The Caledonian Inheritance (The Athena Effect) by Derrolyn Anderson

“It’s okay, I know you were only trying to protect me. Just relax… Okay?”
    “But she– she was–”
    “Believe me, I know ,” Cali said, arching an amused eyebrow at Calvin. “But I think he can handle himself.” She looked over Layla’s shoulder to where Michael was hovering over a scantily clad brunette who was stretched out on a picnic table, adding, “Now Michael… I’m not so sure about!”
    Layla turned to take in the scene with a snort. Someone poured tequila into the girl’s exposed navel and Michael bent down to slurp it up, biting the lime she held in her teeth afterwards. His cheeks were splotched red, and he stood reeling, letting out a whoop with an involuntary shudder that made all the girls surrounding them laugh.
    “He thinks he’s back at Max’s,” Layla commented sourly.
    Cali nodded with sympathy. She wasn’t a big fan of wild parties either. She also knew that Max’s house was something Layla didn’t like to remember if she could help it.
    “Are you okay?” Conrad asked, coming up the stairs. “Did you get it out? I know a really good dry cleaner …”
    “It’s fine. Everything’s fine,” she replied, taking his arm and letting him lead her back to an out of the way table. The two of them sat together outside as the sky darkened, watching the party grow louder and more raucous. Layla could see all the happy colors of revelry on the makeshift dance floor, wondering if Conrad was ever going to ask her to dance. When a couple of slow songs came and went she realized that dancing probably wasn’t his favorite thing to do.
    The older people and families with children departed one by one, leaving only Jarod’s biker friends and Crystal’s scantily clad girlfriends. A burly bearded man produced a bottle of whiskey and passed it around, calling for Calvin and Jarod to come and do a celebratory shot.
    A drunken conga line formed, snaking to and fro, and Conrad looked askance at the laughing dancers as they wound their way through the tables outside of the tent. A big tough looking biker clad in leather gyrated wildly with a girl in a shiny dress, while some lean and dangerous looking types stood back, watching. Pungent clouds of smoke started to fill the air.
    Conrad leaned closer. “Let’s get out of here,” he spoke into her ear
    Layla nodded, “Okay. I guess we’ve stayed long enough. Just give me a minute to say goodbye to everyone.”
    She headed back to the house to find Cali and Crystal sitting on the couch, engrossed in a serious discussion. Crystal saw her draw near and looked up with a bright smile. She pointed towards the gift table, dominated by the big boxes Layla had chosen.
    “Layla! You’re so sweet! Cali told me what you did!” She patted the couch next to her, “Come sit with us.”
    Layla shook her head, “Sorry, but me and Conrad have to be leaving now. I just wanted to thank you for inviting us.”

“Thanks for coming!” Crystal got up to hug her. “You take care sweetheart.”
    “You too,” Layla replied. “Congratulations on the baby.”
    Crystal gasped, “How did you know? I only just now told Cali!”
    Caledonia and Layla exchanged a glance and a smile. They’d both seen it the moment they’d laid eyes on her.
    “Lucky guess?” Layla said.
    Crystal rolled her eyes, “I suppose it was obvious that he wasn’t going to pop the question without a little push.”
    Before Layla could protest a girl rushed over to grab her elbow, her voice urgent, “Is that skinny guy your brother? He’s in big trouble!”
    Layla and Cali took one look at her, both of them alarmed by her panicked yellow-green fear. “Where is he?” they asked in unison.
    They raced out of the house, following the girl.
    “Layla?” Conrad watched his date run past him, getting up from his seat to follow. The girl led them all to the front of the house where the biggest, angriest man Layla had ever seen gripped her brother by the throat, pinning him against the