
~~~~~
MONDAY APRIL 11, 2005
TABARD PINES AND CANTERBURY STABLES
After completing all the licensing and tax work required for the
Canterbury Stables along with all the paperwork involved to make
everything nice and legal buying the house, affectionately christened
Tabard Pines by Methos and Elizabeth; from the name of the inn in the
Canterbury Tales and the trees of the forest land that afforded them
privacy, Elizabeth walked Martin and Gladys Windsor out to their car with
the last of their suitcases.
"I hope you'll be happy here, Liz," Gladys said, with a bit of nostalgia and
a tear in her eye.
"This is a marvelous home and we'll take very good care of it."
"I raised my babies there."
Elizabeth knew how hard it was to say goodbye to a place where familial
and loving ties had been formed, since she had done it many times. She
told Gladys, "You're welcome to come and visit us anytime."
"That's kind of you, but this is your home now. I hope you have as many
happy years in it as we did."
"I'm sure we will," Elizabeth said, and then hugged the old woman. "Have
a nice drive and I hope you find health and happiness in Arizona."
Gladys gave Elizabeth a squeeze and called to Claire, who was lining up
her teddy bears inherited from Gladys' daughter who no longer wanted
them, on the front steps, "Hey you, little one. Come say goodbye."
Methos, Elizabeth and Claire had stayed in the house with the Windsors
for the last week. Martin had shown Methos everything about the stables
and introduced him to Dallas and the three owners who had their horses at
the stables, while Gladys and Elizabeth talked about the house, and packed
it up. Claire had begun to love Gladys, and had started calling her
'gramma'.
Claire stood up and said, "No go, gramma."
"I have to, precious. But you come visit me soon. Come here. My knees
are too bad to walk back to the house."
Claire ran to her and gave her a big hug and started to cry. "No leave."
Gladys pointed at Claire's heart and said, "I'm not leaving. I'm right there.
You have my address so you can draw me more pictures and send them to
me, and I'll send you some things. All right?"
Claire continued to cry and hug her, patting Gladys' back, which Gladys
lapped up with a laugh. "It's good to hold a little one again."
Elizabeth took Claire from Gladys, saying, "They have to go to their house
now, Claire. Say bye bye."
Claire half-heartedly waved to them as Gladys kissed her cheek and
squeezed Elizabeth's hand. Soon, Martin and Gladys were in the packed
down car, tooling down the drive, then disappeared behind the trees lining
the road. Elizabeth looked at Claire and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Should we write them a note and draw them a picture and they'll have it
by the time they get to Arizona?"
"Yeah," Claire weakly said, sniffing.
Elizabeth had been glad that Claire and Gladys got on so well, but it was
hard to see her daughter once again have to experience abandonment.
Elizabeth was determined, that it would not happen again, but it was a part
of growing up. "Let's go finish the dishes and then after we get that packet
together for Gladys we can mail it, and then... go shopping!"
"Toys!"
"Bedspread!"
"Toys!"
"Curtains!"
Claire giggled. "Toys!"
"And maybe some toys."
~~~~~
Dallas Wisko was a gravelly, no nonsense man, who's hair was dusted
with gray and who's back was still strong at fifty plus from having done
manual labor all his life. One thing he did love, and know like the back of
his hand, was horses. He had grown up in Montana as an actual cowboy.
When Methos and Elizabeth had gone back to Redding, they stayed in an
apartment in town, but spent most of their days meeting with banks and
bureaucrats to buy the house and business and met most of the people that
they'd do business with. Methos liked Dallas immediately. Methos liked
people he could read and who he knew wouldn't surprise him. He was also
well paid and worked almost from sun up to sun down. Dallas was in bed
by nine almost every night and up before the crack of dawn, a routine
ingrained from his youth spent working on the ranch. Dallas and his wife,
Faye, lived a mile down the road on the way to Redding.
Gladys had told Elizabeth that she shouldn't be surprised if Faye showed
up all the time. She was right. Faye came around every day. She was
currently on disability from throwing her back out while working at Chi-
Chi's, a Mexican restaurant, and needed something to do to occupy her
time. Crocheting and knitting was her main activity, as it was easy on her
back. Elizabeth was surprised that Faye was so open with the gory details
of her life. She also grew up in Montana and married Dallas just out of
high school, because she was pregnant; her parents about fainted because
he was eleven years older than her. They had eloped, and sadly, Faye lost
the baby, and worse yet, she couldn't have any more. She fell into despair
over it and started smoking pot, then switched to speed, then coke. It
almost ended their marriage, but Dallas got her into a rehab. Dallas had
always wanted kids, boys, but they couldn't adopt because of her drug
past, and now because of her back. Elizabeth thought of Sofia, who had
almost the same background.
One thing that Elizabeth found out that was a perk was that Faye loved,
absolutely loved, cleaning. Anything and everything, except vacuuming
and mopping, too hard on the back. Windows, painting, laundry, cooking,
cleaning up dishes, she loved it all. A clean house was a sign of a job well
done.
The first day that Elizabeth met Faye was when she returned to the house
with groceries for their supper and instead of seeing Gladys, who
Elizabeth was expecting in the kitchen, she met Faye. She was loading the
dishwasher and had baked a pound cake. When Gladys came out of her
sewing room, she hadn't even known that Faye was there.
Elizabeth had asked Gladys after Faye left if that was normal, and if she
and Methos would have to expect her popping in. That might make
Methos nervous, as well as herself. Gladys said, "No. I told her that we're
changing the locks when the house sale is finalized and it's up to you
whether she gets a key or not. I think of her as a daughter and we've been
neighbors for almost twenty years."
After Elizabeth explained the deal to Methos, he felt a little better. "Just
don't give her a key," he told her, making sure Elizabeth listened.
"Yes, massa. But she does do laundry, without even asking."
"She's not pawing through our things," he said, ending the conversation.
~~~~~
Elizabeth carried Claire out to the stables to tell Methos that they were
going into town to mail a package to Gladys and buy some things for
Claire's room. Claire became excited when she saw an orange cat run
under the stall walls. "Kitty!"
She struggled her way out of Elizabeth's arms and tried to run after it.
Methos grabbed her. "Not a kitty. That's a cat and you can't play with it."
"Why?"
"It's a horses' cat. He makes sure there aren't any rats."
"I want a kitty."
"You can't have everything." Methos instructed her so there would be no
arguments. "You do not play with that cat. He bites."
"Owies?"
"Yes. Big owies."
Claire ran screaming from the stables. Elizabeth laughed and shook her
head. "You didn't have to scare the hell out of her."
"She won't be playing with the cat, will she?"
"You need anything in town?" she asked both Methos and Dallas. Both
men shook their heads and went back toward the three stall garage that no
vehicles were ever parked in. The garage was full of wood working
equipment. Another plus for the place for Methos, it came with a table saw
and a bunch of other tools that he had excitedly rattled off to her one night
in bed at their apartment; Elizabeth fell asleep.
Elizabeth had gathered up Claire and her bag, and they were on their way
to the Saturn, when a pickup and horse trailer pulled in the driveway and
drove past her to the stables. "Who that?" Claire asked as she was being
buckled into the car seat.
"More horses!" Elizabeth happily said. There were three that were boarded
there, but when Martin put out the word that new owners were taking over
and the stables were in business, Methos and Elizabeth both assumed that
they'd get more. But Elizabeth didn't think it would be the first day that
they actually owned the place.
"Me see!"
"We can see them when we get back."
"No! See now! Horsies."
Elizabeth figured they weren't on a time table, so she unhooked Claire and
carried her back to the stables. By the time they got there, the driver of the
pickup had gotten out of the truck and tipped his hat to her. "Morning,
ma'am. I'm Curt Blockner. Two horses for Canterbury Stables."
Methos shot out of the garage and said, "I'm Daniel Gordon. You made
good time."
They shook hands and Methos looked at Elizabeth. "Weren't you going
into town?"
"Yes, but Claire wants to see the horses."
"She can see them later."
"Why?" Elizabeth asked, giggling.
"A lot of horses are going to be delivered here I assume. Go shopping."
"But it's the first delivery," Elizabeth argued. "Why can't we watch?"
"Fine," Methos grumbled. "Just don't let Claire free and keep back. Go
watch from the porch."
"We've been around horses before," she started, really interested in what
the problem was.
Methos stated clearly and slowly, "Would you do what I ask, just once?"
"Okay, okay." Elizabeth backed off as Curt opened the back door of the
trailer and slid out a ramp. She could see Dallas laughing as he opened the
stable doors.
Curt headed into the trailer and out came a large white stallion walking
backward down the ramp. Elizabeth whistled. "Whoa. He's a beauty."
Methos took hold of the horse's reins and led him into the stables while
Claire giggled with excitement at the tall horse prancing around her papa.
Curt went back into the trailer and a black horse walked backward down
the ramp. "Beautiful! She's a girl, Claire. I wonder where the owners are."
Dallas took the black horse by the reins and walked into the stables with
her. Curt shoved the ramp back into the trailer, shut the doors, and he
quickly drove off. "Go see," Claire said, kicking her legs.
Elizabeth walked into the stables to see Methos already brushing down the
white horse in the wash area, ready to clean him up from the long dusty
trip. The cat ran by their legs and Claire got a peek at it and started crying.
"Good job, Dan," Elizabeth said. "I hope she doesn't have nightmares
tonight. We're going into town now." She told Claire, "We can see the
horses later, all right?"
Claire nodded, glad to get away from the cat.
~~~~~
That evening, Elizabeth had finished putting up the curtains in Claire's
bedroom while she played with her blocks on her new bed, that had a new
comforter. Elizabeth felt an immortal buzz and waited for the door to open
and indicate that it was Methos. Only when that happened and she heard
Methos call out, "Where's my girls?" did Elizabeth relax. She should
know by now that they were the only immortals around there, but it never
hurt to be on guard.
Claire yelled out, "My room, papa!"
Methos appeared at the door and said, "Who's coming to see the horses
with me?"
"Me!" Claire clapped and jumped on the bed.
"Go ahead. I was just going to put away some of the clothes I bought
Claire."
"No," Methos said, grabbing Claire and taking Elizabeth's hand. "You're
both coming."
"Well, make up your mind. This morning you didn't want us around and
now when I don't really want to see them, you're making me?"
"Get used to it."
"I am." Elizabeth laughed as they walked out to the courtyard and
followed the stone path to the stables. Elizabeth looked for Dallas' green
pickup. "Did Dallas leave already?"
"Yep. It's just us."
"Just the way I like it," Elizabeth said, putting her arm around Methos'
waist.
Claire started crying. Methos asked her, "What's wrong?"
"Cat!"
"Claire, whenever I'm around, that cat will never hurt you, if you don't
touch it. Papa has powers to make cats behave."
"You have a power all right," Elizabeth said, groaning.
They walked into the stables and the lights were on. It felt more like a
vibrant place with five of the ten stalls filled. Saddles and reins were in
their places on the shelves that ran along one wall, the wash area was spic
and span, the stalls had fresh straw, the concrete floor had been freshly
washed down. Methos brought them to the two end stalls, by the door
leading to the corral. There were wooden name plates for the horses on
each of their stalls. Crescent had a white, half moon mark on her roan face;
Cosmo, another black horse; and a light brown colt named Nugget. She
saw that the newest two had name plates also. The white stallion's name
was Charlie and the black mare's plate indicated that her name was Callie.
"Who do they belong to? I'm surprised the owners didn't come with
them."
"They did." Methos smiled. "They're ours." He pointed at the black one
and said, "That's yours." He rubbed the white horse's nose since his head
was over the stall gate and said, "He's mine."
"They're ours?"
"Yes."
"Well, why didn't you tell me that before?"
"I like surprises. I didn't know he was coming so soon."
"Why do I get the black one? Because she's the girl?"
"Well..."
"What if I like this one?" Elizabeth petted the white one's head.
"Fine. They're both great horses."
"I can give him a better name than Black."
"He already has a name."
"Yes, I see that. Did you name them?"
"Yep."
She looked at the Callie and Charlie name plates while Methos took Claire
to show her the horse. She reluctantly held her hand out to Charlie and
when he batted his nose against it. She laughed.
Elizabeth said, "You named them. And they aren't Black and White?" She
laughed, but he didn't join in. "How did you decide on those names?"
"They're my parents' names. Calopia and Chosroes. I figured the names
should be modernized."
"You never told me of your parents. You said you didn't remember them."
"I don't. I have no idea what they looked like. What they sounded like...
but I remember their names. Who do you think I am? They were my
parents. Besides, there was a king named Chosroes, no relation. Two of
them, in fact. They were kings of Persia. The father was an art lover, good
man, I liked him. The son murdered him and was a war monger. I like to
think my adopted father was more like Chosroes the First."
Elizabeth smiled, "My father's name was Charles Hiccock. I didn't know
we had anything else in common."
"What was your mother's?"
"Sarah." Elizabeth smiled at the horses, and the name plates. "Hey, did
you make those name plates?"
"Yes," Methos proudly said. "I did." He held up his hands. "And I didn't
lose a thumb. How dare you disparage my carpentry skills. Let's go for a
ride. Grab a saddle. They're in their cubby holes over there."
He set Claire down and opened Charlie's stall gate. Elizabeth saw that
each horse did in fact have their own place on the wall for their tack and
saddles. In no time they were saddled up and Methos, holding Claire in
one arm, expertly mounted Charlie and waited while Elizabeth mounted
Callie. Instead of heading out to the corral, they took the fenced walkway
out to the trails in the trees. Methos rode at a gentle pace so Claire
wouldn't be alarmed. Methos asked her, "Do you remember being on a
horse before?" She shook her head, holding onto the horn of the saddle for
dear life, but giggling. "I used to ride with you when you were just a few
months old."
Pretty soon, they were atop one of the highest hills in the area and looked
down over the landscape. They could see Redding in the distance, Dallas
and Faye's house a little closer, and all the natural scenery at the edge of
the national forest. They dismounted and walked around the clearing.
Methos' tilted his head towards the sky. He took in a deep breath of fresh
mountain air. The late afternoon sun was still shining bright. He closed his
eyes and let the warmth kiss his skin. For some reason, he felt light today.
Happy. Dare he say it? Carefree. He didn't think he would ever feel that
way again, but there it was. He had done a lot of covert work taking care
of removing all traces of Adam Pierson, David Sommers, and Methos,
then getting back to Elizabeth and Claire, marrying her, finding a new
place to call home. It was all done. He let his shoulders relax for the first
time in as far back as he could remember.
Elizabeth had always wanted a white picket fence, and now she had it; a
really big one around the twenty acres that they now owned, along with
electrical fencing, corral fencing, and a large stone and iron gate they
could close at a moment's notice from both the house and the stables. This
was a good place for immortals to live without really being a part of the
game, but she knew that they had at lease one pair of eyes on them. Amy
hadn't told her much about this Guy Barstow, only that she had met him at
the Watcher Convention and that he seemed like a nice man. They
shouldn't have any worries. She hoped he was cut from the Brett Maxwell
cloth, and wasn't another Diane Wentworth. To know that she was being
watched by a man other than her husband gave her some pause, but in a
way she kind of liked it. She realized that when she was in town with
Claire, she would wear nice clothes, sway her hips a little more than she
usually did, always made sure she had makeup on and her hair was
combed. She didn't know why, Methos was all that Elizabeth would ever
want, but she wanted to make a good impression on the stranger. He was
writing her chronicle and scrutinizing everything that they did. Amy had
also told her that Guy Barstow was under the impression that Daniel
Gordon was a mortal, so their plan was working so far.
Methos wrapped his arm around Elizabeth and sighed. "What?" she asked.
"I think I'm going to buy a pickup."
"You? In a pickup? Actually bought, not rented?"
"I'm a whole new man. It's expected that Daniel Gordon purchased things.
Martin's pickup has seen better days. What color should I get?"
"Pink!" Claire said.
Methos laughed. "I don't sell Mary Kay."
"What do you know about Mary Kay cosmetics?" Elizabeth asked, again
surprised by her husband.
"I get around."
She laughed. "Ever since our trip from Vegas, I was thinking of doing
something I never thought I'd do either."
"What's that?"
"I have this urge to buy a minivan." She looked at Methos, cringing. He
laughed.
"Oh Gods, what have we turned into?"
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Methos' waist and held him. She
could feel her wedding and emerald rings on her finger and said, "Parents
and homeowners, Methos. Parents and homeowners."
They laughed as they kissed. Methos said, "We're settled. We're a family
and have a mortgage. I haven't had a mortgage for .... ever. I've never had
a mortgage. It feels odd. Odd, but good."
~~~~~
WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2005
Elizabeth left Claire playing in the courtyard and went out to the stables
after hearing a car on the pebbled driveway. A yellow Mercedes came to a
stop in the owners' lot next to the stables and Elizabeth figured that the car
belonged to Cosmos' owner who, Dallas said, came every Wednesday.
Crescent's owner was a bachelor lawyer who lived in Redding and came
out at least three times a week to ride her. Nugget's owner was Bonnie, the
ten year old daughter of a doctor. Having a horse named Cosmo intrigued
Elizabeth, and all Faye had said about her was that she was a 'fruitcake'.
"A rich fruitcake," Elizabeth muttered as she walked up to the car.
"Hello," Elizabeth said, holding out her hand in greeting. "I'm Liz."
"The new owner," the woman said, dressed in a caftan, a towel wrapped
around her head, as she got out of the car. "I heard a lot about you from
Lloyd McAllister."
"Crescent's owner. All good, I hope," Elizabeth said, chuckling.
The older woman with dark eyes took Elizabeth's hand for the shake, and
kept holding it. She started to frown. Elizabeth then realized that it wasn't
a towel wrapped around her head, it was a turban. A ruby stone was
pinned in the center.
"My Griffin. You've had a lot of pain in your life."
Elizabeth couldn't get her hand back. "Excuse me?"
"But, you've also had a lot of happiness, thank the stars."
Elizabeth lightly laughed, uncomfortable. "You gotta take the bad with the
good?"
The woman released her hand. "I'm sorry. It was just so powerful. I'm
Norma Woodstock, out for my weekly ride. I missed you and your
husband, Daniel, is it?, the last time I was out here. Gladys talked you up a
lot though. And I can read people. I know we'll get along. Cosmo is my
horse, isn't he lovely? Griffin is so proud of him." Norma tisked and
stared again at Elizabeth. "I just can't get over it."
"What?"
"There's so much emanating from you." Norma started slowly waving her
arms and closed her eyes, swooning. "I... I... have... so many pictures."
Elizabeth wondered if this woman could see her deepest secrets, and was
worried. Norma's eyes snapped open and she said, "I'm sorry. I get carried
away. My gift only comes to me at unexpected times and it kind of makes
me giddy."
"You're a psychic?"
"I'm a Channeler."
"A what?"
"I have a guru, Griffin, who is a 2000 year old spirit. He takes over my
body and speaks to people who need guidance."
"Oh. That's... that's great." Elizabeth's lips refused to pull into a friendly
smile, even though she tried to make one. She'd heard Northern California
was full of New Age 'lunatics', but thought it was a stereotype. Norma
Woodstock was the first one she'd come across.
"Would you like a session sometime? Free of charge, of course. But only
for the first time. I have a commune to run."
Suddenly, Elizabeth placed her. She had seen the commercials on TV
since arriving at Redding. Norma Woodstock ran the Healing Crystals
Wellness Community Center, which was just outside of Redding. For the
incredibly low price of $7,299.99 for two night's stay, you too can enjoy
the crystal clear waters of their natural spring, the meditation classes in the
botanical gardens, have your future read, receive guidance to show you the
way to a healthy pattern of living, have your body cleansed free from
poisons, and feast on organic delights in their elegant dining room.
Elizabeth smiled politely and said, "Oh, I'll think about it. Thanks." The
place looked wonderful from the ads, but she didn't need anyone picking
her brain, and it had the feel of a cult religion to it.
"I usually don't have pictures or feelings that flow so freely, but you're
making them come."
Hesitantly, Elizabeth asked, "What do you see?"
"Red. There is a tightness in my chest."
"Oh. Goodness." Elizabeth had no idea what that meant and didn't really
want to know nor give the woman anymore time to actually see something.
Norma floated her hands in the air again and asked quizzically, "Coal? I
see and smell lumps of coal."
That got Elizabeth's attention. She had been thinking about Cole Roberts
just that morning as she and Methos cleaned the crap out of the stalls.
Elizabeth nudged her toward the stables saying, "We have Cosmo all
washed and ready for your ride."
"Wonderful!" Norma said, rubbing her hands together in glee. There were
rings of all kinds on each finger, making Elizabeth wonder how she
managed to do anything. With that long caftan, Elizabeth wondered if she
was going to ride sidesaddle or what, but there hadn't been one in the
stables, and Dallas got Cosmo ready for her.
Before they reached the stables, Elizabeth felt an immortal buzz. Methos,
riding Charlie, rode by them at the fence of the corral. Norma's gasp was
almost a scream, and stared at him as he nodded to them from atop his
white steed. It was only at that moment that Elizabeth made the connection
between Methos and a white horse. Norma started to falter. Elizabeth
grabbed her arm. "Are you okay?"
Norma kept her stare on Methos and then her eyes drifted up in her head
and she fainted dead away, fell like a lump. Elizabeth bent over her,
waving her hand over Norma's face. Methos, a little uneasy, nudged
Charlie forward and rode off. When Norma did come to, Elizabeth helped
her to her feet.
"Wow!" was all Norma could say.
As Norma was sitting up, Elizabeth saw that Norma had pants on under
her caftan. The older woman shook off the haze and said, "That happens
when I get massive visions at once." She searched around. "Where's that
man?"
"Daniel is out exercising the horses."
"Hm. He's got a story to tell," Norma muttered as she walked to the
stables. Elizabeth watched Methos in the distance atop Charlie, who was
prancing nervously. She hadn't put it together before, and had never
believed in psychics or anything like that, but Norma must have seen
something.
~~~~~
After supper and getting Claire to bed for the night, Elizabeth turned off
the lights of the house; she was still in awe of the place and that it was
actually theirs. They still had some redecorating to do to make it really
their own, but in time, it would be perfect. She entered the bedroom to see
Methos laying on top of the covers on his stomach still wearing his dirty
clothes. Elizabeth leaned over him and whispered, "Tired?"
"Long day," he croaked. When Elizabeth straddled his butt, he said, "I
can't."
She pulled his shirt up and slathered her hands with moisturizer. When her
cool hands made contact with his shoulders, he cringed. As she massaged
the kinks out, Methos said, "Even though I'll be as good as new in the
morning, don't stop."
"I wasn't planning on it. And I'm next."
He smiled. "What was that today with that woman?"
"Oh, you mean the Channeler, Norma Woodstock?"
"What's a Channeler?" Then he groaned. "Oh, she's not one of those, is
she?"
"I don't know about the channeling part, but she does have some psychic
ability."
"What happened to her? She fainted?"
"You were too much for her."
"I usually am, but I don't cause people to faint." Methos grunted as she
worked on a muscle, "Oh! Right there." He buried his head in the pillow,
groaning with pleasure.
Elizabeth giggled and said, "She saw something in me and when you
came... I wonder what she saw."
"What do you mean? What did she say? She doesn't know about us, does
she?"
"I'm not sure. With me, it was nondescript stuff." There was no way she
was going to mention the Cole Roberts incident. Also, she didn't know
how to broach what Elizabeth assumed Norma may have seen in Methos.
"Are we in trouble? Do you think we have to pack up and leave? God, I
hope not."
Methos became alert and turned over. "I don't know. Why?"
"She only comes once a week; if she can see things, can you avoid her?"
Methos was silent. That didn't make Elizabeth feel good, she liked this
area, the house, the business, the people. "Talk to me."
"I'm thinking."
"Do you believe in psychic ability?"
"Only if it affects me. Wild accusations that can make life difficult."
"Well, when she came to, she didn't seem too affected by fainting. She
said she does it all the time."
"It could be a problem."
"Only if we give into it. Just, stay away from her."
"Jealous?"
"If you're interested in a old psychic, I tell you, God speed, Methos,"
Elizabeth said.
Methos rolled them over so he was on top and kissed her. He could see the
hesitation in her eyes and asked, "What? I'm not sure she's anything to
worry about." Elizabeth nodded, but didn't lighten her mood. "Come on,
what? Okay, it's your turn."
"Why did you buy a white horse?"
"What?"
"Norma saw you sitting on a white horse. Did you buy a white horse on
purpose?"
"The horse is white, what difference does it make? I bought it because it
has a good blood line."
Then he got mad and got off the bed. "Death! We're back to that again? I
pretty much expect that from Mac, but not you!'
"Don't do that, don't get upset."
"Too late!" Methos pulled off his shirt without unbuttoning it and threw it
on the ground. "I'll tell you something, that's only in the bible. I was a
horseman for centuries, Liz, and I rode a lot
of horses of all colors!" He leaned in toward her and sneered. "The color
of my horse did not determine who I was and what I did."
"Don't get mad, I didn't want you to get mad," she softly said. "I was just
asking a question."
"A question which belies the fact that you are still hung up on it. Boy,
have you been a great actress!"
"Stop it! I only made the connection when I saw you after she fainted. I
didn't think about it before."
"Sure," he said, going into the bathroom and shutting the door.
She heard the shower go on and wondered if going in there would be a
good idea or not. They hadn't talked about his past as a horseman for a
long time, and she was sure that the topic had come as a surprise to him.
He could usually prepare himself for certain events, such as running into
Cassandra on a New York street, or having Ludmilla after him. He never
had told her how that all ended up, and she had never asked anyone.
Elizabeth changed into her hockey jersey and turned on the TV, but then
Methos could still be in a bad mood when his shower was over. She
smiled. There was only one way to prove that she no longer had qualms
about what he did 2500-3500 years ago.
~~~~~
Methos vigorously rubbed the shampoo in his hair and wished he could get
it all cut off. It was hot during the daytime, but cutting it could signal to
the ever present watcher that he resembled 'Methos' too much. How long
will they have to live their lives in accordance with everyone else. A
private island, with no means of entrance for outsiders, would probably be
the only way he could be at peace. He had hoped that moving here, doing
work that he was actually enjoying, and being with his family, would be a
good thing. But something always came up. Something always intruded.
He leaned his hands against the tile under the shower head as he let the hot
water spray on and slide down his back. As he leaned his head down, he
could see his bangs and decided that at least a trim was in order.
Then he felt a rush of cool air and turned. Elizabeth had opened the door
and was standing there wearing that pink teddy of hers. He looked into her
eyes, the inviting eyes of a loving wife, not the accusing wife of a victim.
She said, "It's kind of lonely out here."
Methos smiled and stood back. "Come inside."
"I don't want my outfit to get wet."
"Then take it off."
One of her hands slipped under a strap as her other hand fingered the
thong. "Don't you want to?"
"Yes," he said, stepping out of the shower and lifting her up in his arms.
~~~~~
FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2005
Elizabeth had invited Dallas and Faye to join them for steaks and roasted
mushroom and asparagus au gratin, a dish that she had gotten that
afternoon from Food Network. The 13" TV that was set into the cabinets
was permanently programmed to that channel. She loved her kitchen and
was collecting all the utensils and special pots and pans that the chefs
mentioned on TV or that she had read about in cookbooks. There was a tap
on the kitchen window as Faye walked by it and then she stuck her head in
the front door. "Hello, hello?"
"Come on in, Faye," Elizabeth said, laying the raw steaks on a platter.
"Where's the little one?"
"With Daniel outside. I hope he lit the grill. I've got everything timed out
perfectly. There was another horse delivered today."
"Amadeus?"
"Yeah, did Dallas tell you?"
Faye sat down on a stool at the counter and grabbed an apple from a mesh
bowl. "No, I was expecting him to come back. I think all the horse owners
may eventually bring their horses back here. You and Daniel are collecting
a nice reputation for yourself."
"That's great to hear."
"What smells so good?"
Elizabeth laughed. "Thank you. That's not something I hear very often.
Roasted Mushroom and Asparagus Au Gratin. It's about half done," she
said as he flipped on the oven light to check it.
"Grab yourself a beer and we'll go outside." Elizabeth took her whiskey
coke and the platter of steaks and lead Faye out to the courtyard where
Methos and Dallas were sitting back drinking beer already.
Dallas had his head back as he laughed. "She's a nut, Dan, don't worry
about her."
Faye sat down beside Dallas, putting her hand on his leg. "Norma? Or are
there other nuts around here?"
Methos said, "Yeah, Norma."
Methos had been steering clear of her every Wednesday when she came
for her weekly ride. At least she kept a very tight schedule, so Methos
knew when she was coming and at what time she would be leaving. "Just
don't get her mad," Dallas said. He whistled. "She can be a bearcat when
she's riled, and she sics just about every lawyer in the state after you."
Methos and Elizabeth stared at each other, nervous. Dallas said, "She pays
her bills on time and leaves Cosmos' care to us, what's the problem?"
Methos said, "She's just... hard to take," hoping to get some information
about her from them.
Faye chuckled. "She's a fruitcake. I don't know why anyone takes her
seriously. Has she had visions for you yet? She told me that I would one
day have a lot of babies around me. Yeah, right." She took a sip of beer
and then a bite of her apple.
Dallas took her hand and squeezed it. The moment that passed between
them was as emotional as Methos and Elizabeth had ever seen them. But,
in a second it was gone. Faye said, "Put the steaks on Dan, Liz is on a
schedule."
~~~~~
MAY 21, 2005
SACRAMENTO
Methos and Elizabeth decided to leave the ranch to Dallas over night and
spend two days in Sacramento, for Claire's birthday, and also to take a
vacation. The work on the ranch hadn't been too hard, but it was hard
enough to let you know that you had been working. They had gone to the
zoo that morning, then went to Fairy Tale Town in the afternoon, where
Methos was thoroughly bored. He whispered to Elizabeth that if he had to
look at one more plastic pumpkin coach, he was going to kick something.
"Lighten up. They didn't make the park for you," she said, giggling.
"Come on, let's go eat at the Dish and Spoon Caf‚."
Methos grumbled. "I want to run away."
The only thing that Methos even half way enjoyed was the grassy area by
Fairytale Town's river. It was private, not too many kids were there.
Elizabeth laughed when he said that. "This is Fairy Tale Town, Daniel!
What did you expect? Senior citizens?"
"It's been over 5000 years since I was three, and I'm sure that when I was
three, none of that commercialism would have made me happy."
"Oh, you would have lapped it up." She kissed him on the cheek and said,
"I'll bet you were an adorable child."
"It's too late to butter me up, get away from me." He nudged her away and
looked up at the clear sky. He only had to get through that evening at
Sesame Street Live, and get Claire to bed before his fun could begin. He
certainly didn't want to be in a kids' park, surrounded by kids, with
Elizabeth wearing a spaghetti strapped top and shorts on that hot
afternoon. The next day would be his. They would go to the Crocker Art
Museum, the McClellan Aviation Museum, check out a record store that
still sells LPs, and have dinner at Christophe's, one of the best French
restaurants this side of Paris.
Elizabeth kept a firm hand on Claire, who led them down to a small pond
she wanted to explore. When they reach it, Claire clapped happily at all the
ducks swimming in the water. Suddenly, Methos pulled her back. "Those
beasts can be vicious."
"How bad can they be?" Elizabeth wondered aloud. "Look how cute. Oh!
Look! Babies." Four ducklings waddled up the bank following their
mother.
"Oh, Gods. That's even worse," Methos wrapped his arm around his
daughter's middle and lifted her up. She kicked and cried as he walked
back to the minivan. "Mothers can be terribly overprotective."
Elizabeth smiled, "Only mothers?" Methos did a fine job of that himself.
She took some crackers from her pocket that she kept in case Claire got
hungry and tossed them to the ducks. They came closer to them.
Methos, noticing, said, "Are you a glutton for punishment?"
He grabbed Elizabeth's hand and walked them both to the van. Only when
they were far away from there did Methos put Claire down. She
immediately kicked his leg. That little girl could indeed carry a grudge. He
pointed down at her, "Hey, I put food in your mouth. Clothes on your
back. A toy or two." He lifted the bag from the back of the van with her
goodies in it to prove his point.
Claire looked back at him, with her perfected pout and stood by her
mother, wrapping her arms around Elizabeth's leg. "I'm the other option, I
guess," Elizabeth laughed. "When you're playing big, bad papa."
"Who's playing?" Methos said, "I was once attacked by a duck." She
laughed. "I'm serious! Those suckers clamp on and it takes the will of the
gods to free yourself."
"I hate to ask but," Elizabeth tried to stifle the laugh. "What part did the
duck have exactly? And why did you give it to him?" Claire looked up at
Elizabeth wanting to join in the laughter, but didn't know what was so
funny.
Methos smugly said, "Who said it was a him?" He started laughing. "I told
you I've been many things." She stopped laughing just when Methos
started. Claire joined along.
"Well," Elizabeth said, clearing her throat. "I'm not going to dignify that."
"It was a joke."
"Maybe that's where the phrase 'lucky duck' came from," Elizabeth said.
He muttered with arms raised to the sky, "Why did I open my mouth?"
Then he explained, "I was pushed off a bridge in Bonn, 1670. When I
came out of the river, I had a run in with a duck. I thought they were
'passive'." He grimaced to her. "Cute." He looked at his left hand.
"Almost bit my pinky off."
Elizabeth asked, "Fell off a bridge huh? Too much beer in the belly?"
"I said I was pushed off of a bridge."
After sensing an immortal buzz, Methos glared at Elizabeth as she
searched for the source. There was a very solemn looking man standing on
the sidewalk, at the edge of the grassy bank, staring very intently at them.
He didn't have a sword drawn, he was just staring. Methos, after following
her gaze and seeing the immortal, said, "Time to go," but realized that
Elizabeth had already lifted Claire and was running to the van.
Methos jumped into the driver's seat and drove them off. She kept looking
back, even though he was certain the immortal was far, far behind them.
"Who was that guy?"
Elizabeth paused to calm her breath, shrugged, "I thought I recognized
him. It may not be him."
"Who?"
"Marvin Delancy," she said, trying to sound casual and turned on the
radio.
Methos shut it off and asked, "Okay, I'll bite. Who's Marvin Delancy?"
"He's an idiot," Elizabeth calmly said. "He's just an immortal who
married a socialite for her money. He's nothing."
"Then why did you take off so fast?"
"Years of watching you?"
Methos said, "Liz..."
"He might... challenge." She saw his glare again. She shrugged. "Yeah.
He's a little ticked... I'd imagine."
"At you?"
"Most certainly."
"What did you do?"
"I might have shot off my mouth. During a party, at James'..." She stopped
to gauge Methos reaction, his teeth were clenched at the mere mention of
the man. "I happened into the study. Marvin was breaking into James'
safe."
"James should have installed a numbering system for crowd control."
She laughed at his joke, but he didn't. "I just... asked who he was. He
actually introduced himself to me. I asked what he was doing and told him
I wanted a cut of what he got out of the safe. He agreed, but never paid up.
I hate when that happens."
"Happened," he corrected her.
"Yeah," Elizabeth nodded. Her life as a thief was far behind her, much like
his past. "I even stalled James' goon, Louis, in the hallway from his
rounds so the imbecile wouldn't get caught."
"So why would that tick him off?"
"A couple of months after that... I ran into him again at a hotel. He came to
the wrong room. He wanted his mistress'. Nancy something... another
immortal. Imagine his surprise to see me. I think he actually pissed his
pants when I opened the door." Elizabeth laughed at the memory, but
Methos quickly made a turn, not at all amused.
She stopped talking and reached into her bag for a book since he didn't
care for her story. He prodded her to go on. After getting a look of
assurance from Methos that he'd take it easy, she said, "I asked where my
cut was, and he made something up. I knew he wasn't going to pay. And I
knew he was married. He was stupid enough to tell me the room number
he was actually looking for, the floor above mine. So I waited a little while
and moseyed on up. You could hear them in the hallway."
"So, I was going to tell James that he broke into his safe, but he would
have been taken. No question about that. But, I didn't think Marvin
deserved death. When's he ever going to pay up if he's dead?"
Methos looked back at Claire, was she listening? Have a clue as to what
they were saying? She was playing with a Slinky and looking out the
window. Elizabeth continued, "But he did deserve something, so, the next
day I invited his wife to lunch, under the guise of a charity function James
was putting together... and... I might have let it slip that her husband was at
the hotel with a gorgeous blond the night before. I later heard that she filed
for divorce and took all her money with her. So, I hope he pocketed
whatever he got. That's all he had to live on."
"An immortal with no money?" Methos found that hard to believe. There
were a lot of years, a lot of ways to accumulate wealth, legal ways. "How
old was he?"
"James told me that he was turned in 1930. I didn't tell him about the
business with the safe, was just asking him about the men at the party.
James didn't accuse me of taking of it, so what did I care? James told me
that Marvin came from a rich family, then lost the whole kit and caboodle
in the stock market crash of '29." She looked back at Claire and whispered
so she couldn't hear, "Marvin shot himself in the head. What another
kick." She laughed. "He revived and still had no money."
Excusing the fact that she was cushy with her kidnaper, Methos asked,
"Why did you have to tell his wife?"
"He screwed me over. Also, sleeping around isn't what you should be
doing when you're married. Agreed? He could have given me the cut of
the take and his wife would have been none the wiser. Or, he would have
screwed up some other time."
They drove in silence through the streets of San Francisco. Finally,
Elizabeth realized that they were going around in circles, Methos was
caught on a load of one way streets. "Where is that blasted Arco Arena?"
"It's on the intersection of 5 and 80."
"Can I just drop you two off?" Methos said, "I think I've been a good sport
today, and maybe the record store is still open and we won't have to do
that tomorrow."
He looked over to see Elizabeth stare at him. He shrugged. She asked,
"You're going to make me go to Sesame Street Live alone? It was your
idea that Claire went."
"The idea of it sounded great," Methos said. "Two months ago. Claire will
love it. You will, too... just being with Claire."
"You don't like being with me and Claire?"
"Yes, I do. Very much. But not in a dark room with kids screaming and
people on stage wearing colorful felt."
"If you went, you'd see a relative there, I'm sure."
Methos chuckled, then surprised, he said, "So I don't have to go."
"I'm not dragging you anywhere." Elizabeth said, reading her book.
"Great. I knew there was a reason I loved you."
"Just don't expect me to be so loving this evening."
Methos groaned. "You are bad. You'll cave. I have ways of making you
cave."
"Bastard," Elizabeth muttered under her breath. She knew he did.
Continued...
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