Feather Dark

Chapter 27

Here's what I love about Wattpad: I posted a message about writing a new story on my feed, and one of my gorgeous readers said, "Uh, yo, what about the end of Feathers...?"  And I went, "Oo, great idea!"  

And here we all are, less than a day later, the second last chapter written and posted because someone asked.  Never doubt the impact your words can have on a writer on this platform - sometimes, you're the only reason a writer is still going :)  Thanks to @lecturacuarentena for the nudge on this one.

Enjoy our last time inside Leigh's head...

Leigh

"Nanny," I said, reading out loud from the first list I found on Google. "Nanna, oma, gammy, meema, geegee, bunny, kitty, pippi, lola, nona, and oh my Ra, this has to be my favourite – 'big momma.'" I looked up from my phone and grinned wickedly at Sevic. "You know, you definitely look like a 'big momma.' Although I could make an argument for bunny, too..."

I was nervous as hell, crammed into a van with my newly reconciled grandparents, only minutes away from seeing Keira for the first time since the compound. Sentinel was at the wheel, while Noah and Masque had opted to drive Pop's truck. I'd spent hours watching Pop and Sevic stare adoringly at one another, interspersed with bathroom breaks where I had to deal with Noah and Masque, equally infatuated.

Instead of staring out a window or playing a stupid phone game, I dealt with my angst and anger by taunting Sevic with new grandmother monikers. She'd be Sevic to me for a while to come, and maybe I'd eventually be able to think of her as Lily, but the idea of labelling her with a goofy nickname was too much fun to resist. "Maybe," I said, rubbing my stubbled chin thoughtfully, "I can combine the two. How about 'Big Bunny?'"

I waited for Sevic to take the bait. Instead, she smiled knowingly. "If I didn't know any better, Cobb, I'd say that you were feeling apprehensive about something..."

"You got me, Bun-bun," I said, forcing myself to stretch out casually. "I'm just in a dither about what to wear to your vow renewal ceremony. I'm a bright winter with cool undertones, but my heart just lives for peach chiffon – what's a boy to do?"

"That's not a bad idea," said Pop, twisting in his seat to face Sevic. "Lil, what do you say? Want to throw a party when all this is over? Stand in front of a priest and say the words again?"

She leaned her wrinkled brow against his and said, "I think that sounds magical." Sliding sly eyes my way, she said, "Thank you for the suggestion, Cobb."

"I live to facilitate the love lives of others," I muttered darkly.

The van pulled to a stop in front of a huge mountain home. Keira's mom's home. Steeling myself, I stepped out into the rapidly cooling air of the dusky evening. Here we go...

A woman approached the van, and I did a double-take; she was the spitting image of Keira, or who Keira might be years from now. She smiled broadly, her easy energy wrapping around us as she hugged and greeted everyone. "Hi! Hello! I'm Coraline, call me Cookie. Do you need a hand with the bags? Noah, good to see you again."

I watched in shock as she gave Noah a hug – and he reciprocated. "Good to see you, too, Coraline.

She turned her savvy silver eyes on me. "You must be Leigh."

"I am."

I stood, pinned by her intelligent gaze. "Hmm... You don't look like a blithering moron..."

"Uh, thanks?"

"It's a mystery why you're acting like one then... But I'm sure you'll come around." She winked merrily at me, then said loudly, "Okay, everyone inside! The others are waiting and we've got a war council to convene."