Much bigger mid-week addition, but I want the reveal to happen on Friday, to give everyone something to think about over the weekend. I wanted to continue with the simple, bucolic world Graf finds himself in right now, after his and Pai’s recent travels. I am, also, getting an idea for what will either be the second half or part three of this novel; it’s been too long since something blew up.

There really is a steampunk-themed B&B in Spring Green, WI. How has it stayed open for the last 150 years into my future history? No idea. Maybe no one thought it was worth looting? And, I can definitely see Suza making a small difference engine once she gets back home to Wilmington.

Enjoy my content? Buy me a beer!

After fishing and breakfast, Suza wanted to take a hot bath.  While her mother drew one, Graf poured some tea and went onto the front porch.

“They’re planning something,” he said aloud.  “Pai only uses her words or body language when she wants to.  Alix is much easier to read, and it seems she’s in on it, too.”

“I thought,” she said, walking out and taking the rocking chair next to his, seeing Min ride off on her horse, “that it was you in me, all night and this morning.”

“You seemed okay with breakfast,” he said, not wanting to be sidetracked.  “Everything okay with… well, I guess it’s a little early to pick a name.  And, I’m sure you’ll come up with another zinger like our other two.”

“I…” She leaned to touch his hand, then back.  “I appreciate you left all that to me.  And, yes, I heard you talking to yourself as I was walking out here.  Are we up to something?  Yes.  But I hope you’ll like it.  Also…um…”

“Yes?” he asked.

“Pai spoke with me, early this morning.” She let her eyes move from his to stare out at the front yard.  Which needed mowing.  “She confessed to killing, no, she used the word murder.  I’m sure you cannot tell me the details, but she said you forgave her, so it cannot be that bad.  And I forgave her, too.”

At least ten minutes passed before Graf could talk.

“Did you look at her hands at all?” he asked the mother of his children.

“No.  Should I?”

He shook his head.

“You know her surface is human skin; you were the one who taught me how to feed it!  She still has some scabs but some sloughed off and are now scars.” He drank the last of his tea.  “I don’t know exactly what she did, or even to who, but she was an utter wreck, Alix.  Thank you for being there for her this morning.”

“Here,” she said, standing and taking his cup, “I’ll get you more and some for me, too.  The window to the bathroom, just above us, is opened a skosh, and I told Suza to call if she needs anything.”

Reseated, he waited a minute before asking.  “So, this evening?”

“It’s a surprise.  A good one.” A large sigh.  “That toaster really loves you, you know?”

From one of the two barns behind the house, they heard the tractor start.  “I bet Tér is about to get a driving lesson,” he smiled.

“Hopefully not into the house!” she laughed right back.  “But, I’m sure his grandfather will keep it slow.”

“Mommy!” they heard from overhead.  Alix stood.

“We fished this morning and our son is playing farmer right now.  You grew up here, so think of something the three of us can do today.”

“Before the afternoon’s surprise?”

“Of course,” she said, going inside.

Well, he thought, there’s that Taliesin place, that big house by some famous architect, but I don’t see even a clever girl like Suza being at all interested in that.  He looked up and down the road, hearing the girl’s giggles as Alix toweled her off.  It’s just farms around here.  What did Pai call us, living in the nineteenth century?  Maybe if one of the local churches had a dance or something…?  No, those are usually for just after sunset, and I have to be here, for whatever.

He closed his eyes and thought about what he used to do as a kid.  And, more to the point, what he and Mindy did for fun.

“I guess we can go hiking, I suppose,” he said, giving up.  But a thought.  “There is that weird B&B which survived the Breakup, what Pai calls the Change, over in what’s left of Spring Green.  They have a lot of silly stuff there, and we can get lunch somewhere, after.  Yes, that sounds better.”

Through the house and off to the left, he had prepped and was leading the two horses out when Alix and Suza came downstairs.

“Where are we going, Daddy?” she demanded.

“It’s, well, kind of a hotel, but also a museum…don’t look at me like that!  It’s filled with super-neat things from long ago, and even from a long-ago that never happened.” He considered her mulish look.  “And, if you are good, there’s ice cream before your nap.”

“Daddy!” she cried, running into his arms as he leaned down.  Alix just shook her head.

“For someone never home, you’re good at this,” she allowed.

I have to put up with someone a million times smarter than I am, so a little kid is not that hard, he certainly did not say.

A man only a few years older than Graf met them at the door.  Felt top hat, tiny green-tinted glasses and all.  Graf explained they were not there as guests, but that his – he used the term wife and got a snort from Alix for it – and daughter did want to look around, if that was all right?

“Of course, of course!” their host replied, holding the door open for them. 

“Good Lord,” Alix breathed.

Much of the furniture and several lamps, especially the oil hurricane lamps, were nearly two hundred years old, at least.  That didn’t interest Suza as much as the models and, once discovered, a tiny difference engine.  With permission of the owner, she cranked it for several minutes, watching the register carries and amazed by the clacks and rattles.

“It can really solve first-order differential equations,” the man said.  “I’m glad your girl likes it.  Here, let’s look upstairs.”

“I’d rather look at that lacquered, ancient, liquor cabinet over there…” Graf began before getting a jab from Alix.

“Suza gets ice cream later!  You will get a throat-punch if you drink before this afternoon!”

“Fine, fine,” he surrendered, following them up the stairs.

“Well, now,” the man, now holding his top hat said, “if you do want an aperitif while we gift the Young Lady a little tasty shaved ice, I don’t think your Better Half would object?”

“Shored ice?” Suza asked, not getting it, having never had it.

“I,” he glanced at Alix, who rolled her eyes, “think that would be fine, sir.”

Graf ignored the knowing look in the man’s eyes.  “The original house was built…” he began the tour routine, continuing on how his great grandparents first had the idea of making it into an antique bed and breakfast, with their daughter then taking it into an entirely different direction.

“Oooooh!” Suza cried, running into a bedroom on the right.

“Don’t you dare touch!” Alix cried, making the little girl freeze.  She looked to their host.  “Is there anything my, our, girl can handle?”

Another smile.  He looked around and picked up what looked like a knight’s helm, but with adjustable eyepieces and gears and glass wings out to either side.  “If you have a camera, perhaps a photo of the young lady, as a knight?  I’ve no idea why, but I think she is a part of something more than what this house is.”

Alix’s breath caught and Graf noticed.  They won’t tell me anything!  Being an imperial subject, Alix already had her phone out and was taking several pictures.  Helmet off, Suza beamed like a princess.

A few more room, then back to the ground floor.  “Just one!” Alix admonished both of them.  Graf accepted some awful, red, bitter thing called Campari.  No worries about just one.  The man, top hat back on, poured a blue syrup over some shaved ice and gave it to Suza, who took a too large scoop.

“Ahhh!  My brain hurts!” she screamed.  Her mother and father just smiled at one another as the other man set a tepid glass of water before her.

Riding back home, Suza sat just ahead of her mom, trying to stay awake.  She’d been in Graf’s saddle on the way into town, so…

“We wore her out,” Alix noted, quietly.

“I think she’s not the only one taking a nap,” he smiled.  “Did you want to…?”

“Lots of bedding needs to be cleaned,” she replied, with a shake of her head.  “So you get the couch and I’ll find a blanket.  What was it you drank?  It sure wasn’t very much.”

“Something bitter and nasty, like you when we met,” he saw her scowl, “but not really that much alcohol.  I think I’m still just tired from the trip.  And the couch will be fine.  Thank you, Alix, for helping.”