Booki Chapter22
Imposters
Summer is now falling into autumn. I like how my dad’s in his flannel shirt, a rake in his hand, burning the dry leaves in my fire pit by the lake that he helped me build. White smoke curls around in the wind, shrouding the nearby woods with its opaque veil.
My mother helps with all the canning, collecting the harvest that another wolf left in the earth for me to reap in mason jars that line my counter, all warm and cooling. Such a bounty, I think. Mother Nature has so much to offer as I drink my warm pumpkin tea. That old wolf’s smell is almost gone from my home, just the faintest trace that she was ever here before me. I just like the thought of something just belonging to me.
A kiss to my shoulder has me smiling at my mother. She presses her cheek to my face, smelling me into her before pulling away.
“Thanks again, Mom, for helping me. I appreciate it so much. I couldn’t have done it myself.” So much work, it took all afternoon yesterday just to pick
and washall the tomatoes.
“I think that I’m enjoying it more than you, Rya.” My whole family is becoming closer, healing slowly from the poison that so ruined us.
“Dad, you should start the barbecue. They should be here soon.” My sisters and their mates are coming to celebrate my birthday. This will be my first
family dinner at my home.
I clean up the kitchen, making sure that everything is tidy, and put out some wine like grownups do. We are all grown wolves now.
Throughout the day, I can feel eyes on me. I can feel him watching me with my family at times then leaving, coming back…I can’t smell him, the wind is the wrong direction, but I can feel him. The hair on my arms stand on end at times.
I don’t acknowledge his eyes, refusing to let him know that I feel him on
- me.
My older sister arrives with her mate, a homemade birthday cake in her hands,vanilla with cherry chip icing.
My middle sister arrives next with bags of presents that her mate carries in his hands. All greet me with cheek pressed against cheek. Their smells mingle with the steaks that are now grilling.
They all take places at my table, filling it with their smiling faces, pouring wine into the glasses. Everyone is in good spirits. I can’t stop the happiness from pouring out of me. I wonder if they can smell it.
The old wooden table holds the summer bounty full of grilled vegetables my garden provided.
As we take our seats, I hear a car pull into my driveway, footsteps crushing on the gravel, getting closer, then gradually getting further away, as if someone changed their minds. Getting up, I go to the front door and look out. Dallas is just opening his car door, getting in.
“Dallas,” I call to him. He looks my way.
“I saw the smoke from my side of the lake. I thought you might want some company. I didn’t want to disturb you. I’ll see you Monday,” he calls out from
his car.
“No, you’re not disturbing anything. We were just going to eat. I have so much food. Come eat with us.” He hesitates, teeter tottering on a decision. “Come on, we have steak,“I say, trying to entice him to stay.
“My family won’t bite.” Taking a breath in, he closes his door before walking toward me.
“Come around back.”
My father and mother exchange glances with one another before they busy themselves with cutting the meat on their plates. I set another place at the table, just for him.
Dallas pauses at the screen door before coming inside. He’s looking at my family, unsure if he really should be here.
“Dallas, come in,sit down. Help yourself! Would you like some wine to drink, or have beer?” He looks around at what everyone else’s glasses are filled
with.
“I’ll take some wine, thanks.”
Dr. Valentine, how are you?” My mother’s voice is pleasant on the ears, welcoming a strange wolf into our meal.
“Good, thank you.” He keeps his voice very polite toward her. “Dr. Valentine-‘
“Please, sir, call me Dallas.”
“All right, Dallas. What brings you here?” my father asks sternly. “Dad!” My voice raises in embarrassment.
“I just saw the smoke from her fire. I live across the lake, so I thought I would just stop by and say hi.” He looks at my father, holding his eye.
“Those leaves were giving off a lot of smoke.” I look toward the fire pit. It’s smoldering with just the faintest wisp of smoke spiraling toward the waning sunlight. An uncomfortable silence follows.
