She enjoyed their company and they must keep their comments to themselves when she was around, because she never said anything negative about them.
“Archer.” Maisey raised her eyes and stared scornfully at him.
“It’s lovely to see you, Maisey. How are you?” He smiled gleefully, knowing she would hate having to talk to him, but she was at Lydia’s house so would have to suck it up.
“I’m fine.”
“Me too. I had the best vacation, but I’m sure you heard all about it. Imagine my surprise when I returned home.”
“Sodomite.”
“I’m sorry, Maisey, you’ll have to speak louder. I didn’t catch what you said.”
“Maisey, don’t,” Annabeth whispered. “He isn’t worth it.”
“You’re right. I’m not worth it, because you can’t afford to lose my Mom, can you?” Archer walked away, seething inside, but he kept a smile fixed on his face. He stopped when he reached Starr, and she glanced over at the women then back to him. “Fucking bitches. Don’t know how Mom ignores the backstabbing with them.”
“I think she hopes one day to be able to convince them that I’m not a sinner, and compared to that dick at the church, they’re nothing.”
“That’s very forgiving of you. Me—” Starr pointed to herself “—I’d have stabbed them in the eye with my wand.”
“Pray to your god, Starr. Maybe he’ll send a bolt of lightning up their asses.”
Starr laughed. “Wrong god, but I wouldn’t mind a night with Thor or Captain America. Maybe both. I could be the meat in that sandwich.”
Archer grinned and raised his eyebrow. “We’ll share.”
“Oh, you. As if you would share if you got your hands on him.” She looked away, a small smile on her lips. “I like him. Cain. You have good taste.”
“What? Fucking my own brother?”
Starr tapped a long nail on her lip and gave him a withering look. “Please. You didn’t know, so drop that line around me.” Archer followed Starr’s gaze and found Cain. “You and him. I can see, Archer. Don’t be blind to the possibility of happiness, no matter how it comes to you.” She smirked at him. “And you both did come a lot.”
“Why is everyone so fixated on that? Don’t become another granddad.”
Snorting, Starr felt her crotch. “No dick, so I’m lucky there.” Tilting her head, she added, “Maybe not. Menstruation is a bitch. Thank god for the diva cup.”
“You are Walter 2.0. You and Knox.” Archer shook his head then grinned at Starr.
“Why does everyone get all funny over it? We all know it happens, but you mention the ‘m’ word and people freak out.”
“It’s just not something you talk about. It’s...icky.”
“Icky.” She gave him a level stare. “That’s not the word I would use when I want to stab Stefan’s eyes out. He only has to look at me some days, and I’m thinking of where I could hide his body.”
“Poor Stefan. Where are the kids?”
“Inside watching a movie.” Starr looked out over the garden. “He watches you. I like the way his eyes follow you.”
“Starr, nothing can happen.”
“Archer, anything can happen. Don’t let go of any chance at happiness.” She dropped her head, and Archer hugged her, kissing her head.
“I’m sorry.”
“It was his time to leave us.” She lifted her head, and Archer wiped her tears away. “Stefan made a lovely carving for Gregory. An angel on a branch to watch over him.”
“He is a keeper.”
“That he is. I still miss Gregory after all these years.”
Starr’s childhood sweetheart, Gregory, had died of cancer right after his eighteenth birthday. The death had devastated Starr. He was and still is, her first love, and she’d told the family she would never find another man. That was until Stefan walked into her life, and he helped her move on. He never stopped her talking about him or visiting his resting place. He’d bought a bench with Gregory’s name on it and now had carved the angel.
Yes, Stefan was a keeper.
“Talk to him away from here, Archer, and let him know how you feel. Don’t miss out on your chance. I’ll ask my goddess to help.”
“Starr, please don’t.”
“Archer...hello, Cain. It’s lovely to see to again.”
“Starr.” Cain briefly hugged Starr. “How are you doing?”
“We’re good, but this is number six so I’m an old pro at it.” She patted her flat belly. “I think August will have her boy before my little girl arrives.”
Cain glanced at Archer then back to Starr. “A boy? Isn’t it too soon to know?”
She patted his arm. “You’ll learn.” She waved at them both then walked over to Walter, drawing him away from a panicked looking River.
“What was that?”
“Starr has always been more in tune with her earthly side. A bit like August really. Funny how both of them are pagan. She just knows shit, and I’ve never heard her be wrong.”
“Huh.” Cain watched her for a few seconds then mumbled, “I keep repeating this, but we really do need to talk.”
Oh.
“We do?”
Cain saw the look on Archer’s face and reached out to touch him, but let his hand fall short. He took his cell out and said, “Numbers. Like we said earlier, so we can talk away from listening ears.”
“And nosy old ladies.” Archer grinned over at Maisey, who wasn’t even trying to hide the fact she was watching every move they made. She glared at him then stuck her nose in the air.
They quickly exchanged numbers, and Cain put his cell back in his pocket. “Yeah, the gargoyles are watching. I already know way more than I want to about those women.”
Archer burst out laughing, his hand on his chest, and he leaned back. “I fucking love that. Gargoyles.”
“Archer!”
“Sorry, Mom.” He winced at Cain, who had pursed his lips, trying not to laugh. “She always hears me swear. She has bat hearing or some shit.”
“I hear that’s what moms are like. We had Dad, and he said as long as he didn’t hear us, he wasn’t bothered. He had much bigger things to deal with like not poisoning us with whatever he tried to cook that night.” Cain smiled, lost in his memories.
It had been difficult when his mom had left, and Robert had struggled to adapt, but somehow, they’d all survived, some more scarred than others as Gareth could confirm.
“Why the sad smile?”
“One night, we decided to camp in the back yard, and Gareth wanted marshmallows, so he tried to make a camp fire, but he had it too close to the tent.”
“Oh, shit.” Archer shook his head. “Not good.”
“He was like six or seven. He gets the fire going, and we’re all having a good time, so we didn’t notice the rope holding the tent down was on fire, and the fire was moving along the rope to the tent. Lucy spotted it and screamed, so we all jumped up and screamed and pretty much ran around, freaking the fuck out. Gareth’s new teddy bear was inside, and he wasn’t letting that burn, so he dived into the burning tent to rescue it at the same time the rope snapped.”