Charlene: Guys, I’m so glad you decided to visit with me like this.
Vincent: *chuckles* Did we really have a choice? We’re in your head.
Charlene: You had a choice. How many times have I changed your world around to make you happy?
Cole: Sure, you change things around, but that doesn’t stop you from having the all-mighty power to put us through hell.
James: Hell is a matter of perception. Charlene has been very fair when it comes to the story line.
Charlene: Thank you, James.
Cole: *mumbles* Always the mediator.
Charlene: Oh, just relax, Cole. Drink your tea. Elaina’s making muffins for the get-together. I told her to bring the butter for you.
Vincent: My beautiful red-head. I gotta say Charlene, you did good in thinking her up.
Charlene: To be honest Vince, it wasn’t so hard. She was waiting in the wings. I think she’s had her eye on you for a while.
James: Well, they’re perfect together.
Cole: It wasn’t so perfect when he thought she told her family about our natures. Practically blew up the whole house.
Vincent: The study. I blew up the study. Don’t exaggerate.
James: I took care of it.
Cole: Yeah, well, she must be special. It’s not every woman who can put up with a hot headed runt.
Vincent: *scowls*
James: I’d say Vince has found his share of women willing to put up with him.
Cole: *scoffs* Right. Twelve wives in the time we’ve been in Cornerstone Deep. Lose one, move on to another.
Vincent: At least I don’t love ‘em and leave ‘em, old brood.
Cole: I treated my women well. *looks to the side* They just weren’t Mianna.
Charlene: Okay, okay. I found Mianna for you, didn’t I? You guys are the ones who believed reincarnation didn’t exist on Cornerstone Deep.
James: We were mislead.
Vincent: Yeah. Father said he couldn’t find mother. It was the only reasonable explanation.
James: Well, he did say it could have been that she held Meridian blood. Cross-dimension death was new to us all. Her soul could have gone back to Meridian.
Vincent: Oh, come on James. He lied. Admit it. How else do you explain Mechenzie?
Cole: What I can’t figure out is why he’d deceive us. *looks at Charlene and cocks an eye*
Charlene: Be patient. You’ll find out as book two unfolds.
Cole: You’re going to put me through hell again, aren’t you?
Charlene: *squinches her cheek*
Cole: Thought so.
Charlene: Oh, drink your tea.
James: I’m interested in knowing what Linda will be up to in book two. *blushes*
Charlene: Don’t worry James. I have beautiful plans for you.
Vincent: Honestly James, if you’d just let them, there are plenty of women that would be willing to be in those arms.
Cole: Hulk that he is. *leans back in his chair and stretches his long legs in front of him* You do have the physic, brother.
James: *clears throat*
Charlene: I’m surprised you guys aren’t more interested in what Lord Dressen is going to do about all that happened. You did ruin his plans with Anna.
Cole: You mean Mianna.
Charlene: Okay, Mianna. He sees her as Anna right now though.
James: He did make some heavy threats when Vincent blew up his foyer.
Cole: Yeah. But, what I want to know is where the Meridian Zephyr came from.
Vincent: It did smell like licorice when we met with him.
Charlene: I wondered if you guys caught that.
James: *sighs* Don’t tell me. He’s more than mortal.
Charlene: *smiles all-knowingly*
Cole: Oh, God. I am in for hell.
Vincent: You are the one who deceived him.
Cole: *growls and smooths back his long hair*
James: Don’t worry, Cole. We’ll be there for you.
Vincent: Yeah, big brother. What’s one trumped up Grand Marshal against three powerful Meridians?
Charlene: *takes a sip of her lemon-aide and leans back in her chair* That’s what I wanted to hear.