The Life and Times Part 1: Magic in the air Chapter 5
"To expostulate why day is day, night night, and time is time, |
Paige orbed Piper home and then decided it was late in the afternoon, there was no point going back to work. She slipped off to get her car. Piper had barely finished feeding Wyatt when Leo arrived home.
He orbed into the kitchen and was greeted by Melinda with a
big hug and a more decorous pulling at his shirt sleeve until he picked Whosit
up "Patsy " he said and lifted him. "Do you think it is good the kids get so much
attention very time some-one comes home ?" Piper; started to say then a saw
the expression on Leos face "Just asking " she said. "You get any sleep?" Leo asked carefully in the
voice of some-one pretending to be calm. " I had a baby Leo "Piper said, " I'm not an
invalid. Why you so grumpy?" Leo sighed "Long day with Durand." "Usual tactful self " Piper said as she burped
Wyatt, and Leo managed to convince Melinda and Whosit to settle down enough to
talk. "Yeah" said Leo " you know just sometimes
between you and me I have to say being right isn't everything. This damned coven
of witches turned themselves into Wihmunga, evil doers, offered a deal with a small
village up in the north of Quebec, to drain a bog to get rid of some Feux
follets little tricky spirits who live in bogs and ponds around Québec. They
look like little blue flames and they try to lure travellers into ponds to drown
them. But of courses the bogs support a whole ecosystem for water spirits and
animals and draining them would ruin the system. "If they're killing travellers" Piper said. "Durand just said vengeance for one mortal life doesn't justify the
destruction of many other non mortal lives. Told them mortals weren't so
important, their lives were more valuable than other beings." Leo said.
"And explained it to them, so they understood about not arguing." . "I guess he's right" Piper said a little doubtful. . "Oh he's right " Leo smiled " he looked at me
and growled 'Understand this Whitelighter. Most of the trouble in the
realm is beings overestimating their right to exist at the expense of
others'." Piper laughed "Durand wouldn't let them get rid of the witches either." Leo
told her "Said they were not beyond redemption and anyway evil had a right
to exist." . "Being right isn't everything" said Piper. "It'd be a hell
of a lot easier if it was though," she said pensively. . "We don't have to go to P3 for a few hours " Leo asked. . "No " said Piper. . "Why don't you get some sleep" Leo said "I'll keep an eye
on the kids and you know I meant to fix the railing in the basement, add the
extra rail, I can do it now." . "That means hitting with a hammer" smiled Piper. . "I know," said Leo " hitting things with a hammer is
good." . He went to get his tool box and half laughed as Whosit Patrick followed.
Leo gave Patsy a small rubber hammer and let him hit along beside him.
"At least you're damned sight improvement over your father " Leo told
Patsy. "You learn how things work before you get into them. . Melinda, bored watching Dad and Patsy hit things wander
upstairs to find Auntie Paige home and spent some time explaining her to the
intricacies of managing toy farms until Cole came home and Paige learned
Melinda's priorities as she ran to him. "What is this fascination you have for women in this
family? "Paige asked him. "Only two" he said as Melinda clung to his
shoulder. "Where's Whosit Patrick?" "Patsy 's down hammering things with Leo " Paige
said. Cole shook his head. "Talk about fascination. Leo have
a bad day wit Durand." "I guess" said Paige "Phoebe's not home.
" "On her way" answered Cole "Going up to
change. "Auntie Paige wants to know about milking cows." He told
Melinda as Paige raised her eyes. Phoebe came home while Cole was still upstairs and watched
Melinda carefully showing Paige about toy pigs. She only got a cursory "
hello " from Melinda. "We ought to get her a pet" said Paige all kindly
aunt. "No we shouldn't " said Phoebe in a 'don't argue'
voice. She decided Whosit would not appreciate being distracted from hitting
things and went upstairs to take advantage of half an hour just lying back on
the bed talking to her husband. "Do you feel guilty sneaking away for your children
just to be alone?" she asked Cole. "No " said Cole enjoying time alone to just touch
her without some-one gripping all they ever thought about was sex. "How did
the cocktails with the advertisers go?" he asked stroking her face.
"Did you … ah.charm them into paying for the show to go state wide?" "You mean did I flirt with them enough to make them
feel good enough about me to take up the project " Phoebe asked sweetly. "I didn't say that?" Cole said finger around her
mouth. "For your information I didn't flirt…with all of
them" Phoebe said primly touching his hand "I was nice and charming
and correctly friendly." "Couple of women in the group were there?" Cole
asked lying back. "I" said Phoebe outraged sat up. She looked into
the blue eyes staring at her "a couple " she said giggling. Cole
reached over and pulled her on top of him. "I had a miserable day at work. Elise bitched at me.
It's your fault that happened" Phoebe pouted at Cole. "How?" murmured Cole into her lips. "You wouldn't let me fireball Elise when you were
taken over by the Source." sniffed Phoebe pressing hard against him. "Sorry" said Cole. "She's a bitch," Phoebe said. Arching. "I know " said Cole pulling her closer. "She was bitching on about getting married because of
Whosit and its only a front and…" Phoebe explained darting her tongue in
his mouth. "Oh for God's sake " said Cole pulling back
almost annoyed. "She was bitching on about our marriage being a farce
and if it gets out, you know there goes the contract on the morals clause.
Because the way I flirt if it was real she says you'd have to be a saint to put
up with me." Phoebe told him. "Which is what i am of course" Cole murmured
against her neck. "I wish she would try and break the contract on
morals" said Cole who wrote it "then we could sue the hell out of the
paper and solve a few of the finance problems." Phoebe laughed then took a deep breath. "It doesn't
worry you does it" she said hesitantly and then whispered the little ahh
noise of pleasure he loved, as he bit gently on her ear. "What " he asked his pushing his hand down her
pants down to stroke her behind. She made more little content whimpering noise as
she felt it. "Me.. flirting " she said "you're not
jealous or anything." "I'm not jealous or any thing" he said
"Quite enjoy it." "Co-ole " said Phoebe pulling herself up
"Why?" she said suspiciously. "You'll bitch," he said. "Why don't you mind?" she demanded sitting up. "You won't like it?" he said. "Why Cole?" she said getting her hands under his
shirt. "Don't" he said as she started to tickle him
" don't " he yelled squirming away and trying to get hold of her
hands. "Don't " he said trying to get out from under her. "Why Cole?" she said stopping tickling but
keeping her hands where they were. "You'll tell me I'm a chauvinistic pig" he said. "Why Cole?" she said starting to move her hands. "I've got what they want" he said. "And they
can't have it." And waited. Phoebe sat up "You damned nineteenth century male
chauvinist pig" she hollered. "I knew you'd say that" he said managing to catch
her hands before she could start tickling him again. He pulled down to him. Few minutes later she asked. "You worried about this
realm eclipse?" "Yes" he said seriously: "I have secrets, you
know there are things I can't tell you." "Yes" she said. "You
worried?" he asked. "What secrets have I got?" she sighed. Cole lay on his back with Phoebe half on top of him. He
held her head down against his neck and moaned a little as she kissed and licked
his skin, just enjoying her against him. He locked a leg around her to hold her
against him and just relaxed as he felt her against him. "What are you feeling?" she whispered. "Happy" he sighed pushing her head into him. "This could end up in sex" Phoebe said. "Or it could end up with us declaring how much we love
each other and responsibly going down to look after our children " Cole
breathed. Phoebe thought for a while. "Kids come first;"
she said, just a little regretful. They finally went downstairs to find Paige
playing mom and fixing dinner. "No take out" said Cole. "I can cook," said Paige. Cole got himself a beer and Phoebe helped Paige. Melinda
decided she had some excess energy and the started galloping on her hobby horse
around the kitchen laundry and the dining room and back . Whosit had settled himself on the floor with all the
building blocks he could find arranging them in a pattern of his own design.
Cole frowned as Whosit occasionally waved his hand and glared at the blocks when
nothing happened. Pipe and Leo came downstairs Piper dressed up in a black
chiffon and silver skirt and silver lame top and feeling very 'not motherish'
out of jeans and sensible clothes that did not show the stains. "You look beautiful," Phoebe told her. Piper twirled "Not new. I forgot I had it. Bought it
just before I knew about Melinda." Then she remembered even if she did not
look 'motherish' she was one. "You get Melinda and Patsy to bed on time
tonight " she ordered Cole and Phoebe. "I don't want repeat of last
night ". "Yes Piper" said Cole and Phoebe contritely. Cole came home fairly early the next night Friday. Before
five. Bad enough he had to work, bad enough being a lawyer, bad enough working
for himself and not making any money but working late and still being broke
would have been unbearable. He was tired. He had finished a three day court hearing for
a client who had chosen not to pay parking fines in front of his house for
nearly two years on a principal. Most lawyers except bottom end of the market
lawyers like Cole would have left it alone. The truth was he rather enjoyed the
case. The council had fought it all the way and demon that he had been he
enjoyed screwing them over on every turn, especially as in the end the judge had
ruled in the council's favour but fined the client $1 and no costs when the
original fines had mounted to nearly $100,000 without even considering court
costs. Cole had also squeezed in writing 3 wills, negotiating two
insurance contracts and threatening to sue a medical insurer who was trying to
bail on a client who had a broken leg and broken arm. The client had been
accidentally run down in his own driveway by his 85 year old mother when she hit
forward gear instead of reverse. The insurance company seemed to think that the
fact the client was standing in front of the car when his mother attempted to
back it down the driveway mitigated its responsibility. Even after the time he and Phoebe had been together since
the disaster of The Source, since they got married again and Whosit Patrick's
arrival, Cole still could not feel a little surprised a little glimmer of
happiness he had using the word home, as in "I'm going home" and
wonder when people like the receptionist at his office nodded as if it was the
most normal thing in the world. Cole could smile to himself and know just how
precious it was to use the word. He parked in the street, noting that Phoebe and Paige's
cars were there but Piper's was missing. Phoebe had called earlier to say that the baby sitter Marly
who also had a part time job working another witch's bookshop had called asking
if the Charmed Ones could help Clarissa. Her shop was being stalked by a couple
of warlocks and they were worried. Cole knew the witch Clarissa. She was a
client, recommended by Marly of all people. He just did small time work for her,
organised insurance contracts, staff contacts and handed any paper work that was
needed for leases and permits. Cole did not know what her powers were. He
figured it was her business. She knew he understood magic being married to a
witch and that was all. Cole had hoped Phoebe would be home already. He promised
himself to stay away from her work and not worry but when he knew she was out
there fighting evil he still found himself restless and concerned. He should not have
worried about warlocks, just day to day evil but that afternoon. However not
long before he left Talbet the importer Piper recommended as a client, called
into the office. Talbet enjoyed nothing more than a good gossip and was often
prepared to pay for the privilege. Cole was thinking quite grumpily. "I hope you enjoy
getting billed for this" when Talbet said "Nice offices. I'm glad they
accepted the references I gave you. Although the guy I spoke to about this place
seemed decent enough. Not like those other two who came around last week looking
for information about Piper." Cole froze in his seat "Who were they?" he asked
as casually as he could. "It all struck me as quite odd." Talbet told him
"They said Piper had given me as a reference for a loan but asked quite a
lot of questions that seemed a little to personal about her car and where she
lived and her family. I played dumb. I thought it funny she had not asked me
about being a reference. Not like when your wife rang for you for this
place." Cole smiled, he did not tell Talbet Phoebe rang him after
she had given him as a reference not before. "Piper isn't looking for a
loan at the moment" Cole said positively "Probably loan sharks feeling
around. Happens in the club business but if you have any more calls give me
a call." "Are you sure you know what Piper is doing? "Talbet
asked. Cole grinned "Yes "he said "She knows what I
do, I know what she does. What did these guys look like?" "Ordinary, thirties, dark suits. One was taller than
the other. Nothing special. One had an unusual ring I noticed. Gold with a
dagger serpent insignia, Rubies for eyes" Talbet answered. "Just usual bunch of thugs" Cole answered wincing
inside because the insignia was a warlock coven. He had called Phoebe and suggested they be careful. Phoebe
told him to keep his nose out of witches' business. Then she relented and told
him they would be careful. "We thought the attacks are something more than
random, this more or less confirms it" she said. "and don't be
sarcastic " she added as he took a deep breath. "It might take longer than we thought, " she told
him but Cole still hoped she would be home before him. He could hear a radio on
in the conservatory. Leo was sitting on the sofa with Wyatt lying across him.
With one hand he was tickling his son's tummy as Wyatt gurgled happily. Whosit Patrick and Melinda were playing on the rug, a big
pile of toys in front of them. As Cole watched Melinda seemed involved in some
game where she orbed away every toy Whosit picked up and put them on the other
side of him where he could not reach them. Whosit was getting angry, very angry,
bawling at the top of his voice, which Leo totally ignored.