Chapter 88

“Mum, this might be a bit delicate, but are you okay for funds?” Zeke asked.

Patricia patted his hand, “Yes, thanks to you and Mildred. Back when you were fifteen, Mildred made me set up my own accounts for the money the company was paying me for prospecting. She even helped me buy shares in the company when it was floated.”

“I thought I was helping Frank, but it turns out I was buying my own shares for pennies. I own the missing three percent of the shares you couldn’t buy. Once you turned the company around and promoted Mildred, I was earning some serious money.”

“So, Mildred helped me reinvest most of it. Frank didn’t know because once Mildred took over doing his taxes, he’d just sign whatever she told him to. He rarely asked me what I did with my money.”

“He didn’t care as long as food was on the table, and I didn’t ask him for money or nag him. He only got pissy when I started going out more, and he thought I had a boyfriend.”

Zeke frowned, “Hum, Mum, you have had your medallion for nearly four years. What did you do for relief when you used magic?”

Patricia grinned. “I’m not telling. Let’s just say I had help when I needed it, and it wasn’t Frank. Two can play that game. Penny wasn’t his only girlfriend. He played up on her, too. The man could have at least washed their smell off before getting into my bed.”

Zeke didn’t mention that an image of Vic and Blake had flashed into his head. He did grin when the twins gasped and looked at their mother in surprise.

“What? You think a woman doesn’t know when her husband is playing around. She knows, my sons, she knows. If you want to play around, don’t be surprised if your wife or significant other does it too.”

“Since you all wear magical items, you need to set the rules of what is permissible and when with your partners. Be open and honest. Don’t try to bring someone new into your relationship without discussing it with the person or people you are intimate with.”

“Frank didn’t understand that. He thought he could do as he wished. I’m sure Penny knew more about our love life than I knew about theirs. I do know that she knows of one of Frank’s indiscretions.”

“About four years ago, not long after you gave me my item, she kicked him out for about three months. He even tried to be loving and nice to me and did things for me. He was more like the Frank I married. It was the last time he tried fixing things with me.”

“He blew it when he asked about a group marriage with Penny. I can’t stand being in the same room as her, so I said no. He was also pissed when I refused to take up the slack if he promised to be good.”

“I had told him seven years ago, after I had proof that he was with Penny, that as long as he stayed out at night and had affairs, he wouldn’t be getting sex from me. Two months of being nice wasn’t good enough. I told him, if he wanted to divorce me, he could.”

“I don’t know why he refused to divorce me. We only stayed married because of you boys and the company. I thought he’d let me go after the twins left. But he wouldn’t even discuss it, stupid man.”

“Did you still share a bed, Mum?” Zeke asked.

“Yes, he refused to go to another room. If I did, he got really cranky and told me to stay in the damn bed with him even if we didn’t have sex. Now that you mention it, Frank always seemed in a good mood in the morning after being in bed with me.”

“I think your magic was affecting him, Mum. You cared about his health and may have been healing him to some degree. Frank may have loved Penny, but as he got sicker, he knew he needed you, too. That’s why he had to come home at least once a week and why he was so desperate to get a magical item.”

Patricia shook her head, “I knew I should not have married him. When I found out I was having twins, I panicked. I thought you’d get over your dislike of Frank in time. But you only ever played lip service to him, as long as he was good to the twins and me.”

“Sorry, Mum, I tried to get along with him, but I just couldn’t. Some people just clash. At least I had Vic and Blake. They are good men. They will miss you, Mum.”

Patricia sighed, “Yes, they have always been there for me. I feel bad for them. They need me to get out of their lives, and I need to move on. I think going to Harmony is the break that I need.”

Paul grinned, “Hey, Mum, If you like, you can swap to male and be my wingman. Pat and Paul on the prowl.”

Dallas and Zeke cracked up.

Patricia looked affronted at first and then thoughtful. To the boys’ amazement, she changed. She grew taller and broader in the shoulders, stretching the ship’s suit she was wearing to show off her new form.

“Blinking LEDs, Mum! You look like Zeke’s twin,” Paul blurted out. “Oh, no, no, no. That’s not going to work. The girls will swamp you, not me.”

Dallas and Zeke were laughing so hard that Carly and Lindsay came to investigate what they were doing. They had been listening but didn’t want to intrude on the family discussion.

“Oh, my, aren’t you the handsome one!” Lindsay gasped when he looked at Patricia.

Carly chuckled, “Way to go, Mrs P. Damn, you are sizzling. I can see where Zeke gets the good looks from. Zeke, show your mum why you and she should go trolling.”

Zeke grinned and changed. Lindsay, Paul, and Dallas gapped at Zeke.