BloodWise

BloodWise, Chapter 15

Max insisted that they visit one of Catman's houses first where he paid three different women to feed Winston their blood in quick succession. By the next evening, Winston felt much stronger. He had Max drive him to a tailor's shop for a new black suit, and then they proceeded to the hills. As they drove up, Max fell quiet, and they spent the last twenty minutes in silence. When Max stopped at the address, they saw nothing but small trees. "Is this it?" Max asked.

"Follow the dirt road," Winston said.

In another five minutes, they pulled to a stop in front of a quaint house with a tin roof, surrounded by giant, old trees.

Faye was a tall, thin woman. She was almost seventy, but looked younger and vital. She emerged from the kicthen door and approached Max's sedan with caution. Winston climbed out quickly, and Faye smiled. They embraced. Max climbed out and just looked at the two of them.

"Win," Faye said.

"Mama."

"Who is that?"

"This is an old friend. Maxwell Benamy."

She put on her spectacles and appraised Max. "Creole?"

"In a manner of speaking," Max said.

"Vampire?" she asked.

Max gave Winston a look, and Winston shrugged.

"I see," Faye said. "Well come in. I already had some supper, but you can have tea. If you can drink."

"I might have a sip, Mama," Winston said. The truth was that tea made him sick to his stomach, but he felt that it would break his mother's heart to entirely refuse her tea, something that they'd shared going back to his earliest memories.

"I can't drink or eat anything," Max mumbled.

Faye took Winston by the arm and lead him inside, and Max watched them go inside. Max glanced back at his car. It felt strange to him to go anywhere without an appropriate firearm and yet- for the first time in decades- he couldn't guess what weapon he might need. In fact, the only thing he could think of was that it was too bad that he hadn't brought Ms. Solomon any biscuits or oranges to go with her tea. With a strange reluctance, he walked into her kitchen.

*

About twenty years ago, Winston's mother had had a sun room added in the spot adjacent to her kitchen, and she hadn't changed much since. Winston noted that the walls were still covered with blue tile. Two cats hid under the glass coffee table in the adjacent room and stared at Winston. "Still with your cats, Momma?"

"You know I love those animals."

"Strays?"

"As always." She set the kettle on old stove and started the flame. The flints on the range had long since stopped working, so she lit the burner with a match. Winston watched as the flames flickered orange and blue under the kettle. "I thought you were moving to America, Win?"

He nodded soberly. "I was compelled to by Max, here."

"Now, Max are you threatening my son."

"No!" Max said with an uncertain huff. "I just-"

"He just reminded me of my obligations, Momma."

"Well, I am glad to have you back, if even for a moment, Winston."

Winston nodded.

Winston chatted with Faye for a while as they waited for the tea. For his part, Max sat quietly. After Faye poured the cups of tea, Winston forced down one hot gulp. The sugar- it had been so long since he'd had sugar- milk and tea felt pleasant in his mouth and throat, but the moment it his gut, they twisted. Still, he'd been through much worse the last few days and he was able to smile and keep eye contact with his mother.