chap35

Joyce Summers finished arranging the small pieces of carved bone which looked like real ivory that she had just purchased from the Orient with a sigh of satisfaction. She so loved Ivory and bone did so much look like it when handled by the artists properly. These pieces were exquisite works of art. They were well worth the hassle getting through customs to sell.

Joyce Summers looked up when the delivery-man arrived. She was mildly confused. She wasn’t expecting anything having just recently received her last shipment. The usual UPS man came in and smiled. “Mrs. Joyce Summers?” he asked as he glanced around at the art gallery. He seemed uncomfortable and tense. Joyce was a bit taken back by his formality. Usually he was relaxed, almost friendly when he delivered to her.

“Yes, that’s me,” she replied, while sliding into a matching formal behavior. “I need to see some personal identification” he replied. Joyce went to the desk and took out her purse. Identification? Must be something of exceptional value, they only did this when it was required. Curiosity burned through her. What was it? She dug out her driver’s license and handed it to him. He looked at it, wrote down the number and then handed it back to her.

Curiosity was killing Joyce. “What is it?” she asked. She decided it was probably something she ordered a long time ago and prayed that she didn't have to pay COD. Money was tight, and such things could be endlessly expensive.

He looked at her. “I don’t know.” He motioned to someone waiting outside the door that brought in 5 large crates. Each was sealed with tamper proof tape. “Sign here, 5 crates -- sealed and unopened.” He handed her the clipboard.

Joyce took the clipboard. She looked at the form and saw that the original shipper was a 'CELTIC ONE', from Hungary. She was confused. Celtic One was a local business... and then her eye fell to the name of the persons that shipped them: Angelus Boyle and Buffy Summers.

Her heart soared! She smiled as she signed his form anxious to get into the crates. *Buffy is all right! * Was her ONLY thought. After her initial excitement curiosity returned. What on Earth could Buffy send her. Who was Angel Boyle? Then she remembered her daughters undead boyfriend; Angel. Were they in contact?

The deliveryman saw the smile and the excitement on Joyce’s face and thought it was from the shipment's contents. He smiled at her as he took the clipboard, handed her a copy, then handed her an envelope. Quick glance showed her daughter’s writing was on the envelope. Quickly tearing the envelope open, ignoring the now finished deliveryman. Joyce read the note. Joyce barely heard the deliveryman leave.

Don’t have a lot of time. Everyone is OK so far. I am reunited with Angel. These are some of his things. We cleaned out an old place of his. If he and/or I do not survive the coming problem, these are yours. Feel free to get them evaluated and sell some if you wish. Angel isn’t particularly attached to any of it.

Joyce held the letter tightly to her. Leave it to her daughter to forget to date her letter. It didn't matter. She was OK and obviously reunited with her love and they were both alive, at least when she wrote the letter.

*So, she’s back with Angel? * It was obvious she loved him very much, and she had the feeling if they both survived they would be together when Buffy returned to the States. Joyce thought a bit and tried to figure out how she felt about her seventeen-year-old daughter loving a two hundred plus year old vampire. Joyce smiled. She was happy for Buffy. She knew how rare it was for a Slayer to live long. Giles had talked with her about the usual life expectancy for a Slayer and how Angel had saved Buffy in the past. She shook herself to change her thoughts from the morbid to the potential good future.

Joyce wondered to herself as she went in search of a cutting instrument to open the Crates. What did they send? She felt like a child at Christmas. She decided she would accept Angel if Buffy came home with him. Buffy loved him so very much and he had saved her life. It was the least she could do...

Joyce opened the box and stared at the treasures within. The Art Dealer soul in her just soared. They had obviously cleaned out an old cache of Angel's. She thought in amazement of the worth of some of the items in this crate alone... it was mind-boggling.

She smiled. She had just thought of something she could do for them She’d have a present for them when they came home!