Oracle--River of Ore by C.W. Trisef

Author:C.W. Trisef [C.W., Trisef]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781626755185
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2013-05-20T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

THREAT OF LIQUIDATION

It was suppertime at the Stone residence, and the air smelled like chili. After letting her concoction sit and stew all day, Virginia gave it a final stir and switched the stove to simmer before setting out in search of tablemates. She quickly paged Charlotte, wherever she might be housekeeping, and then stepped out the backdoor to locate Lester.

She already knew where she would find her husband. With her well-used apron tied in a knot and her light-brown hair pinned in a bun, Virginia slipped her feet into a pair of loafers and strode across the lawn. Her destination was the enclosed gazebo, which housed the avian menagerie with its extensive assortment of birds. It was Lester’s retreat of choice at the end of a long week, and, knowing he had been under an unusual amount of stress lately, she wasn’t surprised to find the lights on as she rounded a corner and paced ever closer along the dew-smitten grass.

“How did I know I’d find you here?” Virginia said tenderly as she gently pushed the door open. With round walls and domed ceiling, the single-roomed establishment was modest in size but stunning in display, featuring fowl from all parts of the world. In one corner, cardinals roomed with blue jays while, in another, orioles roosted among robins. Fine-feathered finches hopped in the presence of curiously-colored canaries, and dazzling macaws mingled with vibrant toucans. From the local to the exotic, there seemed to be a bird from every territory and tropic.

Lester made no reply to his wife’s salutation. Though aware of her presence, he kept his back turned to her, remaining focused on his task of scattering feed throughout the cages. With great care, he dropped berries and sprinkled seeds into the many trays and troughs. Unafraid, the hungry birds swarmed around their caregiver, who seemed to take pride and find pleasure in his work.

Slowly, Virginia advanced toward her husband. The birds seemed unthreatened by her as well. With a loving smile, she wrapped her arm around him and leaned her head at his shoulder. For days now, she had gotten the sense that something was troubling him, so she hoped her supportive embrace would provide some comfort.

After a few moments of nothing but chirping and tweeting, Lester said, “This one’s my favorite.” He motioned to the rainbow-colored lorikeet that had come to nibble at the fruit in his cup-shaped hand. It was a marvelous creation, beautiful and dainty, and it sported nearly every color across its plumage.

“And why is that?” Virginia asked affectionately.

“Because it reminds me of you,” Lester replied endearingly. Then, laying his head on hers, he said, “I love you, Virginia.”

With her heart warmed by his sweet words, she also pledged, “I love you, too.” Then she added, “Supper’s ready, if you’re hungry.”

“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” he told her as she prepared to exit, “as soon as I finish up here.” Hoping to have eased his unspoken burdens, she left the bird keeper’s side and flew the coop.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.