Winged

13. Table Talk

"I'm guessing Will hasn't had much of a chance to explain anything to you yet."

"No. All we know is what you told us last week."

"Well, then. I might as well answer some of your questions before we send you out on your own in a strange land. Pass the potatoes, please." She dished up and continued.
"Aves is a beautiful land filled with beautiful birds of all kinds. As the saying goes, birds of a feather tend to flock together, though that's mostly because they enjoy the same things and understand each other easily. There is of course no rule against mingling." She glanced up at the two of us. "It is also not completely out of the ordinary for someone to return to Aves after living on Earth. I myself knew a girl who's parents had left years ago for a fresh start, but sent her home when she was old enough. I don't think it will cause too much commotion that you two go back alone. And I'm sure Will will make sure someone is waiting on the other side to greet you."

This was making me more nervous than I had been before. "What will we do when we get over there?"

"You'll probably settle in with a hosting family until you get more comfortable, and then you can do whatever you like. There are many ways to lead a happy life there, as long as you keep a low profile."

"And if we don't? If someone finds out who we are?"

There was a tense silence.

Aunt Elena looked up with a grim expression. "If someone does find out who you are, you will be on the run for your life, and will probably have to shed your wings and come home."

"But the chances of that are slim, right? People will have forgotten about the whole thing." Toby prodded, hoping as much as I was that was true.

"Let's hope so."

***

Dad was in the garage for five hours straight once he got back from London. I asked what the rush was, but all I got in reply was a request to be left in quiet. Toby and I tried to distract ourselves with TV and the like, but it was useless. The curiosity was too much. Eventually I went to the window and coaxed our little bird friend down from her tree.

"Would you mind being my eyes for a minute?"

"Not at all! What do you need?"

"My dad won't tell us what he's doing. Could you look in the garage window and tell us how long you think it'll be?"

"I can try." She started to fly off.

"Wait!" It was too late.

"What's wrong?"

"I was going to tell her not to let dad notice..."

It was only a minute or two before my dad came into the living room wiping his hands on a rag.

"I'm sorry, Dad, we were just cur--"

"Sorry for what?"

"Uhhhh..." Man. My big mouth just totally ruined it. I sighed. "I thought you had noticed and were coming out to scold me. I asked a swallow to see how much longer she thought you'd be." Just then the very bird flew through the window and landed on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I--"

"I did notice. Thank you for telling me the truth, though. Makes me feel much better about sending you off on your own. And I'm done, by the way. Time for the last preparations, and we'll send you through once it gets dark out."

"It doesn't seem like we're really leaving... Are you going to tell us anything more about our past before you send us off to a new future? All we really know is that you guys were involved in some 'bad stuff' and had to run away, and if anyone finds out, we're dead."

My dad sighed. "Yeah, I'll tell you everything before you go. Let's just get the practical stuff sorted first. Elena should be home from school soon, and she can help." He glanced at the bird still sitting on my shoulder. "I need to take a shower." He disappeared upstairs.

"Well. Is it just me, or does he not seem too eager to tell us anything?" Toby leaned against the wall.

"He'll have to eventually. Don't worry. You know, I never got your name." I directed the last part to the swallow.

"Felni. Are you really leaving tonight?"

"I guess so. We can't really stay here like this."

Toby pulled a face before walking over and resting his arm on my shoulder. "Having a conversation without me again?"

I gave him an apologetic glance. "Sorry. This is Felni."

"A pleasure to finally meet you. But aren't we not supposed to talk to her?"

"Not technically... But we're not talking about who we are, right? And so long as she's here, we know she isn't telling anyone else. And c'mon, we're leaving tonight. There can't be any harm in it."

"Alright then. Let's just hope my aunt has the same reasoning."

And of course, that's right when she walked in the door.