Grace placed her arm around my shoulder, guiding me toward the kitchen. "I know it's tough, but I think you've made a very wise and mature choice," she said. "How about to take your mind off of it, I whip up a batch of double chocolate chip cookies? A little birdie told me that you're a bit of a chocolate lover," she said, smiling at me.
"You mean from scratch?" I asked, my mouth already watering.
"Of course, is there any other kind?" she asked, laughing lightly as she started assembling the ingredients.
"In my house there is. Slice and bake is the closest we come to homemade. My mom isn’t the best of cooks, and I definitely take after her," I said.
"Well, you're in for a treat because my double chocolate chip cookies are Heavenly, no pun intended," she said, making quick work of mixing the ingredients together in a large stainless steel bowl.
Less than fifteen minutes later, the first batch was in the oven smelling as Heavenly as she promised. Grace and I talked about trivial things as she prepared another batch on a second tray. She was easy to talk to and I felt like I had gained an older sister.
Soon the smell of fresh baked cookies drew a crowd as everyone came in to check it out.
"Yum, I see you're treating everyone to your famous cookies," Thomas, Grace's Link said, joining us in the kitchen. He snagged an uncooked cookie from the cookie sheet and planted a quick peck on her cheek, dodging her swat with the spatula.
"The first batch is almost done," she said affectionately.
"I know, and I'll eat those too, but these are just my appetizers," he said, making a grab for another one, but this time Grace was ready for him. She smacked his knuckles lightly with the rubber spatula warding him off.
"Out," she ordered, giving him a playful shove. "Or no cookies for you," she added, giving him a warm smile, totally contradicting her words.
Thomas gave her bottom an affectionate pat as he headed out of the kitchen, winking at me on his way out.
I couldn't help laughing at their easy banter. Watching the older bands interact gave me insight into what my future could be, warming me from the inside out with happiness. I knew from conversations we had, that Thomas and Grace were the proud parents of a beautiful bouncing baby boy. Grace showed me pictures of him and I had to smile at how closely he resembled a replica of a cherub with springy blond curls framing his adorable, round face. In the picture, he was toddling after an orange tabby cat, obviously trying to catch him. I could almost hear his squeals of delight as the cat eluded him.
After she showed off her pictures, the rest of the Guides pulled out their own pictures too. It was amazing to see the next generation of Links as babies. I wished we could have met them firsthand, but I was immensely relieved that they were all in a secure location being protected by the last remaining fighting band.
"As soon as the threat is over, we will all get together," Grace had assured me as I studied the pictures.
Watching Grace and Thomas show their affection, I was anxious for my own life with Mark to begin. We knew each other better than anyone else and had spent more time together in our dreams than most married couples spent together.
Grace handed me a platter of steaming cookies straight from the oven. Carrying it through the living room, I balanced the tray on my hip while I twisted the door handle. The door swung open as Shawn opened it from the outside.
"I thought I smelled something good," he said, grabbing one of the cookies off the top of the pile. "Holy cow, these are delicious," he said, devouring the whole thing in one gobble. He reached out to snatch another one before I could set the tray down.
"Hey, these are for everyone, greedy-meedy, " I said, trying to elbow his large frame away to no avail.
"Hey, they snooze they lose," he said, tugging on my ponytail before he grabbed a third cookie.
"Ooh, cookies," John said, spotting the tray of cookies. "Please tell me these are Grace's famous double chocolate chips," he said, grabbing several.
Before I could answer him, everyone crowded around the tray making a mad grab and within seconds, only crumbs remained.
"Hey, I didn't get any," I complained loudly, watching all the delicious chocolate walking away.
"That's why I always make a triple batch," Grace said laughing, coming up behind me with a second overflowing tray in one hand a stack of plastic cups in the other. Thomas brought up the rear, carrying an oversized glass jug of ice cold lemonade with fresh lemon slices floating on the top.
"Here," she said, handing me several cookies.
"Thanks," I said taking a bite out of one of them. "Oh my God, Grace, these are fantastic," I said, savoring the mouthwatering bite in my mouth. I sat down in one of the padded chairs across from Grace.
"I know, right. It's a good thing we train so much or Thomas and I would be huge," she said, laughing as she helped herself to several of her own delicious creations.
Grace's sweet nature and easy laughter took my mind off my worries, and by the time Haniel returned for our afternoon training session I was ready to tackle it head on.
"How was it at your mom's?" Mark asked as we walked on the beach later that night with Sam and Shawn. Having the other bands here was cool, but the crowded space had us seeking refuge in our nightly strolls.
"The same," I said, sighing deeply. "I had to send Haniel over there."
"Really?" he asked, knowing my feelings on the issue.
"I just couldn’t see any other way. She was harping heavily on the time I'm spending here. I was afraid that an ultimatum wasn't far behind."
"I'm sorry babe. I know you hate deceiving her like that," he said, dropping a kiss on my brow. "I wish I could send you away to some place safe. It seems like every time I turn around your life is in jeopardy."
"Such is the life of a Guide," I joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Having no comment, he wrapped his arm around me as we continued to trail Sam and Shawn along the tide line. I could hear their easy laughter ahead of us and smiled at their antics as Shawn threatened to throw a squealing Sam into the churning waves.
"Hey guys, up for some more company?" Lynn asked as she and Robert joined us.
"Sure," I said, pleased that my whole group was together again.
"My sister's something else, isn’t she?" Robert asked with obvious affection, watching her scoop up handfuls of water in her hands to throw at Shawn.
"She sure is," I said, jogging away to assist my friend in her quest to drench my brother. Kicking off my flip-flops, I snuck up behind him swallowing a gasp as the cold water lapped over my bare feet. I kicked the top of the water with my toes sending a spray up Shawn's t-shirt-clad back. The cascade of water hit its mark dead-on, drenching Shawn's entire backside.
"What the hell?" Shawn asked, yelping when the cold spray hit him full force. Turning toward me, he slowly stalked me. "Oh, I get it. You choose your BFF over your own blood," he said in mock anger.
Backing up through the water, I turned to flee a moment before he reached me, counting on my extra speed abilities to carry me a safe distance, away. What I wasn't counting on was Robert and Mark joining forces with Shawn. Darting to the left, I tried to pass around Robert's outstretched arms. Misjudging the distance however, I tripped over his foot, as his hands made a grab for me, sending me tumbling into the ice-cold water head first. An unexpected wave tossed and turned me as I tried to break through to the surface. The force of the wave pressed my face into the rough sand. Gasping for a breath that wasn’t water-filled, I sat in the chilly water shivering from the cold.
"Oh, Krista, I am so sorry," Robert said mortified as water dripped into my eyes. He reached a hand out to help me up.
Using the uneven ground to my advantage, I pulled Robert down with me. Lynn and Sam whooped with laughter as Robert came up swearing from the cold water.
"Soorrrrrrrrryy, I cccoouldn't resssist," I said between giggles and my chattering teeth. Using each other for support, we staggered out of the freezing ocean with our water-laden clothes hampering our movements. "Wooooowww, thaaaat wattttter is freeezzingg," I said through chattering lips as we finally joined our laughing friends on the safety of the dry sand.
"See Sis, you mess with the bull, you get the horns," Shawn joked.
"Haha veeerry funnnny," I said as my teeth clattered together painfully. A breeze off the water blew across my already chilled body, making my skin take on a light blue shade.
Robert swore again as the same breeze hit him. "Holy flipping cow, how the Hell do people actually surf in that?" He said, with his own teeth chattering slightly.
"It's called a wetsuit, man," Shawn said chuckling.
"Har har," Robert said, shaking his wet head in Shawn's direction, sending droplets of icy cold water flying in all directions.
"Come on, we need to get you guys in the house before you get sick," Mark said, pressing my shaking body tightly against his. I welcomed his body heat as I snuggled in even closer. The walk to the house seemed endless as my unprotected side was exposed to the persistent breeze blowing off the water.
Robert kept up his colorful string of words each time the breeze blew across us.
I would have laughed, but the cold had sucked all humor out of the situation for me, as I focused, on placing one foot in front of the other. My frozen feet screamed at me with each step, but I clamped my lips together, not wanting to worry my friends.
Mark halted our progress when I stumbled over my next step, unable to feel my feet. "Are you okay?"
Finally caving, I shook my head painfully. "I cannnn't feellllll myyyy feeeeet," I said through my painful chattering teeth.
Mark knelt down in front of me to get a better look at my feet, but the lack of light made it hard for him to see. He scooped me up in his powerful arms as if I weighed nothing more than a toddler. "Shawn, come hold Krista's feet," he barked, striding toward his house at a brisk pace.
Shawn walked sideways, rubbing my ice cold feet with his hands. "Holy crap, your feet are like blocks of ice," he said, rubbing his hands over them briskly, using the friction to try to warm them.
"Soorrrrrrrrryy," I said apologetically. "They'reeeee alwayyyss coolld," I added.
I almost groaned out loud with relief when I saw the wooden staircase leading to Mark's house up ahead. Mark strode purposefully up the stairs with me still cradled in his arms.
"What happened?" John asked concerned as we climbed the last step.
"Krista and Robert went for a brief swim," Shawn said jokingly.
"Really, you choose a time like this for irresponsibility?" John asked reproachfully, taking in mine and Robert's blue lips and chattering teeth.
"Well, it's not like they did it on purpose," Sam said in a feisty voice, sticking up for her brother and me. "It was an accident, we were just messing around."
"That's all fine and dandy if we weren’t facing a life threatening situation," he said, clearly pissed off as he trailed after us. "It's time you stopped acting like kids and fulfilled your roles," he said in a loud voice, making me cringe deeper into Mark's arms. I hated to be yelled at more than anything else. I could feel panic clawing at me as he followed us into the house.
I was shocked at his tone and was surprised Mark didn't jump in with his own comment. I tilted my head to look at his face and saw his jaw was clenched as he strode with me through the house toward the guest bathroom.
"What if they get sick now and are unable to fulfill their duties?" John continued to berate us loudly, ignoring Kieran's voice as she tried to calm him.
"Enough," Haniel said with authority ringing through his voice that only an Archangel could pull off. "Go warm her up," he directed Mark.
"What was that about?" Sam asked quietly, running a steaming tub of water for me as Mark continued to cradle me in his arms.
"He's right," I said as another shudder raced through me. "It was irresponsible of me."
"No he's not right," Mark said quietly. "You’re still young. We all are, and we should be allowed that luxury without the weight of the world on our shoulders all the time. Yeah, getting wet was not the best idea, but accidents happen," he added, setting me fully dressed in the tub of steaming water. Pinpricks of pain shot through me as the hot water engulfed my frozen limbs. After several painful moments, my flesh began to warm and the pain faded away. Lying back against the back of the tub, I sunk down until every inch of me was submerged, except for my chin.
"You stay with her," Mark said after a few minutes. "I'm going to go see what's going on."
I closed my eyes, dismayed at the trouble I had caused. I was a walking disaster. If I wasn’t getting kidnapped or taking on an Abbadon three times my size, I was falling in an ice cold ocean at the most inopportune time. No wonder John had gotten so pissed. I was like the ultimate drama queen. I felt bad and hated the idea that someone was mad at me.
"Krista, it's not your fault. Truthfully, the whole thing is my fault for messing around in the first place, but honestly, I really don't understand what the big deal is. I mean, sure, I hope you guys don’t get sick, but I don’t know how a case of the sniffles is going to affect your performance?" Sam asked, sounding bewildered.
"I'm not sure," I said, standing and drawing the curtain closed so that I could shrug out of my soaked shorts and t-shirt. Sam handed a towel through the small crack between the shower curtain and the wall. Draping the towel around me, I knotted it at the top securing it into place so I could wring out my dripping clothes. Once most of the water was wrung out, I hung them on the towel rack at the far end of the tub so they wouldn’t drip on the floor. I was surprised to see the bathroom empty when I stepped out of the shower. Sam had thoughtfully left my current sleeping attire of sweats and sweatshirt on the bathroom counter. Snuggling into the clothes, I reveled in the comforting warmth they provided. Only one last touch, the thick fuzzy socks lying on the vanity stool that didn't belong to me but I would gladly borrow.
I walked on silent feet toward the living room where I could hear a hushed conversation going on. Stopping in the doorway, I was surprised to see everyone crowded in the living room listening to Haniel intently.
Haniel broke off when he saw me. "Feeling better Krista?" he asked.
"Yeah," I mumbled, squeezing in between Sam and Shawn on the couch. "What did I miss?" I asked, feeling self-conscious.