A WEREWOLF IN OCTOBER - EPILOGUE (DONE)

[booksabaking]

"You ready to do this?"

"I could make a comment about being born ready, but that'd be superfluous."

"I can't believe I'm this nervous."

"You'll do fine. Everyone must have a first time sometime."

"That was intentional innuendo, right?"

Jesse grinned at her and Jayla replied by sticking her tongue out, which was tricky when fighting back a smile. It had been ages since she'd been the fun kind of nervous and she relished it. She got up and made a second circuit of the room, doing her best to not touch everything within reach. With the two of them holed up in the antiques store there were a number of interesting and expensive things she probably shouldn't poke at.

Jesse remained in the cozy chair he'd claimed, Ginger fast asleep in his lap.

"Do you think this will work out?" Jayla found herself asking as she careful stepped around an eggshell-thin vase on a plinth.

"I can't predict the future, but it looks bright to me. And I think us joining the D&D group will go well too."

"You're hilarious."

Jayla stopped to fidget with the ring handle of an old wardrobe. Not that calling it old helped distinguish it from the rest of the furniture. Wonder how much of this stuff is magical? Are there charms that'd let me see if a thing is magical or not?

She also wondered if Isha and Rahul, currently relegated to the kitchen, were as amped-up as her. Her thoughts tried to wander further still but she reined them in. She wanted to make a glorious entrance and that required actually remembering her character details.

"Okay, so we met in a tavern."

"We did. The Golden Phoenix to be exact. My cleric saw your monk take out bandits menacing the barkeep and asked for her protection on the dangerous roads ahead."

"Right. Right. If I blank on anything, feel free to elbow me. I'd honestly welcome it."

Jesse gathered up the lax limbs of the sleeping Ginger, made his way over to Jayla and gave her upper arm a friendly nudge with his shoulder. "Accidental contradictions will just make it easier for my cleric to get away with all their lies. But don't stress, I'll help you out when you want me to."

"Thanks," Jayla said and meant it. The 'about to go out on stage' tingles kept on building.

"Speaking of thanks, we should figure out a proper thank you gift for Lisa since she's so generously allowed us to join an on-going campaign. Eight players is a ridiculous party size for D&D."

"I'm in, but I'm not sure what to get her."

"She might like a turn as player for a one-off game. I may be rusty but I've been told I'm a decent dungeon master."

"Please tell me that wasn't innuendo."

"Surely you know me well enough by now to realize I prefer to be in the dungeon, not mastering it."

Jayla stifled a full belly laugh. It wasn't that funny but today everything made her feel joyous, close to tipsy. On top of that, it gave her the perfect segue:

"How are things between you and Arturo?"

Jesse's relaxed posture stiffened ever so faintly. "Good."

"Jesse are you blushing?"

"I will neither confirm nor deny your accusation." He shifted Ginger to let the cat flop against his shoulder. Said cat started up a pleased purr. "How about you? Will Isha be your plus one to your brother's wedding?"

"Maaaaybe." Isha had already said yes. The RSVP card rested on top of the writing desk that Jayla now had, along with a comfy bed and a non-clogged toilet. Her smile fought to grow wider.

From the other side of the Employees Only door, Lisa's voice rang out loud and clear: "The Yurechan Empire troops have retreated, for the moment. Where do you seek shelter?"

That was their cue.

"Here we go! Time for your dashing hero to protect my naive little cleric."

"If your cleric counts as naive, Ginger counts as a tiger."

Jesse gently turned Ginger and waggled him at Jayla, accompanied by a laughable excuse for a roar. Giggling, Jayla attempted to enter the living room with some dignity. She failed spectacularly.

Past that threshold they had all eyes on them, which sent a thrill down Jayla's spine. For a second, the people at the table were one mass of attention, an audience she couldn't wait to dazzle. Then the pack untangled from being a crowd, back to familiar, smiling faces. Vivian jumped out of her seat and pulled out chairs for them, nearly bouncing in place.

Lisa, situated at the far end of the table behind her dungeon master screen, waved them forward. "Tell us, what does the party see?"

Jayla beamed, slung an arm over Jesse's shoulders, and began their semi-rehearsed introduction. Isha and Rahul joined them a few minutes later, looking a little awkward but happy. Before long, the outside world faded away around them, leaving only dice rolls, revolution and inter-party flirting (mostly spearheaded by Jesse and Vivian).

Sometimes even werewolves needed a break from reality.

(Chapter 13)