Bitter Blood (BBi)

Chapter 22: Wolf Moon Mourning

Chapter Twenty-two
Wolf Moon Mourning

When I walk downstairs in the morning, my hair pulled up in a neatly brushed pony tail, I know immediately that Rhys is gone.

Blue sits quietly at the back door, staring out at the forest. The door has been left wide open and the backyard has freshly made imprints in the long grass leading into the trees.

I take the bag filled with the bloody towels to the rubbish bin outside.

Blue scopes out the garden while I get ready for work. It doesn't take me long, and when I arrive at the diner, Blue trots behind me in his happy, bright Labrador form. I leave him at the front door with two little girls who fawn over the grinning, panting dog.

Halfway through my shift I'm swiping down the counter when the doorbell dings with the arrival of another customer. I look up to see Avery standing in the doorway, eyes wide and excitable. She locks her sky blue irises on me and nods, darting across the diner to lean against the counter.

“Hey, Park.” she says. “I need food. I'm starving.”

I smile and slide a menu in front of her. She picks it up and scans the list.

“I'll get the deep fried chicken, a bowl of classic potato salad, a basket of curly fries, two servings of bacon and eggs – with tomato and toast on the side – and...” she closes the menu and smiles. “And a black coffee.”

“Alright,” I laugh. “Take a seat and I'll bring it all to you.”

She skips off to her table and I take the order into the cook. Jeremy stares at me in confusion as he goes over the list of meals. When he asks if they're all for one person, I just smile, nod and head back out into the diner.

When Avery's order is called and my section of the diner is satisfied for the moment, I take the plates of food to her table and sit down across from her.

She snatches the basket filled with curly fries up first and begins to eat

“So, how'd the full moon go?” I ask.

“Good for the most part.” she answers and shoves a few more curly fries into her mouth before reaching for the fried chicken.

“Do you know what happened to Rhys?”

She nods. “I talked to Tori about it just before. He's still out in the forest, but he should come back soon.”

“No other disasters?” I ask.

She bites into a chicken leg and shrugs. “Jeremy fell into a mud pit, but other than that, everything worked out all right.”

I sit back and watch the girl as she digs into her food, occasionally reaching for a fry or a sip of her coffee in between bites. It's like watching someone who's just wandered out of the desert and found food for the first time in weeks.

“You're going pretty crazy on that chicken.” I comment, staring at her greasy fingers and lips.

“What? I'm hungry.” She says and takes another bite. “If you don't remember, I've been a wolf for the last three days.”

“Oh, I remember.”

“Want some?” She holds up a chicken leg.

“No,” I smile. “You eat it.”

Avery toasts it in the air and continues to eat.

“So what are we going to do for the rest of the holidays?” I ask and lean forward to prop my head up on my hands.

She shrugs. “Watch TV, hang out with Lara and Stacey – when she gets back from New York of course.”

I shake my head. “She won't be back until school starts up again.”

“Then just Lara.” she says. “We need to spend more time with her.”

I nod in agreement and pinch a fry from her basket.

“I have to get back to work,” I say and stand up. “Try not to wolf out in the middle of the diner. I know you're hungry, but the kids aren't a happy meal.”

She sticks her middle finger up at me as I walk back to the kitchen smiling.