Page 71 of Brandt's Rule

“Oh, goodness. That virus… everything tastes like a salt-lick,” Sadie said.

“It was touch and go for a while, there,” Goldy said, looking at Tempest as he got Sadie settled. “She got pneumonia and was in the hospital. But that virus is something else. Took everything she had and us, too, to fight it off.”

“It’s a bad one,” Tempest said. “But I think she’ll be just fine now.”

Sadie sat comfortably in her chair, and Janie noticed first that she wasn’t trembling. Her color was suddenly better. “I think I’d like to try a little of the pork, Janie.”

“Of course, Mama. I’ll get it for you,” Janie said excitedly.

Tempest sat back down beside Brandt and smiled at him, but her smile didn’t hold the same brightness it had before.

“You okay?”

“Mmhmm.”

Bam leaned over Tempest’s shoulder from the other side and whispered in her ear. “Thank you.”

Tempest gave a slight nod, but said nothing else.

“You know, my hand where you were holding it is so warm. I’ve been cold for a month at least,” Sadie said.

“I’ve been told I help with that. Want me to hold your other hand and see if I can make a difference?” Tempest asked.

“Oh, no, dear, you don’t have to do that.”

“Humor me,” Tempest said. “I like to think I make a difference.” Tempest got up and walked over to Sadie.

Sadie laughed but she slipped her hand into Tempest’s. A couple of minutes later, Tempest let go of Sadie’s hand.

“I don’t know what it is, but that hand’s warm, too. And I feel so much better. Thank you, Tempest.”

“You’re very welcome. I didn’t do anything but hold your hand.”

“Must have been all I needed.”

“You were just ready to feel better, I think. Power of positive thinking,” Tempest said confidently.

Kaid realized what had happened. Tempest had healed Sadie with little to no effort, and so much more than Bam and Daisy had been able to. He also saw that Tempest was trying to deflect the attention the others were heaping on her, as they began to notice that Sadie was suddenly markedly better. “So, Goldy, we were telling stories about the kids when they were younger.”

“Oh, yeah? Let me tell you about two-year-old Barron lighting my ass up!” Goldy said.

Tempest burst out laughing as she looked over at Barron.

“He did. He breathed a blast of Dragon fire at Goldy and burned the seat right out of his pants,” Brandt said, laughing.

“He took my powdered sugar away!” Barron said defensively.

“I found him sitting on the floor in the pantry with a bag of powdered sugar between his legs, powdered sugar all over the damn pantry, all over himself, and everything damn thing! I took it away from him and he was so mad he burned my ass, literally!” Goldy said, guffawing. “Oh, it’s funny now, but it was not funny then!”

Everybody laughed, then started trading stories about the antics the kids got into.

By the time they knew it, it was well after 11:00 P. M.

“We were going to hit the Christmas Festival, but it’s so late now,” Brandt said, standing up and extending his hand for Tempest to take and steady herself with as she stood up. To his surprise, she actually leaned into him as she stood.

“I don’t mind at all. I so enjoyed being here and meeting everyone,” she said.

“You sure?” Brandt asked, afraid he might have disappointed her on their first date.