No Such Thing

Nothing in Life is Easy

Nora settled her excited children down and bid them to get ready for dinner. She had to call in extra staff for this visit so the house was buzzing. A bit more than she was used to. A lot of emotions all over the house. She found herself slipping away into her husband’s study and closing the doors behind her. Paul stood behind his desk looking at her. “You too?” He giggled. “Yes, a lot is going on.” She answered and slipped around to her husband and held him close. He was her safe place. She was able to refocus and calm her emotions. “You’re tense, my love.” Paul told his wife. “Why?” He asked. “You know why. Even asking me seems to be a waste of breath.” She chuckled. “I know, but still needed to ask. It will be ok. Maybe she will only be here a short while and head back. You know she doesn’t come out very often.” She nodded in his chest and pushed him far enough away to look up into his beautiful eyes. “I hope this is all over soon so we can go back to normal.” She kissed him. Once they separated, he answered her back. “I’m not sure how long this will take, but I am pretty sure I’m looking forward to an end aslo.” He sighed and released her from his embrace to sit at his desk. He ran his hand over his face. “Nora, I just want to find who did this. I’m overwhelmed by your family loading in here and it makes me wonder what your father knows and he’s not telling us. I haven’t heard from Fizzy in days. I need to know where we go from here.” he looked into her eyes. She gave him a smile, touched his face and bent to kiss his forehead. “Love, we will do all of it together. We will find who did this. We will make them pay.” He could see the fire in her eyes. He knew his wife was determined. She was his rock. His support when he felt his knees would buckle. “Thank you.” He stood. Held her close to him again. They heard a knock on the door and they both turned to watch the doors slide apart slightly. “Mom? Dad? Are you in here?” They heard a small voice call to them. Nora walked around and slid a door open. “Is dinner ready little lady?” She picked Abby up and kissed her face all over. “Yes momma. Poppa Yosef told me to fetch you. I asked him if I was a dog. He laughed and said off with me little pup. I like him, he’s funny.” Abbigail told her mom. “Yes he certainly can be.” Nora told her and set her back to the floor. “We will be in in just a sec.” She patted her in the direction of the dinning hall. The home was very large, Nora didn’t know if it was something she wanted on a permanent basis but she also had a large family so she counted it a blessing. She wasn’t happy how they got it, but appreciated it nonetheless.

Nora and Paul joined the family in the dining hall. They sat at one end of the table, Paul taking head and Nora to his right. Yosef and Odess sitting at the other end in the same manner. Nora’s siblings and spouses sitting closer to Yosef’s end and the children filling the spaces inbetween. The kitchen staff served the meal in 5 courses starting with soup and salad first. The families caught up with day to day goings on and how things had changed in the homeland. Orion shared his ideas for the family business and the future of Van Helsing and Gaufe’s alliance. They all joined the conversation excitedly. Odess sat in her chair silently the entire time. Nora watched everyone chat but would scan across her mother often. Trying to feel her intent. Normally Nora had no problem reading anyone. After all, it is her chosen profession. But, she could not read her mother. She knew she may not be able to. Her mother after all was who trained her to be an Oracle. Her mother being the strongest in her own family and the Van Helsing era. Nora would be her rival in a few years. She still has several years to gain the abilities that Odess possesses. ‘Is there something you would like to ask me, kitten?’ Nora froze still as she heard her mother’s voice in her head as she watched her mother turn her head and look straight at her. ‘I do apologize, mother. You caught me off guard.’ She lowered her head to her food. ‘It has been a while since anyone has used mind speak to communicate with me.’ Odess continued to stare at her daughter. ‘That’s a shame. It is the one thing that comes in handy at any time.’ Nora could hear the disdain in her voice. ‘What are you doing here mother?’ Nora asked her straight out, looking her mother in her face with a bit of anger as she raised an eyebrow in question. ‘You hate coming to the states. You hate leaving your castle. Why are you here? Really?’ Nora pressed. ‘Kitten, calm your storm.’ Odess told her. Her face was calm and looked sincere. ‘I truly missed my family. All of you. I knew everyone would be here.’ She looked around the table with a small smile. ‘Even my grandchildren.’ Something was up. Nora knew it. Her mother was heartless and only after what would better her family. And, Nora knew that was not Paul. It was not the Gaufe family or combination of the two. She made that quite clear when Odess did not attend the wedding or come to her daughter for the birth of any of her grandchildren. She did not approve. And Nora knew she hadn’t changed her mind that quickly. Something was up. Nora would get to the bottom of it.