Risen (Haunted Series Book 22)

him we leave tomorrow if he wants to drive out with us,” Charles said.
“Tomorrow?” Mia squeaked.  “I don’t have…”
“You don’t have to prepare anything,” Ralph said.  “I have already purchased everything the boys need.”
“You were very confident of this, weren’t you?” Mia said, lifting an eyebrow.
“I knew you’d cave,” Ralph said and all but danced out of the living room and into the kitchen.
“I better go and break it to the boys that they’re leaving,” Mia said.
They watched her trudge up the stairs.
“It will do her good to have a rest,” Amanda said, putting her hand on Ted’s arm.  “You two could work on giving me a granddaughter…”
“Mrs. Cooper,” Ted gasped.  “Mia already feels like a brood mare.”
Amanda laughed.  “I think we should have insisted that Dieter join us,” she said to Charles.
“I already asked him,” Charles said.  “He has football camp this summer and some serious fishing to do with someone named Mark.”
“Burt has gotten the use of John Ryan’s boat and promises to teach the two of them how a Kansan fly fishes,” Mia said, walking down the stairs, carrying Varden.
“I’m a Kansan, and I don’t fly fish,” Ted said, looking at his nails.
“You’re too busy inventing,” Bernard said, patting him on the back.
“Bernard, you’re my greatest ally,” Ted said.
“He’s always been on Team Ted,” Ralph said.  “Where’s Brian?”
“Packing,” Mia said.  “He overheard us and insists on packing his own gear.”
“I better get up there and supervise,” Ralph said, coming out of the kitchen, carrying a supply of Ziploc bags.
Amanda walked over, and Mia handed Varden over to her.
“He’s a sturdy boy,” Amanda said.  “Varden, I’m your grandmother Amanda.”
Varden looked at the woman whose wings were never realized.  She had a strength to her that gave her a solid light of yellow.  He snuggled into her neck, and she hummed to him.
“Awe, look at them, Mia,” Charles said.  “You’ve made the right decision.”
“Just be careful.  He’s very well behaved.  He won’t tell you when he’s hungry,” Mia warned.  “He eats a lot.”
“As much as you did?” Amanda asked.  “I had to buy two loaves of bread.  One for us and one for you.”
Mia blushed.
“It’s a wonder you weren’t a little butterball,” Charles said.
“Butterball,” Ted repeated.  “I like that better than pumpkin.”
“Not if you like your testicles,” Mia hissed.
“See how she threatens me?” Ted said, backing away.
Charles laughed.
“I’m going to give Ethan a call,” Mia said.  “I hope he takes this gentle shove in the spirit in which I’m shoving.”
Ethan listened to Mia’s explanation and smiled.  “I never thought of pursuing a career in archeology,” he said honestly.
“My father will make sure you receive college credit for it, and I’m going to pay you under the table to spy on Brian.”
“Mia!” Ethan scolded.  “You can’t ask me to do that.”
“I can ask.  I just did,” she corrected.
“How about I give you a heads-up if things go awry?  I’ll also step in if they appear to have Brian fatigue.”
“They are also taking Varden.”
“Bird boy?  Huh.  I think that’s a great idea.  If I were Brian, I would be more responsible if my younger sibling was around.”
“So, what I’m getting from you is that I’m being overprotective?”
“I think you’re being a caring parent and a cautious daughter.  When do I have to be ready?”
“If you want to ride west with them, they will be here tomorrow morning.”
“That doesn’t give me much time.  I’ll call Tom and tell him he has the place to himself for the summer.”
“I know this is rather sudden, and I appreciate the way you’re throwing yourself into this opportunity.  I’m not sure I would be as available.”
“The old Ethan would have said no before you finished your explanation,” Ethan admitted.  “But the boy that said yes to the wrong things and no to the sane things is gone.  I’d love to have this opportunity.”
“I think you’ll like working with my dad.  He can be a bit distracted, but for the most part, he’s fun to be around.”
“Thank you, Mia,” Charles said, taking the phone out of her hand.  “Hello, this is Charles Cooper.”
Mia walked back into the living room.  Amanda was there alone with Varden.  He was sitting in his carrier beside her. She was motioning her hand and saying, “Grandmother.”  She repeated this several times.
Varden looked and mimed the motion.
Amanda clapped her hands.
“What are you doing?” Mia asked.
“I read that babies could communicate sooner if they used sign language.  You see, their vocal chords aren’t ready for…”
“Grrrrrmommm,” Varden said and motioned.
“Early speakers run on the Martin side of the family,” Mia explained.  “But Varden’s physical abilities will also be advanced because of the Cooper line.  Add in the superhuman genes and…”
“My god, he’s a marvel,” Amanda said.
“But he is still a baby.  Both boys are emotionally their true ages, but their minds are swift.  I think that’s the biggest challenge.”
“You mean, to accept their impatience and tantrums,” Amanda said sagely.  “My sister could speak in two languages when she was two.  My parents assumed I was slow when I followed the normal growth and intellectual patterns.”
Mia laughed.  “Oh, Mother, you could never be slow.”
“I know.  I think if there was more communication, I wouldn’t have made so many mistakes.”
“We can’t go backwards.  I can, but still I can’t change things.”
“Oh, you’re talking about portals, aren’t you?” Amanda hissed.  “Your father still hasn’t forgiven your friend Ed for dragging him all over the place.”
“I’m not sure I blame him.  But Ed saved my life a few times.  He’s teaching me about portals.  He thinks that it’s important that I know how to get around multidimensionally.”
“Gee, I remember when you couldn’t open a jar of peanut