I heard from some of my 'sources' today, including a spirit who visited Mom Walker, Jonathan, Nathan and Alan on my behalf. The spirit was a 'friend' of Pacal's.
I also head from the Tir, a few friends in South America, Baltimore and England.
I may not know magic, I may be a brick… but I have friends who know magic… and heaven help the world if they all get together.
By dinner Alan was looking at me in a different light and said "Jess… I think I'm going to need a program to tell your friends and sources apart…"
If he keeps this up, I may actually let him read my journal.
Well, we're almost through another 'holiday season' by the Aztec reckoning. We still haven't heard anything from Matt, but judging by the way Alan is acting, I'm not all that worried yet. It's like he knows something but is still refraining from saying anything.
I really wish he'd make up his mind already.
We aren't he enemy here and as long as we keep fighting each other there is no way we're going to win this fight. Or win it more than they already have. Let's face it Andy is a major win on their side.
He's never coming back no matter what happens.
I don't know what all the information coming our way actually means-that's someone else's area of expertise. Nathan's already begun translating it for me in magical-brick terms. I'm not sure but I think he's been practicing that with Tabs so he can get me a nice straight forward Jess-ified translation or not but he's getting better.
It helps.
He is so much better at explaining things than Alan is. Of course Alan's idea of explaining magic to me was always 'you wouldn't understand,' so it's not all that hard.
The more data I have to work with, the more information we can extrapolate. It's that simple.
Today I caught the first hint of autumn on the wind. I wasn't even conscious of it at first it took me a minute but then I recognized the spicy smell of dry leaves. I know there's still time left to summer, but there's a hint of fall in the air and that has always made me feel rejuvenated.
It doesn't really make sense but I never claimed to make sense.
Speaking of making sense of things, I broke down and handed Alan my journals.
I really don't know what he'll make of them, but I don't doubt that he will somehow surprise me and it most likely won't be pleasant.
I have faith in my brother.
Alan spent the better part of the day reading my journals. There were several times during the day when I heard Case telling Alan… "Wait until you've read everything."
At times he was agitated, other times gentle but his answer was always the same.
"Wait until you've read everything."
It was about 19:00 when Alan finished. He may not be able to accept everything, but at least he's got a better idea of what it was like to be me when they'd set me up as their wild card.
When Case finally let him enter the office he held his arms out to his side. "Aw Jess," he said sounding more like the brother I remembered.
As he hugged me he shook his head. "Really," he asked. "A wet fish?"
I nodded. "You deserved that."
"I'm a mage you know… I could probably summon a retaliatory fish spirit."
I shook my head.
"Not here," I explained. "The hearth spirit likes me and wouldn't allow it."
He may not like the way things are, but at least he's getting a better idea of how they got that way.
It's a start and hopefully he'll see something I've missed.
Ever since the attack on the Island, Bri's had good days and bad days. Philip's been working with her in the evenings, working on Tai Chi and control. Case and I have had some long talks about her, about our current situation and how to deal with things.
Representatives from St. Nick's have stopped by to talk to us about our current situation as well as Bri's 'awakening'. Then they went and talked with Bri. They're more than ready to teach her to control and hone her gifts and they have gone over their security precautions and what we can do to protect Bri.
If everything goes according to plan, she'll be heading back to school next week. Well, that's the plan anyway. Lets face it one of the problems with a big unit family like this… everyone has to agree to the plan.
But lets face it, the school is very well protected and protective and I'm pretty sure that Philip and his team have been checking the school's security and will be watching over the school while Bri's there.
Defense in layers, that's what's always worked for us in the past.
Today seemed to be the day for digressions. I can't even remember where I started. I think I was in my office when I realized I was missing something. I was going over my notes and I had a question for Nathan, only I couldn't find him.
I talked to Alan for a bit and was going to head back to my office when I ran into Trina who needed help with the twins. Needless to say, by the time I found Nathan I couldn't remember why I was looking for him.
It was just one of those days
I know this is about entertainment and a bit of escapism, but today I would like to ask you to hug your loved ones, be thankful for them and to pray for those far away.
You are loved, you are appreciated, you are missed.
Stay safe.
I've always found it interesting that we mark our lives by the major events that shape our lives. We forget our day to day accomplishments unless it's the first of something, or the last. I remember Bri's first words.
Okay, I remember hearing about Bri's first word because she spoke them during one major emergency or another.
I remember the feeling of loss when Case returned from South America without the boys. I remember the terror during the shutdown and I remember just how low I'd gotten, and I remember the moment I knew I was going to be okay.
As a nation we remember the tragedies, the days set aside to remember our fallen heroes, those who have served our country and even the common laborer, except for those in sales because we make them work on Labor Day. We even celebrate the birthdays of national leaders long gone, but we do not mark the every day moments that make up our lives.
It's in our nature and some things should never be forgotten.
We are who we are, but it is the small things in life that make us that way and help us deal with the big things.
Copyright 2010 M.T. Decker