The TimberWolf Effect (Book I)

CHAPTER TWELVE - When The Earth Shakes

Timber was pacing back and forth in the living room, anxiously tugging at the collar of her dark grey t-shirt. Xianna, Kendra, Ashley, and Gina were going to be at her front door any minute. Everything was ready and the house was clean but Timber had one huge concern. Timber had full confidence in her aunt to avoid mentioning her wolf, but Emily was a little loud-mouthed sometimes though Timber didn't hold it against her. She was only five after all but Timber had still made sure to remind Emily over and over not to tell anyone that she was a wolf. Emily had promised, but it did nothing to ease Timber's worries.

Timber's fears were temporarily dissolved when the doorbell rang. Timber glanced out the window and saw all four girls on the porch and a green car parked outside. She tried her best not to throw the front door open in excitement. Instead, she opened it a little slower than she would have normally. As soon as it was all the way open, Timber was buried and hidden from view. She was wrapped in the middle of eight arms all hugging her tightly.

"Timber!" they all cried happily.

"How did you get here at the same time?" asked Timber through all the arms.

Grace came into the living room with a smile and a carefully balanced tray of meat and cheese sandwiches that she had cut into triangles, with some carrot sticks and sliced apples on the side. She set the tray down as the girls let go of Timber, who, at the moment, was smiling ear to ear. She led the girls to the coffee table and they sat cross-legged on the large light beige and grey area rug. Kendra was the first to reach into the sandwiches and a smile played at her lips when she took a bite.

"This is amazing," she said. "What's in it?"

"I don't know, you have to ask my aunt," said Timber.

"Excuse me," said Kendra as Grace came back to the table with cups and a pitcher of sweet tea. "What's in this sandwich?"

"Smoked turkey, honey ham, Gruyere cheese, salted tomato, avocado spread, mayonnaise, and white artisan bread," said Grace. "Do you not like them?"

"I love them," said Kendra. "This is the best sandwich I've ever had."

"I'm glad," said Grace. "If y'all clear the plates and you're still hungry, let me know. I'll be upstairs."

"We will," said Timber. "Thank you, Aunt Grace."

"You're welcome." Then she disappeared up the stairs and Timber heard the office door close.

"I think we should make Timber's house the hangout house," said Xianna after trying a sandwich triangle.

"I have no problem with that," said Timber with a smile.

"It'll make my dad happy," said Ashley. "I don't think he knew what to do, having so many girls in the house."

"So how did you get here at the same time?" asked Timber again.

"We live on the same block," said Xianna.

"We're only six blocks away from you," said Kendra. "This is delicious."

"My mom doesn't make anything like this for lunch," said Xianna. "It's just peanut butter and jelly on wheat bread. Does your aunt make fancy dinners too?"

"What do you mean by fancy?" asked Timber as she grabbed a couple of carrots.

"Does she make stuff out of a box?" asked Xianna.

"Some things, like side dishes, or if she's in a rush. Most nights, she spends an hour or two in the kitchen cooking dinner from scratch. I help. Doesn't your mom cook for you?"

"My mom does," said Kendra. "But my mom makes more traditional Mexican dinners like cochinita pibil and chilaquiles. My dad came to the US for work. He found a job and a place. My mom moved up here to be with him while she was pregnant and my brother was born two months later and my parents became legal citizens. I came along three years later. My mom is still very traditional and we don't eat foods from many other cultures at home. My dad came here to find work and escape the bad area they lived in. Mom is still homesick but she says life is easier here."