Maybe it was that Salem was due to arrive back home at any minute, or maybe it was because Halloween was only two days away and so was the wedding, or perhaps it was because Artemis only had eight days before her grand reopening of The Cobblestone, whatever the reason the Blanchard household was in chaos.

  “Don’t forget to pack your new swimsuits, Yaz,” Fable reminded her cousin. “It may be cold here, but it’ll be hot in Jamaica.”

  “I’ve already packed them,” Yasmine called back behind her as she rummaged through the chest of drawers for more clothes to add to the suitcases.

  Fable was helping her pack for the honeymoon now so that it would be one less thing to worry about as the wedding day approached. Everything was going smoothly. The hotel in Ocho Rios was booked. The flights were handled. The wedding was set to happen Halloween afternoon so that the family could celebrate Halloween night together. Seth and Yasmine would depart for their honeymoon the next morning and be back in time for the restaurant’s opening.

  Yasmine’s bedroom was a mess. Clothes strewn everywhere. She could not decide what to take with her and what to leave behind. She had been ordering clothes online for two weeks and now she seemed to have way more outfits for her honeymoon than there would be days or places to wear them. Beryl interrupted the packing by tapping on the half-opened door. She motioned for Fable to step into the hall.

  “Is everything ready?” Fable asked her sister.

  “All set. The stripper will be here by eight tomorrow night. Mother is taking Hecate to a movie and Aunt Artemis will be at the restaurant. It will be just you, me Yazzy, and Salem. It’ll be an intimate little shower, but Yaz won’t forget it. Does she suspect anything?”

  “Not a thing,” Fable said. “Since we all went to that dinky little shower her friend Marsha gave last night, she doesn’t expect a bachelorette party.”

  “What do we do about Seth?”

  “I already called Howard. He put a bachelor party together with some of Seth’s buddies. You know how rowdy they get. Seth will be gone all night.” Fable thought a second and added, “Do you think this wedding will be tough for Salem?”

  “Salem is strong,” Beryl replied. “Besides, she can’t avoid weddings forever. Plus, she loves Seth so much and Yaz is already like a sister to her. She’ll be focused on them, not David.”

  “She says she has a surprise for us, but she wouldn’t say over the phone. Do you think she’s met a new guy?”

  “Fable!” her sister snapped. “Her husband died four months ago. I really doubt she’d be dating again.”

  “Hell, I would,” Fable laughed. “Four months is a long time to go without.”

  “I’m surprised you’re taking a break now,” Beryl teased. “I think it’ll be a long time before our cousin is dating again.”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Yasmine called out from the bedroom, cutting the secret chat short. “Fable, I don’t know what shoes to take!”

  Seth was pacing the front porch, counting the minutes until his sister arrived. Artemis came walking around the side of the house. When she saw her nephew, she quickly tossed something she’d been holding.

  “I’m not going to tell Hecate or Demitra that you’re smoking again,” Seth laughed. “You don’t have to toss it every time you see me and douse yourself with air freshener.”

  Artemis returned a grin and sat down beside him, “Good, then I can save my story of how Demitra’s car really got dented for another time.”

  Seth jabbed her in the side with his elbow. “I want to talk with you a minute if you have time.”

  “This isn’t going to be another parent/son talk is it? I’m still not recovered from explaining sex to you at 12 years old,” Artemis chuckled.

  “I don’t know which of us was the most embarrassed,” Seth nodded.

  Artemis laughed again, “Oh, it was definitely me.”

  “I wanted to say a few things to you,” Seth began. “I know Yaz and I are still going to live here, and not that much will be different, but I feel like it’s a time for saying stuff. You know?”

  “I know.”

  “I want to thank you,” Seth said, tearing up a little as he looked his aunt in the eye. “You did everything for us—for me.”

  “I didn’t do so much,” Artemis blushed.

  “No, you did. You did a lot.” Seth’s jaw muscles tightened a little. His face held an earnestness Artemis rarely saw from him. The sincerity he was displaying, captured her attention. “You could have had a life, but you gave everything up for me and Salem—and Yazzy, too. I don’t think I ever told you how much I appreciated that. Or that I even recognized that. You were a better mother than anyone could have ever been born to.”

  “Stop it Seth,” Artemis said crying now. “I don’t like when you get gushy.”

  “I don’t care,” he smiled. “I want it said that everything you did for me did not go unnoticed. I was a handful, and I know it.”

  “That you were.”

  “You raised me. You raised Salem. You raised us all in many ways, but especially me. I love you, Artemis. I know I’m the clown of the family most of the time, but never does a day go by that I don’t appreciate the sacrifices you made for me.”

  Artemis broke down. She tossed her arms around her nephew’s neck and hugged him tightly. Giving him a kiss on the cheek she said, “I never desired children of my own, because I already had them. You have been my son since the day Nacaria left. I have never thought of you any other way. I love you so much, Seth. I wish you all the joy the world can offer. My greatest joy of life is going to be watching you be a father. I want that kind of happiness for you because you’ve been nothing but happiness for me.”

  Seth was about to say something else when he saw Salem’s car pull into the driveway. Artemis perked up as well, both excited to see her again after these last few months. Seth bounded from the porch to her car. Salem rolled down her window to blow him a kiss as she parked.

  “Hey Bro!” she cried, getting out to give him a hug.

  Seth didn’t see at first, too busy hugging his sister. Artemis noticed right away when a young woman stepped out of the passenger side of Salem’s car. The woman looked quite young, younger than Yasmine. With her long, wavy red hair, she looked a little like Salem herself if Salem’s hair had been more vivid.

  “And who’s your friend?” Seth greeted warmly as he pulled back from Salem to acknowledge her guest.

  Salem’s face held a tinge of worry, anticipating how Arielle would be received.

  “This is the surprise I told you guys about,” Salem revealed. “I wanted to say something so many times through text or our conversations, but I didn’t know how you’d take it.”

  “What?” Seth exclaimed. “Are you gay now? Is she your girlfriend or something?”

  Salem laughed and took hold of the girl’s hand, “Seth, this is Arielle. Arielle Obreiggon. She is our sister.”