#anywhere

"Ah yes. Gifts.." She reaches for one "I have something for you, Connor."

And hands him a package

"Ooooooo!" He opens it!

It's a storybook, Rudyard Kipling?

"Open it, and ask it to read to you" She says hopefully

It has a faint glamour and smells of..flowers?

He open the cover, nose twitch-twitch-twitching!

snuffle snuff!

It smells familiar, it's illustrated, but more than that

"It awaits your request to read to you," She smiles, looking like she is crossing her fingers for luck

Aiden may notice the handwriting looks oddly familiar as well

Connor tilts his head curiously, then asks, "Please read to me, O Dead Tree."

Aiden is holding his breath. Does the book smell like... dahlias?

It does... and it sounds like her too... her voice speaking soft, gentle, and clear...."NOW this is the Law of the Jungle — as old and as true as the sky;
And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the Wolf that shall break it must die."

As Dahlia's voice issues from the book.

Connor looks confused.... then his eyes fill with tears.

"That's your mother's voice there, Connor," Nadeen states the obvious "I had a book of hers ..tweaked by a master craftsman and a bit of magic.. a few petals...from her garden."

It takes just a moment, a split second, and some may judge him that hesitation, but then Aiden has reached out and pulled the boy over onto his lap, and has his arms around him.

He rests his head on Connor, eyes closed, for a moment, just listening to the voice of his wife, and Connor's mother.

Nadeen grows quiet.

As Dahlia's voice reads out the tale of Mowgli

and just so stories

Aiden doesn't say anything, as Connor snuffles and wipes at his eyes, but gently offers the boy a handkerchief.

He strokes the boy's hair.

Softly clearing his throat. "You found her books. She would read that one to Connor."

"When I was a puppy - no, before." Connor blows his nose noisily on the delicate black silk, that handkerchief may never be the same.

He reaches over, opening one arm, inviting Nadeen into the embrace.

Nadeen, for a second time, feels herself threatening to tear, then slides into the embrace , the three together "Isn't her voice a fine one for bedtime stories?"

"A fine one for the old stories." He nods. Connor snuggles in. There were more presents, but perhaps they will wait.

Later, Connor's gift to his dad will be unwrapped. Soft laughter as it turns out that the little toy horse, which he strung with ribbon and turned into an ornament, is from the same many years running collection that Aiden used to play with as a boy.

But for now, stories, and hugs!