As the day wore on, Lenora appeared to be feeling better, but Tyrone was still worried. She’d managed to crawl out of bed by mid-afternoon, but through their bond, Tyrone sensed how puny she still felt. Lenora insisted she didn’t need medical attention, magical or otherwise, but Tyrone wasn’t convinced.

Apparently, the fates were conspiring against him. Theresa informed him that Cian was away at a medical conference for the next week and couldn’t be reached. Mathilda was also unavailable due to Ariadne needing her help on urgent magical business. Shoving his phone into his pocked, Tyrone heaved a frustrated sigh.

“Don’t look so dejected, Wolfman. It’ll run its course. I’m not a fragile Victorian fainter, after all,” Lenora said, attempting some brevity and a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry.”

As Tyrone studied Lenora intently, she took after him with the newspaper, pretending to swat him. Tyrone laughed despite his concern, then enfolded his wife in his powerful arms. “It’s my job to worry. You still look pale, and I can sense how gnarly you feel. I just don’t want you to overdo.”

“I’ll go to bed early tonight and will be better in the morning, I’m sure. I need to pick up the wee ones from school a little later, and I promised I’d watch Aurora’s new ballet routine today. Plus, there’s homework and dinner to see to,” Lenora replied.

“I’ll go get the kids. As to dinner, there’s enough leftovers for a small country. I’ll take care of that so you can rest. Homework and ballet is all yours.” Tyrone kissed her before settling her on the sofa and arranging pillows behind her back.

Lenora was soon in a light sleep but awoke when the kids blew in through the door like a hurricane. “I swear, if I have to do another fraction, I’m gonna puke,” Chris bellowed.

“It’s not so bad, man,” Cousin Carson replied.

“That’s because Mrs. Jax likes you. Besides, you’re one of the smartest ones in that class. You always get it on the first go-around,” Chris argued.

“Oh, I dunno,” Carson said, embarrassment in his voice. Lenora suspected her nephew was blushing all the way to the tips of his ears. “I want to be a lawyer, so I know I have to study hard.”

“Of all the things to be, Red.” Andrea snorted and rolled her eyes.

“It’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it,” Carson said in a mock John Wayne manner, which made the rest of the kids laugh.

Lenora got to her feet and shepherded them all into the dining room table. “Ye can tell me all about your day over milk and cookies, then I’ll help ye with your homework.”

“You okay, Ma? You look really sick,” Aurora said, her brow furrowed in worry as she studied her mother.

“Yeah, you look wrecked, Auntie,” Carson added.

“Well, thank ye ever so much,” Lenora said on a chuckle while rumpling Carson’s hair.

“You’re welcome. Seriously, Auntie, did you catch that flu that’s going around? Half the class has been out, and Ms. Duncan had to go home after barfing her lunch up in the hallway.”

Lenora wrinkled her nose and felt her stomach do a lazy roll. Even the mention of vomit made her own gorge rise. She took a deep, steadying breath, swallowed, and smiled wanly. “I suppose I did, darling.”

“Ewww. That means we’re all gonna get it,” Andrea sighed.

“Nah. You and Chris probably won’t because you’re wolves. You guys hardly ever get sick,” Jonas said a little begrudgingly. “Still, if we get the chance to stay home from school, it’s worth it.”

“That is, until ye have to make up your work,” Lenora pointed out.

“Geez, Ma! What a way to spoil a kid’s good time,” Jonas grinned.

However, Aurora was looking at her mother strangely. Her daughter’s eyes were squinted, and her face was scrunched in absolute concentration. Lenora felt something inside her stir. She breathed in a short, sharp gasp at the intense outpouring of love and concern she felt from Aurora through her empathic senses. It was Aurora’s next statement that caused Lenora to grab the edge of the table as she tried to get her breath and heart rate under control.

“I can feel it, Ma. You feel better than you did this morning, but you still feel really sick.”

As the children grew and matured, their uniquely special gifts were coming to light. Lenora suspected for a while that Aurora would manifest at least some of her powers. Jonas, too, was showing signs of his own powers appearing. Chris and Andrea’s wolfish instincts became more acute every day. While Andrea excelled at athletics and languages (she was learning French, German, and Italian), Chris was already a whiz at the culinary arts and had a talent for reading people through body language and facial expressions. Being a werewolf helped in that regard because of the sixth sense that wolves were equipped with.

Lenora smiled as reassuringly as she could. “I won’t deny feeling lousy, but it’ll pass, sweetheart. We can talk about it later though, all right? Let’s get your schoolwork done first, shall we?” Lenora would talk with Aurora later, as she was sure Aurora would have questions about the powers and talents she was developing. She and Tyrone would give ample time to make sure each one of their children was comfortable with their developing gifts.

Lenora loved helping the kids with their homework, but she had to admit to herself that she felt wrung out afterward. All she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for the next week. Regardless, her work wasn’t done because she had a promise to fulfill to Aurora.

“It’s beautiful, darling,” Lenora said as Aurora, clad in her frilly pink tutu, pirouetted around her.

“Do you really think so, Ma?” Aurora asked.

“I think ye know how to check to see if I’m telling the truth,” Lenora said gently.

“Oh, you mean, the…um…feelings?”

Lenora nodded.

Aurora closed her eyes and concentrated. “I’m glad you’re not pulling my leg, Ma,” she said on a crooked grin. “I still feel sorta clumsy sometimes, and I hate falling on my keister. Geez, this empathy thing gives me a headache.” Aurora rubbed her temples and winced.

Lenora stroked Aurora’s cheek and hugged her. “Developing a skill takes practice, patience, and persistence. Ye sometimes have to fall, but ye then must get back up and keep at it. Ye get some bumps and scrapes along the way, but it’s worth it once ye become proficient.” Lenora’s Irish lilt always thickened when she gave serious advice or felt deep emotion. “The headache will go away in a few minutes, and ye won’t get them at all once this becomes more natural.”

“Did you get headaches when you were learning, too?”

“Och, yes! It just comes with the territory.” She looked intently at the little girl. “If they get very painful, ye must tell me. Exerting too much magic before ye can handle it isn’t healthy.”

“Sure, Ma. I’ll be careful.”

“Good. Aurora, are there any more abilities ye want to share with me?” Lenora asked.

“Well…” Aurora rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Promise you won’t laugh?”

“Pinky swear,” Lenora replied, extending her right pinky.

Lacing her pinky with her mother’s, Aurora blew out a long breath and continued. “I…well, I can see things. It’s kinda like I’m watching a movie. These images just come when I don’t expect them to. Sometimes I see things that have already happened, but sometimes I see things somewhere when I don’t think I’ve been born yet. Then, there are times when I think I see things that are going to happen. Sometimes it’s all jumbled. And then, there’s the music. I swear there’s power that comes out of me when I’m playing the piano or singing, Ma. It’s…it’s kinda like that Twilight Zone episode where this piano makes others feel what’s inside the music it’s playing. Only I’m that piano, Ma. I can make people feel certain ways when I’m practicing music. It’s more than just them enjoying or appreciating it. It’s…oh…I don’t know how to explain it. And then, there’s these colored lights I see around people and animals. It’s like I can tell what they’re thinking or read who they really are in these lights. And I hear them in my head, Ma. I can hear people’s thoughts in my head!” All this came out in a rush, and Aurora hugged herself. “I never told anyone this before. They’d think I’m crazy. I’m not, crazy…am I?”

Lenora listened with rapt attention, flabbergasted by everything Aurora was saying. “I sensed there was a lot ye were trying to work through lately but figured you’d come to me with it when ye were ready. Come here and sit beside me, sweetheart. We have a lot to talk about.”

Aurora did as her mother requested and snuggled against her side. “it freaks me out more than a little sometimes.”

“With great power comes great responsibility. I want ye to always remember that because, Aurora, my love, it sounds like ye are destined for amazingly magical adventures.” She stroked Aurora’s hair and hugged her close. “First of all, you’re not crazy. It sounds to me like ye inherited my empathic and psychic abilities. We can work on those together, and I’ll help ye to be able to control and master them. Music has a magic all its own, but it sounds like ye have a talent that goes above and beyond that. This is very, very powerful magic, more powerful than either of us knows. I will speak with your great grandmother about this. Plus, it sounds like ye have the ability to read auras. This ability is usually only seen in fairies. The magical music ability is also usually a fairy ability although Sirens also have their own brand of magical music. I will speak with GG about this because I’ll admit some of this is beyond my knowledge.”

Aurora’s eyes widened. “You mean…I could almost be a fairy?”

Lenora chuckled. “I get the idea this makes ye happy.”

“Heck yeah! I mean, I love fairies. I’m going to marry a fairy prince one day, you know.”

“So ye tell me every day,” Lenora laughed. “For now, let’s just see what GG has to say.”

“Can we talk to her together? I mean, she might want a demonstration or something,” Aurora said, bouncing slightly on her sofa cushion. Lenora could both see and feel the excitement in Aurora now that she was assured her sanity was intact.

“I think that’s a fine idea. We’ll invite her and Grandda over for dinner once GG returns from her trip. How does that sound?”

“Awesome! You might want to talk to the others as well. They’ve got some extra juice, too. It’s different than mine, but it’s still extra juice.”

Lenora grinned and ruffled Aurora’s hair. “I will take that under advisement. Now, off to bed. It’s getting late and I’m knackered.”

Aurora raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you’re okay, Ma?”

“Now, don’t start that again, o daughter of mine.” Lenora pretended to tweak Aurora’s nose, which made her giggle. “Tomorrow’s a new day, and I will be fine. Now, off to bed with ye. I’ll be up to tuck ye in in just a couple minutes.”

Aurora hugged her mother tightly. “I surely do love you, Ma, lots and lots.”

“And I love ye to the moon and back again…forever and ever.”

Author’s Note: I’m at the point now in the story where I’m including newly written material along with the previously published (on Blogger) material that I’m reworking. Because of this, I’m gathering new screenshots to go along with the ones I’ve already taken. In some instances, I have to recreate certain aspects, namely the quads as children. In the main save, they are grown up, and I never saved the child versions, thinking I wouldn’t need them anymore. This means I had to age down the kids. In doing so, you may notice some differences in looks between scenes. I tried to put things back as closely as I could, but it’s not perfect by any stretch of the word. I wanted to bring this to your attention just in case I get some raised eyebrows. :D.

Thank you to Piazza Girl for the use of Carson. He was born in her game and sometimes appears briefly in her story, A Race Against Time. I fell in love with that kid, so she graciously agreed to letting me use him. I have big plans for him, so he will be appearing a lot in my stories. If you have not done so already, I highly recommend checking out Piazza Girl’s story, as it’s totally awesome.

As always, thanks for reading, subscribing, liking, commenting, and lurking.