Gypsy Designs Ch. 13

"You're human, with those two?" Megan said one hand pointing at Lucinda, the other toward the estate house where Lucien was.

"You just made me sound like I was nothing more than an animal, and I thought we were becoming friends," Lucinda said rolling smoothly from the chaise to stand and stretch her long lean body.

Gypsy sighed deeply, looking around the room at the unusual collection of women surrounding her. "Megan surely you've learned by now not to be surprised by anything that happens in this circus," she laughed loudly, the rest of the women joining her.

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

Gypsy was pleased to find Claire waiting for her in the kitchen the next morning. She and Cameron were staying at the home of a friend ten or so miles from Caydn's estate. At the mention of the family friend, Lucinda huffed, snarling then walking out slamming the door behind her.

"Let me grab some coffee and a bagel, and I'll be ready to go," she said, silently offering the woman a refill on her coffee as she poured her own.

Walking toward the studio in the cold winter sunlight, Gypsy couldn't help but glance at the short petite woman walking beside her.

"I know I don't fit what someone would think of as the mother of two such hard headed people as Lucien and Lucinda," Claire said with a smile meeting Gypsy's eyes. "I'm their step mother if that explains anything," she laughed.

Opening the door, walking in Gypsy shook her head. "I didn't mean to seem disrespectful," she said with a laugh. "But seeing you beside the three of them, you're so petite, while they seem to be overly large and overwhelming."

Settling herself in the chair Sophie had been sitting in the night before, Claire gathered the materials she'd need to finish the bodice. "People have always said Cameron and I are direct opposites from one another. I like to think those differences are what give us the balance we've found, and hopefully been able to pass on to the twins," she explained, looking over her glasses from time to time.

Gypsy smiled to herself as she laid a length of fabric along one of the long work tables so she could begin cutting some pieces. She realized she felt at ease, even though she'd only known Claire for a few hours.

"What made the two of you decide to come and visit so suddenly, if you don't mind my asking?" she said, stepping back, folding the first piece she'd cut.

"Cameron wanted to come and see for himself that Lucinda was okay after everything he learned about the upper management of the Guardians, and what had happened when Lucinda left," she explained, while sewing. "Cam was one of the ones who started the Guardians. When he found that things had begun slipping toward the less savory, he was outraged to say the least."

Gypsy glanced at her, wondering if she'd sound foolish of she asked what exactly the Guardians were.

Claire grinned at her, cutting a thread. "You don't have to worry about asking me anything, when dealing with these people, there isn't a silly question," she laughed. "I'm sorry I shouldn't do that, it's been awhile since Cam and I've been out of the house."

Sticking a pencil in the tidy bun of hair on the back of her head, Gypsy rolled her eyes and laughed. "All those years I spent thinking I was losing my mind or crazy. Then I find there are thousands of people, both human and non that can do that," she chuckled.

After spending all morning cutting pieces out, Gypsy flopped down in the chaise, groaning, when the muscles in her back protested. "I'm going to have to do something about that table," she glared at it. "I'm not sure if it's too high or low, but it's killing my back with as many things as I have to cut out," she grumbled.

"Have you ever tried yoga?" Claire asked, walking back in the room after grabbing a bottle of water from the kitchen. "I've been using it for years now with my patients. It seems to really help both physically and mentally with muscle and body pain."

Gypsy met the woman's unwavering blue eyes. She'd heard the word patients and knew the slip had been intentional. "Luc called, you didn't she? She asked if you'd come and talk to me, not Cameron needing to come see she was okay?" she asked quietly.

"He did want to see that she was okay, he was upset after everything he'd learned when I was working with Karl, when he'd come back," she said sitting down in the chair across from the chaise. "But you're right, Lucinda did call me and asked if I'd come and offer you my help, if you wanted it," she explained.

"It isn't often my daughter opens up and lets people close enough for her to care what's happening with them, so it was important to me that I do this for her and you alike," she said honestly, watching Gypsy closely.

Dropping her eyes, gypsy fiddled with the buttons on the front of her sweater. Taking a deep breath, she glanced back up. "What all did Luc tell you?" she asked, dreading the reply.

Claire laughed, shaking her head. "Let me assure you, nothing she told me shocked me. But from the length of our conversation and the details, I think she told me most if not all of it," she said taking a drink of her water. "Before you panic, yes she did tell me about the spell Damon cast on you, and the results. You need to remember Gypsy, I've lived among, if not as one of them since I was twenty years old and I'm now sixty," she assured her. "There's nothing I find out of the ordinary with what she told me, or anything to be ashamed of."

Rolling to her side propping her head on her arm against the back of the chaise, Gypsy looked at her intently for a few minutes.

"Tell me how you met Cameron and what it was like; you know how you dealt with everything you learned. That's if you don't mind," she giggled. "Maybe it would make me understand some of the things that run through my head all the time."

Leaning back in the chair, curling her legs beside her, Claire smiled. "I was one of those kids' people called a geek, or a book worm," she laughed. "I'd graduated much earlier than most. and had gone to college while most kids my age were just finding themselves in high school. After proving my self in medical school, I was offered an internship with one of the top psychologists in Eastern Europe," she beamed proudly.

"I'd noticed not all the patients the doctor saw, were what most people would call 'normal'," she laughed, taking her glasses off, rubbing her eyes. "One night when we were working a grave yard shift, Cameron was brought in," she remembered, her voice softening.

"Physically he was a mess. Burned, bloody but mentally he was an even larger mess and challenge," she said, her voice fading for a minute. "His wife, mate or what ever people wanted to label her, had died during child birth. Lucien and Lucinda were long since grown. Some how she'd conceived again, but there were serious complications, which are very common among the race," she explained.

"After he'd been in the clinic for two or three weeks, the doctors noticed he seemed to calm, when I was talking to him," she smiled. "My general medical training allowed me to take over his physical care, once they'd gotten him beyond the more serious wounds. But while I was tending him I'd started talking to him even though he'd never reply. For the most part all he did was snarl and scream he wanted to die."

Gypsy put her head down on her arm, listening intently. "From what little Jazleen and Megan have told me, the bond they form isn't like anything people can explain or understand," she said rubbing the frown that had settled on her face. "Growing up, all I ever saw from my mother was annoyance and her feelings of inconvenience, when someone dared to die and take from her social calendar."

Claire nodded, "You're exactly right, there's been this rash alteration of importance in the human race, and it's been building and happening for years. I personally find it shameful when I classify myself as one," she said with mild disgust.

Her eyes never left the younger woman as she talked; she saw the relaxation as it seemed to move over her body. The laughter finding its way to her amber eyes that sparkled, as she told her of escapades she'd dealt with becoming, one with the family she'd chosen.

Gypsy felt warmth surrounding her, images of her own life flashing in front of her eyes, as though having been recorded and played back for her to view. Yet every time before she'd felt panic, this time she felt astonishment, but warm and safe all at the same time.

Tears escaped her eyes, observing her mother screaming and berating her for supposedly teasing one of the orderlies at the last hospital, her mother had admitted her into. He'd been trying to sneak into her room at night. During the day he took every chance he had, to try and grab her and grope her when she was between evaluations and tests.

Her hands curled into fists, seeing her mother holding her arms tight enough to leave bruises, her face only inches away from her nose, telling her that she'd done something to the young man to cause his actions. She was an ugly scrawny girl that could only get someone's attention by promising them something disgusting like sexual favors, for them to pay her any attention.

Claire knelt beside the chaise; her entire body trembling with rage seeing and feeling, what was being exposed while Gypsy slept. She wanted to reach out and wipe the tears from her face, but knew she needed to keep her concentration, surrounding her mentally with her embrace, to protect her from her own memories.

Her anger built to an inferno as she felt Gypsy cowering, absorbing the blows, her mother showered over her slender body. A few sharp kicks from her designer heels added for good measure during the attack. Having found she was unable to have children herself years before, Claire loathed those who had the gift of motherhood yet took it upon themselves to abuse the innocent lives they created.

Leaning forward, she gently slid her arms around Gypsy, the young woman's body trembling violently now that her concentration had begun to waiver. The shield was weakening, Gypsy beginning to physically feel and react to what had happened.

"No!" Gypsy shouted her voice a strangled cry, as she fought her way awake. Feeling the arms holding her tighten, she panicked until she heard Claire's voice.

"It's okay, honestly it's okay and it's going to get even better," Claire said her own tears streaming down her face, as she met the terrified Amber eyes.

Gypsy let her head fall back against Claire's arm as she squeezed her tightly, the feeling not one of anger, but of comfort and acceptance. "I try not to go to sleep lately, or this happens," she said her voice soft like that of a child.

"Gypsy what I want you to take from that dream was the fact that you didn't do anything to cause it. None of it was your fault," Claire said, reaching up to brush her hair from her brow soothingly. "Your mother was the one who was twisted with so much pain and anger, she lashed out projecting it onto you," she smiled seeing Gypsy nod in understanding.

"You can put it behind you if you chose, but you have to do it, and not look back," she explained. "Remember the good, your father and all the times you had together. Wiping Evelyn from your mind isn't a bad thing, it's a good thing."

Sophie came in after returning from the doctor where Vince had been given a clean bill of health. She muttered under her breath as she worked, keeping Gypsy and Claire in laughter most of the afternoon.

Closing the door behind her when she walked back in, from grabbing some snacks, Gypsy looked at Sophie and Claire both. Seeing their eyes sparkling with tears, she knew Claire had told Sophie some of what had happened that morning.

"It wasn't you're fault Sophie," Gypsy said, dropping to her knees in front of her aunt, hugging her tightly. "I never even let daddy know, so there's no way you could've known," she leaned back, smiling at Sophie.

"We've had a great day," she stood up, looking at the dwindling piles of work waiting to be finished. "Three very happy, high paying clients have come and gone," she smiled, pulling the checks from her jeans pocket. "And we've seriously finished an amazing amount of pieces that only need to be picked up."

"I say that's a good enough reason for a celebration," she laughed, stepping into the kitchen pulling a bottle of wine from the refrigerator. "I'll open if you'll hold the glasses," she said, handing each of them a fluted glass, she'd grabbed from the cabinet.

"I can hear it now," Claire laughed holding her glass up for a refill. "'Claire, what's got into you drinking before dinner'," she laughed while Sophie giggled and nodded.

Sophie wiped the tears from her eyes, from laughing. "I'm actually surprised Vince hasn't come by to prove he's one hundred percent again, and I can't say anything about what he's doing," she giggled loudly.

Gypsy blew the curl that had long since escaped her bun and fallen across her face. "I hope you realize I'm not taking the blame for you two being smashed," she laughed, leaning back against the table, only to realize she was further away then she'd thought. "See what I've done," she chuckled. "I'm going to be in so much trouble when Caydn sees I'm drunk again," she covered her mouth suddenly, hearing his low growl in her mind.

"Ut oh," she closed her eyes, trying to keep the room from spinning when she envisioned him lifting her, spinning her around. "Oh stop that," she said grabbing the edge of the table. Seeing the strange looks Sophie and Claire were giving her, she tried not to laugh. "Caydn's awake and he's messing with my mind," she tried to explain. "He seems to think it's funny to mentally spin me around and make me dizzier than I already am."

Sophie looked at Claire quickly, who only nodded quietly, smiling when she saw the young woman so happy. Hours before she'd been scattered pieces, now she seemed as if those pieces were beginning to fall back into place.

Leaning toward Claire while Gypsy went to throw their second wine bottle in the trash, hiding the evidence so to speak, she looked at her friend closely. "When did this happen, and tell me does she even know it?"

Glancing toward the kitchen first, Claire turned seeing the concern on Sophie's face. "No she isn't aware of it, but it'll be fine even when she realizes it. When I'd say with in the last week or so," she patted Sophie's hand reassuringly.

"I'm not aware of what?" Gypsy said leaning against the door frame, smiling. Pushing away from the frame, she walked carefully to the outside door, opening it to let some cooler air in since she was feeling flushed.

Gypsy gasped loudly when an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back sharply against a rock hard wall of muscle.

"Not aware that I'm right here," Caydn said softly against the side of her throat where he nuzzled her.

"Damn you," she snapped, anger never making its way to her voice when she felt his lips tugging at her earlobe. "One of these days, I want a demonstration on all the little odd things you can do," she said running her hand along the arm holding her tightly.

"I hope that isn't going to be a demonstration we're all going to have to suffer through." Cameron said loudly, suddenly leaning against the wall directly beside Claire.

Gypsy would've fallen down if it hadn't been for Caydn's arm wrapped tightly around her. "Okay I'm having hallucinations," she whispered much louder than she'd intended, causing everyone to laugh.

"You always have to be a show off don't you?" Claire said stepping into the wide spread arms of the man she adored beyond reason.

Looking around the room, Gypsy frowned. "Uncle Vince isn't going to suddenly crawl out from under the chair or float down from the ceiling is he?" she asked looking at Sophie.

Someone cleared their throat behind her, causing her to snap her head around, bumping Caydn's jaw sharply making him clench his teeth together quickly.

"No I'm the boring one of the group. I just walked slowly from the house to find my wife, instead of moving faster than light or popping in like a damn Martian," Vince laughed, pushing past she and Caydn to pull Sophie up from her chair.

Leaning her head back against Caydn's shoulder, she smiled at him. "Sorry I didn't mean to almost dent your fangs," she giggled rubbing her hand along his jaw. "I'm also going to promise to not drink anymore because I see funny things when I do," she leaned up to kiss him.

Cameron brushed a kiss against the top of Claire's head, before laughing. "She thinks she's seeing funny things now? Just wait until she meets everyone at the party I accepted the invitation for, for all of us," he said, his voice booming in the room.

"You realize your daughter's going to have a hissing spitting fit when she finds out you've accepted for everyone, and she's going to have to be nice to the 'hairball' as she calls him," Claire said, laughing at the expression on everyone's face.

Lucinda sauntered in from the kitchen, holding two empty wine bottles. "Not nice to have a party without me ladies," she laughed, swinging the bottles around for effect. "I'm also not going to be seen anywhere near that hairball, I don't care what you say," she said glaring at her father.

Gypsy almost purred feeling Caydn rubbing his chin against the top of her head. Looking at Luc, she winked. "I'm sorry but you weren't around for this party, but if it'll make you feel any better you can stay with me when we have to go to this party hosted by a hairball," she giggled and hiccupped.

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

Feeling her head pounding slightly, from what she knew was entirely too much wine on an empty stomach, Gypsy escaped the large library, where everyone was sitting observing the loud argument between Lucinda and Cameron.

"You should've tried growing up with that happening everyday, all day," Lucien said as he and Caydn walked into the kitchen, finding her sitting at the counter in the dark.

She popped the aspirin in her mouth, taking a deep swallow of water before answering. "I would've given anything to have had someone else in the house other than just me," she said quietly. "This is healthy chaos," she laughed, hearing Lucinda growl loudly from the other side of the house.

Lucien held up his hand, counting. "I knew it," he laughed, hearing the loud slamming door only seconds later. "She's a runner, never could stand to stay and work things out."

"I'm sure she's only going to Christian and Megan's. She told me yesterday she was going to help Megan get ready for Justin's wife's arrival tomorrow I think it is," Gypsy said massaging her temples, smiling, when Caydn winked at her.

"If Christian had come by tonight, he could've taken care of that headache for you," Caydn said with an evil grin.

Shaking her head she groaned softly. "This was self inflicted, so I'm thinking this is my pay back for being stupid," she sighed. "If you two aren't going to be as loud as the rest of them, I might go to bed and get some sleep," she said glancing at both men. "I promise to be quiet while you finish working."

Lucien smiled knowing her openly admitting she was sleeping in Caydn's room was a big step, for her. She'd always either tried to make everyone think she was going to her room, or waiting until everyone left.

"I have a gift for the two of you," Lucien said with a chuckle, trying to look innocent when Gypsy and Caydn both stared at him. "It's in the office so you can get it on your way to bed," he said walking out of the room, leaving them both to stare after him.

Gypsy sat on the corner of the desk, laughing, when Caydn frowned as she moved stacks of papers around to make room.

"You make it seem like I have a huge ass that takes up the whole desk," she laughed, cringing, when her temples throbbed.