Autumn Passions
At
The House of Four Seasons
By Atonia
Part 3
They had thirty minutes to spare when they entered the gates a little close for comfort but Toni wasn’t worried, Terry was in control. He parked her vehicle in the garage and carried all her shopping back to the house.
As he dumped her bags on her bed, “You know, Terry since I’ve been here I really haven’t bought anything.”
“How did it feel to go shopping?”
“It felt good,” she smiled, “I hadn’t forgot how.”
“I noticed. Where are you going to hang this?”
Toni looked at the painting, “In here somewhere.” She walked around her room and found a place by her vanity.
“Maybe you should hang it in our room.”
“But then I wouldn’t see it for nine months.”
“John might not want to look at it.”
“I don’t think he’d mind, Terry, I really don’t. He’s very good about that.”
Terry walked over to another painting she had on her wall, ”You painted this?”
“Yes, the first year I was here.”
“It’s as good as the one you have in your hand, Toni.”
Toni smiled.
“Will you tell him…that we married?”
“ I don’t hold secrets; if someone asks or wants to know or if I feel the need to tell something.” She thought about Max’s ring in her jewelry box and wondered how Terry would feel about that. “You never ask me anything so I think you don’t want to know or aren’t interested in what goes on with another season.”
“I’m not, I’d like to think some things are private.”
“They are, what happens between us stays with us Terry, if you’d rather I kept that between us I will.”
“I’ll leave that up to you.”
Toni decided it would stay between them, it wasn’t anybody else’s business. “Will you hang it for me?”
“Sure, I’ll go find a hammer and a nail, oh how about that there’s one right here.” He hung her painting. Toni put her basket on top of her wardrobe and donned one of the Cape Cod tee shirts.
“I’m hungry, let’s go see what’s for lunch,” she smiled kissing his cheek.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Looks like baked spaghetti,” Toni took the casserole from the oven.
They ate their lunch at the kitchen table and then walked outside down to the cliff and sat on the grass.
“You should have a bench out here, I’ve seen you sitting here before.”
“Bench please,” she smiled and one appeared, “that fast enough?”
“Not as fast as the ring.”
“I had no idea you had that much magic, I wonder just what you can do?”
“I don’t know, I’m not going to push it, I can feel it there.”
“I should tell you about the light house. Max found it in a book about this area. It’s not on this property Terry, it’s maintained by the coastal authority.”
“Really, I left the property.”
“Yes and look what happened.”
“It wouldn’t now…sorry I just know this.”
“Don’t chance it.”
“I’m not, unless I have to. Aubrey brought me back.”
“The little piece of boat is what saved your life.”
“Yeah but I couldn’t have floated out there forever and lived Toni. If he hadn’t picked me up, I’d be gone. That’s not why you’re thinking of bringing him back is it?”
“No, but it plays into it. He’s connected here somehow. Last spring we were out on the terrace and it was cool so I asked for a wrap. Bud brought what he’d found on the coat rack. It was Jack’s shirt, something I haven’t had out of my closet since he left.”
Terry put his arm over the back of the bench around her shoulders, “I wish you luck with him, I really mean that Toni.”
“Thank you,” that was as much of a confirmation of her choice for spring as she was going to get from Terry.
“Odd that spring has always been a problem. Winter and summer were fixed the first year and the next year you came. Why can’t I get it right?”
“Toni, stop worrying over it, not another word.”
The weather began its transformation into fall, gone were the Indian summer days and now frost began to cover the landscape early in the mornings. The sun was still bright and brought its warmth during the day but the days were drawing in. The house decorated itself for the season with bright pumpkins and fall flowers. A wreath of brightly colored leaves hung on the door and the scent in the house changed from fresh linen to a warmer spiced orange scent.
The menu changed also, when it was allowed to provide, for Toni did like to cook. Today it was a warm gingerbread that she sliced up and served with a pot of honey butter and coffee for the morning snack which occurred around eleven o’clock. It was a cold overcast day with rain in the forecast. Terry and Toni were in the library which he preferred to the living room, perhaps because it was more masculine in feel. There was a nice fire in the fireplace and scented candles burned on the mantle. Millie found a spot on a rug in front of the fire. Toni and Terry were on the long soft leather sofa. He was reading the same book Max had poured over in the summer. Toni was reading poetry.
“Terry can I read you something?”
He looked up at her.
Your mind and mine are such great lovers they
Have freed themselves from cautious human clay,
And on wild clouds of thought, naked together
They ride above us in extreme delight;
We see them, we look up with a lone envy
And watch them in their zone of crystal weather
That changes not for winter or the night.
“That’s called Two Minds, by Sara Teasdale” she said meeting his gaze.
“Have you ever looked inside your ring?” he asked
Toni took it off inside was the inscription: Two souls as one.
“We are aren’t we?”
He smiled and went back to his book. He was way ahead of her.
Toni gazed at him for a minute they were one mind, body and soul. He was her husband, she tilted her head. Feeling her eyes still on him he looked up again. No words were necessary.
We have been wanting to step in for some time and explain to you exactly what has taken place. We are amazed and thrilled he has taken it upon himself to marry Toni. This he did without our knowledge until he called for the ring. It is truly a magical marriage; as he has said this was not a step to be taken lightly for a magical marriage is for all eternity it can never be undone. We are not sure she completely understands the significance of what he has done but he understands.
Her Summer has done the same thing in a slightly different manner. He gave her an eternity ring and stated before her relative that they were married and so they are. He knows this but again we are not sure she understands.
We are quite pleased and excited about the marriages. It has been a very long time since there were marriages here. Max and Terry are now bonded together and with Toni.
On a different matter, the matter of Spring. It has been a difficult season for her and we have tried to help her. It remains to be seen of course, but we have hope it will be settled next year once and for all. Alas this means we shall have to revamp a bedroom once again and put in a rose garden. She has made the right choice for spring to come. Balance is important and is as it must be. Earth, Water, Air, Fire.
(HO4S)
A pot of vegetable beef soup and fresh rolls sent their aromas wafting into the library and brought them back to the kitchen.
Ladling out the soup, “I love fall and the good foods that come with it, homey smells and tastes.”
“Is that all you love about fall?”
Toni turned, “Not all.”
“What else do you love?”
“The colors of the leaves, the smell of the forest, the cool crisp air.”
“Cold air you mean, what else do you love?”
Toni bit her lip, “Pumpkins, gourds, roasted turkey, Terry Thorne.”
“Ah, after the turkey.”
“I think my list was upside down, you come first.” She handed him a bowl of soup and a spoon.
November turned cold and icy and yet Terry was up every morning at dawn running. Toni made sure he had warm dry clothes and a fire when he got back. Sometimes the fire took place underneath the thick warm down comforter on his bed.
“I can’t believe how cold you are,” his face buried in her breasts.
“Warm me, Toni.”
“I’m trying to love,” her hands moving up and down his back, “I’m going to set you on fire.”
His head came up his light eyes meeting hers, “Go ahead; burn me.”
She did.
Thanksgiving found them in Rockport again at the same restaurant they’d gone to before. He’d mentioned Gloucester but Toni was afraid she might be recognized, especially since winter would be arriving soon.
“We should have gone there earlier in the season, we will next year. I’d like you to see it.”
“I’d like that. You don’t mind about the turkey do you?”
“Not at all, it’s nice to have something different and we love lobster.”
It was a freezing day and by the time they got home it was dark. They took a bottle of whiskey upstairs and thawed from the inside out while soaking in Toni’s big tub.
“You remember the last time we did this?” she asked.
“Yeah, let’s do it again.”
It was freezing rain that greeted him when he left her in his bed on November 30. He ran in place to get his blood pumping and set out toward the stables, he noticed in passing that the horses were gone, gone back to wherever they go when they aren’t there. He had no idea how that magic worked. He didn’t like the idea of having to leave on this day but that’s the way it was; he was a soldier and some things he had to accept for the rest to happen and the rest was everything. He’d married her for eternity that was the strength of his love and devotion to her and that made him strong magic.