Smiles and strangeness

The rest of the day goes by quickly, with Sirona spending time talking to everyone, and clearly getting more comfortable. Oddly enough, she seems to be gravitating towards Dakota, which is the last thing you expected. The blue haired girl spends a lot of time whispering, drawing giggles and blushes from the much larger manticore. Combined with the looks they both give you, you expect trouble in the near future. But it’s the kind of trouble that everyone enjoys.

The other girls spend time with Sirona as well. Ellie sits and has a quiet conversation that leaves both of them smiling. Mazzy invites her into the kitchen to help with dinner, and Sirona is delighted to help out, even in small ways. And Kenna takes it upon herself to show the manticore how to deal with wings and a tail in everyday life, in a world not built for them. Sirona seems to enjoy the attention, and you wonder how much of her shyness was simply fear of being ridiculed for her appearance and demeanor.

After yet another wonderful dinner, everyone gathers in the living room, making themselves comfortable. Ellie and Kenna give up their usual spots, in and beside you, to allow Sirona to cuddle as everyone watches some tv. It’s a quiet evening, up until there’s a knock at the door.

With a sigh, you free yourself from the clutches of the girls, and head over to the door. When you open I, however, you get quite a shock. Standing on your front steps is Helen, the nosy neighbor who gave you so much trouble when Mazzy first arrived. You’re about to close the door again, not wanting to hear a tirade, when she lifts a hand to stop you, and speaks.

“I’m not here to bother you, Brian. I’ll keep this short. I heard what happened, the brick throwing thing. I wanted you to know that I had nothing to do with that.”

You cross your arms. “No? Are you saying you agree with me now?”

She shakes her head. “I still think you’re living an immoral lifestyle, but it’s not my place to judge. And I’ve realized that my being so vocal has probably emboldened whoever this is. So from now on, I’ll keep my judgment silent.”

You sigh. “Well, that’s something, I suppose. I’m guessing you don’t have any ideas as to who did it?”

She shakes her head again. “No. But it wasn’t me, or any of the people in the neighborhood. None of us would do that sort of thing. Your home is a sacred place.”

You nod. “Fine. And thanks for backing off. I’ll try not to rub it in your face.”

Helen simply nods, and walks away. A bit rude, but you decide not to make an issue of it. You watch her leave, shuffling down your driveway and heading back towards her house. Shaking your head, you close the door again. With a sigh, you return to the living room,