Chapter 31: The call

Harry's phone rang, and he picked it up.

"Yes, it is Harry," he said, and then began to hum his agreement as Tagas and Arthur watched him. "Sure, Greta. I'll see if we can come. We are nearly finished with things at the farm for today."

Harry hung up, and then looked at Arthur.

"There was this case a couple of days ago. Of a baby missing called Hugo. His mother, Greta, just called to ask if we could come and visit," Harry asked, and Arthur looked to the tomatoes he was cutting up.

 "It will have to be after we collect the animals," Arthur told them both. Maybe Audrey would let him take the kids to this visit? He could only hope.

"Sure thing," Harry said, and he began to peel the potatoes he had before him again. Tagas was cutting up the meat, a smile on his face.

"She said we could visit, but I never thought she would actually invite us," Tagas said, and the two turned to him.

"Well, I think she really wants new friends," Tagas told him. "We may not be able to take a case tonight, if we take too long at their home."

"Yes, well, maybe a case each night is too much," Tagas said, surprising the two. "I mean, I like helping. But I need rest as well."

"Good that you realize it," Harry told him, and they began to work in silence. When the stew was ready, they left it to cool, and went to collect the animals from the field. Tagas picked up a small lamb, and carried it to the barn. Kissing it from time to time. Arthur melted at the sight.

After they left fodder for the animals, and made sure there was water in each stall, they went to wash up, and then went to Beth.

"We are going out," Arthur told his mother. "A woman asked us to come and see her and her son. She was a case for them."

"A missing child, huh? What took the boy?" Beth asked.

"A demon woman," Harry admitted. "Granted, she was not mistreating Hugo."

"Good that you found the little munchkin," Beth said, shuddering at the thought that a demon had been alone with the boy. "You will be back for dinner? I can't eat the entire pot worth of stew."

"We will try," Arthur told her. "Still, don't wait up, if we are not back by ten."

"As you say," Beth said, and then waved them away. They all got in Harry's car, and he drove them to Audrey's house next. All three were thinking that Andrew and Jake should come to visit with them.

Arthur knocked on the door, and a man came to answer.

"Arthur?" The man asked, and he looked behind Arthur to the two men standing behind him.

"Sam?" Arthur looked around for any signs of his children, but didn't see them.

"It has been long," Sam said, feeling awkward. Arthur nodded stiffly.

"Sammy, who is at the door...oh," Audrey came to the doorway, wearing her usual blouse and skirt combo, and an apron on top of them.

"Audrey, we were invited to a house that has a baby in it. We were hoping that the kids can come and play with the little boy?" Arthur asked, hopeful.

"I... sure. Just bring them by before dinner time. Dinner will be in three hours," Audrey then rushed back inside the house, probably looking for Andrew and Jake.

"So, Audrey said your friends helped find Andrew?" Sam looked desperate to break the silence with small talk. Arthur just frowned at him. The betrayal was still fresh in his mind.

"They did help. They also help me on the farm," Arthur told Sam in a clipped way. That made the other man linger in the doorway uncertainly. After a couple of minutes, he broke the silence again.

"Look, Arthur, I am sorry," Sam finally said. Arthur rounded on him.

"Sorry? You stole my wife and children, and you are sorry? I thought we were friends," Arthur snapped, and then Sam backed away.

"I... she came to me for support, crying. I didn't..." Arthur chuckled then. It was a dark chuckle, full of bitterness.

"Yes, you were the shining knight, while I was the unfeeling asshole that stopped searching for his own son. Spare me with your excuses," Arthur told him, and then felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Bitterness isn't good for your soul," the angel told him. There were a couple of other things that Tagas wanted to tell Arthur. Like how now Arthur had him and Harry, and the children were still a part of his life. How Tagas was not going to allow for them to ever be excluded from the farmer's life, no matter what.

But Tagas felt like Arthur was seeing things through an anger filled heart. Bitterness clouding his eyes, and muddling his judgement. Tagas was not looking for a fight, so he kept silent, after Arthur just shook his head.

Audrey came back with the kids. They each had on T-shirts and shorts, and a backpack on each of their backs.

"I have placed their favorite toys inside," she said, smiling. Appearing obvious, or pretending to appear obvious, to the tension in the air. "Also, some baby clothes for the baby."

"I am sure Greta would like them," Harry told the woman, and then reached out towards Andrew, who was holding on to Jake.

"Hey, little friend. Ready to visit a baby?" Harry asked.

"I like babies. At the orphanage, they were my favorites," Andrew said, and Arthur looked pained at that.

"Is the baby smaller than me?" Jake asked, his speech having gone to leaps and bounds in the month he had regained his hearing.

"Much smaller," Arthur assured his youngest. "With a button nose and dimples. Kind of like you both as babies."

"I want to tickle the baby," Jake said, as he let go of his brother, and went to his father.

"I am sure you will get the chance," Arthur said, taking a hold of his son. Andrew too went to him. With both of the children holding on to him, the group went to the car. There were baby sits in there now, and the two toddlers were strapped into them. With Tagas going to sit on the front seat, and Arthur in the back together with the children.