Free Seaspun Magic by Christine Hella Cott Page B

be in school!" someone else added.
    "My, he certainly likes his turkey!" Mrs. Caravetti said with a chuckle. Rae was transferring chopped bits into his mouth with both small fists.
    "If he keeps stuffing himself like that," Mr. Drew observed, "He'll be bigger than you soon!"
    Arianne smiled. "I'm sure he weighs more already. I think it must be all that fresh country air."
    "I must say you sound very fond of your backwoods lair. I never would have thought you'd be happy in the country!" Darwin exclaimed. "I can't imagine you with time on your hands!"
    "I wish I had some extra time," and Arianne laughed. "Somehow or other I manage to be busy, even in Port Townsend. Just wait until Judy has your little bundle of joy, and I'll remind you of that remark!"
    "Just a month to go!" Judy beamed. "I want a boy, and of course Darwin wants a girl. What do you think it will be?"
    Arianne shook her head. "If your doctor won't tell you, do you think I should?"
    "You mean you know?" Judy squealed.
    "No!" Arianne lied hastily. "Of course I don't! Anyway, I knitted your baby a jumper to wear at Christmas. By then it'll be a month old already!''
    "So what color is the jumper?" Darwin queried, trying to be sly.
    "It's red, naturally!"
    "How does the little one get along with your B-and-B guest?" Judy's mother squeezed in.
    "A little too well, I'm afraid. He follows Leo around like a baby chick."
    "This Leo sounds nice, actually," Judy mused, studying Arianne's face.
    "Oh, he is... very nice," she supplied, trying hard to keep her face expressionless. Curiously enough, she felt a twinge of longing to have him present.
    "But not handsome..." her mother informed the crowd, "and not tall, either, and he has blond hair and eyes like white jade—that's what I hear. You've been sharing your home with this stranger for weeks and weeks, and considering all that time, dear, your information is surprisingly scanty!"
    "I hardly see him!" Arianne justified. "You sense a romance under every rock, mother! And something tells me my Leo Donev is not the marrying kind!" And so the lively meal went…
    It was wonderful to get away, to be pampered at home, and terrific to see all her friends. Arianne especially enjoyed the talkathons with Mikey and her mother.
    "Now tell me all about Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome—the Larry you mentioned earlier," her mother encouraged, settling them both down with a drink much later after all their company had gone.
    "There's not much to tell. He's all three, and boring!''
    "Your B and B is nice—your new beau is boring. Arianne, dear, are you sure you're okay? You seem to have lost all interest in the opposite sex. I don't mean to pry, but it does seem a little.. .unhealthy. Are you really sure hiding out in the country is such a good idea?"
    "I'm not hiding out—at least not anymore! And do you think I want Larry to be boring? I'd simply adore it if he...he..."
    "If he what?"
    "If he made me feel like doing anything other than yawning!"
    Rianna laughed in amusement.1 'Why don't you move back to the city, darling, and take over the magic shop? You know how much work it is for one person, what with stocking the shelves and all the ordering. If you moved back to town, why, we could spell each other. Think of the fun we could have. It would be like the old days."
    "I'll think about it, mom," Arianne promised, knowing her vigorous parent could handle the work load just fine and that her generous offer was made out of concern. She smiled in heartfelt gratefulness for the caring. On the whole, she suddenly did feel better about almost everything.
    "I wish you'd explain just one thing," her mother went on. "What is white jade?"
    "You've seen it, mom. It's sometimes sold right alongside regular jade, only it's about ten times as expensive because it's rare. Sometimes it's called 'milk jade' because it's such a pale green. It's a bit like mother-of-pearl, but not quite. Very light and very clear…"
    "Now we're getting somewhere!" Rianna