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The distance to the table seemed further than it had before. Easy steps led the way, and then the plate was in front of Claire as if it had always been there. I stared at the triangles I had carefully cut with a knife.
“Galanthia—that’s your name, right?”
I sat in the chair next to her and nodded.
“Well, yes. My grandson mentioned you. He said that Xavier likes to argue with you a lot. Well…” She tapped her chin curiously. “Something like that. Anyway, I remember Xavier being the same back when we were in…we were…”
Her eyes grew fuzzy. I rested my hand over her knuckles, another small boost from me straightening her posture.
She grinned. “Ambersky Growlers. What a name, eh?” She giggled. “We left that place because of a higher-up, a man who thought it would be marvelous to impregnate three of us at the same time without even asking if it was okay.”
“What did he do?”
She patted my arm. “Dear Galanthia, easy. He didn’t physically hurt us. He just manipulated his way into our lives and made us feel like he loved us.” She frowned. “Poor Xavier was left without a father, but we had to leave.”
“That’s terrible, Miss Claire. I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be sorry. I’m sorry for having put him through it. We were sort of chased out—but not really. We came here, all three of the mothers, you see, and we all banded together here to care for our children.”
I turned my hand so I could cradle hers. “Claire, you haven’t touched your sandwich.”
“Give me time, Galanthia.”
“Of course, madam.”
She sighed contentedly. “The other two mothers are so sweet. They pop in sometimes. Their sons are good friends with my son. I mean, they’re half-brothers. They should be friends, right?”
“They seem to get along rather well. I remember Xavier from the Ambersky Growlers. But I don’t remember you.”
She leaned forward. “You were part of that pack?”
“Didn’t he tell you about it?”
She shook her head.
“I suppose he had his reasons.” I looked out the porch door. “There was an old lake next to the grounds. Do you remember it? Frigid waters, weren’t they? I loved the cold on my skin. It soothed me.”
“Goodness, yes. I remember that lake. Xavier almost drowned when he was a toddler.”
My focus sharply returned to her. “You don’t say.”
“He’s not afraid of water, surprisingly. But yes, I dare say it affected how much he trusted me. Is that why he treats me like a baby?”
“I don’t think so, Miss Claire. I think he just cares about you.”
She smiled and lifted one of the triangles, to my relief. “I still think you would balance him nicely. He needs someone to keep his head level. He gets so worried. You see the beauty in things. And you’re beautiful too.”
A bond like this was rare. Friendship came easily for Elderlings back in Estaria for many of us related to each other by way of our powers. On the Earth plane, things were a bit more tricky. Earthlings had their rituals and phrases, and I had felt far removed until I’d started picking up on some things.
When Izdor had suggested I was getting to be more of an earthling, I’d been equal parts offended and relieved. I could fit in more. I could avoid being bullied.
Although with Xavier, it didn’t seem like that was the case.
“Does he hate me?” I asked Claire. “He’s been rude lately. I don’t know why he does it.”
She hummed and set her sandwich down. “No, dear. He’s just an ass about things. He likes to argue. Actually, if he argues with you a lot, he probably just likes you.”
“I don’t subscribe to the notion that people pick on others because they like them.”
