Page 50 of Someone Save My Midlife Tonight
“Thank you, butthole,” Candy said.
“Welcome, turd face,” Jennifer replied.
Gideon stood up. He pinned me with an intense gaze. “It’s time to leave.”
He was right, and that’s when the reality of what we were about to do hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt it physically. I was about to leave behind part of my heart. I had no clue if I’d ever see any of the people sitting in this room again. My siblings weren’t here. I couldn’t even say goodbye to Rafe, Gabe, Abby and Prue. Missy wasn’t here. She’d been my BFF since we were kids. Amelia wasn’t here. She’d become like a sister to me. The need to scream was real.
I didn’t.
My eyes scanned the room. Heather was trying to hold it together. My sister was my rock. The thought of not seeing her was painful. I realized I’d never find out who Jennifer’s pappy was. I’d never eat one of June’s peanut buttercookies again or be graced by her kindness and beautiful giggle. But… we had to go.
The life of my daughter was on the line. I would do what I had to do. Most of the people we were leaving behind were Immortal. Forever was a long time. I would see them again. But June, Jennifer, Missy and Amelia… they would be long gone from this world by the time it was safe for us to come home. My eyes filled with tears, and they rolled down my cheeks. I knew I’d be crying for a long time.
“Umm… okay,” I whispered, trying to hold my shit together for my baby and everyone else. “It’s time to go. Gram, will you and Mr. Jackson come with us?”
“Yes, baby, we will,” she promised. “I ain’t never leavin’ you until it’s my time to move on.”
I nodded jerkily. And that’s when I noticed Candy Vargo, the baddest of the badasses begin to cry. I knew she would miss me, Gideon, Alana Catherine and possibly even Shitty Ritchie, but Gram was her world. Gram was the mother she’d never had. It was devastating to watch Candy’s heart break.
I started to hug everyone quickly. If I lingered too long, it would be harder to leave. The urgency to get going became very real now that the story had been told.
“I’m ready,” I told Gideon as I scooped Alana Catherine into my left arm and Shitty Ritchie into my right. “It’s time to go.”
The explosion in the front yard rocked the house. The shock on my face and the faces of the people I loved was terrifying. Zander sprinted to the window and swore viciously.
“Change of plans,” he ground out. “The zombies are back.”
Gideon encircled our baby and me in his arms, and I threw up another protection ward around Alana Catherine, then glanced at Gideon. “Can we transport out of here?”
He shook his head. “I just tried. There’s something blocking the magic.”
“It’s the Higher Power’s magic,” Shitty Ritchie hissed. “It’s got us trapped like rats on a sinking ship!”
I frowned. “We fight, then?”
Gideon nodded. “No choice.”
Crap. We’d waited too long to escape danger, and the danger had found us.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
We wentinto motion like a well-oiled machine. The explosions outside continued. At the rate they were going, I was worried the house would cave in. Charlie chanted a few ancient words, and my home was suddenly stable.
“What did you do?” I asked. The blasts were still happening outside, but the house had stopped shaking.
“Reenforced the base and structure,” he replied. “It won’t come down now.”
“Can we get in and out of it?” Heather asked.
“Yes,” Charlie said. “It’s different from a ward.”
Without a word, Candy Vargo waved her hand and everyone was armed to the teeth. The coffee table was loaded down with more weapons if anyone wanted to double it up. Everyone did. Gideon took over and barked out orders.
“Heather and Catriona,” he directed. “Stay inside and protect Alana Catherine, Shitty Ritchie, June and Jennifer. They are not to come out.”
I enhanced the protection by placing a second ward around both my child and Shitty Ritchie.
“Agreed,” Heather said. Her tattoos swirled over her entire body. It was an eerie, scary and beautiful sight.
