The House in the Cerulean Sea(121)

Talia and Phee gasped. Chauncey’s mouth dropped open. Lucy grinned as Theodore spread his wings and gave a little roar of excitement. Sal dropped his arms, sagging in relief.

Zoe tilted her head.

Arthur stayed as he was.

It wasn’t enough. Linus knew that.

So he gave everything he had left. “I think you’re lovely. All of you. And though I’ve lived in a world where you didn’t exist for most of my life, I don’t believe that’s a world I can be in any longer. It started with the sun, and it was warm. And then came the sea, and it was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. It was followed by this place, this island so mysterious and wonderful. But it was you who gave me peace and joy like I’ve never had before. You gave me a voice and a purpose. Nothing would have changed if it hadn’t been for all of you. I believe they’ve listened to me, but the only reason I knew what to say at all was because of what you taught me. We’re not alone. We never have been. We have each other. If I were to leave again, I would wish I were here. I don’t want to wish anymore. If you’ll have me, I would like to stay. For always.”

Silence.

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, wondering if he should say more.

“Excuse us for a moment, Mr. Baker,” Lucy said. He turned toward the others and beckoned them close. The children bowed their heads as they began to whisper furiously. Zoe covered a laugh with the back of her hand.

Arthur never looked away from Linus.

Linus knew it was impolite to try and listen in on a meeting he was not part of. That, however, didn’t stop him from trying. Unfortunately, the children didn’t seem to care that he was most likely about to have a heart attack. He watched as they held their congress. At one point, Lucy drew a finger across his neck, eyes rolling back in his head, tongue hanging out. Talia nodded in agreement. Linus thought Chauncey said something about feeding the cannibals, but he might have misheard. Theodore snapped his jaws. Phee glared at Linus over her shoulder before turning back to the others. Sal muttered something under his breath, and the children gazed up at him adoringly.

“So, we’re in agreement, then?” Lucy asked.

The children nodded.

They turned back toward him.

It was Lucy who spoke for them. “Does anyone else know you’re here?”

Linus shook his head.

“So we could kill you, and no one would be the wiser.”

“Yes, though I would like to avoid that if at all possible.”

“Of course you would,” Lucy said. “We have conditions.”

“I would expect nothing less.”

Talia said, “You have to help me in the spring in my garden and do exactly what I say.”

There was no hesitation. “Yes.”

Phee said, “You have to spend one day a month with me and Zoe in the woods.”

“Yes.”

Chauncey said, “You have to let me do your laundry!”

Oh, how his heart felt like it would burst. “If that’s what you want.”

“And you have to tip me!”

“Of course.”

Theodore chirped and clicked, head bouncing up and down.

“Every single button I can find,” Linus agreed.

Sal said, “You have to let us call you Linus.”

His eyes stung. “I would love nothing more.”

Lucy grinned devilishly. “And you have to dance with me, and when I have bad dreams, you have to come and tell me everything will be okay.”

“Yes. Yes. Yes to all of it. To any of it. For you, I would do anything.”

Lucy’s smile faded. He looked so young. “Why did you leave in the first place?”

Linus hung his head. “Sometimes, you don’t know what you have until it’s no longer there. And I needed to be your voice. So those far away would hear you for all that you are.”

“Children,” Arthur said, speaking for the first time. “Would you please go inside and help Zoe with dinner? I need to have a word with Mr. Baker.”

They complained immediately.

“Now.”

Lucy threw up his hands. “I don’t know why you don’t just kiss him and get it over with. Adults are so dumb.”

Zoe choked on a laugh. “Come on. Let’s leave the dumb adults to it. We absolutely will go inside and start dinner and not watch them through the windows.”

“Ooh,” Talia said. “I get it. Yes, let’s go watch—I mean, make dinner.”

They hurried up the steps to the house. Sal glanced back at them before closing the door behind him.

And immediately appeared in the window with the others, though they tried unsuccessfully to hide behind the drapes. Even Zoe.

Linus loved them very much.

The stars were beginning to appear overhead. The sky was streaked in orange and pinks and blue, blue, blue. The sea birds called. The waves crashed against the rocks.

But the only thing that mattered at this moment was the man before him. This exquisite man.

Linus waited.

“Why now?” Arthur finally asked. He sounded tired.

“It was time,” Linus said. “I—I went back, thinking it was the right thing to do. I presented the results of my investigation to Extremely Upper Management.” He paused, considering. “Presented might be a euphemism. I was quite stern, if I’m being honest.”