“Does Vatten know that?” he asked.
“I’ve told him. He just doesn’t feel safe enough to do that. Plus, well, the well lady,” I rolled my eyes.
“Speaking of that. I rented a cabin up in water dragon territory by the lake for Jondi and me for the night of and the night after. I don’t want anything scarring Jondi any more than he’s already been scarred. You two should come with us. He’s like a duck dog, right?”
“A Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever,” I nodded.
“May do him some good to be near the water. I bet Diamond isn’t going to let Bree stay around here either.”
“Eh, no, she’s staying. I talked to Bernard last night. Apparently, Nashen is really pregnant. Like big pregnant and he doesn’t feel safe traveling that far,” I said. “So, they’re staying because Diamond won’t leave Bernard and Nashen alone with the possibility of the egg smasher somehow sneaking out.”
“Eggs?” Jondi popped up the stairs as a soaking wet little boy with hair plastered to his face still wearing jeans, a blue t-shirt, and his sneakers.
“You didn’t take your shoes off, buddy?” Jade sighed.
“Don’t like bare feet,” Jondi shook his head.
“How about I boil some eggs while you two go and dry off?” I offered.
“Make the yokes hard. Not explode-y!” Jondi said.
“Got it! Explode all the eggs!” I said and Jondi laughed.
Jade, on the other hand, flashed me a look that said one exploded egg in his kitchen and he’d use my fur to clean it up.
Chapter 30
Vatten
Guardians of Glitter Bomb
It was strange to be in the truck for so long. It was even stranger that Jade took his own minivan when we were all going to the same place. I understood it in principle – everyone wanted to be able to leave on their own and maybe it was a backup if one broke down. Still, it would’ve saved some effort.
As the miles rolled by, I occasionally stuck my head out of the window, but not for long. All the wind whipping around was once my friend but now it made me sick to my stomach. So, instead, I held Eran’s hand and stared out the window thinking about Gooseberry. I’d been called in because he seemed to be a bit of a menace when it came to Tarabell or not getting his way. My original thoughts on the matter was that he was a puppy with a little extra bit of a sixth sense. Now, it was clear, he was more familiar than pet even if he could have all the health problems a pet did. My job would be to help him navigate situations he didn’t understand. It took a whole twenty minutes for me to help him relate being sick to the chocolate he’d eaten because ‘good food’ doesn’t make you sick.
“Jade wants to build a house, huh?” I asked Eran when my thoughts wandered back that way.
“I don’t think he has any bad intentions behind it. We were over a long time ago,” he said.
“I know, but he did ask if you wanted to play house right before we met,” I pointed out.
“It was never going to work out and he didn’t want me. Not really. I was convenient because he knew me and Jondi got along with me. I was there and horny and we have a past. He wants a mate. A partner. We were never going to work like that in the long run, which is why I wouldn’t have moved in with them. I wouldn’t do that to Jondi. He knows me as Uncle Eran, and I want to keep it that way.”
“Why do you think he wants to build us a house then?” I asked, needing to understand the drive behind his construction urges.
“Because it’s what we do when someone in the community has a need. Having five kids in the two-bedroom apartment means it will eventually become a need,” he said.
I nodded. That made sense. Eventually, we’d need a house. If I didn’t feel so sick and the well wasn’t haunted maybe I’d have gotten on the ball sooner. Maybe I’d have finished it by now.
“You don’t have to do everything alone,” Eran said and then teased, “aren’t dogs supposed to be pack animals?”
“I am a pack animal. I’m going to the lake, aren’t I?” I snapped and instantly hated myself. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just--- The wind hates me. I’m hungry and don’t know what I want. Jade looks at you like you’re the best thing since catnip and Gooseberry is nervous about the ritual.”
“Are you nervous about it?” Eran asked, pulling a therapist and choosing one thing to focus on. Though, to be fair, I didn’t think he could control the wind.
“I am reasonably nervous,” I said. “Things could go wrong but they could also go spectacularly right. I’m nervous that if things stay haunted they might affect us no matter where we live. I’m nervous that five babies will be too much for you even if you think you know what you signed up for.”
“Do I need to pull over and have this talk with you again?” Eran asked. “I’m sort of feeling a little insulted that you think I’d run off on my family.”
