Thanksgiving #3
I reached the landing before shouting: “Look at me!” and jumping over the banister. It was a free fall down. My hair whipped around my face—Aunt Helen and Uncle Tom were both shouting—but suddenly I was in someone’s arms.
“You could’ve broken something.” Dennis was holding me bridal style.
“But did you see my cape fly?”
He laughed and set me down. “I did see.” He smiled as I spun to make it fly again.
“Emy, you gave me a damn heart attack.” Aunt Helen was clutching her chest. “Is that safe for you? Can you do that now?”
“I think so.” I spun once more as Ari came prancing downstairs in her new shirt. And then a familiar beeping came from the kitchen. “Pie time.” I skipped back to the dining room, where Sean was waiting. “What kind of pie do you like?” I asked him, retaking my seat.
“Pecan and apple.”
“Perfect. ‘Cause we have apple pie and pumpkin pie. And french vanilla ice cream.” I licked my lips in anticipation.
“Pumpkin is my favorite.” Dennis sat beside me.
“You have a favorite kind of pie?” I was surprised. He didn’t seem to have a favorite anything, except for his favorite color and a handful of favorite books.
“Yeah. I like pie.”
“Interesting.” I made a mental note. I’d have to remember that for if I ever felt like cooking for him. Or baking. Or maybe just buying one since I almost burn places down when I cook.
Uncle Tom came in holding two pies, followed by Ari, who was balancing a third pie and two large cartons of ice cream. I happy danced as the food was placed on the table. Aunt Helen came in next carrying dessert plates. She passed them out while Ari opened an ice cream.
“Does everybody want some?” she asked. There was a chorus of affirmations. “What kind do you want, Sean?”
“Apple.”
She sliced a huge piece of apple pie, then gave him a large spoon so he could get ice cream to go on top.
She asked everyone but me, since she already knew what I was gonna say.
She cut me a sliver of each pie and piled a ton of ice cream on top, then got herself a slice of pumpkin without ice cream and sat down.
We all ate in a content silence, though every once in a while Uncle Tom would shout about how delicious the pie was.
I almost choked laughing the first time; it caught Dennis and Sean by surprise and Sean had almost dropped his spoon.
But after the first couple of times they seemed used to it, so I had nothing to laugh at anymore.
“I’m so full.” I leaned back and rubbed my stomach. “I think I ate too much.”
“Me too,” Ari groaned. “Why’d you guys make me eat all that?”
“I had no idea you could eat so much,” Sean murmured. He smiled sheepishly when she laughed. He probably hadn’t expected her to hear that. “Sorry.”
“I don’t care.” She stood and started collecting dishes while I did the same. “We’ll be back.”
“Are you guys okay while we go clean?” I asked, directing the question at Dennis and Sean.
“They’ll be fine,” Uncle Tom said. “It gives us a chance to get to know each other better.” He smiled, which came across as intimidating.
I shot Dennis an apologetic look before picking up the final dishes and following Ari to the kitchen. “Your dad and Aunt Helen are about to do an interrogation.”
“Oh, no. Should we go back?”
“Nah.” I set my stack of dishes in the sink. “They may as well get it over with now, right? It’s gonna happen sooner or later.”
“But my dad and auntie at the same time? They’re gonna be so much.”
“Too much. Oh well, what can we do?” I shrugged and started washing dishes. Ari sighed and started putting the leftovers into containers.
“I feel bad for them,” she said.
“Who cares? They’re fine. It’s kinda funny, if you think about it.”
She laughed and shook her head. “You’re so mean. What do you think they’re talking about? I can’t hear. They’re too far.”
“Hold on.” I dried my hands on a towel, then snuck beside the door to listen.
“What are your actual intentions with my nieces?” Aunt Helen was asking. “You first, Sean. Why did you bind Aurelia?”
I grimaced at her words. She only used our full names if it was something serious.
“For safety. I did it the night a vampire tried to kidnap her outside the bar.”
“And you rescued her?”
“Dennis did. Her and Emy. He got rid of the vamp and sent them into the bar where I was working, and I bound Ari that night.”
“So there’s no ulterior motive?” Aunt Helen asked. There was a brief silence. I assumed Sean was shaking his head. “Not even to date her?”
“I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”
Uncle Tom grunted. “We’ll see about that. And you, Dennis. Why’d you bind my niece?”
“A lot of reasons.”
“So not for safety,” Aunt Helen guessed.
“No, not safety.”
My heart beat faster at the prospect of finding out why Dennis had chosen me out of everyone in this tiny ass town. Or anywhere, actually. He’d been a vampire for six years, even while going to a prestigious university in a massive city, and had never bound someone before me.
“What’s happening?” Ari crept up beside me. I held a finger to my lips.
“Then why?” Aunt Helen pressed. Dennis didn’t answer. “Have either of you slept with either of my nieces?” she asked. Sean started coughing and I heard Dennis’ chain rattle as he ruffled his hair.
“No.”
“I—”
“Hey, guys.” I vampire sped into the room, trying to save Dennis from having to answer.
Which I’m sure we both wanted to avoid for the sake of privacy.
“Does anyone wanna watch a movie after we clean?” All eyes turned to me.
“I’ve been wanting to see, uh, that one new movie that just came out, so we should watch it or something.
It’ll be fun. But no more games because Ari is insane—”
“You were eavesdropping, huh?”
“On what?” I gave Uncle Tom an incredulous look. “I was washing dishes and then the idea hit me and I wanted to come ask.”
“The question couldn’t wait until after dishes?” Aunt Helen asked.
“No?”
Uncle Tom laughed and stood. “Helen and I are going for a walk to help this food go down. Anyone wanna join?” He waited for me and the guys to politely decline. “We’ll be back in a bit.” They left the room, and a minute later, I heard the front door.
“I’m so sorry,” I apologized the moment they left the house. “I was eavesdropping and they were just getting started. I had to save you guys. I swear they’re in denial that Ari and I are adults now.”
Dennis chuckled. “I was gonna say yes, you know.”
“I know. Why do you think I came running in here? Also, why didn’t you answer about why you bound me? I still wanna know.”
“I’m sure you do,” he said.
“You’re so difficult. I should’ve let you say yes and get a million more horrible questions. I’m leaving. You’re on your own when they come back.” I went back to the kitchen.
“What were they asking?” Ari was on dishes now.
“When I saved them Aunt Helen had just asked if either of them have had sex with us.” I laughed as she almost dropped a dish. “It’s okay. I jumped in before Dennis could answer.”
“That would’ve been awkward. For you guys. Sean and I would’ve been fine.”
“Yeah, when are you gonna fix that? You need to sleep with him already. I’m sure it’s gonna be good as fuck.
Hah, get it? As fuck?” I laughed as she rolled her eyes.
“Out of all the people I’ve slept with, Dennis is hands down the best. Literal leagues above everyone else.
Can you imagine if I still wasn’t sleeping with him?
I’d be missing out on the best sex of my life!
Just like you probably are with Sean. That whole birds of a feather thing might apply here. You should test it out.”
“Shut up,” she hissed. “They can probably hear us.”
“We can. We’re also right here.” A grinning Sean was leaning against the doorframe.
“I hate you,” Ari said. Clearly to me. She was refusing to look at Sean while she kept washing dishes.
“Don’t get shy, Ari. You know I don’t expect that, right?”
“See, Ari? He doesn’t expect anything. So it’ll be a pleasant surprise when you—” I ducked as a soapy dish came flying at my face. Somehow it froze midair behind me. I turned to see Dennis had caught it. “When did you get here?”
“When I walked in.” He gave me the dish and I gave it back to Ari, who was not wanting to be my friend at the moment.
“Go away. I hate you all.”
“Me too?” Sean’s smiled dropped until she shook her head.
“Not you. Just Emy. Go away.”
“If you insist.” I eagerly left. This worked out perfectly. No more dishes for me!
“I can help,” Sean offered. “I’ll dry them while you wash.”
I heard him pick up a towel and start drying. They were so adorable, I could barely handle it.
“Come sit by me.” I motioned for Dennis to join me on the couch since he’d followed me to the living room. I put my legs across his lap the moment he sat, then took his hand to play with the chain bracelet.
A minute passed before he said, “You guys seem really close.”
“Me and Ari?” I tilted my head, wondering how he’d barely noticed.
“You and your aunt.”
“Oh. Yeah, I guess we are.” I’d planned to leave it there because it was a touchy subject, but he was obviously curious.
“I know she loves me, and I love her to no end. But my uncle constantly fought to get custody of me and get me away from my parents, then foster care, and later the group home. My aunt never did. She tried to get my mom sober to take care of me the right way, but the courts wouldn’t let her have custody of me if she was still around my mom.
She figured I’d be fine in foster care and chose to focus on my mom instead of helping me.
It’s understandable, but it just…” I didn’t know what else to say.
It hurt, definitely. And it had put a huge trust barrier between us, but I didn’t wanna say that out loud.
It was something we left unspoken. “Today was the first time she ever apologized for it.”
I stopped playing with his bracelet as the front door opened. My aunt and uncle came in, practically shouting to each other about who knows what. They were always so loud together.
“We’re ready for movies,” Aunt Helen announced as they entered the room. “I want a horror movie trilogy. Any trilogy, I don’t care. But I want a trilogy so we can start at the last one and work our way backwards.”
“Why backwards?” I asked.
“I dunno. It seems fun, don’t you think? Tommy, pick a movie. I don’t know how to work your tv.”
Uncle Tom started scrolling just as Ari and Sean came to join us. Everyone took seats and settled in. Aunt Helen glanced at my legs across Dennis’ lap before giving me a teasing smile, but she said nothing.
The first two movies were amazing, but by the third my attention began to wane. It had been almost five hours because the movies were long as shit and I was getting sleepy. So far human snacking hadn’t affected me much, but I finally saw what Dennis meant about feeling gross from a real meal.
I somehow made it through the final movie. Barely, but I did it. I stood and yawned when everyone started shifting.
“I’m off to bed. ‘Night, girls. Goodnight.” Uncle Tom nodded at Sean and Dennis before going to his room.
“Same. Goodnight, everyone. Maybe I’ll see you boys soon?” Aunt Helen gave a tired wave before heading up to the guest room.
“I’m tired too.” Ari gave Sean an apologetic look. “Sorry I’m so human.”
He laughed and stood. “It’s okay. You won’t be much longer. Have you told them yet?” He nodded toward the stairs, indicating both Aunt Helen and Uncle Tom.
“No. Maybe I’ll tell them tomorrow. I’m kinda scared, though. My aunt seems excited about everything, but my dad might freak out.”
“He might not. He did say he’s glad I changed,” I reasoned. “If he’s happy about me, maybe he’ll be happy about you, too?”
“Maybe.” She didn’t seem so sure. She said goodbyes and headed upstairs.
“Will you stay for a while?” I asked Dennis before he could follow Sean to the door. I smiled when he nodded. “You can stay too,” I told to Sean.
“I’ll give you two some alone time.” He grinned. “I’ll see you later, D. Bye, Emy.”
I waved as he saw himself out. “We can stay down here this time,” I decided, leading Dennis back to the couch. I pushed him down and sat nearly in his lap, draping my legs across his and reaching to play with his hair. “Did you have fun?”
“Yeah. It was nice.”
“Really?”
“Why do you sound surprised?”
“I dunno. I’m still waiting for you to get tired of me and unbind me and disappear forever.”
He leaned back, smiling. “No. Sorry. You’re stuck with me.”
“I have a question.” I shifted nervously, half wondering if I should even bring it up. But he waited for me to continue, so I did. “I kinda made Michael tell me how the mind reading and blocking thing works for binds.” I stopped playing with Dennis’ hair as his expression changed. “Is it true?”
“Is what true?”
“The thing about ‘true binds’ and all that.”
“Depends who you ask.” His response was vague. And emotionless. It gave nothing away. I should’ve known this was a useless question.
“Will you at least answer one thing? I wanna know why I can’t hear anything from you even now that I’m a vampire. Am I broken? Does my brain not work? Is yours broken since I can’t hear you?”
“I thought he explained everything to you?”
“He did. Something about the vampire’s feelings and then the human’s feelings and strong feelings blocking thoughts and then real binds are soulmates, and…” I trailed off. He’d said a lot more, but that basically covered it.
“You still don’t get it,” Dennis said. I shook my head. He almost seemed relieved. “Don’t worry about it. Maybe I’ll tell you when you figure out my old religion.”
“Dennis!” I smacked his arm as he laughed.
“I have a question for you too,” he paused, seemingly searching for the right words. “More of a favor. You know the therapy session Ari set up for you tomorrow? I think it would really help if you go. But willingly. And actually open up the way you’re supposed to in therapy.”
“I get it, you want me to be honest and vulnerable and all that shit.” It was my worst nightmare. But maybe he was right. Maybe it would help. I looked into his eyes, which were the natural hazel I’d grown so fond of. “I guess I can cooperate. But just for you and Ari.”
“And for you.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I hated therapy so fucking much. “Fine. I’ll go willingly and I’ll actually talk about things.” I sighed before sarcastically adding, “I’ll be good.”
“Good girl.” He smirked—it sent a rush between my thighs. I shifted, wishing we were here alone. “I’m gonna go. I have things to take care of.”
“Already?” I pouted when he moved my legs and stood.
“Yeah. I’ll see you soon, though.”
“I’m sure you will. Stalker.” I followed as he laughed and headed for the door. We paused in the doorway and I gave him a kiss, holding on a second too long. “Goodnight, Dennis.” I smiled as we pulled apart.
“‘Night, Vixen.”
And then he was gone.