Jas frowned. "I'm not sure I follow."

Esmeralda blew out a frustrated breath. "Before yesterday - before Charisma called Brianna into her office for their talk, I'd been weighing my options on how to get them to talk to one another instead of me. My favored solution had been to ask Ame to bring Adam to Charisma's office in the hopes that he could break the ice between them somehow."

"Right - still not following."

Esmeralda spared Jas a glare. "I think the Father may have helped that along this morning. I mean, Charisma won't even think to question Ame's absence once she gets a good look at her face. The bruising and swelling kinda speaks for itself."

"Oh," Jas said slowly, turning to get a good look at the damage Ame's face currently sported. "OH," she repeated, scrubbing her hand over her eyes. "Sorry. I don't think I'm firing on all cylinders."

Ame chuckled, then hissed, cradling her face tenderly. "Jas, we love you, but you're never firing on all cylinders."

Jas stuck out her tongue. Esmeralda just laughed.

"All right, you two. Jas, you need to get some rest. Ame, you should really see a doctor, but barring that," she continued before Ame could protest. "Just be still. Try not to fall asleep though. I'm worried about concussion." Esmeralda rose and moved to the open doorway. "Would either of you like something to eat?"

"Please no," Ame growled, causing Esmeralda to give her yet another concerned glance.

"No thanks," Jas said through a yawn. "Maybe when I get up."

"Okay," Esmeralda agreed with a slow nod. "If you need us. Saphira and I will be here a while longer. Just knock on the door." Then she pulled the door shut and went to find Saphira.

************

Esmeralda had just finished telling Saphira what she had learned and what she suspected when Amber and Coral burst through the door. Esmeralda looked up in surprise and gave them both a look of reproach and motioned them to a seat at the table even as Saphira put plates down in front of them.

"Please tone it down a little bit, you two. Ame and Jas are resting."

Coral and Amber exchanged startled glances and turned to Esmeralda. "Sorry, Es," Amber apologized for both of them. "We didn't know. But boy... do we have news."

"Of course," Coral added with a frown and a nudge at Amber, "what Charisma told Brianna makes better sense now. Is Ame okay?"

"I hope so," Es answered honestly. "She refuses to see a doctor... says she just needs to lie still and rest. Can you two keep an eye on her for a little while? Saphira and I need to catch a little longer nap when we're done eating, but I'd like someone looking out for her in case it gets more serious."

"Oh yeah... absolutely," they assured Esmeralda with nods. Amber looked up from her plate with a frown. "Do you think it will?"

Esmeralda shrugged. "I hope not," she said, "but I'd rather not take the chance. Now," changing the subject, "what news do you have for me?"

So Coral and Amber told their stories, filling Esmeralda and Saphira in on the office interlude between the two senators with great detail. Esmeralda listened quietly and pushed back her plate before she spoke.

"Thoughts? Impressions?"

"I was impressed," Amber replied after a silent conversation with Coral. "It was actually civil and non-defensive on both sides. I would call it real progress."

"I agree," Coral responded immediately. "Even without knowing the extent of Charisma's anger and confusion at Brianna, it was obvious she was making a real effort to be non-confrontational. I will say it appears Brianna came to a decision about the situation in some way. She seems more settled than she did even a week ago."

"Very good," Esmeralda answered thoughtfully. "Thank you both," she said as she stood. "Now if you'll excuse us," reaching for Saphira's hand, "I think we're going to try to catch a little more sleep."

Amber nodded, exchanging anxious glances with the other two before facing Esmeralda directly. She stood and took Esmeralda into a hug. "We'll take care of things here. Go get some rest."

"Yeah," Coral agreed. "Things are finally starting to move. Better get it while you can."

Esmeralda gave them a smile and tugged Saphira with her into their room. Coral and Amber waited until the door was shut before they turned back to one another.

"Is she relapsing?" Coral asked quietly, her voice tinged with more than a hint of alarm. "She seems...."

"I know," Amber said tightly. "And I hope not. I'm not sure heaven or earth would be ready to face the consequences that Saphira would mete out if anything happened to Es."

Coral shook her head. "At lest we've got progress on the work front. Maybe it really will go swiftly from here so we can all go home soon."

"We can hope," Amber replied as she began moving the dishes to the sink and started running dishwater. Coral brought the rest of the plates, and they cleaned up together in silence. Then by unspoken mutual consent, they went into the tiny living room to sit for a while where they could watch over the rest of the sleeping household.


Chapter XXVI

"What do you mean you don't know where he is?" Opal hissed at Luke. He scowled and crossed his arms over his chest defensively.

"I mean," he returned with a growl, "I don't know where he is. We went to the men's room... he said he needed to use the restroom and I figured I'd better grab the chance to go as well." Luke shrugged. "I guess I took too long. When I came out of the stall, he was gone."

Opal took a deep breath and released it slowly. "All right - start looking... but you're going to be the one to explain it to Senator Tagherty if she asks."

"If I ask what?" Charisma said as she stepped from her office with several papers in her hand. She looked around. "Where's Adam?"

Luke scratched the back of his neck and looked down at the floor. "Well, you see Senator...." watching her eyes go wide in fear and alarm.

"Luke... where is my son?"

"See," Brianna's voice came from the doorway where she stood cradling Adam in her arms. Three heads swiveled in her direction. "I told you your mom was going to notice you'd gone missing." Luke slumped in relief and Opal blew out a nervous breath. Charisma stood stock-still, stunned by the picture of Brianna and Adam framed in the door.

Brianna had Adam on her hip and he had curled himself into her body. His head was tucked under her chin and his arms were wrapped around her neck. Even as Charisma watched, Brianna tried to lower Adam to the ground. Adam, however, was having none of it and tightened his grip.

"Whoa, little man - careful," Brianna instructed with a chuckle. "I still need to breathe." Adam tilted his head up at her and giggled. "Don't you want to go to your mom?" Adam shook his head and giggled again. Charisma cocked an eyebrow and tilted her head.

"What sort of magic have you worked on my son?" Brianna shook her head and shrugged. Charisma turned to Adam. "Son, we have to let Senator Walker go back to work. That means you have to let her go," seeing him shake his head and clutch Brianna tighter. Charisma moved closer to them, even as Brianna knelt and put Adam down on the floor.

"I'll make a deal, big guy. You let me go now and do my work, and if your mom says it's okay, we'll go for ice cream later, okay?"

Adam grinned and nodded, then ran to his mother and wrapped his arms around her leg, looking up at her with bright blue eyes. "Pwease?"

Charisma pushed Adam's dark hair out of his eyes. "We'll see," she promised. "But you have to stay here and not run off like that again, all right? You scared mama."

Adam tilted his head. "Mama okay?"

Charisma smiled. "Mama's fine, son." She turned back to Brianna as she rose to her feet again. "Thank you for bringing my son back to me."

"It was my pleasure," Brianna assured Charisma. She looked at Adam. "It was nice to meet you, Adam."

"Br'anna good," he declared with a smile. Brianna returned his grin and left without another word. Charisma turned back to her office staff.

"Does someone want to tell me what just happened here?"

"Br'anna good," Adam reiterated. Charisma looked down at him and brushed his hair back again.

"She is, huh?" smiling when Adam nodded vigorously. "All right. Adam, you stay here with Luke, okay? Luke, try to keep up with my son this time. Opal, you're with me." Adam went to the couch and Luke went back behind his desk. Opal and Charisma went into Charisma's office and things settled down again.

************

"So really... what sort of hex did you put on my son?" Charisma's tone was a little accusatory when she and Brianna sat down with their ice cream some time later. Adam had curled up beside Brianna as a matter of course and pulled Charisma down into the chair beside them.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Ri. I haven't done anything. Why do you ask?" trying not to lose her temper at the perceived indictment in Charisma's voice.

"Adam doesn't trust easily, and yet he warmed up to you immediately." She paused and took a bite of ice cream. "How did you end up with him anyway?" narrowing her eyes in question.

Brianna and Adam looked at each other and Brianna chuckled. "We found each other in the hallway, didn't we buddy?" waiting for Adam to nod. She turned her attention back to Charisma. "I was returning from a meeting and met Adam coming out of the men's room. Since I was pretty sure you didn't want him wandering around the building by himself, I figured I'd better bring him back to you."

"And he just came to you?" slight suspicion still in her tone.