Wings

family

Just then Renée seemed to regain her senses, sitting up swiftly and wincing.

“So you’re going by Wings now, huh? I guess it suits you. Anyways, you want to repair things with Mom and Dad? I would pay to see that.”

I smiled grimly, turning to face her. “Yeah, it’s Wings now. And I bet you would, little sister.” I turned back to Gran, a pleading note to my voice. “Gran, I need to rest up before I can even attempt to fly out to Palo Alto. Do you mind if I stay here for a few days? And can I borrow your phone to call Josh? I promised him I’d let him know when I got to the States.”

Gran nodded. “Mel, stay as long as you like. I want to know more about this art studio. And this girlfriend. And the tattoos especially.”

I grinned. “I called that one. And Ren,” I turned to her. “You’re welcome to come to Palo Alto with me if you really want to watch the shouting match that this will inevitably devolve into.”

Ren smiled right back at me. “In that case, Wings, I would love to come. But not all of us can fly. Besides, my house is in Chicago. Would it be possible for you to meet me there? I already have a flight back for next Monday night.”

I could see the logic in that. Tonight was Friday, so that would give me three full nights of sleep and a few days to explore New York. I smirked at my grandmother and sister, a devilish glint in my eyes.

“So for the next two days, you guys are going to have to deal with the huge pain in the ass that is me. And I am planning on visiting every campy tourist location in the city, so be prepared. And Ren, do you mind if I race you to Chicago?”

Gran and Ren looked at each other. Ren shrugged as if to say ‘Don’t blame me for getting all the sanity’. Gran sighed.

“I don’t mind her racing me if you don’t mind her mild coffee addiction,” Ren said.

Gran made a noise that was halfway between a squawk and a squeak. “You never said she had a coffee addiction! I don’t keep that stuff in my house!”

I laughed. Gran had always hated coffee. I was practically dependent on the caffeine to get me conscious in the mornings.

“In that case,” I quipped, “You might as well give me twenty dollars and point me in the direction of the best café in New York, because I am not going anywhere in the morning without at least a café au lait.”

Gran groaned. She glared at Renée as if to say this is all your fault somehow. Ren gestured helplessly back at her.

“Just give her the money. She’ll only get crankier without her morning coffee.”

Gran glared at me. “Get up in the morning. If you’re grumpier than a wet cat tomorrow morning, I’ll give you the money. But nothing before then, okay? I will not fund a place that serves such a nasty drink.”

Ren giggled. “Wings, try Timekeeper Market. It’s about three blocks east and a block north. I haven’t tried the café au lait, but if the mocha is anything to go by, it’s worth the walk. We ought to take Gran there, see if she can handle hot chocolate before graduating her to coffee.”

I laughed. I had missed this, the experience of an actual, functional family, bickering halfheartedly and joking. I slung my backpack off, setting it on the ground and collapsing on the couch, deftly moving my wings so I didn’t whack Gran or Ren upside the head. Gran ushered me off the couch, saying I was filthy.

I grumbled at her, replying with the fact that I had only gotten about three hours of sleep the night before and that was on top of a fifteen-hour flight.

Gran snorted dismissively. “That’s no excuse to not take a shower, and you know it. The guest bedroom is downstairs, and straight along the hall, the one with the futon on the floor. There’s a bathroom with a shower at the end of the hall, and please, please wash your clothes. I think the roof you spent the night on was used for target practice by a bunch of pigeons.”

I sniffed my sleeve. “Yeah, looks like you’re right. Are you okay with me taking over your guest room for the next twelve hours or so? And I can sleep through anything, so don’t worry about noise. Thanks!” I left without another word. Gran just stared, dumbfounded, at my audacity.