North American Vampire Council & Past Calling (Hypernaturals 12 & 13)

That's Just The Way It Is

I parked my 124 in its assigned position in the garage. There is something seriously wrong.

Helen is in the garage. Alone. Unescorted by one of the garage's three keepers.

This is Nakoma, Jessica, and Morgan's space. Helen and I do not come here except to park cars. Get into them to leave.

Helen is standing at a workbench, looking at an engine on an engine stand. As I parked, I saw her apparently randomly fiddling with something.

On an engine.

Helen does NOT rebuild engines. Helen will buy her wives or daughter whatever makes them happy out here, but since the days of the horse and buggy, Helen has had people for things like fixing wagon wheels, greasing axles, or recently; rebuilding engines.

I got out of my car and walked over to her. I can hear music playing loudly from the house. Bruce Hornsby and the Range, so Jessica. Morgan likes The Range, to sing along with, but it has no serious guitar work, so she did not pick the song. Jessica is in a 1980s music place since we started the band. She will play Phil Collins or Genisis all day. I imagine this music was selected specifically for singing along to.

"What are you doing in here?" I asked her. I did not accuse, but I was very curious.

Helen was touching the engine. Feeling it.

"Just... Looking." Helen said.

Her aspect, her scent, all read to me as slightly down. Feeling blue. Helen does not do that often: She normally just kicks everyone's asses till they line up the way she wants.

Ever since that conversation about how pissed off I was about the way she drafted me to the Council. How I did not trust her. How Morgan did not trust her. That is fixed, but a new, more vulnerable Helen has appeared. That is nice, most of the time. Being married to a badass can get tiring. It's good to be able to reach each other now.

Now I felt perhaps I am somewhat responsible for her being down.

I can park in this garage because I better not leave my car outside, however, I am not authorized to touch the tools or the projects underway here without supervision. Nakoma can. Not me. Helen? No way.

Yet here Helen is, down in the dumps, in their domain.

I listened closely to the house. Focused. I can hear singing. Morgan and Jessica are both at it. Top of their lungs. I can hear scuffing on the floor. They are dancing and singing. I think they call the current song "That's Just the Way It Is" or something like that. Jessica loves that band, and Morgan loves to sing, so I guess they are in there, bonding.

Denise is not home. She's at the office as far as I know. If she was home, she would be in there too. Denise loves to dance and sing every bit as much as Jessica.

Helen is out here in the sacred garage, looking at things and touching them.

"Helen: They both love you." I said.

Helen did not answer. Instead, she touched the motor again. "Do you know what this is?"

"I do. It's a new motor Jessica is building up for her Honda Pilot. The part you are touching is the alternator. It is what generates the electricity to charge the battery and stuff."

"What is wrong with the one in the car?" Helen asked.

"Nothing much. Purrs like a kitten." I could see the confusion, so I added, "The technology has changed. This one will be far more fuel-efficient than the one in the car. They are adding in a new transmission, too. That what that part over there is." I pointed out the silver contrivance at the end of the bench with the open maw on one end and a shaft in the center. "The transmission in the Pilot has four speeds. This one has eight or ten. Between the new engine and the new transmission, Jessica hopes to get ten miles per gallon better fuel economy. There are some technical challenges, but that is what they like. Same as when they shoehorned the new motor into the second Miata or started looking at electrification of the third one. For the Pilot, I heard them talking about having to retrofit a new computer and various other electronic parts. This new motor has a better-balanced crankshaft, lightweight flywheel, bigger valves, different valve durations, different fuel injectors, lower friction rings. Lighter pistons. On and on."