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Sabastian and Susan had to pass Mina's brothel on the walk back to the house.  As they came up to it, they saw Mary waiting for them.

"Do you think we should avoid Mary?" Sabastian asked.

"No, she's O.K.  Besides, my feet are tired.  We just shouldn't trust her cause it might not be her that's doing things."

"Well, then, let us see if she will drive us home."

The pair walked up to Mary, who jumped up from sitting cross-legged on her car's hood.  "About time you two got back!" she said, in an overly happy tone.

"We were playing at the beach," Susan said.

"Sounds fun, you should have waited.  I'd have gone with you," Mary replied.

"You seemed otherwise occupied," said Sabastian.  "Besides, I did not intend on staying as long as we did.  We lost track of time."

"Then you two must have been having a grand time of it."

"Yeah, we had lots of fun," Susan said.  "But now I want to go home and see if Sol is back."

"No problem, hop in," Mary said, opening the door.  Once they pulled away from Mina's, she said, "Mina seemed to enjoy talking with you guys.  She told me to tell you that you should come back to see her whenever you want.

"She's really great, isn't she?"

"She is nice enough, once you understand her ways," Sabastian responded.

"Well, I know she's really sorry about how she introduced herself to us.  And she's really put out the welcome mat for me. 

"Maybe if you let yourself have a little fun once in a while, you two would get along better.  I mean, we did barge into her back yard uninvited."

"I suppose that is true," Sabastian said.  "Still, I am content to avoid our kind if at all possible."

"Jeez, you make it sound like you want Sol and I to move out."

"I did not say that, besides the house is Sol's, not mine.  If anyone should leave it should be me."

When they got back to the house, Sol was sitting on the front porch.  Susan scrambled out of the tiny back seat as quickly as she could, ran to Sol and jumped into his arms.  She gave him a big hug and said, "You saw him again, I can tell by the glow."

Sol smiled at her and asked, "Who did I see?"

"Your friend, the one sent by God."

Sol's smile faded as he looked at the little girl in his arms.  How could she know about John Paul's story?

"Anyway, I'm glad your home," Susan said wriggling down and taking his hand.  Sabastian and Mary had walked up to them by this point.

"Where did you stay last night?" Sabastian asked.

"With Elizabeth," Susan answered for him.

Looking at the girl holding his hand, Sol said, "Yes, with Elizabeth."

"I'm sure she's really happy you did," Susan said.

"She seemed to appreciate it," he said.  "I also had the pleasure of running into Thomas and Night."

"That must have been awkward," said Mary.

"Let's go inside," Susan said pulling Sol by the hand.

Walking in, he said, "It was.  I'm still very angry."

"As you should be," Sabastian said, as they entered the living room.

"Sol, come play with me upstairs," Susan said, again pulling on his arm.

"If you don't mind," he said to Sabastian and Mary, "can we talk latter.  It seems that my attention is needed elsewhere."

"Not at all," Sabastian said, walking to the large window at the back of the house, which overlooked the Long Island Sound.

"Enjoy the tea party," Mary said, as she flopped herself into a chair.




[Copyright Reuben Gregg Brewer, 2005, 2006. All rights reserved.]