18. Giselle #3
Once I got better for the first time and really started to understand how to manage things, suddenly three out of the four of us were adults facing down everything that came with that, and Nox was getting ready for college.
I knew it was so easy to do, but it was kind of sad how we’d all been caught up in the grind of everything.
I would have liked to say that we soon found a good work-life balance, but honestly, when was the last time we’d done anything together? Christmas?
That was far too long. It wouldn’t be easy, what with the rising costs of everything, but I was determined that we’d make a little more time for each other, especially once summer rolled around.
Despite the slight hiccup of sadness, the mood quickly picked right back up as my family loaded the cooler with the veggie platter, a myriad of dips, some electrolyte drinks in case my Ensures weren’t enough, and the potato salad I had made, sans any raisins or grapes.
It wasn’t exactly fine dining cuisine, and even though Ben said I didn’t need to bring anything, I didn’t want to show up empty-handed.
Normally, I would have spent the last two days cooking up a feast, staying up way too late and tiring myself out, but Ben made me promise not to do that. And I liked to think I would have known better even if he hadn’t, because I was trying to be better about not pushing myself too hard.
Just like Ben, I was a work in progress, but the important thing was that there was progress .
“You have fun now, you hear?” Nox said as I triple-checked whether I’d put my sunscreen in my travel bag.
Although the place we were going to was apparently dense with trees, and it was still early spring, I figured it couldn’t hurt to be careful with my pale skin.
Unlike Ben, Benny, and Natalia, who all had a sun-kissed glow to their skin, I was basically bioluminescent in the dark.
At least Veronica was pale like me, but she was also a toddler, so who knew how long that would last.
“I will,” I said, and I was absolutely sure of that.
Life could be pretty unpredictable. After all, I’d had about the wildest year of my life so far—and that was saying something all things considered.
But even though I was nervous, I was confident I would have a good time.
I’d even brought a book in case I needed to sit and recover my energy.
Past Giselle would have tried to force herself to tough it out no matter how weak I was feeling, no matter how hungry or tired, but like I said, progress.
“Pardon me for getting sappy,” Nox said, looping their arm over my shoulder. “But it’s really nice to see you happy.”
I gave my youngest sibling a somewhat suspicious look. “Am I normally not?” I knew I could be a bit hard on myself, but I liked to think that I had a generally optimistic disposition.
“Eh, don’t get me wrong. You can be cheerful, and you sure are nice to people around you, but I don’t think that always translates to happy .
Especially with the way you talked about yourself.
But now?” They smiled big and broad at me and, oh dear, was I tearing up?
It was way too soon in the day for that.
“Now I definitely see it. Happy. It’s all over you. ”
“Thank you, Nox,” I murmured, trying to compose myself. I’d always been relatively in touch with my emotions, but my sibling’s words were an arrow to my heart. A loving arrow, mind you. “That means a lot.”
“Of course,” they said with a wink, returning to their normal, cheeky demeanor. “I said it after all.”
I gave them a playful shove, and they cackled while disappearing back to the kitchen, no doubt to haul the cooler to the front porch to await for Ben.
We didn’t have to wait long, since Ben was as punctual as ever. My family launched into general chitchat with him, but with the kids waiting in the car, we couldn’t exactly lollygag.
However, that didn’t stop Benny from unbuckling himself and practically sprinting up the pathway to our porch, eagerly introducing himself to everyone.
“Hi! I’m Benny! Miss Fischbacher is my teacher!” He sounded so excited about it, like he was announcing I was a superhero. I blushed. Having a kid be so genuinely excited about my existence was a major ego boost.
“Wait, Benny?” My father said, rubbing his chin. “That sounds familiar. You wouldn’t so happen to be the brave young man who helped my daughter when she had a fall in your class, are you?”
Benny turned a bright red.
Ben’s shoulders straightened, and pride shone on his face. God, the man really did love his son.
“Aw, it wasn’t a big deal,” Benny said, scuffing his shoe across the ground. “Just did what anyone shoulda.”
“Perhaps everyone should have, but that doesn’t mean they would have. ” The smile on my father’s face was so tender, I found myself moved yet again. Jeez, my family was really tempting the waterworks, weren’t they? “If your dad doesn’t mind, there’s something I’d like to give you.”
Benny looked at his father, who gave him an encouraging nod. “You earned it.”
“You don’t have to,” Benny said. It was so cute how he was trying to downplay his eagerness. After all, what kid didn’t like presents? “But I would be happy to, if that’s what you want.”
“I very much do want. Just wait right here, please.”
Ben shot me a curious look.
“Should we take this cooler and put it in the car?” Nox asked.
I knew Ben could probably haul that whole thing with one arm above his head, but that wouldn’t exactly be conducive to blending in as a human, so he thanked my siblings and pressed a button on his key fob to pop the trunk.
Man, it was easy to forget there are all sorts of newfangled perks that came with current vehicles. Maybe one day I’d save up for a car like that, but the reality was that once my old lady of a vehicle died, I’d probably keep on buying used.
“Here you are,” my dad said before returning with several DVDs that I wasn’t familiar with.
“My daughter happened to mention that you like dinosaurs, and this is a full miniseries that was on TV a little bit ago. It’s not exactly about prehistoric times, but rather documents the advancement and how we’ve come to understand and study everything having to do with paleontology. ”
Whoa, that was a good gift. When did he have the time to go get that? And where had he gotten it?
“ Wicked! ” Benny practically crowed as he took the DVDs with borderline reverence. “Dad, can we watch these in the car?”
“We can watch one episode on the way there,” Ben said. “But Natalie’s car doesn’t have a TV in it, remember, so the rest will have to wait for home. And we’re going to space them out, okay? No bingeing.”
“Okay! Thank you, Mr. Fischbacher. This was really nice of you.”
“You deserve it, kiddo. I hope you enjoy.”
“I will!”
Benny was already racing back to the car, waving to my siblings as they walked back to the porch. I had no doubt that the first episode would already be playing by the time I got into the car, but I really didn’t mind. Honestly, I was kind of interested in the subject matter as well.
“Should we hit the road?” Ben said.
“Definitely,” I agreed.
There were some hugs all around on my part, and handshakes for Ben, then we were on our way.
As fascinating as the first episode of the miniseries was, I passed out after fifteen minutes, completely dead to the world until Ben gently shook my shoulder.
“Hmm?” I asked, as eloquent as always.
“We’re here,” he said softly, barely audible to me over the heat vents that were pointed towards me.
Sometimes, Ben seemed to forget I didn’t have enhanced hearing.
“I’ve already got the cooler out, and our chairs set up in the shade.
Would you like a tour, or do you wanna sit here in the warmth a little longer? ”
“Is it cold?” I asked, unbuckling my seat belt and feeling lucidity start to come back to me a bit.
“I’m not really the best judge of that.”
Right.
“I’d like to see the place,” I said, before realizing that my mouth was awfully dry. “But maybe after I chug a bottle of water.”
“Good idea. The first stop will be the porta potties, so you’ll know where to go.”
“Ha, you know me so well.” I was a little surprised I didn’t have to run to the bathroom already. Maybe it was the snacks, maybe it was the copious amount of drinks, but something about being on a road trip made my bladder demand attention.
“I’d like to think that I do.”
There was a weight in Ben’s words, but I didn’t feel the need to comment on it. Instead, I kissed his cheek and took his hand when he offered it to me. Did I need his help to get out of the car? No. But it made me feel like a princess, so I didn’t mind it at all.
In fact, I would say I liked it.
We walked around the sizeable campground. The trees towered above our heads, the first leaves of spring on their relatively sparse branches, but there were several clear areas where things were already set up. I saw a grilling area, a play area, and in the distance, four porta potties.
“Now there is an actual building on the very opposite side of this campground,” Ben said as we returned to the main area. “But trust me, you don’t want to go there unless you’re desperate. And I mean really desperate.”
“Why? Is it, like, haunted or something? On the edge of some other pack’s territory?”
“No, nothing like that. The campground staff only cleans once a month, so it’s filled with cobwebs, critters, and whatever else you can imagine.”
“Noted.”
Bathroom talk aside, the walk was lovely and with no interruptions, not even from Benny.
Granted, Veronica did occasionally weigh in.
Ben led me to our chairs, which had been set up under a weeping willow.
Some of the tree’s branches had been artfully draped over a thick pergola to make a fantasy-coded entrance.
It was only a bit past eleven, so there weren’t a ton of people around, but it wasn’t a ghost town.
From what Ben had told me, the place would be pumping by the afternoon.
I couldn’t imagine being around so many shifters at once—and all different species—but I figured I would find out soon enough, so I wasn’t too worried.
I was also hoping that the host of people would prevent me from getting too far into my head about this being a significant event for Ben and me to attend together.
Not only was I a human about to be introduced to the strange and magical world Ben belonged to, but that introduction was being made while we were dating .
Whew.
No one really approached us at first. Everyone was setting up their own little areas or helping with a series of long picnic tables that were set up under a beat-up tin pavilion. I couldn’t smell charcoal or carbon that came from grilling, so I guessed it was mostly appetizers and snacks.
I hoped they had deviled eggs and spam musubi. I’d had that second dish once at a culture festival at college and I’d been addicted ever since but I had no idea how to make it or where to buy it. Apparently, it was kind of a Hawaiian thing? Who knew?
Eventually, a smaller, Asian woman tottered up, two younger folks on either side of her.
“You made it,” she said, her tone very pleased even if she didn’t really smile. “Good to see you, Poynter.”
“Thank you for inviting me, Mrs. Hayashi.”
The woman waved her hand, as if no thanks were needed. “And who is your companion here?”
“Giselle,” I said quickly, standing and offering my hand. The woman looked at my bony fingers as if she was deciding whether she was offended or not before her eyes locked with mine.
“Human?”
Uh-oh. Ben had said it was okay, but her tone was making it seem like it wasn’t. I supposed I just had to trust him. “Almost. I’m a teacher.”
That did actually make her smile, and the corners of her eyes crinkled so much they weren’t quite crow’s feet as they were an entire crow’s accordion.
“I like you,” she said, taking my hand. “Poynter, can I steal her? There are introductions to be made.”
Steal me? That was certainly a choice of vocabulary.
“Ask her,” Ben said, although he did sound amused. “She knows better than anyone.”
“I see.” The woman looked at me with her slightly milky but keen eyes. “Keep an old woman company and meet some new people?”
“I’d love to. Ben already took me on a tour, but I bet yours will be better.” I winked at him, and he made a dramatic gesture with his hand over his heart.
“Hey, why am I the one catching strays here?”
But Mrs. Hayashi continued on like he hadn’t even spoken. She had that old-person habit of deciding exactly what conversation they wanted to have and not suffering any sort of sidebars or non sequiturs.
“It will be. Come, come.”
And so, I did. I mostly expected a rehashing of what Ben had shown me, but it wasn’t like that at all.
First, she took me to the little area her pack had set up, with fancy lounging chairs, a portable grill, and several umbrellas displayed like it was the beach.
A bit overkill considering the sun couldn’t really make it through the canopy, but a lot of eastern cultures took sun safety very seriously.
There were only six or so people present, and I was quickly introduced to all of them. Most just gave a friendly hello, but two asked me where I was from and how I got involved with the shifter world. Before the conversation could meander, Mrs. Hayashi was leading me to yet another area.
I was glad my social battery was fully charged because this was going to be a long day.
But a good one!