Nest! Nest was at stake!
He pictured her in his mind, upset with him now, and it was all because of John Ross. He pressed at his temples anew and leaned into the shelter of the call box, suddenly angry and belligerent. It wasn’t right, the way she protected him. What was he doing here, anyway? He was taking up all the space in her life, so that there was no room for anyone else.
Like me! She should be with me!
Just do as you’re told, and everything will be all right, someone seemed to say. Then he heard Robinson add, “I’ll be in touch.”
He caught his breath. “But I thought that was all you wanted me to do,” he said, and the line went dead.
-=O=-***-=O=-
Ross and Josie finished their cookies and milk, waiting on Nest’s return. Josie talked about life in Hopewell, about working still at Josie’s, about the people who came in and the way they were. Ross mostly listened, not having much he could tell her that wouldn’t reveal things he wanted kept secret. He did say he had gone back to university a couple of times, audited some courses, taught a few classes. He talked a little of some of the places he had been. Josie listened and didn’t press, taking what he would give her, giving him the space he required when he chose to back away.
“I’d better be going,” she said finally. “You can tell Nest I dropped by.”
She rose, and he stood with her, levering himself up with his staff. “You sure you don’t want to wait?”
“I don’t think so.” She carried their glasses and the empty plate to the sink and began rinsing them. “Will I see you again before you leave?” she called over her shoulder.
The question startled him. “I don’t know,” he said automatically. Then he added, “I hope so.”
She turned, her eyes meeting his. “Would you like to come to dinner tomorrow night?”
The back door opened and closed, and they both looked toward the hall. A moment later Nest appeared, rubbing her hands briskly. “Cold out there. Hi, Josie.” She looked from one to the other. “Have I missed anything?”
“We were just visiting,” Josie Jackson offered brightly. “I stopped by with some cookies, Nest. John was keeping me company.” She hesitated only a moment. “I was just asking if he might like to come to dinner tomorrow night.”
Nest never looked at John Ross. She walked over to the sink, picked up a cookie from the tray, and began munching on it. “Sounds like a good idea to me. Why don’t you go, John?”
Ross felt himself transfixed by Josie’s eyes. “You’re all invited, of course,” she added, her smile warm and encouraging.
“No, thanks anyway,” Nest interjected quickly. “I have a Christmas party to attend. I was planning on taking Bennett and Harper with me. I’ll just take Little John, too. There will be lots of other kids there.”
She looked at Ross. “John, you go to Josie’s.”
Ross was thinking that he shouldn’t do this. He wanted to, but it could only lead to the same sort of problem he had encountered with Josie Jackson fifteen years ago. It didn’t make any sense to let history repeat itself when he knew he couldn’t change it. Besides, it meant leaving the morph alone with Nest, which was dangerous for her. It meant taking a risk of the sort he should never even consider.
On the other hand, Nest Freemark seemed to be the gypsy morph’s only hope. He had brought the morph to her in an effort to save it. He would have to give it up to her at some point, and time was running out. Maybe it would help if they could spend some time together without him.
“John?” Nest said quietly.
He was still looking at Josie, taking in her familiar features, her face and body, so much of it remembered so well after all these years. Everything about Josie was just right, a composite so perfectly formed that he couldn’t imagine her being any other way. Being with her made him feel as if anything was possible and none of it mattered. Only her, and only now.