Chapter 17

Peregrine

Miranda held on to a wriggling Joe who was equally as determined to practice his walking and talking at the same time skills.

“Down!” he insisted.

She surrendered. “Don’t go too far,” she warned. “I do not want to find you eating worms in the yard, do you hear me?” Joe chuckled and stamped away. She turned to her husband. “Have you seen Reuben?”

“He’s away from the city. He’s been gone a long time.”

“You don’t know?” Her eyebrows had risen. “He’s back. I saw him earlier today. He hasn’t even called you?”

Peregrine glanced up. “No, he hasn’t.”

“Well .. he looked great. Tanned. Fit. Had a real bounce in his stride.” Miranda shook her head. “I would’ve thought he’d at least call to tell you he was back from his trip.”

He rose. “I’ll call him. Is it okay if I ask him round for supper this evening?”

“Sure. Where’d he go?”

“I don’t know,” Peregrine replied and smiled broadly, acknowledging the fact he was lying to her. Miranda smiled too, correctly interpreting it as ‘I can’t say’.

“I don’t suppose he’ll tell us all about it then,” she remarked and Peregrine’s smile widened even more.

“I don’t suppose he will but he may tell us something.” He looked down the yard. “Joe, that had better not be what I think it is! It’ll spoil your appetite!”

“Maybe I should just dig up some more an’ put a pastry crust on ’em,” Miranda mused, only half joking.

Peregrine went into the kitchen, leaving his wife to separate Joe from the culinary delicacy he’d discovered a few days before. Some kids were addicted to cookies, some to fries, but his son enjoyed eating worms. It took all kinds to make the world. He dialed Reuben’s number and waited.

Eventually, the call was answered. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“Hey, Rube! When’d you get back?”

“A few days ago. Hey, Perry, what can I say? It was a long, physically hard trip. I’ve not been doing much since I got back except sleeping, eating, an’ taking hot showers. I was gonna call you tomorrow. You saved me the effort. How’s it with you? How’s that boy of yours?”

“He’s discovered that worms taste pretty good.”

“I should’ve taken him along with me. He could’ve feasted like a king.”

“Talking of which .. you wanna come over for supper tonight? We’d like to hear about your trip.”

There was a pause. “You said you wouldn’t tell anyone. You promised.”

“I haven’t. I told Miranda you were away from the city. You weren’t around here every other day, I had to say something. And, when she asked where you’d gone, I lied an’ said I didn’t know .. so she knows not to ask. You can tell us something about it. What it felt like to be gone from San Francisco, how big the worms were. General stuff, no details.”

Again, a pause. “Okay. Seven thirty?”

“That’s good for us. I missed you, man! Mira said she saw you earlier an’ you look great. Said you had a bounce in your stride.”

“Yeah, I guess I have. Recharged my batteries, that’s for sure. I was feeling so old before I left and, now, I feel young again. I’ll tell you later, okay?”

“Okay.”

“I missed you too, Perry. Missed having someone there who just knew what it was like to be me. I kept having to explain stuff.”

“And your traveling companion? How was he?”

“He’s got a lot of conflict inside. One minute, he’s open an’ he’ll talk, the next, he changes the subject an’ becomes moody, almost curt. He’s finding it a tough choice between Legacy an’ family .. or he thinks he is. He knows where it counts that he’s a Legacy guy an’ his family is always gonna take second place. He just doesn’t wanna admit it.”

Peregrine sighed. “It’s always been like that for any Legacy member. I feel sorry for ’em in one way an’ yet I have to admire them. Being a kid with an absent father isn’t easy yet how many sons have followed their fathers into the Legacy? They must learn without really realizing it how important the work is. They know they’ll have to face the same tough choice or decide not to marry.”

“Are you talking about Winston Rayne or me?” Reuben asked, laughing.

“Well, now you mention it, there are similarities but I was talking about Winston. Hey, did you mention our idea about time out?”

“Shoot, I forgot. Next time.”

“Well, I won’t keep you. Catch you later. Seven thirty.”

“I’ll be there. If you could suggest pasta to Miranda, I’d be grateful. Or Chinese takeout. Two more things I really missed.”

“You got it.” Peregrine hung up and returned to the back porch. “Seven thirty. Pasta or Chinese takeout.”

“Hmm. He must’ve been somewhere pretty remote,” Miranda commented.

“You are way too devious, did you know that?” Peregrine mildly complained.

“An’ it’ll keep me alive for a good long time,” she grinned. “Joe! Put that down!”

*****

“Are you planning to have more?” Reuben asked. “I’d understand if you said no. I mean .. our kids are tougher to raise than anyone else’s. If normal kids screw up, what’s the cost? Paying to fix a broken window. If our kids screw up … ”

“Different ballgame,” Peregrine agreed, wincing openly at his joke.

“We’ve tried,” Miranda said in answer to the question. “Joe’s a sweet kid, he really is. He understands so much in spite of his age. He’s really no bother so another child wouldn’t be that much of a hardship for us. But it hasn’t happened. I don’t know why.”

“There’s a reason for everything,” Peregrine remarked. “There’s always a plan. We may know it or we may not. We can’t demand answers from God. If He wants us to have another child, we will. Whatever, we have Joe and we’ll raise him with love, steer him along his course to the best of our ability and pray we do a good job so that, in time, he’ll marry and have a child of his own.”

“You can’t do more,” Reuben commented.

Peregrine Gabrielli knew the rules and, right now, he knew more than Reuben. The reason for this was that Peregrine had been tested and Reuben hadn’t. The rule was that no one spoke of the test. The untested weren’t forewarned. The tested preferred to forget the ordeal. All they wanted to remember was that they’d passed.

Peregrine’s test had come just about three years previously. Within two weeks of him passing, Miranda had announced that, after six months of trying, she was pregnant. Peregrine knew there was no reward for passing the test of faith, there was no framed certificate to be placed on a wall, no ceremony. He was okay with that but he did see Joe as his reward. He had proven his faith and God had given him a son.

But he couldn’t say anything to Reuben. As far as he knew, Reuben hadn’t been tested. He hadn’t .. changed and Flamefalls invariably did. There was a deep inner core of peace after the test. Reuben didn’t have that. Yet he had changed in some subtle way. He did seem younger and not so resigned to growing older. He had more energy and there was a sparkle in his eyes which he hadn’t had before his trip. But there was something .. more to it. He was more direct, not so reticent. He had more self confidence.

When Joe was in bed and asleep, the adults sat around the dining table and discussed the boy. With that subject now exhausted, Miranda asked about Reuben’s trip.

“I know, you can’t tell us details an’ I don’t wanna pry. But, wherever you’ve been, it’s done you a power of good, Reuben.”

“It wasn’t till I got home an’ caught up on my sleep that I realized how much,” he replied. “I went to a .. very remote place. Jungle. There was humidity, heat, bugs, worms – Joe would’ve loved it. I did things I’ve done before but never in that kinda environment. Hiking thru jungle is totally different from the hills of Marin County. I slept in a tiny tent. I got dirty, sore, my feet ached, my back ached. I spent a month doing .. normal stuff.”

“Can you say what?” Peregrine asked.

“It was a dig. By complete accident, we found a buried ancient temple then had to wait for the government to send an official team of archeologists. I helped them with the excavation. It was fun. In a way, I was sad when we had to leave yet, in another, I wanted to get home. There’s only so much roughing it in a jungle that I could take before the call of civilization overcame the call of the wild an’ started to give me itchy feet.”

“Wow .. it sounds like you had an incredible time,” Miranda remarked. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. The city must be both exciting an’ boring after being away.”

“Yeah, to both. I think I’d like to do more traveling. I learned so much, Miranda. I realized that I wasn’t complete. I don’t believe I am complete, not even now, but some gaps have been filled in, some questions answered, other gaps at least identified.”

Peregrine glanced up. “An’ you had to go away for that?”

“I think I had to, yes,” Reuben nodded. “I think I had to be around other people for a while, people .. not like us. C’mon, Perry, we can do amazing things but we’re still human beings with a full range of human emotions, wants an’ needs. We can’t deny that side of us. I think that’s why I’ve always felt something was missing from my life. To discover fulfillment, I had to be with humans beings. I had to see myself thru their eyes. As I said, I’m not there yet but I’ve started on the journey an’, when I get to the end, I’ll be complete.”

The conversation turned onto other subjects but Peregrine only listened with half an ear. He was listening again to Reuben’s words and he was still listening to them after Reuben had left for home. He was unsettled by them. Reuben hadn’t lied about anything yet there was something in the subtext which made Peregrine uncomfortable.

A Flamefall was a human being with a unique gift. Peregrine knew they had human wants and needs which they filled by interacting with ordinary people but at the heart and soul of every interaction was the knowledge that they were Flamefalls. They could never totally open up, never completely be themselves, not around ordinary, regular men and women. They always held back, always kept themselves slightly apart. That’s why marriage was so important to them – it completed a circle, and gave them the opportunity to be themselves in a domestic situation.

Reuben, however, seemed to be coming at it from the opposite direction. He appeared to see himself as a flawed human being with Flamefall gifts. Not even partners who married a trueborn had that attitude.

He’d said that he had learned a lot. Peregrine felt the trip with Winston Rayne had been an error. It had given Reuben the chance to slide back into ways he had long ago given up. Not three months had elapsed yet all the work Ox and Thelma had done, the work he and Miranda had done, had been wiped out. Erased.

Maybe that’s a little harsh, Peregrine mused as he prepared for bed. Maybe it’s just temporary. A side effect. I don’t know because I’ve never been in that position. I’ve traveled the world, yes, but never in person and never with a Legacy member as my guide. If I had done what Reuben has, then, yeah, maybe I would temporarily forget my roots in the wash of excitement. I’ll watch him. I’ll see how he does in training, how he is in person, I’ll listen to what he says and how he says it. I can’t deny he’s come back with more energy and life inside him. Maybe just being around me and Miranda, and Joe, will be enough to remind him of who he really is. I don’t need to mention this to my Dad.

And that was his third mistake.

*****

Peregrine was surprised. Reuben went training with Kate. Miranda had a knowing smile when she saw them crossing the bridge together.

“You think anything will come of it?” he asked.

“You never know. Maybe one of the gaps he discovered was the need for a companion. And Kate is ideal. She’s strong. Doesn’t take any crap from anyone. Y’know, Perry, some of us – but not me an’ not you – are still a little wary around Reuben. Kate isn’t one of them.”

Peregrine nodded. “Joe, you stay this side with your Mom. You work on your aim. There’s lots of trees you can use for target practice.”

Joe raised a pudgy fist to point. “Tree,” he said.

“That’s right,” Peregrine smiled. He turned and built his bridge, then hurried over to the Gorge. He tried to empty his mind of all the irritating little questions and he told himself that, if Reuben was here, that was a good sign. That he was with Kate was even better. Kate could be a stabilizing force just as much as Peregrine, maybe even more because Peregrine had a family and Kate didn’t. Perhaps romance was in the air. It never occurred to him that Reuben might have chosen Kate because she lived in Asia and he had recently returned from there. Peregrine saw the worst in every demon and devil, and the best in his associates. Everyone else was treated with courteous, polite suspicion.

He trained for several hours and returned to the chasm. Kate was there, building her bridge and he paused.

“Going back alone?”

“Sure. Why wouldn’t I?” she asked.

“You came over with Reuben.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “He wanted to talk. He let me build my bridge an’ then he used it. That guy is so lazy. Y’know, Perry, I think he’s forgotten how to do it.”

Bridge building was a fundamental skill. Without it, no one crossed to the Gorge to train .. unless, like Reuben, they cheated.

“An’ as for his candle flame … ” She laughed softly. “Glowworm would do better. I don’t think he’s been praying for a while. He might have had a fun time in Asia but his faith needs a lot of work.” She grinned quickly but there was no humor in it. “You’re his friend, Perry. You need to speak with him.”

Peregrine nodded. “Sure,” he said but it was an automatic response.

Kate crossed the bridge and disappeared quickly into the forest. Peregrine shook himself, built his own bridge and hurried over. Standing on the dark side of the chasm in a total state of shock wasn’t a good plan. Once he was safely over and the bridge dissolved, he surrendered to the feelings besieging him on all sides.

What more do I have to do to bring Reuben round? He said it once – I am not his keeper. I can’t keep on watching him, guarding him. He has to take responsibility for his own actions. If the positions were reversed, he’d have given up on me a long time ago. There are only so many words any of us can say, only so many times we can say them. Why is he doing this? Isn’t this life enough for him?

He sighed, his shoulders slumping. I have a family, a wife and a son who need me. Miranda is a good student, she’s come so far, learned so much, her faith is like a rock, but she still needs me. And Joe .. he needs the both of us to guide him, restrain him, show him that the power has to be kept in check. If I’m not around to do that because I’m trying to teach someone four years older than me and who should already know these things, I risk turning my son, my precious gift from God, into another Reuben Meyer.

And yet .. he’s my friend. I knew him before I met Miranda. Do I abandon him to whatever fate he makes for himself? Can I step back and let him self destruct? Because .. that’s what’ll happen if he doesn’t wake up and smell the coffee.

Peregrine began to head home, trying to decide what to do first.

I guess the first thing I have to do is find out what he and Winston Rayne talked about to get Reuben thinking along these lines …

*****

“That’s my wife’s part of the house,” Winston indicated. “She, Ingrid and Derek live there, isolated from the work the rest of us do. It’s safer for them but doesn’t foster a close family environment.”

Peregrine strolled around the garden and nodded politely.

“I’d invite you in but it would only cause questions to be asked. Questions I’d prefer not to answer.”

“It’s a nice day. Walking outside is fine with me.”

Winston glanced at the marginally older man, not quite able to believe his guest was a Legacy Enforcer. There again, there was some quality in his eyes and in the way he moved which said he was exactly that.

“I have the feeling that this isn’t social, that you’re going to ask me some awkward questions,” Winston remarked. “And that I will have to answer them.”

“That’s true,” Peregrine replied.

Winston nodded. “Am I in trouble?”

“No. That isn’t why I’m here.” Peregrine looked at him. “Your soul isn’t exactly pure but then very few are. We’re not all saintly material. I know I’m certainly not.” He hesitated. “This isn’t .. strictly .. a Legacy matter. It’s personal. Just like when you asked Gulo to accompany you to Asia.”

Winston smiled thinly. “I told him not to share the information.”

“I’m his friend. He told me what I needed to know and I promised not to tell anyone else. I can talk with you about it because you were also involved.”

“All right. What do you need to know this time?”
Peregrine slowed. “What did you talk about on the trip?”

Winston halted. “A lot of things. It’s something which surprised me about the Enforcers – how much you know about the world. I’d always believed your focus was very narrow, that you concentrated only on evil.”

“We have lives as well,” Peregrine responded. “Our education is very thorough. I need you to be a little bit more specific.”

Winston shrugged. “We discussed many things. The sepulchers and what should be done with them. I wanted to bring them home for study. Gulo wanted to destroy them. Eventually, we reached a compromise.”

“What kind of compromise?” Peregrine inquired in a neutral voice.

“I would be given time to study them with Gulo in attendance and ready to act if it became necessary.”

Peregrine wasn’t happy with that but it was workable.

“And then we mentioned the subject of temptation and asked if we were strong enough to resist it,” Winston added. “That was never decided. We left it open.”

“I see.”

“We talked about a lot of things.”

“What was your impression of him?”

Winston smiled. “An interesting individual. Rather unique, in my opinion. Certainly not a typical Enforcer.”

“In what way?”

“He had views outside what I’d always believed to be your norm. Having said that, he represented your people very well. But there was an almost .. childlike interest in, and hunger to do, ordinary things. I got the impression that he would much prefer to be a part time Enforcer and have a day job.”

Peregrine nodded again. That just about summed up Reuben in a nutshell.

“Oh, we also talked about the Devil and what we might ask him if we ever met. Or, rather, I talked about it. Gulo said he wasn’t going to get the opportunity.”

“Is there anything else you can tell me?”

“He was quiet, subdued, on the journey home. And then, when we got back here, he killed a demon in the foyer of the house. My wife was hysterical, and my son saw it too. I doubt he’ll ever forget.”

“Derek Rayne is a son of the Legacy,” Peregrine commented. “In some ways, you and I are very alike. We make our children tough.”

“And if seeing that permanently scars him?”

The other man considered. “If he chooses to follow you into the Legacy, the experience will be a sound reminder of what he will face should he turn to evil. If he chooses to live another life .. which I doubt .. eventually the memory will fade, surfacing only in nightmares.”

“A glib reply.”

“The truth. Thank you for your time,” Peregrine concluded.

“Ah, not so fast,” Winston said and Peregrine halted. “Why do you ask these questions? Is Gulo in trouble?”

That depends on what you mean by trouble, Peregrine mused.

“No. He just .. wasn’t himself when he returned. I’m trying to find out why and if it’s temporary.”

“And what if it’s permanent?” Winston asked, his voice serious.

“Then it’s for us to deal with. I would ask a favor. Don’t contact Gulo again, not directly. If it’s a Legacy matter, you must follow the procedure and route the request thru London house. If it’s personal, don’t contact us at all.”

“Is that a threat?”
“A warning. We can’t become involved in bad. You know that. And the sepulchers are a Legacy matter. My advice is to tell London about them. Then it’s official.”

Winston watched him go, and promptly forget the entire conversation.

*****

Fortunately, Ox wasn’t home when Peregrine arrived at Paradise Drive. He was pleased because his heart had sunk more and more the nearer he got to the house. Peregrine didn’t have a problem talking with his father, but, when it was about Reuben, he always felt so torn.

Thelma was pouring herself a cup of coffee when he let himself in. “Anyone home?” he called.

“Only me. You on your own?”

“Yeah. Thought I’d call in on my way back to the city.”

“From where ..?”

The alternative to lying was to ignore the question. “I’m not sure what to do.”

“What’s on your mind? Your Dad’s out. Won’t be back for a few hours. But I’m here.”

He sat down and accepted a cup of coffee. Peregrine stared into the depths for a long moment. “Why do I always come here with something on my mind?”

“Reuben.”

Peregrine nodded and sighed. “I don’t understand him, Mom. We’ve all rallied round. We’ve all done as much as we can for him but nothing seems to stay in his head. It seems I have to ride him constantly or he just slides back. An’ I’m tired of doing that. I’m his friend, an’ I feel like I’m always on his case. Why is that? Why can’t he .. grow up an’ face the responsibility, know his duty an’ do it? Why is he always searching for some hidden meaning when there isn’t one?”

Thelma sat opposite him. “Tell me what you can, from the start.”

Peregrine began to pour out his heart. He spoke of the facts as he’d seen then, heard them, what he’d sensed. He told of his misgivings, and of his guilt for speaking of all this to his mother, and his decision before not to say anything to his father. He repeated what Winston Rayne had said and what Kate had told him.

“It’s hearsay, apart from Reuben’s own words, but even then it’s my interpretation of them,” he finally admitted, “and I know we shouldn’t accept hearsay evidence but I’m concerned, Mom. No matter what we try .. he thinks we’re .. I don’t know, leading him wrong or not telling him everything. He keeps looking for this .. elusive factor an’, when he’s found it, he’ll be a whole person. He doesn’t seem to realize that this is it. We are whole people.”

Thelma was silent for a moment. “Well .. it’s true that this isn’t a rehearsal for something which comes after but life is a learning experience, Perry. We don’t pop out from our mothers knowing everything there is to know. You feel completed but there was a time when you didn’t. Then you found Miranda, but you still weren’t complete. Now you have Joe. Maybe a family was your elusive factor, as you call it. Reuben is alone. Being single doesn’t stop him doing the job, an’ it hasn’t. But, maybe, he’s searching for something which’ll take the place of a family. He’s a complete Flamefall but he may be incomplete as a human being.”

Peregrine stared at her. “Are you saying .. he needs a hobby?”

“I could be, yeah. You said he enjoyed helping with the excavation. How about you suggest a college course for him? Something practical yet with theory as well.”

“And what about all the praying he hasn’t done?”

“Reuben knows he has to pray, he knows how to pray, an’ that it’s important. I don’t know why he hasn’t done it but .. if his mind’s on other things … ” She sat back. “Why don’t you mention that he could pray for guidance? It could be Reuben associates praying with his official job. He could believe that praying outside that official job isn’t necessary, that he has all the bases covered as a Flamefall and it’s outside that where he needs something more. Praying for guidance could blur that line.” Thelma smiled at him. “Perry, it’s tough to remember that it is okay for us to do normal, regular, everyday things. Just because we’re Flamefalls doesn’t mean that’s all we are. There’s more to life, y’know?”

“What about his bridge building? His laziness? I remember years ago, the candle flame .. it hardly did anything, Mom. I thought it was his control, but it wasn’t. It was weak.”

“He just needs practice, Perry. He could be a little rusty.”

“You think I’m overreacting, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t think that. I think you’re being what you’ve been most of your life. Reuben’s best friend. You’ve always looked out for him, helped him when he’s needed it, and now you’re concerned. Concern isn’t bad, Perry, but you can see shadows where there are none if you take it too far.”

His shoulders sagged. “Okay.”

“Go on being a friend. Offer to help him find a college course. He’d get to mix with ordinary people and he has the time. We can cover for him on official duties.”

Peregrine nodded. “And you don’t think he’s dangerous.”

“I think he’s being Reuben,” Thelma replied. “And first in his mind is the fact that he’s a Flamefall. We are dangerous people, Perry. None of us have abused the power.”

“Okay,” he repeated. “Mom – ”

“I won’t say a word to your Dad,” she winked.

Peregrine smiled. “Thanks.”

*****

Joe had ended his love affair with worms and had developed an interest in stones instead. Miranda was a little anxious that he would try eating them but, so far, his main interest lay in what was beneath. Every time he lifted a stone, something was crawling there.

Peregrine was pleased. “It’ll help encourage a suspicious nature,” he remarked. “I mean, it’s what we do but on a much smaller scale. We lift big rocks and find something nasty crawling beneath. Talking of which … ” He turned to Reuben. “I was thinking, an’ tell me to butt out if it’s none of my business, have you thought about going to college?”

Reuben’s eyebrows rose. “Excuse me?”

“College. You said helping the excavation was fun. Maybe you have too much time on your hands, Rube. Too set in your ways for a family but you could go to college an’ do an archeology degree. Just a thought, y’know?”

“I think that’s a great idea,” Miranda agreed. “You’d meet people who also enjoy that kinda thing. You’d get to talk about it. Maybe even travel. At the least, you’d get outta the city. Aren’t there .. dinosaur bones in the Badlands? Okay, not quite archeology but it’s digging things up.”

“Well .. yeah, it is,” Reuben said, nodding thoughtfully.

“And I’m sure they need a lotta hands to dig up dinosaur bones.”

“If you’re not sure, you could always pray for guidance. Whether to go to college or not, which course to choose, which area of study – human history or dinosaur history,” Peregrine suggested.

“Yeah, I could, couldn’t I?” Reuben smiled. “That’s what I like about spending time with you guys. You’re always thinking good things for me. Coming up with new ideas. I appreciate that, I really do.”

“I’m your friend, Rube. I’d be failing if I didn’t think about you,” Peregrine responded. “If you want help finding a course, I’d be glad to chip in.”

“I know. You’ve always been there for me. Let me think about it, do some praying, and I’ll let you know.” Reuben sipped his lemonade. “How’s Joe’s training coming along?”

“Good,” Miranda replied. “His aim’s improved a lot.”

“You taken him over the Gorge yet?”
“No,” Peregrine answered, shaking his head. “The trees this side of the chasm have a lot to fear. Ox wants to take him over, says he wants to do it before he dies.”

Reuben laughed. “He’s sixty five, Perry! He’s got a good few years left. There’s plenty of time.”

“That’s exactly what I’ve told him, Rube! Another couple of years isn’t gonna hurt anyone. But he wants to do it now. I’ve had to say no. Joe’s not old enough, not yet.”

“To be fair to Ox, he doesn’t want to take Joe training over there, he just wants to take him over the bridge,” Miranda went on. “And he isn’t even claiming the first time. He says that’s Perry’s right an’ he won’t meddle. I don’t see a problem in it, sweetheart. You were Joe’s age when Ox first took you over.”

“I know,” Peregrine sighed. “And I suffered no lasting trauma. I suffered no trauma whatsoever. My Dad made it fun.” He glanced at her. “He’s gotten you on his side, hasn’t he?”

Miranda smiled sweetly.

“I’d have to build up to it. You can’t just .. do it. Your first time was in stages, remember?” he asked.

“Yes, I do. I simply feel that agreeing to Ox’s request isn’t such a big deal. Maybe .. in the days before Christmas, as an early gift, would be nice for your father and your son.”

“Good idea,” Reuben commented. “Christmas is four months away. Plenty of time for you to build up to it, plus Joe will be a little older. It’s a win win situation.”

Outgunned, Peregrine yielded. “Okay. We’re agreed. I’ll take Joe over around Thanksgiving. You can all come watch.”

*****

The preparations for Joe’s first trip over the bridge consumed Peregrine and put everything else from his mind. He remembered vividly his first time and Ox had made it almost like a carnival. Weeks of anticipation had resulted in a surge of excitement which had drowned out the fear. Joe was already curious about where his Daddy went every night. Curiosity was good but how it was handled was crucial. Handled right, curiosity could make a good Flamefall even better. Handled wrong .. well, there was a saying, wasn’t there? Curiosity killed the cat.

He and Miranda worked out a joint strategy which they put into immediate effect. They involved Ox and Thelma as well. Ox was overjoyed that Peregrine had finally relented and would give him an early gift for Christmas.

“You have years yet, Dad,” Peregrine repeated, “but .. I guess there’s no harm in agreeing.”

“Thank you, son. I appreciate it. When you’re older and Joe’s all grown up, married, and the father of a little bundle of hot wired energy, you’ll demand the same thing. I know you will because you’re my son an’ I’m proud of the way you’re dealing with your life.”

“Dad .. you’re embarrassing me.”

Ox laughed. “Then I’ll change the subject. How’s Reuben? I haven’t seen him around lately.”

Peregrine had to think. “Neither have I. Last I heard, he was going to college. He’s doing a degree .. but I don’t know which one.”

“College, huh? Good for him. That boy is always looking for something more. If he’d married an’ had kids, he would’ve learned a whole lot about the way the world works but, as he didn’t, I guess learning something structured shows self control and helps fill in those gaps he thinks he has.” Ox nodded. “And it’s all good discipline. Study assignments have deadlines. He’ll have to knuckle down to some ordinary work.”

“An’ that’s exactly what he wants. I should call him, see how he’s doing. I can’t believe I’ve let it go like that.”

“He needs space, Perry. He’s a grown man. He doesn’t need you to be his babysitter.”

“I’ll call anyway. Wouldn’t be much of a friend if I forgot about this project of his.”

“I guess you wouldn’t, no,” Ox commented, smiling.

Peregrine called that night. The phone rang for several minutes before Reuben answered it with a slightly flustered “Hello?”

“Hey, man, how’s it going?”

“I’ve never been so stretched my entire life! I had to fake so many qualifications to do this that I’m having to study the things I faked just to keep up. But, man, I am having a real blast!”

Peregrine laughed. “That’s good to hear.”

“How’s the prep going for the big night?”

“Okay. It’s why I haven’t called you before. I’m sorry about that.”

“No big deal. Joe’s important to you. I understand completely.”

“But tonight .. I can go training with you.”

“Tonight ..? Hey, I would love to but I really need to finish this assignment. How about the weekend? Friday or Saturday; you choose.”

“Let’s shoot for Friday an’, if something comes up, we’ll switch it to Saturday. That good for you?”

“Fine. See you at the weekend. Have to go. Bye.”

The phone clicked dead. Peregrine hung up and, smiling, nodded to himself. Reuben was doing great. What was more, Reuben was doing great on his own. Peregrine felt a weight slide from his shoulders. There were no shadows except those he’d imagined.

And that was his second to last mistake.

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