The Return of Peter Grayson

Anne Grayson was cleaning the tables at the beginning of the evening shift at Delicious Desserts, the Grayson family bakery. She lifted her head when she heard the door open.

A tall, black-haired man walked in.

"Peter, is that you?" Anne walked over to him.

"Yes, Aunt Anne, it's me." He stared at her with his amethyst eyes.

Anne's blond hair glistened under the lights as she gave him a hug. Tears came down from her emerald eyes as she glanced up at him.

"I thought you were gone forever, but I should've known you would come back since Paige is in Deacon."

"So she is in town. Is Mom and Dad here?"

"They're not here yet, but June is. I'll go get her."

She turned around and strolled to the kitchen. A moment later, she returned with a tall auburn-haired woman with black eyes.

"Aunt June, it's wonderful to see you." Peter hugged her.

"Sally and Johnny will be so happy to see you. They're at the house. They'll be here in just a few minutes." June touched his cheek.

"Come sit down before customers start coming in." Anne motioned for him to join her at the table in the back corner.

Anne, June, and Peter walked to the back of the room and sat down.

"Paige's momma died six weeks ago. She killed herself by eating phantomsbane after getting drunk. Paige has been here for three weeks livin' in her house," Anne said.

"Is Miss Blair still alive?" asked Peter.

"Oh, yes. She got your wife sober with Dr. Samuel St. Ives' help. I've heard she's pregnant too," said June.

"What? We tried for years to conceive." Peter stared at wide-eyed at them.

"Maybe you should go see Paige now. You can come back and see your parents later. They'll be here all night." Anne touched his hand.

"Yes, I believe I should." Peter rose from the table. "It's been great seeing the two of you."

"We're so glad you're back home, to stay I hope." June followed him to the door.

"Yes, I'm home for good. Now all I have to do is convert Paige."

"Just remember, we're here if you need help with that," Anne said.

Peter marched out the door and got into his burgundy Ford pick-up. He drove down town square past the bar called the Blue Note and turned right on Main Street, took a left onto Phantom Street, and turned into the first driveway on the street. How am I going to get her to understand my family's tradition? To make her see how important it is to me.

He stepped out of the truck and ambled up to the green house. Peter knocked on the slate door. A woman with dark brown hair opened the door.

"Well it took you long enough to figure out I was here." She glared at him with her hazel eyes.

"Let me in Paige. I know that you're expecting."

She stepped aside to let him in. "Who told you?"

"Aunt Anne and Aunt June."

"I guess you're here to try to convert me." Paige folded her arms and shook her head.

"It's not a bad thing. You'll have help with the baby too."

A plump older woman with gray hair traipsed into the room. "You expect her to fall into your ghoul traditions. She doesn't want to share you. She wants a normal marriage."

"I believe she can speak for herself, Miss Blair."

"I don't want my child referring to some woman as aunt when she's really your other wife." Paige tromped over to the couch under the window and sat down.

"I know what ghouls are into. My granddaughter doesn't want any part of that. I don't want my great-grandchild exposed to sick ghoulish ways." The sun shone through her transparent body.

"At least my family's on the right side of the law. Lucifer and Cydia wouldn't like to know that you're interfering with my marriage."

"They could care less about your ghoulish family. They're just using them. A lot's been going on since you've been gone, especially in the past few weeks." Blair walked over to the couch and sat by Paige.

"What do you mean?" Peter stood in front of them.

"Cydia's sister, Mabon, is here in Deacon. She came through a portal. Anyone who's not purely supernatural will soon be put to death. I don't know when or how, but rumors have been flying around. Your wife and child are in danger."

"If you love me at all, you won't go back to your family. Stay with me and only me. You don't need another wife. We were happy for several years, and we could be happy again." Paige stood up and walked over to Peter.

"I'm expected to follow family tradition. I'm the oldest. I really don't want to, but my hands are tied."

"No, they're not. You left them one time because you didn't want to be around them. Take a stand." Paige put her arms around Peter.

He put his arms around Paige and kissed her.

"I'll leave the two of you to talk. Welcome back home, Peter." Blair strolled out of the house.


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