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Henry woke up in bed next to Tima. He’d slipped out after the rest of the house had gone to sleep and had returned in the wee hours of the morning once his mission was done. He hadn’t had time to accomplish this last objective to help his mom during naptime. He didn’t think the girls would ever go to bed. Tima had stayed up reading late into the night.
He went back to the National Library in Stockholm. He wasn’t sure how or when anyone might find the box they’d left behind, but he knew it was important for everyone to know what his momma had done. The world didn’t need to know everything, but he wanted them to know she’d found the pages. She’d figure out a way to explain how they had made it here. She was clever like that.
As he tucked the card into the rosewood box, he decided his mother might be able to assume he left her business card, but he was fairly sure he wouldn’t be in too much trouble for it. Well, maybe just a little.
Still in his pajamas, Henry hurried back to Aunt Tima’s and stood by her bed watching her sleep. She yawned and rolled over, her eyes opening as she matched his gaze. She lifted the covers drawing them back enough he could slip in underneath them.
The bad dreams that had plagued him for the past week were gone. He yawned dreamily as he rolled over and snuggled up next to his auntie. She sighed and put an arm around him as he nestled his head in her silvery hair. His mother often slept with her hair down, making a pillow for his head from it. It always made the little boy feel safe and loved. Tima’s hair smelled of the spices and exotic oils she rubbed in the long silver-streaked tresses, different than his mother’s but no less comforting. Content he drifted back into dreamless slumber.
* * *
Shemi had the television on when Henry wandered into the living room later. He climbed up onto the sofa beside her. Ahmose and John Carter were playing on the floor.
“Mumma!” Shemi said, picking up the remote, turning up the volume as the news came on. “Mumma! Come quick!”
Tima came in. Henry exchanged a cautionary glare with his little brother. “Officials at the National Library at Stockholm announced this morning, that a number of pages missing from an ancient tome known as the Devil’s Codex were discovered outside the vault where the book is secured. Tucked into the box of precious relics was the business card of none other than famed television show personality Dr. Lauren Grayson, former host of the Exploration Channel’s The Veritas Codex series.” Henry pinched his lips at John Carter who looked startled to hear his mother’s name on the news.
“She did it ...” Tima gasped. Her hand went to her mouth. “Oh boys! Your momma did it! She found the missing pages.”
The report continued. “Dr. Grayson has been credited with the discovery of a number of relics, most notably a new Calendar of the Ancient Maya and a fortune in gold and treasures. A request was made to the Exploration Channel in the US, who indicated Dr. Grayson was on sabbatical in the Middle East and was unavailable for comment.”
Cheers erupted from the girls and a broad grin spread over Henry’s face. John Carter followed his brother’s lead, and stood up on the sofa, jumping on the cushions in elation. “Does this mean Momma’s coming home?”
“I’m sure she’ll be here as soon as she can,” Tima hugged him. “We should have a party.”
“Will there be cake?” John Carter asked. “I yike cake!”
“You bet there will be cake!” Ahmose picked him up and bounced him on her hip. “It’ll be the best cake you ever tasted!”
“Will it have frosting?” Henry asked. “I like frosting better than fondant. But I like the figs in the middle.”
“We can do figs and frosting, whatever you think your momma would like best.” Tima beamed, her bracelets rattling as they all celebrated the news.
“Momma yikes waspbewies,” John Carter said. “I yike waspbewies too.”
“Raspberries?” Henry scowled at him. “Since when have you had raspberries?”
John Carter shrugged. “I dunno. I yike waspbewies.”
“We can make two cakes then,” Tima said. “Maybe by the time your momma gets home, your dad will be home too.”
“Maybe.” John Carter shrugged.
* * *
Lauren woke to sunshine in her face, and the stale sting of antiseptic in her nose. She blinked and shut her eyes against the blinding light as she stretched lazily, finding no aches or pains, just the comforting heaviness of the tiny babe who stretched under her hand as it came to rest on the swell of her belly.
“Dr. Pierce?” A familiar voice found her. She opened her eyes. Tomáš’ sister stood at her bedside, with a chart in her hand.
“Dr. Kovač?” Lauren pushed herself up onto her elbows. “Where am I?”
She turned as Tomáš came in carrying a bouquet of flowers. He glanced over his sister’s shoulder and leaned over her and kissed her cheek, then leaned down and kissed Lauren’s forehead. “Feeling better?”
Lauren’s brow knitted over the bridge of her nose, as she looked around. “What happened? Where am I?”
“You don’t remember?” he asked, his eyes shifting towards his sister nervously. “You solved the mystery, found the pages and returned them to their rightful owner. The story has been all over the news for the last few days.”
“Days?”
“Dr. Pierce, this is the second time I have had to treat you for exhaustion. I don’t think I need to tell you that this is just not good for you or your baby. You need to focus on your health from here on out. Do I make myself clear?”
Lauren lay back. “Perfectly.”
Katia turned to the computer, her attention on Lauren’s chart and the readings from the fetal heart monitor attached to her belly. “The baby is healthy. I took the liberty of running a second sonogram while you slept.” She reached into her pocket and handed Lauren a sealed envelope.
“What’s this?”
“If you and your husband decide you want to know the sex of your baby before it arrives ...” Katia offered with a shrug. Lauren looked at the envelope as if it were the greatest gift anyone could have given her.
“Thank you.” Her voice trembled, and she sniffed back a tear.
“How are you feeling?” Tomáš asked.
“I’m fine ...” She pushed the tears off her face. “But what about you?” Lauren reached for Tomáš’ face and he leaned in to let her touch. “No marks?”
“Just a flesh wound,” he said softly. “The cut healed as soon as you touched me.”
Dr. Kovač turned to her brother. “Tomáš, I’ll call you tomorrow. Will you be home?”
“Yes,” he said. “At some point. Will Dr. Pierce be able to go home soon?”
His sister looked at Lauren for a moment. “If she’ll go home and go to bed, I’ll consider it tomorrow afternoon. That’s if she’s doing better. She’s awake now. That’s a start.”
“I’ll make sure of it,” Tomáš said. “If I have to take her home myself.”
“I’m a big girl,” Lauren said. “I can take myself home.”
“Mm-hmm,” they chorused, doubtfully, both crossing their arms as they gazed back at her.
Lauren blanched, feeling appropriately admonished. She deserved that.
“Talk to you tomorrow, bratr,” Katia added, before returning to her rounds.
When they were alone, he turned, and looked down his long straight nose at her. His blue eyes cut into her a moment.
“How did I get here?” she asked.
“Does it matter?” he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. “You defeated that monster, Enlil. You saved the world.”
Lauren scowled a moment, drinking it all in as the memories flooded back. “Yeah, well ... the Devil had it coming.”
“He certainly did,” Tomáš beamed.