You're not a person; you're a disease -- Summer 2008

I was staying the night at Aunt Lucy and Uncle Ayden's house while my dad went off on a business trip.  I was a couple of years younger than my cousin, but it never really mattered.  I watched my dad leave and wondered what he was up to -- he was being awfully odd about this 'business trip'.  I sat in the chair by the window.  I did like my family, but they were too... it was just hard to explain.

I saw Mina longing for her dad to return again for her.  "Mina, you should come out to the yard.  Leo is playing in teh tree house," I said to my niece softly as I walked into the foyer area.

I looked up at my uncle and smiled slightly.  "How long did Dad say he'd be gone?" I asked, not really wanting to stay that long.  They did not seem to understandwhat I had to put up with being a second generation werewolf.. especially with my dad.

I sighed, getting a little angry with my brother.  He was doing something dark, I knew it.  I shook my head at her.  "About a week is what he said," I told her.  "There's no reason to sit here and fret about when he comes back."  That was not good for her to do.

I sighed, standing up and following Uncle Ayden to the backyard.  Theirs was not nearly as large as the yard Dad and I had.  "I'll try not to think of Dad," I said to my uncle.  It was the best I could do.

Smiling as I watched her run to the reehouse and climb up the ladder.  I wondered what all Nolan was doing to her... she hardly acted her young age.  I sat on the patio with a drink and the Prohpet while the kids played.

I got to the top of the ladder and walked intot he treehouse.  My cousin was organizing his chocolat frog cars.  "Uncle Ayden said you were playing... I didn't realize you were doing this," I said, crossing my arms.  Leo was so boring sometimes.

Wilhelmina startled me when she spoke.  I looked up at her where she stood while I sat on the ground organizing the cards.  "Hey, Mina," I said, smiling at my younger cousin.  "This is playing for me... I enjoy organizing my chocolate frog cards."  There was no use trying to explain this to her.  She just did not understand.

I sat down nonetheless, not touching the cards.  I knew how Leo was with his collection.  He was extremely particular about things like that.  "Do you want to do something else?" I asked.  I would have stayed downstairs if I knew it was going to be this boring in the tree house.

I loved my cousin because she was family, but she really drove me nuts.  What on earth was she doing bothering me?  I looked at her.  "Are you here while Uncle Nolan is on another trip?" I asked.  Hopefully I did not sound overly rude.

This was why I hated coming over here adn spending the night.  Leo was so annoying and they tried to force us to play together.  ""Unfortunately," I retorted, giving Leo a dirty look.

"How long this time?" I asked her.  I really did not want to be this mean to her, but sometimes I wished she would nto come over here.

I rolled my eyes at him.  "I guess a week," I answered.  I saw the look on my cousin's face.  "Trust me, Leo, I'm not happy either." It was times like these when I got angry wiht my dad.

I got home from picking up things to make for dinner.  I saw Ayden lounging on the deck.  I walked out to him.  Sitting in the lounger near him, I asked, "The kids in the tree house?"

I leaned over and gave Lucy a kiss.  "Yep..." I said trailing off.  I looked up there.  I did no thear any arguing... yet.  It was always inevitable when it came down to the two of them; they were so different.