Page 69 of Stronger Than Blood
“He’d like that. I have no doubt he’d have loved all this.”
We drove Mrs. Ida around the back and showed her the new entrance into this part of the building and how we’d converted the basement into a party space, which she oohed and aahed over appropriately. Then Mick drove her back while the rest of us climbed back upstairs just as Essie and Bev came in to join us. Once we were all settled in the safe, we pushed Mrs. Ida up to one of the tables, and Kalinda poured her a little soda from the fridge. The idea was that the cold sodas could be used for mixed drinks when our high rollers came in for tastings.
I gave Mick the jar of Eddie’s good stuff, and he poured everyone a shot glass of the last of Eddie’s stash.
“Here’s to all the adventures this room has seen, to Uncle Eddie, who made all this possible, and to Granny Ida, who let us do all this, even if she does think drinking spirits is devilish.”
Mrs. Ida gave her great-grandson a look but then smiled. “Here, here!” she said and downed her soda while we all tossed back the aged and very strong shine, causing us all to gasp and have to wipe tears from the strength of the alcohol.
That night, people came by to visit. Brenda and Essie brought food from the restaurant, which we put out on a white foldingtable we’d yet to return to the church, and everyone ate, talked, and toured the building.
I could tell Mrs. Ida was getting tired, and I was about to suggest we take her home when Bev asked to speak with us.
I groaned, afraid she was going to say she wasn’t going to work with us after all, but instead, she and Essie stood side by side, looked at Kalinda, and sighed. “We… well, I’m going to be spending a lot of hours here, and Essie is working over at the restaurant with Brenda, and we could use a space that’s close to town.”
Kalinda finished speaking for her. “You’d like to rent my apartment?” she asked.
I glanced at Ida and Mick to see what they thought of the ‘my’ part of that statement, but neither seemed to have noticed.
“We… well, since you aren’t living there, I thought—”
“Yes, you are welcome to, but eventually, I may have to join you in this building. However, I’ve already talked to Christian, and he said he can create another apartment upstairs, since we aren’t using the space for anything business-related.”
Essie and Bev hugged and squealed, which was weird coming from Essie, who was the type of person who looked like a squeal had never come out of her mouth before.
“So, can we move in now?” Bev asked.
“You can move in whenever, since I’ve yet to officially use it,” Kalinda said, pulling a key off her chain and handing it to the women.
I wondered if it made Kalinda sad, but as usual, she didn’t seem to be that surprised about their question. She’d even talked to Christian about adding the extra apartment up there. Which, to be honest, was an excellent idea.
That night, as I cuddled Mick, he told me he’d let his landlord know he was moving out of his apartment as well. Since the night we burned the mojo bag, the entity hadn’t made anappearance, and Mick and I usually spent the night in his room at Mrs. Ida’s house.
“It just doesn’t make sense to keep that apartment when I have this and prefer to spend my time here with you.”
“I agree. I’m glad you feel comfortable.”
“Know what would make me more comfortable?” he asked.
I smiled. “Oh, yeah, and if we’re quiet—”
He shook his head but laughed. “No, that too, but why don’t you move out of the hotel and stay here with me and the rest of us? If you want, we can make the back room yours.”
“No, I’m good with wherever you are, and yes, I’d love to, but should we ask your granny first?”
He chuckled. “No, Rory, it was her idea.”
Chapter forty-eight
Mick
Six months quickly sped by. Kalinda, Granny Ida, Rory, and I had become quite the family. We had just the right amount of room to avoid being in each other’s way.
Granny, of course, loved Kalinda, but Rory took a little more time to bond with my granny. I think, though, that she saw his work ethic, mostly his willingness to put the garden to rest. He did all of this between his work with Eddie’s Spirits, which she approved of, and she couldn’t help but fall for him as much as I had.
There were mountains of paperwork that he and Kalinda had to fill out for the state, then there were classes they had to take, to learn how to make the whiskey. Bev was instrumental in helping set things up as well, but even with her help, it was a lot of work.
I’d often thought how lucky we were to all be living together now; otherwise, I’m not sure I’d ever see him or, for that matter, Granny Ida and Kalinda with how busy we’d become.
