“Two hours and ten minutes later, we’re striping out of our Tyvek suits and are ready to head back to the lab,” Tia crowed as she peeled the sterile booties, suit, hood, and gloves off. She had already removed the mask, safety glasses, and first set of gloves.
Her companions looked relieved, and tired. Which she understood.
“I’m surprised it didn’t take longer.” Maria wearily slumped on the bench and stared at her feet.
“Let’s go find a late lunch and then we’ll discuss the rest of our day,” Tia offered, placing a commiserating hand on Maria’s shoulder.
Anson hovered solicitously near her. Yes, he definitely had a crush on Maria. Not that it surprised her. Maria was all sinew and femininity, and hot looks, whether she wanted to be or not. Most men responded to such a woman whether he liked it or not. Anson was French so his response might be programmed in his DNA.
“I’m not sure if I want to eat after all that.” Helena wrinkled her nose. Tia noticed the gesture didn’t detract from her stunning looks. Some women had all the luck.
“You do,” Tia said. “It’ll make us all feel better. Even more than the showers.”
“If you say so,” Jorge remarked and stretched. The girls followed suit and Tia heard joints creak and bones pop. They’d endured, and now they could relax.
She led the way out of the cellar and they separated to remove their borrowed scrubs and take quick showers in the hospital. When they all reconvened the four of them made for the lab. “We can dump our equipment, pop by Aleksi’s office, and then grab lunch.”
The others trailed after her, with the exception of Anson, who still had some things he wanted to finish up. They had invited him along, but he declined. Tia suspected he wanted to admire his nice clean floor a little longer.
With a smothered grin, she looked both ways before crossing the street. For some reason, she didn’t want to be run over by a truck, and now that Aleksi had witnessed firsthand that it was a possibility, she strove to be more alert to her surroundings. So she wasn’t grace personified, and she could concentrate like nobody’s business. To the point where she could block everything else out, including big trucks driving along a street.
Aleksi would have to keep a close watch on her. A little thrill zipped through her, and Tia wanted to wrap her arms around herself and hold the feeling tight. Instead she headed toward the lab, where they set their equipment on the bench just inside the door. Her companions didn’t dawdle. In moments they all headed down the hall.
The woman who manned the desk in front of Aleksi’s office looked them up and down. “You survived,” she said cheerfully.
“Of course. I told them,” Tia said knowingly, and couldn’t resist rubbing it in a little.
Her companions groaned, but good-naturedly.
“I think there’s someone here to see you, Tia.” Mrs. Goodhew ushered them into Aleksi’s office.
“To see me?” she echoed, stunned when she walked into the room and noticed a familiar man. She rushed into his arms with a squeal and wasn’t surprised when he crushed her against him, gave her a loud kiss, and messed up her hair.
When she finally extracted herself from his arms, she punched him before turning to her companions. “Meet Nick, my oldest brother. Nick, this is Jorge, Maria, and Helena,” she said in the way of introductions. “I assume you’ve already met Aleksi.”
Both he and Aleksi nodded. She wanted to kick everyone out of his office and kiss Aleksi senseless. Now where had that come from? Hoping her feelings didn’t show on her face, because ole Nick would pick up on it immediately and embarrass her, Tia tried to smooth her face into impassive lines.
Like she had any idea how to do that.
“You have a brother?” Helena exclaimed in mock disbelief.
Tia rolled her eyes. She turned to Nick. “You didn’t bring Bryan or Josh, right?”
“Of course not.”
“What about Macy and the kids?” This she asked hopefully.
“I’m alone on this trip.”
“What brings you here?”
“I’m just passing through, actually. There’s an architect conference I need to attend in Germany, so I thought I’d come a little early and visit you.”
“Did General Emma and Rich arrive home safely?”
“Yep. They’re home and she’s the one who suggested I stop over and see you.”
“Thanks, Emma,” Tia said wryly. “I’ll send her a mail bomb.”
The others laughed, and she liked how Aleksi placed his hand at the small of her back. “I assume you’re all in exuberant spirits because you’re finished with the cleanup?”
Tia sent him a wry look. “Of course we’re finished. It took us two hours and ten minutes. These of no faith should have trusted me,” she said with a sniff.
“Yeah, like anyone does that,” Nick inserted and she poked him. Years of practice helped him dance out of her reach, but she still managed to swat him.
“Your mother has gray hair, doesn’t she?” Maria asked, staring at the pair of them thoughtfully as they filtered out of Aleksi’s office and into the hallway.
“Of course not. Although she is thrilled to have full use of her foot again.”
“She tripped over Nick’s cat and broke her foot while at his house,” Tia informed them.
“I have no memory of that,” Nick denied.
“Of course you don’t. You were the poster child for night of the zombie walkers.”
“Zombie walkers?” Aleksi echoed, a quizzical look on his face.
“Yes. Nick wasn’t sleeping, barely eating, barely existing in between nannies.”
“Why was that?” Maria asked.
“He has four kids, from age fourteen to nearly seven. And no one to help him keep the house, kids, and his job going.”
Maria turned ashen and her hand fluttered to her throat. Tia nodded. “We all took shifts trying to help with the laundry, cleaning, and cooking.”
“I have no memory of that,” Nick repeated. He shoved a hand through his hair.
“I’ve lost entire weekends at your house.”
Nick nodded. “Most of the family has.”
“What happened?” Helena asked, and tilted her head. Her gorgeous face should have held interest for Nick, but Tia knew he was totally in love with his wife, Macy.
“I put an ad on the internet for my own nanny, since the agencies in town weren’t answering my calls. The brave woman who answered the ad is now my wife.” [Macy’s Parade – Book 6 – The Morrison Family Series]
“How did that happen?” Jorge asked.
“She came to work for me—”
Tia cut him off. “Straightened the house out, made some new rules, organized everything, bought the kids new clothes, cooks like a dream—”
Nick finished up the explanation. “Got up with the kids at night so I could sleep a full night, and applied to veterinary school.”
“What?” Maria exclaimed as they strolled down the hallway that led to the dining room.
“Taking care of Nick’s house and family wasn’t enough of a challenge for her. She also attends vet school fulltime.”
“We hired a daily housekeeper, who incidentally, has moved in.” Nick flicked her nose.
“She did? We thought she might. Your house is so mixed up and crazy and she’s got General Emma potential.”
“How is that?” Jorge asked.
“Mrs. McKinley is very good at giving orders,” Tia said.
Nick shuddered. “And she has the power to back them up.”
“How does she do so?” Aleksi asked. They entered the dining area and he seated her, while Jorge seated Helena, and Nick assisted Maria.
“She’s bigger than me,” Nick said with a goofy grin, which made them all chuckle.
“He’s not joking, either. She’s scary, gets the job done, and has been exactly what your house needed,” Tia stated in heartfelt tones.
“She’s the first person to come along, besides Macy, who actually seems to enjoy her job.”
“Of course she enjoys it, if she’s in charge,” Maria scoffed.
“She is,” she and Nick said together.
“The kids love her, Macy loves her, I love her. We’re very lucky to have found her,” Nick said, his voice adamant.
“Yes, you were. Although, I can’t imagine just anyone blossoming in your house. It’d take a certain person. Like Mrs. McKinley.” Tia tilted her head and stared at Nick.
He wrinkled his nose at her. “I almost didn’t survive my house,” he reminded her.
She laughed. “True. Night of the Zombie Man, you were.”
“Without Graham, I’d have never survived our four children, either,” Maria said.
“Did you have to work?” Nick asked.
“No,” she said and shuddered as one of the palace staff members set a plate in front of her. “Thank you, Hans.”
“You are welcome, Maria,” the man replied before placing a plate in front of Nick.
“Thanks, Hans,” Nick spoofed, and Hans, not missing a beat, said, “You are welcome, Tia’s brother.”
“Hans, this is Nick. He’s a pest,” Tia said by way of introduction.
“I imagine he’ll get on quite well here, then,” Hans said.
***
Aleksi, replete with lunch and having snagged Tia, and even managed to steal a kiss, answered the phone. He had to lunge across his desk, but he caught the call.
“Aleksi?” his aunt asked.
“Hello, Loletta. How is Mother?”
“She’s responding well to the treatments.” She sounded distant, or tired, or something he couldn’t quite figure out.
“That’s good, right?” What was wrong with his aunt?
“It’s excellent. The doctors are very encouraged. Already, she seems more like herself. In only a week.” He pictured her chewing on her thumbnail.
“What’s bothering you?” Might as well come right out and ask her. He would never be subtle enough to coax the information out of her.
“I’m not sure,” she answered, sounding truthful.
“That doesn’t help.”
“I know. It’s been frustrating me all day.”
“Are you still worried about that secret?”
“I think so. I believe that’s why I’m so restless and unsettled. She’s responding to the treatment, and seems more herself, but she’s rather morose.”
“Has she had another therapy session since I spoke to her?”
“Yes. One today, before her treatment. She appreciates your daily calls, by the way.”
“She’s my mother,” Aleksi answered absently, distracted by his aunt’s concerns. “Did you sit in on her therapy session?”
“Of course not. Neither she nor the therapist would allow me. The therapist feels confident she can treat your mother, but it will take time.”
Aleksi frowned at the wall. What was going through his aunt’s head then? Why was she so concerned?
“Can I do something here to help?”
He heard her expel a breath, one that sounded frustrated. “No. I’m not even certain how I can help. Much less figure out how to instruct you.”
“Do you know when she’ll be coming home?”
“No. Although she has made a few comments about how she needs to come home.”
Aleksi frowned. “She hasn’t said anything to me. Why would Mother say that?”
“I don’t know. That could also be what’s bothering me.”
He heard his mother say something in the background.
“I have to go, love, but I’ll try to keep you posted. At this point I’m rather confused.” Her voice was dry.
“I’ll be here.”
***
“Tia, I’ve been thinking,” Helena said, sliding onto the stool beside her. Tia was still thinking about Nick and Emerson, who volunteered to take Nick sightseeing. Even though she had been here longer, she still hadn’t seen much of the place.
Tia glanced at her friend. “About what?”
“The wells. You know how we’ve seen some unusual growth for some of them?”
“Yes,” she answered and nodded.
“Well every one of them is located in the old section of town.”
That made her pause. “All of the unusual wells?” Clarification first, theory second.
“Yes. I checked them all, and compared them to a list of the pipes that are scheduled to be replaced. They match perfectly.”
“That makes sense,” Tia said, and stared at the bench top.
“It does?”
Maria and Jorge, who apparently had overheard their conversation, drifted over to perch on the remaining stools.
“How?” Jorge asked.
Tia’s mind raced as more of this situation started to make sense. “Because the lead would inhibit some bacteria, except for hearty growers. Think about it. These unusual species we’re seeing don’t normally grow in water, because they’re inhibited by the normal flora. But if something inhibited the normal flora, it would give them opportunity to flourish they wouldn’t normally have.”
“Of course. We know at least three of the types do grow well in leaded conditions,” Maria said and pointed to three different bacterial names on the sheet in front of Helena.
“This might be the final answer to the puzzle,” Tia said.
“How?” Helena asked. Her forehead furrowed.
“We discovered why well twenty-six has so much growth. That’s been fixed. The wells on either side are normal, but those pipes are also new and therefore lead free. We know twenty-six made some people sick. Now we know that some of these other illnesses are because of the lead, not bacteria.”
“You don’t think these odd bacteria didn’t contribute to the illness?” Jorge asked.
“No. If you look at them, they’re still found in nature, they’re not unusual. A normal person wouldn’t even cough because of them. What alarmed me was that I thought they might be contributing to the illnesses the hospital reported to us.”
“But it was the lead instead,” Maria said.
“Right. These bacteria, while unusual, aren’t harmful. Unless that person is immunocompromised, and even then, maybe a case of the runs is all they’d experience.”
“Runs? Nice one, Morrison,” Helena said with a grin.
“Thanks,” Tia said and returned the cheeky grin. She noticed Helena glowed, despite their conversation. It looked like her romance with Maria’s son was going well. She hoped so. Helena deserved the happiness that radiated from her. Tia wondered if Maria and Graham knew about the relationship.
“Should we continue to test these wells?” Jorge asked.
“Yes. We need to do this for at least the week we stated. But we might need to increase testing to two weeks. Especially with those pipes that are to be replaced.”
“Well twenty-six has been treated, right?” Maria asked.
“Not yet. A crew plans to start the treatment at four o’clock today.” Tia glanced at her notes to confirm her facts. “Remind me, I need to be there.”
“Why four o’clock?”
“Because I asked them to give the cleaning agents we used time to evaporate, and dissipate before they actually treat the well.”
“No point in cross contaminating, if we can help it,” Jorge said.
“Right. Also, I wanted anything we missed to have time to drip into the well, that way when they do treat, they can clean everything up.”
“How long will the treatment last?”
“As long as it takes,” Tia answered.
“That means we’ll be testing that well for ages yet,” Helena said.
“Yes, but I think Anson is perfectly capable of testing it regularly.”
“You’re going to set him up with his own little testing lab?” Maria asked with a smile.
“That’s what I hoped. He can do it, he’d love it, and it would take the burden off all of you.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Well, I do have a job in America. I’m only here as a consultant.”
The other three blinked at her and then each other.
“What?” she asked suspiciously.
“We all thought there was a romance going on between you and Aleksi,” Maria said, not quite meeting her eyes.
“What?” Tia exclaimed. How had they known? She and Aleksi had been extremely discreet.
“We see how he looks at you,” Jorge said. The fact that Jorge had noticed made her eyes bulge.
“And your lips were definitely swollen when you arrived back, late, from lunch today,” Helena inserted triumphantly.
They all beamed at her, while her heart sank.
If they hadn’t been able to keep their secret kisses from her lab staff, it probably meant they hadn’t kept it from the palace staff either.
That meant all of Rurikstan knew about her and Aleksi.
Nick was probably the sole person here who didn’t know, and since he was touring the place with Emerson, he’d soon blast into the knowledge loop.
Tears prickled. If the entire principality knew, then why had they said nothing?
How would she be able to look Aleksi in the eyes after this without blushing?
Her cheeks heated now. Then an alarming thought occurred to her. What if Aleksi just wanted to kiss her, keep her happily occupied while she was here, but secretly couldn’t wait for her to leave?
What if he’d never had permanent intentions?
He needed his wells fixed, and they were on their way now to being normal.
He didn’t need her any more.
That terrible thought felt like a stab through the heart by a serrated knife.