"Mama? Ame?"

"She's gone home, Sweetie. She'll be back tomorrow. Saphira thought you might want to play with her for a little while. She doesn't have friends to play with very often like you do."

Adam nodded sagely and took Saphira's hand to lead her over to his place in the study. When they reached the sofa where Brianna was ensconced, he patted the album that sat in front of her and pronounced, "Br'anna." Then without another word, he continued taking Saphira over to the nest of pillow that were his and tugged her to sit down beside her.

Esmeralda watched them, smiling when Adam handed Saphira his favorite book and curled up in her lap. Suddenly Esmeralda felt very much like a fifth wheel and she wondered if there was a graceful way to extract herself from Charisma and Brianna and go sit with Adam and Saphira. Then she turned her attention to the two of them and realized they had forgotten she was sitting there.

"Is this...?" Brianna began, then stopped when Charisma nodded her head.

"Yes. I was sharing my memories with Adam the other day."

Brianna tilted her head. "And what do you remember, Charisma?" reverting to the formality from before. Charisma bit her lips in frustration, then blew out a calming breath.

"I remember... so much," she replied softly. "But I still don't understand why you left. Why did you leave me, Bri?"

Brianna shook her head. "You're still not ready to hear that, Charisma. And besides - we're being rude," motioning to Esmeralda who had moved to sit with Saphira and Adam. Brianna and Charisma spared a long moment to appreciate the beautiful family portrait they created together before turning their attention back to one another.

"We're not being rude, Bri. Esmeralda knows... well, she knows a lot and understands a lot more. More than I do it seems at any rate. She knows we're learning to become friends again - I think she's just trying to give us that chance." She gave a defeated sigh. "Why won't you talk to me, Brianna? I think I deserve to know why you left like you did."

Brianna caressed the smooth album underneath her fingertips. "When you ask the right question, I promise I will tell you the truth, Charisma. But you're not going to ask until you're really ready to know." She looked back at Adam, carefully cradled between Saphira and Esmeralda. "They make a stunning family, don't they?"

Charisma nodded. "It's a shame they can't have their own. I'm glad to share Adam for a little while."

Brianna smiled. "He seems to be enjoying it." She took a good look around the room. "This space is very much you. I miss my home office."

"Are you going to look for a more permanent place to live?"

"No. I really have no plans to stay here after my two years are up. Most of my so-called colleagues make me want to throw them in jail on principle. It's probably better if I go home."

"Maybe you just need a different focus," Charisma offered.

"I'd take up writing again if I wanted a different focus," Brianna replied drolly. "And that reminds me... I heard from Professor Mac."

"Really? Do tell."

From their corner, Saphira and Esmeralda watched the interaction and nodded to one another in satisfaction. While Brianna and Charisma weren't pouring over the photo album like Esmeralda had expected them to after Adam's nudging, they were obviously much more comfortable talking to one another. At least they seemed to have lost the tension that had been plaguing them all day.

Then they turned their attention back to Adam, hoping the day would progress a little more smoothly than it had before.


Chapter XLV

"Mama?" Adam asked some time later, bringing Charisma's and Brianna's back to the present. They blinked awkwardly at each other before turning their heads in his direction, noting Saphira and Esmeralda had remained in Adam's corner and were quietly talking. Charisma smiled at her son and tousled his hair, making him laugh and climb in her lap. He cupped her cheeks with his chubby hands and stared into her blue eyes... close enough that Charisma needed to cross her eyes to keep him in focus. "Mama?" he reiterated, waiting for her to respond.

"Yes, son? What can I do for you?"

"Pictures?" he asked, leaning forward until their foreheads touched. Brianna covered her mouth, trying not to laugh aloud at the image they made. She spared a glance towards Esmeralda and Saphira and saw they were doing much the same thing, only with better success. Charisma gave Adam an Eskimo kiss, causing him to laugh again and making her smile.

"What pictures, son?"

"Mama pictures... Br'anna."

Charisma frowned and Brianna picked the album up off the table, passing it towards Charisma and nudging her with it. "I think he means this," she suggested.

"Yes!" he agreed firmly, patting the cover for good measure.

Charisma bit her lip. "Maybe we should see if Saphira and Esmeralda would want to look at something like this, son. They may be ready to go home."

"No go home!" he stated fiercely. "Stay!" He jumped from Charisma's lap and went over to the corner where Saphira and Esmeralda were comfortably entrenched. He tugged on Saphira's hand, wearing a severe scowl on his face and a command of "Come!" on his lips. Esmeralda and Saphira exchanged a long glance, then Saphira allowed Adam to 'help' her to her feet. She released his hand, but he held on, not wanting her to change her mind.

"Adam, I need to help Esmeralda up. Would you like to help too?" She extended her free hand to Esmeralda and Adam followed her example and did the same. Esmeralda rolled her eyes briefly at Saphira, then accepted the help. When she was upright, she brushed a kiss over first Adam's forehead and then Saphira's.

Then Adam was tugging on them both impatiently, and they dutifully followed him back to the divan where Charisma and Brianna remained watching their little tableau. He dragged them over to the sofa opposite the one Brianna and Charisma were currently seated on and dropped their hands so he could crawl up on the couch between them. Then he turned the full-force of puppy dog blue eyes on his mother first, then the rest of them.

"Pictures, Mama? Pwease?"

"Did you ask Saphira and Esmeralda if they'd like to stay?" Adam tilted his head back and smiled at them beguilingly.

"Stay?"

Esmeralda and Saphira looked at one another across him and then turned to look at Brianna who was snickering and Charisma who was smirking at them complete with a cocked eyebrow.

"Do you ever get the feeling we've been set-up?" Esmeralda asked without a hint of rancor or malice in her tone. Saphira just chuckled and shook her head.

"I get the feeling we're going to look at pictures," she stated with a grin. "But you two are going to come over here and join us, right?"

"Of course," Brianna replied, getting up immediately. She made a move to sit on one side of Esmeralda, but Esmeralda shifted to one end while Saphira did the same on the other side, causing there to be space in the middle. Brianna pursed her lips briefly, then picked up Adam and set him on her lap as she took a seat beside Saphira. Charisma naturally sat between Brianna and Esmeralda, and soon they were all comfortable squished on the couch.

"All right," Charisma offered with a deep sigh. She hadn't actually expected them to capitulate so easily and now was in the embarrassing position of having to expose a part of herself she hadn't allowed out in almost twenty years. "First I'd like to apologize in advance to both Saphira and Esmeralda, since this will be like looking at someone's vacation slides for the two of you. If at any time you want to stop, just let me know. I know this visit hasn't exactly been a standout kind of day for either of you and I don't want to drive you off completely by boring you to death."

She stopped speaking immediately when Esmeralda's hand landed gently on her arm. "Charisma, we'd be delighted to share your pictures with you - it's been a long time since Saphira and I were last in Europe together. I imagine there are a lot of places you went that we have seen as well. But if it makes you uncomfortable, you don't have to share. We wouldn't do that."

"How...?"

"Student of human nature," Brianna responded before Esmeralda could answer. "You should've heard her tell me about myself when I was moving into my office. It was astounding... and a little unnerving."

"I can understand that," Charisma said, giving Esmeralda a small smile. "You do realize you have an uncanny ability, right?"

"Yes, but as I told Brianna when we met - it's a skill I've learned and honed over the years. Now," she continued without hesitation, "it's getting late and it might be for the best if we postpone this little trip down memory lane. That way you can sort of mentally prepare for it."

"You're sure you don't mind?" looking around at the others expectantly.

"I'd be lying if I didn't say I was a little disappointed," Brianna confessed. "But I also know how I'd feel sitting in your place. So it's all good," she finished on a small breath.

"Besides, that just means we can do this again, right?" Saphira quipped.

"Oh you bet," Charisma affirmed eagerly.

"MAMA!" Adam cut in impatiently, reaching for the book that remained on the coffee table out of range. "Pictures?"

"Not tonight, Little Man," holding up a finger when he started to wail. "Adam, if you're going to be ugly, Brianna and Esmeralda and Saphira won't want to come back and visit again. Now hush," taking him from Brianna when his keening turned into soft sobs. "They've promised to come back again just to look at the pictures, all right?"

He nodded, but buried his face in her neck, crying and hiccupping. Charisma looked around at the women she called friends. "Sorry," she apologized.

"Why?" Saphira asked bluntly. "He's had a long, busy day. That'll wear anyone out."

"Speaking of...." Brianna said as she removed her phone from her pocket and turned it on, wincing when it started vibrating in her hand. "Let me call Jas. It shouldn't take long for her to get here and we'll get out of your hair," she said to Charisma. Then she turned to Esmeralda and Saphira. "We'll give you a ride home as well - no arguments," scowling fiercely and pointing at them.

Saphira held up her hands. "Who am I to argue with a US Senator?" causing both Charisma and Brianna to howl in unexpected laughter. Adam looked up from Charisma's arms, face wet and eyes still filled with tears, laughing just because everyone else was. Brianna finally waved a hand at her face to try and get some air.

"You forget we've both heard the stories, Saphira."

Saphira stuck out her tongue that Adam naturally grabbed. Then the laughter started again and Brianna stepped away to make her call to Jas. She paused as she reached the door, looking around carefully. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought there was someone in the house with them, but she didn't see anyone and put it down to the stressful day. In minutes, she'd contacted Jas and was returning to Charisma's office with a final glance behind her as she crossed the threshold.

************

Kent stepped out of the shadows he had ducked into when Brianna had come to the door. He moved back towards the study, curious to hear how the day would end. It had been enlightening thus far.

************

Adam clapped when Brianna re-entered the room and jumped from Charisma's lap before she had a chance to react. But Brianna was ready and she dropped to her knees to catch him. Unfortunately, she underestimated the strength of his excitement and when he hit her full-force, he knocked her flat of her back and landed on top of her.

"Oof!" Brianna gasped, as she hit the floor hard, hitting her head though she never lost her hold on him. Adam just laughed and held on tightly, bumping his head against her lips. Brianna winced and closed her eyes; Adam snuggled down into her body, tucking his head beneath her chin. He closed his eyes in satisfaction.

"Br'anna good," he declared sleepily.

By this time, the other three women in the room had hasten over to where Brianna lay completely still on the floor, her breathing deep and even. Charisma got one look at her face and bit her lip in dismay even as her eyes widened. That'll make a hell of a talking point tomorrow, she thought as she stepped out of the office and headed right down the hall to the bathroom. In only a moment, she was returning with a wet washcloth in her hand.