“We’ll do what we can to help out,” Ronan said, knowing how deep he was in. “Now’s the moment when you grow up, Spencer. I know everything happening is hard and confusing, but I believe you can handle this. We’ll make a plan and take it step by step. Okay?”
Spencer nodded. He reached for a napkin and loudly blew his nose. “I’ll do what you tell me. You and Aunt Effy Lou.”
“Okay, I’ll come get you around nine tomorrow morning and we’ll figure out what’s what.” Ronan noticed the proud look on Tennyson’s face. He knew part of that look was for Spencer, who genuinely seemed like he was ready to take a hand in his own life. The rest of that look was for Ronan for stepping up and being willing to be Spencer’s guide.
Come to think of it, he was pretty proud of himself too.
16
Tennyson
After Everly’s bath, he tucked his daughter into bed. Usually, it was Ronan who read books to their daughter while he got Ezra into the tub, but tonight, Ten wanted to have a little chat about Spencer and Effy Lou.
“You’re gonna ask me about my conversation with Aunt Effy Lou,” Everly said, after her second drink of water.
“Uh, huh.” Ten grinned at his daughter, knowing she was using her gifts to read him. “She just popped in to see you last night?”
Everly grimaced. “Well, sort of.”
“What do you mean, sort of?” Ten felt a frisson of worry race up his spine.
“Promise not to get mad?” Everly set a hand on Ten’s shoulder.
“I promise nothing.” Ten crossed his arms over his chest and tried to keep his voice calm.
“Okay, so you were upset the other night about Miss Laura. I could feel your anger, but you didn’t look like you wanted to talk about her, so I just dipped into your head to find out what was going on. You know, because I wanted to help you.” Everly offered a too-bright smile.
“Not because you wanted gossip?” Ten raised a quizzical brow at his daughter. He’d noticed Everly listening more intently to adult conversations lately and had a feeling it was so she’d be in the know about things going on with in their family and friends.
“Look, Daddy, gossip is bad, I know that, but at the same time, it’s kinda fun, right?” Everly waggled her eyebrows the same way Ronan did. They were so much alike sometimes that it was scary.
Ten wasn’t quite sure how to respond to his daughter, with the truth or the moral high ground. “Yeah, gossip is fun, but it’s also hurtful and unfair. It’s especially unfair when you use gifts no one else has to get the scoop. Does that make sense?”
Everly nodded.
“By reading people without their permission, you’re invading their privacy. Everyone deserves their privacy, especially me and Dad.” Ten was guilty of reading his husband from time to time. He wasn’t proud of it, but it saved a lot of time when Ronan was being stubborn.
“You read Dad all the time,” Everly shot back with a grin.
“You’re right and that’s something I talk to Dad about when we’re alone. We discuss what’s permissible and what’s over the line. You and I don’t do that. In fact, you never even told me you’d spoken to Effy Lou, which is definitely over the line. Finish your story about how the two of you got to talking.”
Everly teared up. She dashed her hands over her eyes and took a deep breath. “Daddy, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Effy Lou. I just wanted to help you find out who was in the box.”
“You knew about the box?” Ten asked, surprised. He shouldn’t have been, but was, all the same.
“Yeah, but I didn’t understand about ashes being in it. I reached out with my gift to try and find out who it belonged to, but I couldn’t figure it out, so I went to bed. Last night, Effy Lou showed up and told me she was the one I was looking for. Mimi brought her to see me.”
“Bertha’s involved in this too?” Yet another person who hadn’t bothered to tell Tennyson what was going on with his daughter.
“Don’t be mad at Mimi, Daddy. She was upset about Effy Lou too and thought that we could help her together.”
“Help her with what?” Ten asked.
“Finding Blue.” Tears slipped down Everly’s cheeks. “She loves him like you and Dad love each other. She misses him so much that it hurts. I could feel her pain. It felt like that time me and Woofie were dancing and he accidently kicked me in the stomach. Miss Effy Lou just wanted to see her Blue again. She’s mad that she can’t find him and thinks he doesn’t love her anymore and that he ran off with Spanish Joplin. Whatever that is.”
Ten burst out laughing. “JanisJoplin. She was a singer who was famous and died before I was born.” Ten had sensed that Effy Lou was missing Blue, but not how desperate she was to reunite with him.
“I couldn’t find Blue. I tried, Daddy. I really did. Effy Lou told me lots of stories about him. He always made her laugh, just likeDad does with you. She’s so sad and I just wanted to help. Mimi hasn’t been able to find Blue either. She’s also upset that Miss Effy Lou hasn’t seen the white light. I couldn’t make it appear for her.”
