Chapter 12: Breakfast

Arthur turned off the TV, when the reporter began to zero in on a woman who had found her son. He was fairly certain that Tagas had something to do with it, but he didn't want to ask.

The farmer was waiting for the angel-demon duo to come over. There were eggs with bacon for breakfast on the table, and Arthur waited with his mother by his side.

"Would Audrey bring the kids later?" Beth asked, and Arthur shrugged.

"I have no idea. But she did say she will bring them more often," Arthur had been relieved when Audrey had said that. For, his children were the one thing he loved the most. He missed them to bits.

"Is she still going to try to get custody?" Beth asked, and Arthur sighed.

"I am thinking of letting her win," the farmer said, and Beth glared at him.

"And why is that? Don't the boys deserve a father," Beth was ready to chew up Arthur somewhat fierce for his abandonment of his children.

"They need a mother, mom," Arthur told her with a defeated sigh. "If I let her win, she might let them stay here more often? If not, she will fight tooth and nail. We can't afford a drawn-out trial."

"To Hell with the money," Beth snapped. "These are your boys, Arthur!"

"Do you think that," Arthur was stopped from talking when he heard a knock on the door. Getting up, he went to check out who it was. There, on the other side of the door, were Tagas and Harry, each having one of Arthur's sons in their arms.

"You brought the boys?" Arthur was speechless. The two boys stared up at him, and Andrew looked worried.

"Audrey said they can spend the day in here," Tagas told him. "May we come in?"

"Of course, do come in," Arthur moved to the side, and then opened his arms. The two got the hint, and placed the two boys in their father's arms.

Jake hugged his father tightly, while Andrew hesitated.

"I will need to make you some snacks," Arthur told the two boys, as he carried them to the kitchen.

"We ate already," Andrew told him, looking bashful. "Mom made us waffles with cream and strawberries."

"Were they tasty?" Arthur asked, wanting to hear his son's voice more.

"They were great," Andrew spoke, and then looked to Harry. "We brought you and granny some too. They are with Harry."

Harry pulled out a box from his bag, and waved it around.

"Plain waffles. The cream would have to come from here," the demon told the farmer, and Arthur nodded.

"I still think you should get something salty in your bellies," Arthur spoke. He placed the boys down, when he entered the kitchen. Beth's face lit up when she saw them.

"Boys, come to granny," she opened her arms expectantly, and the two boys ran to her.

"Hello, grandma," Andrew spoke, and Beth kissed his forehead.

"Will you keep granny company today, boys?" Beth asked, and Andrew nodded. Jake just tilted his head. Beth then tickled the two boys, and closed her eyes when they were reduced to giggles.

"I'll help you make them the breakfast," Tagas offered, as he watched the scene before him.

"There is no need. You should rest, after you had a busy night," Arthur told him, already cutting up the bacon to stripes.

"No, it is ok. I am a night owl," Tagas said with a wink, and he went to the pots with the herbs and began picking some parsley. He added some basil leaves to the mix, and then went to wash his bounty.

"Do you have green onions?" They were out of season, but Tagas had seen them in the shops' vegetable isle.

"I have some in the freezer," Arthur told him, and Tagas went and opened the topmost drawer of the fridge. Quickly finding the onions, he spent some magic to make them stop being frozen, and went before a cutting board.

They worked in silence, as Beth peppered the two boys with questions. Only Andrew answered her, as Jake couldn't understand much of what she was saying.

That made Tagas think. What if Jake had a hearing problem? It was not something a little grace couldn't fix, but he wondered if he should do this before Beth.

He trusted the old lady, but she would be joyful, and would want to share the joy. Spreading the word that there was an angel who visited her farm.

Tagas moved to Arthur, and leaned, so he could whisper in his ear.

"I think I know what is wrong with Jake," the angel spoke, and Arthur turned to stare at him.

"Hearing problems? We know that already," Arthur said.

"It can be fixed," Tagas said, as he placed the herbs and the onions in the bowl with the eggs. "Grace can fix a great many things. But Beth can't know."

Arthur blinked then, and then he had to blink back tears.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you being so kind, when I haven't given you anything in return?" The farmer asked, and Tagas grinned at him.

"I am an angel," Tagas told him, as if it was just that obvious. "And you are my soulmate. Your children are my children, as far as I am concerned."

Arthur leaned then, and kissed Tagas on the lips. It was a chaste kiss, but the angel knew to cherish it. Beth let out a chuckle from her spot at the table, and the two boys in her arms tilted their heads.

"Dad, are we going to have two mommies?" Andrew asked, which made Beth bark a laugh.

"You will," Arthur teased, and Tagas gave him a blinding smile. "If mommy number two doesn't mind."

"Oh, I am the mother, am I?" Tagas faked annoyance in his voice, and was kissed again.

"I will kiss you every time I call you that," Arthur promised, and Tagas looked at the boys, a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Boys, do help your father to utter the magic word as often as possible? Ok?" The two boys nodded, and Jake reached out towards Tagas. The angel washed his hands, and went to hug the little cherub. Breathing in the boy's scent, and then silently healing his hearing, without anyone being the wiser.