His Mate, The Halfling

One

Dad always moved around a lot, and it had never really bothered me. The only thing that did was that I was constantly the new kid, and I struggled to make friends. At some point I kind of gave up. The longest time we were in one place was a year, and I was sad with that one because I really enjoyed High Springs Colorado. I didn't really understand the need for it, but I didn't ask much about it. He would always dodge the question when I used to ask, or even change the subject. Just that it had something to do with his work. My dad is a heating engineer and handy man, self-employed.

He works long hours, which didn't bother me all that much, I got used to keeping myself company. I was prepared to do it again at our new home, which we had just arrived in front of in Stonegate, Michigan. It was a small town and my first time living in the state. Seemed pretty, lots of woodlands, and we weren't that far away from Lake Michigan. I pulled off my headphones as my father parked the car in front of the house.

"Well Bronwyn, home sweet home" My dad said, trying to sound upbeat. I turned to give him the biggest smile I could muster, but he saw through me like glass.

"For how long this time?" I asked, letting out a soft sigh. My fathers' eyes softened as he put a hand on my shoulder in a reassuring way.

"As long as possible. Come on, I'll give you the biggest bedroom?" He bribed me to get me out the car, unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out. I sat for an extra moment, trying to calm myself down. I wanted to excuse it that I was cranky from the 2-day car journey from Silver Creek, North Carolina. We had spent a little over 15 hours in the car over the course of two days, one night being spent in a motel somewhere in West Virginia. I tried to be less of a bitch and grabbed my backpack before getting out of the car.

Dad was already inside, and the door was left open for me, so I just walked in. It was really nice. It looked a lot smaller on the outside, so I was a little surprised with how it looked on the inside. It was also already furnished just like most of the places we've lived before. I peaked my head in the living room to see my dad inspecting the place before turning around to head upstairs.

I explored the top half of the house, choosing as promised the bigger bedroom and dumping my backpack on the bed that was made with its light purple sheets. Looking around, the room was fine. Nothing special about it and I'm sure I'd be happy for the next few months in here. I heard my dad come upstairs and walk in since this bedroom was the closest to the top of the stairs.

"Picked this one then?" He asked with a hopeful smile, and I nodded at him. "Good, ill go check out my room" he said, walking out and mostly closing the door behind him. "Pizza for dinner?" I heard him call out as I stepped out of my room and into the hall.

"Yeah, sounds good" I say as I walk down the stairs and out to the car. There were only a few boxes of belongings and two suitcases. We travelled light. When everything was inside, I walked out to lock the car and have a look around the neighbourhood. Our new home was right close to the woods with only a few houses across and down the street.

Seemed peaceful, yet a little spooky as it started to get dark. It wasn't long before a shiver ran up my spine, unable to shake the feeling I was being watched. I headed inside as my father came down the stairs.

"I'd have brought all that inside Wynnie" I heard my father say as I closed and locked the front door, and I just gave him a soft smile and shrugged. "I ordered us a pepperoni pizza and some garlic bread sticks, so shouldn't be long" he said, lifting the box that said kitchen and walking off. I followed him through the living room and into the kitchen. There was a door in the kitchen that when I opened it, led to what I thought would be a back garden.

"Whoa" I said, stepping out. It turned out our home was closer to the woods than I thought. There was no backyard, just some grass and then the start of the treeline. "Dad look at this" I said, grabbing his attention. He came up behind me to look out to the woods. "Think deer will come up to the backdoor like in Texas?" I asked and he chuckled softly. He seemed relieved I wasn't so grouchy anymore. "Yeah, maybe sweetheart" he said, walking off and leaving me at the door. I asked another question without turning around "Do you think mom would have liked it?"

I heard a soft sigh behind me before he cleared his throat. My mother passed during childbirth, and my father never dated or remarried. He said I was his focus. He didn't talk about her much, I imagine it was still sore for him. Sometimes I couldn't help it, and I wish I had remembered her.

"I think so" I heard him say as he ripped tape off of the box and started to pull out plates, the unmistakable sound of them clattering catching my attention. I walked back inside and once again closed and locked the door. Silently, I helped him unpack plates, cutlery, and some utensils out of the box. Before long, there was a knock at the door. My father could always seem to sense such things, heading to the door before I had even heard it.

"Pizza pizza pizza time, time to have a slice!" My dad sang loudly as he walked into the living room, sitting the boxes on the coffee table. I couldn't help but smile as I continued the rhyme, moving into the living room to sit on the couch. "Cheese and sauce and pepperoni, yes, it is so nice" I said, continuing the song that my father had sang to me every time we had pizza for dinner in the last eighteen years of my life.

The rest of the night went soundly, and I had managed to unpack most of my stuff. Mostly clothes, some books, and the odd item that I had kept a hold of my whole life, including a teddy bear I had affectionately named "Beary". Very creative, I know. He was a large cream coloured bear with a red ribbon, a Christmas present from my father when I was around four.

Being eighteen now, I was no longer in school and every time we moved now, I could explore and spent my time trying to find some part time work to keep myself busy. I'd have a look tomorrow; I remember seeing a coffee shop with a help wanted sign in the window. Getting into bed, I picked up my book and decided to spend the rest of my evening reading before I fell asleep, dreaming of the woods behind our new home and what may be hiding in there.