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The grill was fired up and the men in the family had gathered to cook the meat, or more accurately, to cook the meat and keep the boy from burning himself. “No Aran, we want a hot low flame from the charcoal to cook with, you can toss in some twigs later on.”

The girl were putting bed sheets they had raided my linen closet for on the picnic table and the patio table I had carried over to put under the tarp. Now they were glaring at me for some reason. What? So I didn’t have tablecloths, it’s not like they really needed them.

I think those were brand new sheets too, right out of the wrappers. Now they were going to get barbecue sauce on them. “Those are coming out your inheritance.”

Sara stuck her tongue out at me. “You're loaded old man. There’ll be plenty left over, and I saw the clearance stickers on them.”

Charles shook his head at her. “I helped set up his will, right now it all get divided between his sibling and their children. But don’t worry,” He grinned “I’ll make sure you get those sheets.”

As the two girl froze in place for a moment, unsure how to react to a newly met relative’s sense of humor, the buzzer for the front gate sounded off to show my local sheriff in a skullcap style motorcycle helmet and a leather jacket looking cheerfully at the camera.

I opened the gate to let her in rather then start a conversation over the intercom since I could see the front end of a car up behind her. Which meant I didn’t get a good look at what she was riding until she pulled up in front of the garage.

What it was, was old. And from the conversation that Sara, who had beat me to her, was having with Adora it was called a Liberator or WLA, and had been made by Harley-Davidson for the second world war.

Which was damned impressive. Not that it was that old, but that it was a Harley and working at all.

I also learned that Adora would not be letting Sara take it out for a spin, but she and Ami could sit on it, and Aran if one of them stood next to him in case he fell off.

She had already taken off the helmet and was slipping off her jacket to reveal another white tank top tucked into a set of cut off shorts as I finally got to the front of the garage. She smiled up at me as she popped up from the cycle with a small bag in her hand.

“I hardly get the chance to ride it anymore since I usually take the car, but I brought something else to wear. Is there somewhere I can change?”

I nodded and gestured back at the house. “I think we can find a spot, I’ll give you the tour after I greet everyone else.” I nodded over at the sheriff department’s vehicle as it pulled up.

She slipped by me, “That’s okay, I'll let myself in.” and she was gone before anyone else could get out the car.

That was a little...well, I’m not really sure what to make of that. Was that some kind of woman thing or a werewolf thing?

Darius and Deborah, I think her name was, got out of the car from the passenger and driver’s sides respectfully. With Darius giving me a wave as he headed up to shake hands, and the deputy pulling out a pale blue bowl with a cling wrap covering it’s top from the back seat as well as a sulky looking little blond girl who glanced at me, shamefaced, before trying to hide behind her mother.

Oh yeah. Her. Guess me and the little miss would have to have a conversation sooner or later.

Darius glaces back as we shook hands. “ Mel’s...guilty, upset, and generally all over the place about having bit you. I don’t know how you feel about it, but she wasn’t even thinking about it, she was just scared and trying to get away.”

I gave him a distracted “I know.” as I tried to figure out how to handle this. Truth is, I was pretty all over the place myself.

All in all becoming a werewolf was all good, but I had neither asked or been asked about becoming one. And then there was the fact she was just a kid, who at the time was hurt and scared.

The deputy was wearing a dark green blouse with some kind of tiny white flower on them along with a slightly faded set of jeans with sandals, and looked a little nervous as she walked up, holding her bowl in front of her almost like she was hoping it would protect her.

“I brought some potato salad.”

She kept her eyes down, looking anywhere but at me.

Darius had made eye contact, and seemed...well normal for meeting a near stranger who had invited him to a party, while the woman seemed half afraid I was going to bite her head off.

Which in her, our, world might be a real concern.

I reached out and took the bowl from her. “Thank, I appreciate it. I’ll go drop this off in the fridge for now to keep it cool. Then I think the two of us.” I glanced down at the girl hiding behind her legs. “Should sit down inside and have a talk.”

Darius cleared his throat. “I’d like to sit in on this, I’ve been...sort of a live in uncle for her the last few years.’

I gave him a nod. “Fair enough, I mostly just don’t want the girl to have to take part in this conversation in front of a bunch of strangers.”

The two adults looked over at the two girls and Charles who suddenly were taking a interest in stringing up the patio lights. Which made Aran look up from where he had gotten the chance to feed some small sticks into the fire, look around, and give the little girl who had bit me a shy smile and a wave.

The little girl froze for a second and then shyly waved back.

Great. The kid is Mister oblivious to everything else. But when it comes to the ladies…