No one had cooked in this house since Mom had gone away.
More laughter drifted up the stairs and down the hall into my bedroom. There were too many voices mixed in the chorus for it to just be Daniel and my father. I breathed in again, and caught another now-familiar, underlying scent in the air—that of a dog who’s been lying out in the sun, mixed with the distinct scent of boy. There were werewolves in this house. And not just Daniel. Based on the smell, there were several just down the stairs.
Despite the effort it took just to keep my weak, aching body sitting upright, curiosity got the better of me. Not to mention the gnawing sensation in my stomach triggered by the smell of so much food. When was the last time I’d actually eaten? I dragged myself out of bed, slowly changed into fresh clothes, and tiptoed my way down the stairs—only to find the dining room bursting with people and food.
Daniel, my father, Charity, Baby James, Brent, Ryan, Zach, Slade, and even Talbot were gathered around, dishing up heaping portions from platters piled high with all varieties of breakfast foods that filled every square inch of the table.
“She’s up!” Dad said when he saw me in the entryway.
The crowd at the table cheered.
“Come eat.” Dad waved me into the room.
Both Daniel and Talbot stood when I entered, but it was Daniel who rushed over and threw his arms around my shoulders. He pecked a kiss on my cheek. “How are you feeling? You passed out at the hospital.”
“Tired but starving.” My stomach hadn’t stopped growling since I’d laid eyes on all that food.
“Sit. Eat.” Daniel indicated the empty seat between his spot and Charity. I watched as my sister passed a pitcher of orange juice to tattoo-covered Slade. Little Baby James squealed with delight as he pelted Talbot in the face with a handful of scrambled eggs. Talbot laughed, swatting egg off his baseball cap.
I pinched my arm. Hard. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do if you think you’re dreaming? My two worlds—the Urbat, and my human family—had finally collided. But instead of the resulting explosion I had expected if that were ever to happen, they were breaking bread together? “What on earth is going on?”
From behind me came the last voice I had expected to hear. “Breakfast for dinner.”
I whirled around to find my mother standing there, holding a tray of steaming French toast. My mouth popped open. How was she here?
“Your favorite,” she said. “I was hoping the smell would rouse you.” I noticed now that her fingers were still quite thin, but other than that, she looked so different from the vacant shell I’d seen when I’d visited her on Monday.
“Mom? But … but…” Fleeting memories trickled into my brain. Daniel and me standing over my mother as she lay in her hospital bed in the psych ward. The feeling of power rushing through my hands. Then I recalled passing out with fatigue onto the hard linoleum floor. “How long have I been asleep?”
“About ten hours,” Daniel said. “I’ve never seen anyone so drained. I don’t think you’re supposed heal two people in one day like that. So don’t go getting ideas that you can go around healing whole wards of people at the hospital at once.”
My cheeks flushed with heat. I had been thinking something like that.
“How are you so okay?” I asked Daniel. He’d been part of both healing sessions, too.
“I slept for a good four hours myself once we got back here. But Grace, you should realize that most of the power came from you. I was just helping. You’re the one who healed your parents.”
“We hear you’re quite the little miracle worker,” Talbot said, his mouth full of egg.