Page 178 of Bewitched By the Sea Monster
But that didn’t stop the people in my life from pelting me with all the questions the reporters wouldhave asked.
The months following the vacation were a bigger blur. Of questions. Explanations. Of watching news alerts on the mountain of lawsuits.
Alistair traveled a lot in those early months, to speak on the lawsuits and dissolution of Magix, and to clean up the disarray of his own company—which also involved him helping the employees who’d been cursed and trapped on the isle get their lives back. A tremendous task that he tackled relentlessly, driving himself to the brink of exhaustion, stopping only when he was satisfied everyone was settled, compensated, and ready to move on.
And his employees loved him for it. When I met them—Alistair made a point to introduce me to all of them—their adoration and affection for him pouredoff them in droves.
Alistair initially wanted to leave SorcerSoft terminated, but they encouraged him to rebuild. And so did I.
“You believed so hard in it,” I said. “Please don’t give up your dream. You can pursue it without having it consume you.”
So he set about reopening, promising me he’d limit his involvement.
And Marvin, who’d been Alistair’s assistant before the curse, and jumped at the opportunity to be so again, promised me he’d cattle prod Alistair if that promise was ever broken.
But, for a time, we both agreed to continue living separately. To take our relationship slowly, one day at a time, while we sorted our lives out.
I started over, taking the (alarmingly meager) funds that I had left to my name and began my new life. Alone. First by spending a week in a motel—paid for by Alistair, although I hadn’t realized that little tidbit until I noticed my card hadn’t been charged—until I got up the nerve to go back to the house Jackson and I had rented. Then I finally made that trip, with Jessa, Kai, and Alistair at my side, to pack up everything I’d owned. Which wasn’t a whole heck of a lot. Most of the knickknacks and bobbles belonged to Jackson, who was pointedly absent on the day I packed.
Afterward the group of us celebrated the successful packing day with a four-course Italian dinner. And sitting in that restaurant, sandwiched between the man I loved and my two best friends, listening to them joke, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company…
My heart had never been more content.
I drank extra wine, ate until my stomach felt ready to explode, and made a vow that I’dfillmy next living space with random stuff.Myrandom stuff.
Something Alistairenthusiasticallyencouraged.
I got slews of messages from him, coaxing me to indulge myself.
Alistair:This would look lovely on that little shelf you have above the sink.
Attached was a picture of an artfully sculpted wine decanter.
Alistair:Look how cute it is! Youneedto give him a home.
Attached was a picture of a little dragon toy, a replica of the one I’doohedover at a farmer’s market the weekend before.
Alistair:Yay or nay to the adorable keyboard?
Attached was a picture of a sparkly, multi-colored keyboard.
Earlier that week I’d mentioned I’d been soinspiredto write—that I’d pounded my old keyboard (a drab, functional, black thing) into an early grave.
At one point I told him I missed having a pet, and I gotbombardedwith pictures of cats and bunnies and ferrets, and all sorts of fuzzy, adorable critters for adoption.
He went with me to the shelter, and I pulled the trigger and adopted a middle-aged calico with the sweetest eyes. I named her Cocoa. Alistair snuggled with her all the way home, cooing and kissing her head, and then kissing me once I got back to my apartment.
And when Melany and Sarah flew in for a visit, Alistair was there, easily adopting my friends as his own. And he stammered“thank you” at them every chance he got, since they’d helped me on that last day at Niverwick Isle.
“What anincrediblelove story you two have. I’m so glad you found each other.” Melany gave me a big hug and whispered those words in my ear after I’d dropped them off at the airport.
“Me too.” I hugged her right back and hadn’t stopped smiling the rest of the day.
Alistair slipped into my life so easily.
He was exuberant.
Goofy.
