Spell It Out

The Warmth of Family

 "Hello?" A clear and crisp voice comes through, the voice of comfort to Enid. She let herself take a deep breath in, shoulders relaxing. Despite his impersonal greeting, Enid knew he had read the caller ID.

"Jackson, I need help", Enid said, forcing her voice to be steady.

"You know I've always got your back, lil' sis", he answers. Enid can literally imagine him standing there, on the phone, probably in the garage holding a wrench, having stopped in the middle of tinkering with his car just to answer her.

Of course he was telling the truth. He had always helped her. Except, this story was so crazy Enid can't help but wonder if it's above the unconditional acceptance he has shown so far. Nonetheless, she knows she has to continue with her idea. "My fiancee invited me to her house for the weekend, and I need a forged note that looks like it's from our parents so the school will let me go."

"Wow you're meeting the parents already? When do I get to meet this girl and threaten her with my older brother skills?" Jackson laughed, his answer lighthearted in a way that made Enid's heart wrench.

"They told you didn't they?" she asks softly, trying to hold back her tears.

"Yeah. We're not supposed to talk to you at all since they disowned you." His voice came out somber, but calm. It broke Enid, the floodgates opening. If their parents ever found out he would be punished. Sure, Jackson was the oldest, and the model child of what a werewolf should be. That didn't mean he was immune to the crazy antics of their mother.

"How can you be so calm?" she sobbed into the phone with a hiccup, sniffling as she wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"Enid, we love you no matter what they say. All of us. Every single one of your brothers." The idea that her brothers who would purposely run into the house and hug her when they were covered in mud, knowing that even as a kid she valued her clothes (unlike most werewolves), was hard to wrap her mind around. Yet, she found herself believing it, whether it was because Jackson was the one saying it or maybe because she secretly wanted to believe it too.

Her dive into memory lane was interrupted by Jackson. "Look I should get going. I personally can't forge anything, you know my handwriting is horrible. But if you're okay with Alex knowing, I'll get him to make a note."

"Alright. I trust you." Enid replied.

"Okay. I love you. And Enid? Wait for us to contact you. If one of us get caught with you calling us on our phones we'll be screwed", Jackson warned before hanging up, not giving her a chance to reply. Something in Enid's heart felt sour but she couldn't pin point it.

Out of nowhere, a familiar cold voice asked, "Who was that and why are they making you cry?"

"Wednesday!" Enid squeaked in surprise as she whipped around to see the girl in question melt out of the shadows with a machete in hand. Her eyes were absolutely murderous. It was hot.

Still, Enid did not want her brother being chopped to pieces. "It was just my brother! He was congratulating me and joking about threatening you to treat me right like most brothers do."

Wednesday blinked several times before lowering her arm, still not letting go of the machete. "Well, I suppose I do enjoy being threatened. I hope he brings something sharp. It would be disappointing if he did not."

Enid had no idea how to answer, so she deflected with a question lurking in her brain. "Uhh...Wednesday why were you hiding in the shadows?"

"You're the one who called me your moon. I'm just emerging from the darkness like the moon does on a cloudy night turning clear."