or Ro

ck to consciousness. I slowly opene

ed me. I turned my head to find my grandmot

heart, are

lright with your

I mumbled with a b

afraid of dogs," she said,

thought I'd gotten ove

wered her gaze in

She suffered a lot these past

lently as s

al were nearly nonexis

not even Dad?!" I exploded in an

er tried to calm me,

I splashed my face with cold wa

her, Eleanor... for

to find a man speaking with my grand

apped around me. I turned slowly... go

she sobbed agai

. I refused to show my anger

much, Eleanor..

haven't ch

oung... as if time

he moment. We turned to th

beautiful... she l

compliment

aint smile and shook

chard. Cal

anor

ped her hands

amily is

family, Mom. Dad is t

thrilled to have a sist

o

feel about t

look interested, but all I

y, Gran

how Eleanor fainted t

ther

ill afraid

unately

s," my mother said gently, while my gra

ng over

a beast ready to trample me!

out an awk

y don't yo

led an

cour

ly inte

that won't

"if you don't overcome this fe

exaggera

and turned to

keep hi

y friend's house for a

. and n

r sudden

Harry's sons to

und," he replied, wrap

image of my father fill

e you comin

wh

rold's

ehind to hear Grandma

I'll

-

Next

t beside him while I sat in the back, listen

r conversation.

just the unwan

y trees. I decided to enjoy

'd arrived. He called right after and asked a

e asked about my mother's new husband. T

of their dignity. I d

rough the forest. After a while, I asked H

on. Be patient

d me. He was a stranger...

ound buildings

ed out the window at the modern houses, curious how people lived so far fr

e neighborhood, Maria?"

ly, "It's beauti

at them i

ir of old

ry white house with large windows you

appened to pr

garage without pulling in

r and looked around

why in the mid

to greet Harry-men, women, children. The crowd pressed

us with suspicion... Had they never

obably a year or two older than me. He sh

her daughter, Elinor," Harry said.

mother's ha

meet yo

" my mothe

ouse. It was beautiful inside-spacious and

the back living room.

he fur

hey heard

n and served u

and Harry, feeling lik

er whispered temptatio

edding?" Rio

ons begin tomorrow," Harry

and took a sip

ici

and there, but mostly I spent the time insp

? I told him we were comin

"He's busy with some things.

unch

s,

id Harry do for a living? Businessm

aughter offered to help us, and the girl introduced herself.

dn't

in his mid-twenties walked in. We saw him c

kw

" Harry c

topped and look

other and her daughte

id nothing. He

ered a tense

llo

her and t

ll

some respect to your eld

pt wa

's protests and ste

t me coolly

mom or dad like that! Didn'

ed with

n larger creatures pass...

side like I was not

id he just c

-

my grandmother's house-Sasha and Suzy Green. Sasha was obsessed with the supernatural, and Su

ns, I found myself en

Rio and I helped out, and a light friendship formed betwe

ed about the wedding, and I didn't tell him... I d

ense. Every interaction betwe

e called me short! I'm

height, he probably th

th Grandma for a month, and I'll cele

but he promised m

-

amily...

Dominic runs everything, and ev

and cleaning, while o

by bit, especially while

e, they tried to hit Scarla-until a guy named Ralph, Dominic's friend, ste

tension. She treats everyone kindly, eve

ious immigrants..

n entire neighborhood in the middle of th

.. who