Winged

14. Packing

"Your dad's home?" She set her purse on the kitchen counter.

"Yeah. He's in the shower. He finished the portal or whatever just a bit ago."

"So today's really the day." She sighed and gave a sad kind of smile. "I remember when you guys were just born."

"Eww, auntie. Let's not go there." Toby's voice.

"You knew me as a baby?"

"Yes. We stayed quite close for a while after coming here, but eventually we decided it would be better for the two of you not to meet..."

I was so confused. "You thought--"

"We knew that you'd get along well. Very well. It was inevitable; birds of a feather flock together. Growing up together might have led to you doing some stupid stuff."

"Couldn't you have told us we were cousins or something? Not that I'm complaining about how things worked out, it just would've made more sense."

Her face scrunched. "Even then. You might not have broken the spell, but you certainly would have had more encouragement to jump out of a window or something. The longing was strong enough on its own... But now we need to get you ready to go. Come on." She walked off towards the stairs and I dutifully followed behind. I was stopped at the base of the stairs by a tug on my flight feathers.

"Can I just say I'm glad we're not cousins?" I laughed at him and continued upstairs.

Aunt Elena was searching through my closet when I got to my room. "I'm sure your hosting family will give you clothes to help you blend in there, but you might still need some of these. I'm trying to find stuff that will at least look relatively normal. Then I'll help you pack other necessities that will help you feel at home there. If there's anything of special significance to you, you can bring that too."

"Okay." I started looking around the room to see if there was anything in particular I might want. Of course there was, it was really only a matter of narrowing it down to what I wanted most.

"Did you pack me a bag, or should I just take what I have here?" Toby said from my doorway.

"I packed for you already. Your bag is in my car. I hemmed a couple of shirts for you, so don't worry."

"Thanks, auntie. I'll go grab it." And he left.

"Will we need to hem anything of mine? I only did a few of them myself."

"Here, just these two. The others are already done. I'll go do that now, if you can just put that stuff in a bag so long." And she was gone too.

This was one of the oddest feelings I've ever experienced--except for sprouting wings, of course. Never before have I had to pack my things and leave for good. There would be no return, no running back for something I'd forgotten. Now was when I chose what parts of me were to be cherished and which parts were to be left behind.

I opened my desk drawer and pulled out the class pictures I found under my bed a few months ago. Now they were all cleaned up and neatly filed in a picture album, fingerprints smudged over our younger faces from when I showed Toby my discovery. A new picture was added to the back, just me and him sharing a cookie. Although it was so much funnier than just that. He had practically shoved a cookie in my face before even saying hi one day, and once I saw the camera, I tried my best to hide. He, however, had other plans, and somehow managed to pry my hands off my face and snap the selfie. Immediately afterwards he ended up with a faceful of already chewed cookie, and that's the moment I wish we had captured. I guess it was safely stored away in a different kid of memory box, though.

So the pictures were coming. And the Twister board with its makeshift wheel. And my dragonfire socks.

I looked longingly at my bookshelf. I doubt I could find any of them again in Aves. Though they probably had wonderful stories of their own. There were a few I knew I couldn't live without, especially if we ended up staying there forever, and eventually having kids, and I couldn't imagine not having my favorite childhood stories to pass on to them.

"Kids? You're already thinking that far ahead?"

I blushed. I forgot Felni was still perched on my shoulder. I'd have to be more careful about protecting my thoughts.

"I dunno, I kinda have to. I only get one chance to pack."

"Need some help?" My dad spoke from the doorway.

"Oh, dad. I don't know if I can do this... The longest I've ever been away from home was that one time I went to summer camp, and I swore I'd never do that again."

My dad walked over to me and wrapped me up in his arms. His fingers caressed my feathers, and I felt something wet drip down my back.
"You know, I always knew this day would come. Even when you were just a little girl. I kept trying to deny it, saying it was just a phase, that you'd grow up and be normal and stay with me, but I knew I was wrong. And I wouldn't dare try to keep you here. You were born a bird, and birds were always meant to fly. All I can do is make sure you know how much I love you before you go."

We were both sniffling now, and I pulled back to smile at him. "Well let's not say goodbye just yet. Help me pack, would you?"