Secrets Intertwined

XIII

Tamani was sitting in a clearing in the woods, next to the unlit bonfire. He knew he had to get ready soon, the gathering would be starting in about an hour. Aislyn had told him and the others yesterday that she would be getting back in the morning yet it had past midday.

Groaning, he turned to Jackson who was talking to some of the other pack members, "Hey Jack, it's-"

All of a sudden, he could hear a series of loud bangs.

"What's that?" Shouted Jackson.

As everyone spun around, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from, Tamani's heart skipped a beat, "It's coming from the direction of the Community house!" He yelled, breaking into a run.

Running around to the back of the house, he skidded to a halt at the sight of Galen sitting cross-legged in the front garden, head resting on his hand, dripping wet.

At this point, Tamani had realised that the loud noise was, in fact, coming from inside the house. He walked slowly over to Galen, eyes never wavering for the scene from inside.

"Uh Galen, what the hells is going on?" He asked.

On the other side of the door, Aislyn was dancing around the kitchen, hair swishing, thumping two tin pots against each other.

Even from where he stood, he could hear her singing, no -bellowing- a song, madly out of tune.

"We had a race back to the House. I lost and she locked me out. She does this every fucking time," grumbled Galen, looking bored

Picking up a small pebble he launched it at the window. "Twat," he yelled at her.

Tamani threw himself on the ground next to Galen and was watching Aislyn with an open mouth, who had stopped long enough to spot everyone, blow them a kiss and began to spin around.

"Wait for it, here comes the guitar solo," warned Raven.

As Aislyn continued her performance, Tamani watched her in wonder. This wasn't the person who had sat, not even twelve hours earlier, in front of him retelling her troubled past.

"How is she making so much noise?"

"I have no clue."

Tamani let out a chuckle and shook his head.

As Aislyn's performance ended, she opened up the window and rested her elbows on the windowsill, "Oh sorry, I didn't see you there."

Rolling his eyes from behind Tamani and Galen, Jackson called out, "The bonfire starts in a few hours. You're still coming aren't you?"

"I said I was, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but you also said that you'd be back this morning."

Sighing, Aislyn ran her hand over her damp hair, "I didn't realize work would take me so long. I'll take a bath and a quick nap, then I'll meet you there okay?"

"Sure."

Jackson made to turn around but he halted midway. He paused for a moment and then turned back to face Aislyn again. "Why's your hair wet?"

"Oh, I- uh, just bathed."

Jackson narrowed his eyes and replied, "But you just said you were going to take a bath?"

Aislyn eyes widened and she puckered her lips together

"I did, didn't I? Uh, well, I need another one, you know, a second wash..."

"Why?" echoed Jackson, Tamani and Galen, the latter grinning ferociously.

Aislyn could only think of one topic that would stop the questions.