Page 91 of Forget Me Not

Ray cleared his throat after a long silence. “The car’s engine was turned off a while ago. No one has gotten out yet.”

Calvin moved toward the door but stopped without touching the doorknob. For another full minute at least he stood there, and Cal let him, not saying a word. Calvin ran a hand through his hair, tugged at his shirt, then pulled off the reading glasses he’d only just put on and tucked them in a pocket in his cardigan.

He glanced back to the two of them.

Ray hoped he wasn’t so obvious when he thought of Cal, but supposed he must be, or would be, at least to other weres.

Cal turned his back on his father, and waited, his chin up, until Calvin opened the door. Calvin stepped out onto the small porch, then stopped again before he had fully shut the door behind him.

Ray could hear murmurs from inside the car, but not words. Then someone getting out, then the sounds of the car being driven away.

Cal was still, even his wings motionless, and watching Ray as though he knew Ray could hear everything and he wanted a play-by-play. Ray came around the couch and Cal inched closer to him while, outside, Cal’s mother approached his father for the first time in at least a decade.

“Lis.”

“Calvin.”

Cal’s mother spoke just as quietly as Calvin had, voice low and perhaps naturally a little soft or perhaps she’d been crying.

Cal stared up at Ray with wide, wounded eyes even though he had arranged this. Ray took his hand and tugged on it until Cal came fluttering into his arms, although Cal almost immediately twisted around to keep himself turned toward the door. He wrapped Ray’s arms around his waist before leaning forward, clearly trying to hear.

“Who gave you that sweater?” Lis asked, admiring at first, then brittle. “Did you find someone else to keep you?”

Calvin made a noise of denial. “You know I wouldn’t.”

“I do know that.” Lis sighed. Feeling returned to her voice, tender and careful. “It’s one of the more frustrating things about you.”

Neither of the two outside made a sound that Cal would hear. They breathed, their hearts beat quietly. Ray didn’t feel like prying further.

“I can leave,” Calvin offered, breaking the silence at last. “If it bothers you. He needs to see you.”

“Always offering to leave.” A hint of bitterness crept into in Lis’ tone. “To protect us.” The slightest tremble in her voice. “And who protects you?”

“I don’t need—” Calvin did not finish, probably recalling his actions that morning. “I would rather have…” He fell silent after his second attempt, in the face of however Lis was regarding him. “You saw through me and left anyway.”

“Did I?” Lis wondered, as pointed as their son. She went on before Calvin could answer. “Is Cal inside?”

Ray straightened before Calvin held open the door to let Lis through. Her large wings, with curved, dark stripes down the length of them, nearly brushed his arm as Lis came in. Calvin shivered.

Cal’s mother was… tiny. An elf might have dwarfed her. She had long, loosely curled brown hair, worn in a pony tail, with a blaze of silver near the top that caught the light. Her hair was the same base shade as Cal’s, but without the streaks of brighter colors that Cal had. She had freckles as well, but more obvious than her son’s, a dusting of brown across her nose and cheeks. Her eyes were a startling dark green.

Ray had seen objectively more beautiful fairies, but Lis was striking even before the sparkles of shed tears made her shimmer in the afternoon sun coming in through the window.

She’d been crying recently, but not on the porch. It was impossible for Ray to determine how old she was, but the gray in her hair said she was likely older than he would have guessed. Behind her, Calvin looked his age except for the look in his eyes. He was pale, and tired after a long day, but staring at Lis with the hungry gaze of a much younger human.

Ray looked away again.

“Callalily!” Lis greeted her son and came over, arms outstretched. Ray quickly released Cal and stepped back. Lis enfolded Cal in a hug, her wings opening and closing like a butterfly basking in sunshine. “How are you?” She pulled back to capture Cal’s face in her hands and peer into his eyes. “I got all your messages. But I still have questions.”

She transferred her attention to Ray with no warning, blinking as she looked down at his sweatshirt, stained khakis, and bare feet.

“I’ll get you something to snack on.” Ray informed her and the other two, and stepped around all of them to disappear into the kitchen.

“Okay,” Lis commented, cautious or amused.

Ray opened the pantry, staring blankly at the shelves while Cal said, “You didn’t have to come all the way to Los Cerros.”

“As if I couldn’t tell that you needed me. Anyone would want their family around them in a moment like this.” Lis clucked her tongue. “And whatever happened this morning—a panic attack, you said, or started to say? Must have truly upset you, judging from the last message you left me. Do you want to talk about it now? Would you rather I sit with you here, or we could go outside? It’s a bit chilly. Maybe you could borrow your father’s cardigan.”

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