~Karma Lunare

News about Kyle’s son spread like wild fire through the Lamar family. Within a week and a half, anyone who knew Kyle knew about his kid. It was fairly certain that the trail went from Glen to Virginia since they lived together, to Wendy because she and Virginia were friends. Then from Wendy to Lindsey and Blake then to Scott, Antony and Henry who didn’t seem shocked by the news like everyone else. It’s not really sure in what order everyone else found because the two biggest gossips had been told pretty early on. Within a week almost everyone had come to Kyle to confirm the news. Antony asked if the child was anything like the vain tiger. Scott congratulated him on being able to do it without the big bad wolf knowing. However, the biggest surprise was Henry’s visit. He simply asked if Desiree and her son were doing well.

“Why do I get the feeling they’re keeping something from me?” Kyle eyed him. Henry was a man of few words and a stoic disposition but Kyle could always tell when he wasn’t saying what was on his mind. He’d had practice from so many years as December’s doctor.

Henry sat down on the porch outside Kyle’s house playing with his lighter. His medium brown eyes seemed tired. “I knew about Desiree’s pregnancy.”

Kyle shouted, “You what?”

“I am a doctor. She had come to me with the flu. It had lasted for the better part of two weeks. But when I examined her, nothing turned up. She didn’t so much as have the light cold that had been going around. I took a blood test and on a whim tested it for pregnancy hormones. It turned out that she was a few weeks into the first trimester.”

“Do you know why she left then? Or why didn’t you tell me?” the seventeen-year- old boy in Kyle’s eyes pleaded for answers no one had given him.

“December.” That single name ran a shiver down Kyle’s back.

“December summoned her after she found out about the child. She told Desiree she could leave or give up the baby. If Desiree couldn’t decide, December was going to have Wendy go into her mind and make her forget. It was a difficult decision for Desiree. Eventually she decided to leave to protect you and the child.”

“Forget?” Kyle felt a lump of ice slid down his throat and settle in his stomach.

“Wendy would make Desiree forget. She would have never met you and she would have never slept with you. This would have meant of course, she would have never been pregnant.” Kyle looked at him dumbfounded; at a complete loss for what to say.

“December would have ordered me to abort the child.” Henry said at last.

“I know what you meant.” The young man ground out. Henry regarded Kyle quietly. It was too bad they had never really been allowed to get to know each other. The dragon caller rather thought they would have been friends. Or at least Kyle could have helped when it came to Scott and Antony’s childishness. Sometimes it felt like Henry was the only adult among the three of them. Never mind the fact that he was the youngest of the trio.

The doctor looked at Kyle again. He looked worried, his eyebrows so close together Henry momentarily wondered if they could hold a business card. The thought almost brought a smile to his lips. Almost.

Kyle was quiet for a moment while he took is all in. Desiree had protected him. She had protected him.

“What’s his name?” Henry asked.

“Huh? Oh, Nicolas.” Kyle rubbed his eyes with his index and forefingers. He opened his eyes to the hill that housed the Zen temple. Because the hill was so big, one couldn’t see the temple from the pouch. When he was younger Kyle’d always thought it odd there would be, in the middle of a huge, busy, bustling city, a still forested hill with a hundred-year-old Zen temple sitting on the top of it. Serenity in the midst of chaos. He could use a little inner peace now, Kyle thought wryly. Maybe he’d pay Phil the Zen master a visit later. She had mentioned the last time Kyle went for mediation that he didn’t attend nearly enough.

“It’s a nice strong name.” Henry brought the young man back to the conversation as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Kyle had made it clear that he didn’t want anyone smoking inside. With the mid-July heat, it was too hot to be inside anyway.

“I need to make a phone call.” Kyle excused himself and went to the phone. He dialed the number that had taken up permanent residence next to it.

“Rylan Cleaning Services” Desiree’s professionally cheerful voice chimed through the receiver.

“Desiree?” Kyle asked.

“Oh Kyle! How are you? This is unexpected… not to say I…” Desiree shook her head. Now was not the time to babble like a high schooler. It didn’t matter that she had, in fact, just been thinking about him. She was a grown up, darn it! She could bloody well act like it. Desiree took a deep breath, in for a count of four out for a count of six. She tried again, “What can I help you with?”

“May I speak to Nicolas?” Kyle asked. He wondered vaguely what had gotten her so flustered.

“Of course.” The man listened as Desiree called to the boy. There was some distant talking before the receiver made a few sounds as it was passed from one hand to the other.

“Hello?” Nick said into the phone.

“Hey, how soon could you get up here? I’ll buy the train tickets today. I have just heard some interesting news.”

“What is it?” the boy asked curiously. He brought his eye brows together. Desiree flipped one of her business cards through her fingers wondering if her son’s skin would hold it up.

“It needs to be talked over in person.” Kyle said. “How about two days? Would that be alright?”

“Two days… I guess that could work.” Nicolas turned to his mom, “We’re going to visit Kyle in two days.”

“What?” she looked at her son in shock. Now this was unexpected “I couldn’t. I have a lot of work to do, we have to pack, I have to call the cleaners, I have to let Hannah and Ursula know and…”

“Mom!” Her son interrupted, “don’t worry about it. Kyle already bought the tickets, so it would be rude not to go.” Nick felt bad about lying, but it was the only way to get her to go. She had this odd thing about gifts. No matter what she thought about the gift itself, his mother had to accept it.

“Alright, we’ll go. I have so much work to do.” Desiree said the last part mostly to herself as she sat down and began to make a list. Her lips moved silently as she read each task back.

“Two days is fine. I should go, mom has work to do.” The men said their good byes and Nicolas handed the phone back to Desiree. “I’m going to go pack.” He said leaving. Desiree took a moment to smile at him as put the phone to her ear to see if Kyle was still one then slid it back into its cradle. She took another cleansing breath when she realized there was still a lot of work.