Prove To Be

22

"Turn here." Jay pointed at an upcoming intersection on the road ahead.

Kieran sighed, already having pressed on the break. "I remember where your parents live, Jay."

Jay sat back in her seat, clutching the dressing in her lap. "Just making sure." Her fingers circled the bottle's surface as she stared down the gravel road. The sun was behind the earth's horizon, barely lighting up the inky blue sky as the four drove closer to her parent's house. Her stomach clenched at the thought of Christmas dinner, excited to eat whatever she could handle.

From the corner of her eye, Jay noticed Raegan fiddling with her fingers that lay stiffly in her lap. She looked to be uncomfortable, almost nervous.

"What's your favourite Christmas dessert?" Jay's voice spoke over the quiet music playing in the car.

Turning to meet Jay's eyes, Raegan squinted for a minute before answering. "Our grandma used to make a killer blueberry pie, and we would make homemade ice cream to go with it." Raegan's eyes were unfocused as she thought of the past. "We lived in a forest where the berries grew in abundance. We often ate grouse for meals as they loved the berries as much as we did."

Jay pondered over the idea of how they used to live. That was another time, but how she wished she could see into their memories and live through them.

"I think my mom is making apple crisp tonight," Jay's mouth salivated at the thought of her baking. She had gotten most of her recipes from her mother, Jay's grandmother, but she had passed away when Jay was young. She had no memory of the woman, but from what she heard, she was sweet but a force to be reckoned with.

"That sounds good," Raegan smiled softly, turning away to view the darkened world outside the car's window. Jay's house approached in the distance. The soft porch light illuminated the inky shadows, signifying a warm welcome. Unbuckling her seatbelt, Jay opened the car door and exited the vehicle. The cool air kissed Jay's cheeks as the breeze whispered a welcoming story in her ears. Soft white flakes fell from the darkened sky, settling on the hard ground below.

Her gaze fell on an unknown vehicle parked beside her dad's truck, and she paused to inspect it. Had her parents invited some unknown person over without informing her? She wasn't sure who it could be.

Her feet acted quicker than her mind as she walked toward her family home, instinctually opening the front door and stepping inside. "Hello?" She called into the house, taking off her shoes and replacing them with slippers she always kept by the door.

"Jay!" Her mom exclaimed as she rounded a corner, enveloping Jay in a hug. Jay squeezed her mom back, careful not to be too rough. "Oh good, you brought the caesar salad dressing," Jay's mom said as she held the bottle in her hand. "I normally make this from scratch, but I didn't have time to do that this year."

Jay smiled fondly at her mom. "No matter," She said while waving a hand in the air. "Supper will be as delicious as always."

Her mom gave her a cheeky grin before bumping Jay's arm. "We'll see." Her mom turned around and headed to the kitchen, Jay following behind. "Honey!" Her mom called into the house. "Jay is here!"

She stopped momentarily, realizing the siblings had never been invited in before. Nearly slapping a hand over her face, she returned to the open door where the three stood awkwardly in the doorway.

Smiling sheepishly at the siblings, she apologized. "I'm still not used to this kind of thing," Jay said as she felt her cheeks redden from the embarrassment. As she said this, her dad came to stand beside her, gauging the siblings with a critical eye.

Jay's eyes narrowed as she inspected her dad's actions, unsure of his motives. Silence met Jay's ears for a moment as he stared down the three vampires on his doorstep before he broke into a gruff smile, stepping aside as he welcomed the vampires into his home.