To Grandma's House

Sweat Lodge Begins*

Xael stood up as everyone looked at her. She gave them another smile. "I'm gonna let the pups out to run for a bit before folks start showing up."

"Ok, hun, I'm going to check on the roasts." The two had started the pot roasts before they left for the pow wow. They had been slowly cooking away and were halfway done.

Xael let the pups out as Beau pulled into the drive. Shado had followed her out of the kitchen and walked up behind her, standing next to her closer than he usually did. She turned and looked at him but didn't move. She just remembered the incident from the jeep with her pups and rushed to the front steps.

"And don't kill anything!!" She yelled at her boys as Shado laughed at her. Beau walked up with the duffel bags that had clothes for the three guys to change into. "Hey Beau!"

"Hey Xael...how you feeling hun?"

"Better, thanks. Go on in, Sheriff is in the kitchen."

Beau walked into the house, removing his shoes and handing Shado his bag. He went to find the Sheriff.

"Xael? Can I use your bathroom?"

"Sure." She looked at Shado with a smile and turned to head into the kitchen but not before linking her pups.

{Stay by the house, boys}

All the men had gone to change so it was just her and her grams. She sat down at the table, watching her Grandmother as the older woman checked on the roast.

"Grams, can I talk to you later when they leave for the lodge?"

"Sure hun. You okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine now. Oh! Where are the leaves for the dining table? Since the guys are here, I'll have them help me extend it."

"Oh! Great idea hun."

"How many leaves do I need to put in?"

"Uh, I think 3 will be fine for 12 people."

"Ok." Xael winced in pain from the last bouts of her headache.

"Xael?" Her Grams wasn't convinced that she was back to being 100 percent.

"I'm fine, just a headache."

"I thought you took something for that." That voice was not her Grams but Deputy Shado. He sat next to her at the table, his arm over her chair, he looked at her with concern. Grams ever present gaze on the two of them.

"I did, it hasn't kicked in yet.  Hey will you help me with the table?"

"Sure."

Grams smiled with joy as she saw the two walk towards the large back room that was part storage and part pantry. Xael turned on the light. The leaves for the table were against the back wall.

"I need you to help me put extra leaves in the table."

Xael had taken her jacket off before they left the kitchen table. As she picked up a leaf, she didn't expect it to be so heavy. Her muscles flexed under her t-shirt.

"Crap! This is heavier than shit!"

Shado laughed at her as she handed him one.  She grabbed the other one and they went back to the kitchen. Sheriff Skylar and Beau were already there and had the table pulled apart. Xael let the guys place the leaves as she went back for the last one. She stood patiently as they placed the other two, holding the last one against her leg.

With all the leaves placed, it was time for the guys to head out to start the fire. Xael and her grandmother had gathered stuff for them to take out to the lodge early that morning. A pot and ladle for inside the lodge, toilet paper for the out house along with a lantern and some towels for when they got done with the lodge. Ms. Emma gave the Sheriff a small red bag with sage and a small wing to smudge everyone before they entered the lodge.