"And she didn't mind?"
Brianna shrugged. "If she did, she never said. She asked me to stay with her after the first time we met at my hotel, but that was never really an option." She shrugged and studied her coffee intently. "It would have led to unwanted complications."
"What did she think of you staying here this trip... or didn't you tell her you were coming?"
Brianna cocked her head thoughtfully. "I didn't tell her. We haven't been together that way for a while."
Esmeralda heard their silent observer move away and nodded. "Okay - so staying here is weird because you've never done it before?"
"I haven't done it since college," Brianna corrected. "And it was different then. The boys were here off and on and if Charisma and I didn't share a room, we were at least back and forth in one room or the other constantly - we pretty much lived like we did in the dorms... in one another's back pockets."
"So why are you staying here now?"
Brianna visibly slumped in her chair. "Mama O insisted. We had quite a talk once Charisma and I agreed to try to be friends again. Okasa knew about...." gesturing vaguely with her hand and getting Esmeralda's nod of understanding. "She appreciated my discretion," Brianna stated drolly with a smirk, "but insisted that since THAT was no longer part of my visit here, it was time to come home where I belonged. Told me if she had to come to some hotel to find me and drag me home, she'd make sure it was in all the papers."
"Okasa sounds like a force of nature," Esmeralda offered with a smile.
"You have no idea, Es. Wait til she turns it on you."
Just then, they heard the clearing of a throat from the doorway and flinched in tandem when they saw Okasa standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. "The Force of Nature would like to know what the two of you are doing up in my kitchen at this hour of the day," she demanded gruffly, though she couldn't hide the concern present in her eyes. "It's not even daylight yet, and from the looks of it, you've been here a while," noting the coffee that was already in the pot and the empty glass of milk beside Esmeralda's book. "Is everything all right?" cupping Brianna's cheek briefly before checking Esmeralda for fever.
Brianna caught the hand resting on her face. "Everything's fine, Mama O. Just a little insomnia."
Okasa stared into Brianna's eyes and saw the unease. She wondered what she had missed of the conversation to put that look there, but decided not to pursue it with Esmeralda present. She had no way of knowing what Esmeralda knew about the truth between Charisma and Brianna, and she wasn't going to be the one to tell her either. It was different if her daughters wanted to share, but it wasn't her place to do so.
She nodded her acceptance of Brianna's words and turned to look at Esmeralda, shaking her head at the utter weariness in the green eyes that were so much like Brianna's. "Does this happen a lot?" she asked Esmeralda, gently gripping her wrist while she stared into her eyes.
"Insomnia?" Esmeralda questioned softly. "Thankfully, no. I think it's just being someplace new and strange to me... no offense. It's been a while since Saphira and I have gone anywhere that kept us away from home overnight."
Okasa smiled gently. "No offense taken, Esmeralda. I'm the same way when Paddy and I leave home. It takes me a few days to adjust - usually by the time I do, the trip's over and we're back home again." She smiled in sympathy when Esmeralda chuckled. "I have something that might help, but it may make you miss breakfast."
"I'd be grateful," Esmeralda confessed. "I'd be embarrassed to fall asleep in the gravy at the dinner table."
Okasa laughed. "I like you, Esmeralda...." pausing when Esmeralda shook her head.
"Please call me Es - all my friends do."
Okasa's smile was genuine and she nodded. "All right, Es. Let me get you something to help you get a little sleep. You," she said pointedly, eyeing Brianna with a glare. "I'll take care of in a minute. Don't move," she commanded. "And don't drink any more coffee."
Okasa slipped away, but returned a moment later. It only took a few minutes, and Esmeralda was yawing, barely able to keep her eyes open. Brianna had to wonder if it was Okasa's 'remedy' as much as it was Esmeralda's very real exhaustion. Whichever, they needed to get Esmeralda back to bed, so with one on each side of her, they slowly escorted her back upstairs.
They were halfway up when a whirlwind silently flew out of one of the guest rooms. They didn't even have time to recognize Saphira before Esmeralda was scooped from between them and settled safely in Saphira's arms. Okasa opened her mouth to offer their help, but Saphira had already moved up the remainder of the stairs and disappeared into their bedroom. Since she didn't close the door, Brianna and Okasa tentatively followed her to make certain everything was all right.
"What happened?" Saphira whispered, continuing to tuck Esmeralda back into their bed without turning around.
Brianna shrugged. "She was in the kitchen reading when I got up. Mama offered her something to help her get a little sleep - it didn't take long to work."
Saphira whirled at the mention of a remedy, but instead of becoming angry, she crept to the door and motioned them to follow. When they were out in the hallway, she pulled the door mostly closed and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Thank you - both of you - for looking out for her. It's been a long time since we've been away from home overnight, and her illness has made Es more sensitive to things like that." She squinted at both of them. "Why are you two up, anyway? It's like oh-dark-thirty in the morning."
"I got up to put the turkey on to cook," Okasa said. "This one has insomnia," jerking her thumb in Brianna's direction.
"Maybe you should give her some of whatever it was you gave to Es. It seems to work pretty well."
"I think she just needs some warm milk," chuckling at the face Brianna made.
"Ew - I'd rather go back to bed and try counting sheep," Brianna said as she slowly backed up towards the door just beyond the one they were standing out side of. "I'm sure that will do the trick nicely," she added as she scooted into the room and shut the door soundlessly behind her.
Okasa and Saphira exchanged glances and giggled for a brief moment. "Are all holidays around here this exciting?" Saphira asked with a twinkle.
"Usually, yes... but it doesn't generally start until later in the day. And speaking of... if I don't get that turkey in the oven soon, we won't be eating until much, much later in the day."
"Do you need some help?" Saphira offered.
Okasa smiled and patted Saphira's arm. "You're sweet, but no. I do this every year and it doesn't take but a few minutes... usually, anyway," she added with another soft laugh. "Besides, you've got more important things to take care of, I think," gesturing towards the door.
Saphira nodded. "Thank you, Okasa. I can't tell you...." She stopped speaking when Okasa held up a hand.
"I was glad to be able to help. As I told Es, I like you two, and I'm glad you came. My daughters could both do with more people like the two of you in their lives."
"Broke?" Saphira joked.
"Real," Okasa replied, then lightly patted Saphira's arm. "Goodnight, Saphira."
"Goodnight, Okasa."
************
Paddy and Kent were the first ones up when morning came the second time, though Okasa wasn't far behind them. Still, Patrick looked at her with concern when she eased into the kitchen in her bathrobe and poured herself a cup of coffee without saying a word. She squeezed his shoulder, then took a seat beside him, focusing on her cup as though to force herself to wakefulness a little faster.