Theodore (Xavier's Hatchlings #2) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,55

me, but we rarely talked about anything personal. As I said to Carson, they weren’t terrible parents, just not very close to me. I guess now that I know, it had a lot to do with Missy being a lot of trouble for them. I didn’t have any idea, and I feel bad for it.”

“They could easily have told you about how much they were having a hard time of it. I knew your parents, Jamie. They were cold. I think that it had more to do with them being only children of only children. They didn’t know how to act around two children.” Jamie smiled at Pem and told her she was more than likely right as the two of them moved to another room. “I know I am. You move in here, and the two of us will have such a wonderful time of it.”

“I can fix it up for the mistress.” Jangles was riding on Theo’s shoulder now and hanging tightly onto his ear. “I know she’s going to fit in with the family, so it would be our pleasure to have this fixed up with what I see in her mind.”

Theo thought about what she’d said to them earlier about keeping her informed about things. “All right, Jangles, but just this room. If she has what she wants in mind, she might not be so upset with me when I tell her that I okayed it.” He nodded. “Jangles, just what you see in her mind. Nothing more. If you mess this up, she might well tell you that you’ve overstepped your bounds or something.”

He nodded and moved into the room. Theo looked up to where he’d gone and saw that the faeries were there in full force. Shaking his head at how they were all so ready to do something for the young woman, he wondered if he’d be in a great deal of trouble with her or if she would be all right with it. Especially if it was just what she wanted.

Pem was in the kitchen with Jamie when he caught up with them. He could hear the buzz of the wings moving in the other room and wondered what they were up to. The room wasn’t that bad, but he could see that it was out of date. The kitchen, however, was in terrible shape. It hadn’t been updated in decades, he’d bet.

“The Darkhouse family didn’t get rich by spending money needlessly. If it couldn’t be fixed at all, then they’d get a replacement. You do notice that I didn’t say new. I’ve never even had a new car. I drove around the one that my mom learned to drive in.” Theo laughed and told her he knew someone that could fix this for her. “I was thinking of that. Either way, if I sell or live here, it’s going to need to be updated a great deal. Especially this room. I wonder how they were able to keep staff with a stove that had to have wood put in it to use?”

“The faeries are working in the parlor. That is what the room we were in is called.” Jamie asked him what he meant. “They’re very powerful. When they’re together and have something to do, they’re amazing. Jangles wanted to do something nice for you, and I okayed it. If you don’t like it, it’s completely my fault. I said he could do only the room we had been in.”

“I still don’t understand.” He told her she might understand it better if she were to go back to the parlor. “All right. Is this going to make me have to kick your ass?”

“Christ, I hope not. I like you.” Pem went with Jamie, and he knew the exact moment Jamie entered the room. Her cries of delight were just what he wanted to hear. He entered the room just as Pem was holding her friend. “I thought you liked it. I’m so sorry if you don’t. He said you had in your head what you wanted this room to—it’s very beautiful in here. I love the colors.”

“Me too.” Jamie hugged him. “You have no idea how much I’ve dreamt of this room looking just like this. The wallpaper being gone alone would have made me happy, but this?” She shook her head and looked around. “Theo, this is absolutely what I wanted.”

He really did love it too. Gone were the heavy couches that faced each other. The soft fabric ones that