W.I.T.C.H.: Cries from the Woods

Part 2 The Cozy Cabin

As the group drove down the interstate, they had a pleasant chat about everything going on in their lives. Irma often tried to engage the newlyweds in the conversation, but Phobos was reading his book and Will would only give quick, non-descriptive answers. Will's answers dropped to simple 'yes' or 'no' once Irma brought up the subject of children.

"So, are you two planning on having kids?"

"Yup,"

"Is anything showing?" which was code for: Are you pregnant yet?

"Nope."

"Have you two been trying?"

"Nope," Will replied after a second of silence. It was already awkward enough that her mother asked this once a week, she didn't need nor want Irma to join that mess. If she wanted kids with her husband, she would. If she didn't want to have kids until later in life, then she would wait. Either way, it wasn't Irma's place to ask these things.

"Can you get your husband to stop reading and be part of the conversation?" which was code for: I know you are lying and want him to give his side of the story in the chance he might slip-up.

"Nope." While Irma was questioning Will, Elyon gently tugged on Irma's jacket, trying to pull her back into her seat. This was as awkward for the young girl as it was for the newlyweds in the back row and she just wanted her friend to stop being weird. That was when Danny's saving words echoes throughout the bus.

"Ay you two in the back, if you ever have kids don't let Irms get her hand on them. Better-yet, keep it a secret and hide any evidence." Irma froze as Danny recounted a story from their childhood. "When my mom had my li'le sister, Irma claimed her as her own and tried to take my li'le sister home with her."

"Oh, so Irma was always this weird about romance and children?" Taranee asked with an eyebrow raised in mischief. She was going to learn something about her friend that Irma would have never admitted to. Plus, Danny managed to make Irma shut-up for once since the trip started.

"Hell yeah!" Danny chuckled. "she made me a mock wedding for my cats, always insists on dressing me as a bride for Halloween and couldn't keep her mitts off my li'le siblings when she visited for the summer. Girl sees herself as a natural matchmaker. I told her parents to stop letting her read those romance books, but it appears my pleas have fallen on deaf ears." Irma took this as her cue to sit down and Taranee tried to muffle her laughter; it was good to know that Irma was always this way.

"If you don't mind me asking." Hay-Lyn interrupted and leaned forward a bit. "But how many siblings do you have?"

"I am number 6 of 8 and am glad I can stop counting after my younger brother Jack."

"So, you are not upset about your mother's death?" Taranee was a little shocked and the rest of the group felt too awkward to stop this conversation train.

"I didn't know that lady enough to miss her. All I know is that she popped out my siblings and me, then was never home to raise them." Danny casually replied and looked back at Taranee using the review mirror.

"I am sorry to hear that." Taranee looked down at her feet; however, Danny simply laughed and shook her head.

"Don't feel bad. I don't mind talking about my folks. If anything, I find it funny to tell folks my stories and making them laugh. I got a story about me shooting a raccoon with a paintball gun to keep it from eating my chickens. My neighbors woke-up to a surprise that night; it ain't every night that you wake up to a fuchsia-pink raccoon running from a gal sitting in a rocking chair on her front-porch while wearing a blue nightgown, with a chicken on her lap, and a paintball gun in her hands." Replied Danny with light-hearted laughter which seemed infections because Hay-Lyn nearly keeled over in her seat.