[Legacy of a Martyr #2] Liberation from the Masquerades (A Key Keepers novel)

Episode 68: A Key Keeper's Thanks

Today was Thanksgiving. Since they weren't working today, my parents invited my siblings over to their house for lunch. We decided to do lunch since we had dinner plans. My parents were going out since they hadn't done that in a while and my friends and I were invited to Hannah's to eat with them.

It was bittersweet. My siblings were getting an experience they so deserved. That made me happy. Still, my heart ached. This was their first Thanksgiving, but their parents couldn't be part of it, because Kayleigh had called them back to her long ago.

That said, I would be lying if I said we didn't enjoy ourselves. We were just like any other family. The road it took for us to get there didn't matter. It embodied the spirit of the holiday. We were grateful for everything we'd been given even if it wasn't always pleasant.

We wouldn't be eating for another couple hours or so, but we arrived at Hannah's around three. Eni deserved to have time to hang out with Noah. It was a way to make up for lost time. He deserved to have the friends he was deprived of growing up.

Had he been given a normal childhood, I was sure Eni would have been surrounded by the greatest friends and building his own life right now. Regardless of how his speech and literacy developed.

I immediately went outside when we got to Hannah's. The burden of knowing my siblings wasn't weighing on me anymore. It might have left its scars on me, though. Lots of social interaction was still exhausting, and it was a major part of holidays like Thanksgiving.

I didn't want to have an empty tank by the time dinner rolled around. That wouldn't be fair to Hannah and her KKs or my friends. If I was on empty, I'd want to leave as soon as I could. That would make the others feel like they had to leave, too, even if that wasn't what they wanted.

I was in for a surprise when I got outside, though...

Alastair was laying in a hammock covered with a blanket. His dog was nearby, standing at attention. She was probably guarding her "master".

"Hey." Alastair didn't bother to look at me. He seemed to be cloud-watching.

My flames pooled in my cheeks. "Hey... Why are you outside?"

"For the same reason you are, I bet. I'm not good with lots of loud, busy people, and honestly, this is my favorite place in the entire house." He finally turned to look at me. "Would you like a blanket? Honey should have one in her bag."

She walked over to me and showed me a bag.

I got out a bag and wrapped myself up in the blanket. "Is there any particular reason she's wearing her vest?"

"She likes it. Oh, and sometimes, she wears it to keep the monkeys from terrorizing her."

"Terrorizing her?"

Alastair laughed. "My twin brothers like rough housing. Honey gets overwhelmed sometimes."

Oh... That made sense. Everyone got to the end of their rope, eventually.