Not A Mate

An Important Future

  A few hours later a fairly new pick up pulls into the yard and Dylan as well as his elder daughter climb out of the car. With the passenger door blocked by a tree from view Gale rushes up to hug her father then she see's Divante scowl at her and I see the child's face fall. I smile at Gale, "hey sweety why don't you go back to playing with the boys. Divante, why don't you go and help Mrs Smaten's daughters plate the food?"

The girl frowns at me and Dylan takes a cue from my behavior, "that's a good idea. Please go help them, we are here to have dinner and let us meet Gale's friends." The teen scowls again and marches off, the man exhales as if relieved. He looks about the property hearing his daughter laughing in the background, and smiles brightly. "She's really enjoying being here isn't she?" He asks me with a hopeful smile on his face, and I nod my head.

I wave for him to follow me around the house to the back yard where the dinning table was set up, and I pour him a glass of wine and hold up a hand. "I will drive you home if necessary, you will want that by the end of the night. All I and the Smaten's will ask it that you keep Divante from ruining Gale's fun." Dylan looks at me curiously, but nods his head in agreement taking a sip as Mr Smaten sits at the table with the three kids in tow.

He nod's to Dylan and turns to Greg, "alright boy you need to tell the young lady the truth now. We don't allow liars in this house you know that, don't make me tell my wife you have been lieing to your friend." Greg gulps and Dylan gives me a curious look, Greg turns to Gale and says. "Um, Gale yanno how Nancy said that some shifters have something happen that makes them shift early?" I see Dylan look worried and I touch his arm reassuring him while Gale nods her head. Greg looks down at the floor as if embarrassed, "well I can already shift. I've been able to for a year now," Gale blinks her eyes. She then looks around the yard, "so that cat I saw?"

Greg turns into Zipper and Dylan chuckles understanding why I was telling him to not be concerned. Gale squeals, "a kitty! You turn into a kitty! That is so cool!" I grin and Mr Smaten looks down at Zipper, "now that wasn't so hard was it you two?" He speaks to the cat who nods his head, Mr Smaten speaks again. "Alright now shift back before you get in trouble for doing it without permission." Zipper nods his head again and shifts back looking embarrassed again.

Gale hugs Greg and says, "your kitty is cute Greg. I'm sorry you had to change early but that's so cool!" The kids wander off and Mr Smaten turns to me and Dylan. "Good to see you Dylan, your little girl there is starting to really shine by visiting here. The principle of the school let us know how much improvement she has had in these last two weeks." Mr Smaten tents his hands over his plate and mused, "now I wonder why that is?"

Dylan looks like he is about to get angry and Mr Smaten waves a hand, "no Dylan we don't think you have done anything, however you are not the only one living in your home yes?" Dylan blinks and then he realizes what Mr Smaten is saying. "Do you think that Divante is doing something to Gale?"Mr Smaten nods his head. "Yes and we have a potential solution to it, and even though I am unable to tell you why. Know that if this does not change soon the government might get involved soon."

Dylan nods his head, "is this about the boy?" I shake my head, "not yet it is not. This is purely about your daughter Gale, all that we can say is. If you knew you were going to step on a yellow jacket's nest would you?" Dylan shakes his head and I wave my hands, "consider Gale is a yellow Jacket nest, and you don't know it." The man ponders that as the women start coming out of the kitchen his older daughter in tow. I look to Brenda, "can you ask the children to come and eat." Divante jumps up, "oh I can do that." Brenda cut's the girl off, "no I will be getting the children child. Please go and sit by your father, "she gives the girl a pointed look and the teen chooses wisely to not push it with her.

I stand up and sit in the middle area of the table, leaving a seat open next to me for Greg. Mrs Smaten carefully set the table so that the three young children sat next to each other. Which put the older sister near Mr Smaten, away from the teen-aged girls at the table. All of which were not looking at the teen kindly.

Brenda leads the kids to the table, Greg and Sammy upon seeing the seating understands the seating and Greg leads Gale next to her father and next to his seat. Sammy sits across from both of the other kids. Mrs Smaten sits down at the foot of the table and Mr Smaten stands and reaches over to the large beef roast and starts carving the whole roast at the table and he starts passing plats around and when Gale receives hers she is pleasantly surprised to see she has a very small piece of meat compared to her sister and Dylan goes to comment and thinks about it then lets it go. Once Mr Smaten sits down everyone goes to reach for a different dish and Gale's family looks confused. I chuckle and as I place some mashed potatoes on my plate minus the gravy I hold the bowl up and ask Gale. "Did you want some potatoes sweety?" The little girl nods her head quickly and I hold the bowl out to Greg who goes to pass it to Gale and then thinks it better if he holds it for her.

Dylan then realizes that it was serve yourself aside from the meat. I had a feeling that Dylan might have some idea what is going to happen with his youngest, as he was watching what Gale was eating. I made a mental note to ask Dr Peter if Gale's family has any lineage they can trace. I hear Dang, not that he can tell. However I agree with you, I think he might know she is going to have powers.

When the main meal ends and the girls all remove the food save Divante, who was asked to remain. The girl, her father, me and the Smaten's sit around the table. The teen becomes uncomfortable and says, "hey you know I can go and watch the little ones." I shake my head, "no Divante. We need to have a chat with you." The girls jerk's her head towards me, "what do you mean?"

I turn to Mrs Smaten, "if you would please?" Mrs Smaten stands and walks to stand next to her husband, "you know we are shifters Divante. We also teach some things to the local children, your mother would never agree to letting us have you attend any of the classes we teach." Divante shrugs, "so? My mom has some sense unlike my father who is letting my sister come here, non humans are dangerous."

I raise my eyebrow, "you really think that don't you?" The girl nods her head, "of course I do. I don't trust any non humans." I cross my arms and chuckle, I look to Dylan. "Have you not told your daughter how many shifters exist in the high school?" Dylan shakes his head, "no seeing as how my dead wife wanted to believe because she saw now shifter gangs here that there was no shifters here at all. I nod my head and wave a hand, "about half of your graduating class are shifters. Another quarter are magic users of some kind. In the school humans are a minority, most of those people you had following you around are most likely not human."

The girl looks shocked, "but mom said there wasn't any non humans in the school!" I shake my head, "you know me and Doug only graduated a few years ago. Here think on this, a hole in the ground does not cease to exist just because you chose to not see it."

The girl stands, "daddy I want to leave NOW!"