I woke up around nine in the morning, still at Selene's clinic. She offered me breakfast, and after eating I thanked her before heading home. I had a long drive ahead—almost six hours to my mother's house—and I wanted to arrive today instead of waiting until the wedding tomorrow.
Just as I was about to leave, I found Selene standing in my driveway.
"Mind if I come along?" she asked casually.
I blinked. "You want to meet my family?"
She smiled and held out a necklace with a small square wood carving. "Think of it as a charm. It'll mask what you are, so no supernatural being will pick up on your… werewolf side."
I slipped it into my palm, weighing the rough carving. "Guess it couldn't hurt. Thanks."
We got in the car, and as I drove, she asked about my family. I found myself talking more than I expected.
"I'm the oldest," I started. "Then there's my sister, Danielle—two years younger than me. The youngest is David, my kid brother. He's ten years younger than me, kind of a surprise child. My parents call him the miracle baby since Mom had him in her forties."
Selene tilted her head. "Your parents still together?"
"Yeah. Happily married. Mom's Amanda—she's a retired nurse. Dad's Alexander, retired teacher. Danielle followed in Mom's footsteps and became a nurse. David's a sheriff back in town. He lives with Mom for now, with his wife, Nicole."
The conversation made the drive easier than usual. Six hours passed faster with someone to talk to, and I found myself grateful Selene had come along.
When we finally pulled into the driveway, my mom met us at the door. I introduced Selene as a friend, and when Mom found out she was a doctor, the two of them immediately started trading stories. Retired nurse and practicing doctor—yeah, I should've seen that coming.
My sister Danielle was already home. Like me, she was still single. We chatted for a while, catching up on small things. David wasn't back yet—still working even with his wedding the next day. Dad, on the other hand, was in full wedding-planner mode. He was arranging everything—best man, decorations, all the small details.
Watching him light up made me smile. Since neither Danielle nor I had gotten married yet, I guess seeing his youngest finally tying the knot had him more excited than anyone.
That night, we all sat down for dinner together. David came in late, and Mom immediately started nagging him.
"You have your suit ready, right?" she pressed.
David groaned. "Mom…"
"He doesn't," Dad cut in proudly. "I rented one for him already."
Selene just smiled at the whole scene, clearly entertained by the family chaos. Sitting beside her, I realized I was smiling too.
For the first time in a while, life almost felt normal again.