In Arcadia

Chapter Twenty

Rising in the pre-dawn, Laura left a brilliant man tangled in her sheets, and pulled on warm clothes and a beanie before venturing outside.

No leaves on the trees now: the last colour of autumn was lost. Sharp chill spiked her nose, but yesterday’s rain had thankfully passed. She followed the path to Arcadia’s north-east point, and settled on her favourite seat to watch the dawn, and wait for Gidds.

After a look at his schedule, she had sent him an email containing only a rough electronic sketch of the island, with a single x to mark her seat. He arrived precisely when she’d guessed he would, crisp and correct in yesterday’s uniform, and paused beside the bench.

"This place is full of you."

"My favourite spot on the island," she said. "I wanted it to be here."

His eyes went wide, and his face very carefully still, but all he did was sit down. Not interested in stretching the moment, Laura took his hand.

"Gidds. Will you come live with me with a view to getting married some time?"

"I would like that," he said, in a voice that did not waver, but suggested shortness of breath. "Very much."

He look down at their hands, then lifted hers to his lips and kissed the tips of her fingers, closing his eyes as he did so. She took the opportunity to kiss his left temple, and then they lost themselves for a while.

"Maybe we’ll even find out what kind of person you and I would make," she said at last. "I’ve been thinking about that ever since you said it. Though I think, first, some time for our…our current children to adjust."

It was astonishing how right it felt, how no shred of doubt remained. She loved him, and they would make a life together, and deal with whatever came up, and be happy. It was that simple.

Since Gidds' morning schedule was full of meetings, she took him back to the house for an early breakfast, and they agreed to tell their respective families and then meet for lunch to talk about technicalities. Then she went back to her favourite seat and watched the lake for a while, and wallowed in giddy delight.

Cass had already headed off to work, but was also due back before lunch, so Laura decided a midday family meal was a good idea, and sent her an invite and then, when Julian woke, sent him a text.

Laura: Come down when you’re properly conscious.

Julian had clearly had some presentiment, descending with barely a fraction of his usual noise and speed, and after one look at her face saying: "Do I have to call him Dad?"

"Well, I expect you could call him Gidds, if you wanted to. Or maybe you could call him sir, like in old movies." Laura studied his face. "I know it’s going to be…different, Julian, but you needn’t worry about being stuck with your own personal drill sergeant, or anything like that."

"Nah, it’s okay. He’s pretty cool. And he’s got to be less of a dick than Dad."

"Don’t talk about your father that way," Laura said, automatically.

Her lanky son gave her a genuinely puzzled look. "Why do you always do that?" he asked. "Dad treated you like crap. It’s a fact. I’m allowed to say it."

"I—" Laura lifted her hands to try to encompass how unfair it would have been to insert her hurt into the kids' relationship with their father, but then gave up. "You are," she conceded. "But let’s not spend any time trekking through old swamps. I’m really happy today."

"Yeah, you are," Julian said, hugging her suddenly. "It’s been kinda fun and weird all at the same time. I’d even put up with a drill sergeant for that." Then he sighed. "I suppose those girls are going to move in."

"Yes, at least on weekends, and probably whole weeks when their training isn’t in intensive phases."

"My growing collection of deadly super-sisters. At least they won’t call me uncle." Julian made several faces, but then grinned. "Cass is going to go spare. She only figured out there was anything going on this last weekend while we were at Areziath, and me and Aunt Sue had a great time yesterday telling her all sorts of stuff. She looked like she’d been hit by a brick."

But Cass had recovered from any shock by the time she brought Tyrian up for lunch, and simply smiled and kissed Laura at the news.

"So everyone’s been belatedly telling me. It’s official now?"

"Well, in the Taren-style living together with intention to wed thing, rather than jumping straight to officially engaged. You—you don’t mind having a few more Arcadian residents do you?"

"Your house, Mum. So long as you’re…do you really like Tsur Selkie?"

Laura had to laugh. "I can guarantee that. Why so disbelieving?"

"I don’t know. I thought, if you ever married anyone, it’d be someone like Aunt Sue. You know, the way you two talk together. I just can’t imagine Tsur Selkie talking like that."

"Lucky I brought Sue along, then."

Cass didn’t seem entirely convinced, but said she’d look forward to throwing an engagement party when they made it officially official. And then Gidds arrived with Allidi and Haelin, who were formal and polite, but clearly pleased, and it was not too long before Julian and Cass drew them into a mild squabble over wedding customs, and surnames. And then they all listened in round-eyed disbelief when Laura told them just where Gidds had taken her the day before. It was so comfortable, and familiar, and astonishing, and unbelievable, and…joy.

Sue ambled in an hour or so later, and gave Laura an assessing look, then smiled and hugged her.

"Crossed the Event Horizon, huh? No escape now."

Laura took a deep breath, then nodded. "None at all."