18 - A gentle tour

Having an over seas guest over, was big road trips and going to places we do for holidays. The tourists areas of Florida. Big theme park attractions and little places off the beaten path that locals share secretly. Taking in the culture and history.

Reminiscent of places whipped away from the storms and the things mother did as a kid. She spoke without filters, everything about her college years and things she did behind grandpa's back. Given he was a cop and doing such things was inappropriate. The English man was a little taken back by how open she is in front of her daughter. But it was all in part of learning not to do and understanding each other. She didn't give the full grit of how she did these things but rather than she did them and regerts it. There were times she admitted that doing things were fun and mentally helped. But there was always alternative and healthy options that she stated that she should have done.

This is her mother's method of parenting and in spite of things that should fly over a young mind, it's the respect and honesty. It's teaching a daughter morals and understanding. To see from other perspectives and be more informed of social issues when it came to Lea's future. Besides, there is time and place for these conversations. Not everything was for the public to hear. The English man understanding this way of parenting.

He returned in kind. He talked of his days as a young lad. The not so smart plans he did. How he came to make friends of unlikely people because of what he did. He turly did make a fit for such a once wild woman. They were both making up for these young life regerts. And talking made environment of learnin, it is sharing but not over sharing it. He really is a nice guy. He was wreck but he is a good man hidden understandneath. He did crazy things in situations that saved lives. Like helping a woman home when she was clearly in trouble. He slept on her living room floor and hardly recalls what he did to leave. But it's these small things that painted character to an otherwise odd fella from over the pond that typed words on the internet.

Lea can see it in their eyes. Read the room. She was also accepting of the gentleman he can be. He needs someone like her mom. Her mom needs a man like him. Lea didn't mind him being included and was sure her respect for the man will come as she aged. She just hopes he doesn't get scared away but the Fallown turth or how Lea came about. Although the man did have a daughter back at his home. She was older and moved out, he says. Even then, would he welcome Lea as a daughter if he knew of her supernatural abilities. Her mother didn't show her ability off around him. She doesn't want it sprung on him. They don't even know his religious beliefs yet.

The Saint August area is always the same. An area of clashing Greek sub cultures and Spanish spiced in that mix. The buildings themselves were movie set pieces for some big films, westerns mostly. The boarding school that was the Slave plantation was busy and loud. The area was full of half creatures hidden among living. The graveyard of masked spirits raised in spying carefully of the group tourist. The weak types and hidden can feel the influence of the powers the

is family held.

There is always the must do restaurant of area. The Columbia is famed for the food that was the pride of history. The menu was recipes that went back for era. The drinks were mix recreations of upper class dinning while the food was the mix mash of cultures. Greek salads. Fresh baked breads baguettes. The corn porridge called Girts, called that for the texture and process the kernels give in the dish, that workers lived off. There was even fried Alligator, due to the fact the area was the world leader in trading their skins for high fashion. The Alligator farm is long gone but the legacy lived as a menu item. There was many wrap options and Cuba sandwich alternatives. Going here was expensive but it was a once in a year sort of thing, plus going as a large group three generations - made worth in buy the pitcher amount of drinks.

"Try this grape juice." Her mom passing the long glass, Lea was hesitant given it has the back smell that the beer does. Even still she trusts her mom and the point of why she did this.

"I don't like it." Lea even with a small sip dislikes the sour and alcohol tang. Her mom nods good of the reaction.

"Now remember this Lea. Moderation is best. Small amounts while talking to freinds and family is OK. But it's not worth the habit." Lea frowns at what sort of answer that meant.

"I think what she means is. When you are older and do start to enjoy the taste of this sort of stuff. That small glasses over a long period of sitting will be fine." He nods, "I would make sure to eat a little snack and if it seems like a normal drink, order with water or whatever call canned fizzy over here." She nods carefully at this advice, "Don't do with I did which was thinking the little cup drinks were weak. Those little things are even stronger then the wine you sipped." She nods a lot at that. She has already seen a shot drinking contest between her mom and aunt. That was when grandma tucked her and her brother to bed.

"I miss my brother." She frowns in sighing.

"My sisters son was raise like a son to me. He was the big brother. It's part of all that complex problems we have." Her mom covering in the explanation.

"Lea told me about him. He just a tense tween in a tough time. It's a shame his real father took him back, or at least that's what she assumes." So he knows a little more then Lea does. Gladly the English man is a smooth talker for these situations, "A toast to those not here and those watching from somewhere else." For that everyone lifted a drinking glass and cheered. Food was finally brought over and her aunt lead the table to prayer.

Everyone was eating in silence, not looking at each other and being awkward. Lea mostly noted how the English man used his fork and knife in the opposite hands. She attempted to try this and had an easier time eating her meal with manners and not flinging it every which way. She would normally told off for using the wrong way but the this was excused with the English man here. He preferred the eating in silence.

Conversation only picked up with those that finished frist and that Lea left the table to the loo by herself. Even in this restaurant, there was something other then living people. The cross cultures has strange guardians among living people. It was like Mexican spirit animals but they all were masked in Greek theater designs. They looked made like puppets, cloth and poles. She can see a Spanish lady in red dancing in the restaurant courtyard, clapper shells and shoes that click and clack. When she was in the loo, a living person was using a mirror and beside them was a dog pointed faced creature. It was staring at the person using the mirror, waiting for the woman. She seems to had left without further word. Lea went to do what she came for at the stale, locking door. She flushed and had no peeking Tom's. She however was to small to reach the sink to wash hands. She sighed of this.

"Here. But you don't tell anyone." She picked up by the dog guy. She washed her hands and was put down. She did a thanks gesture that spirit do, "Your very nice and clearly not scared of me." The being nods. She shurgs gently and can dry her hands on pull towels. She throws away the towel and tossed the guy a blank coin. He accepts that, soft bow and she comes out the loo area. The English man came out the men's room, he shook disappointment about something.

"Never private in the loos." She looks up to him and he jolts. He glad it just her looks around, "Its ways busy here." She doesn't accept taking his hand to walk togethers back to the table. She however avoided things that no one alive tends to. She stops for him to caught up while looking at the pretty red dress woman for a bit. He caught up but they both stop to watch the lady, "Are you scared of them?" She asks in knowing he can see.

"Of strangers?" She chuckled at that cover up.

"The werid Mexican spirit guards. They are here because of the Spanish holiday. You would be scared of the Greek festive." She waves at the lady red with a smile, the dancer bows. Continues dancing.

"What is scary about a Greek festival?"

"Festive. The graveyard people walk into these places, isn't a spirit holiday. We living don't celebrate anything." She whispers softly, "Also, my mom taught me stranger danger. I apply that to them too. You don't give them a reason to stay with you. Even small favours." She tossed a blank coin, through the living glass and caught by the dancer. Bows. They get back to the table now, "I don't know how mom will react in how much I know. Best not tell her yet."

"What did you throw?" He picked her up and carried her to the table.

"They have forms of money too. It's not hard to find or earn. Sometimes you do things in good kindness for strangers and the coins are just given to you." She gets quite with them back to the table. He put her on the seat.

"Its busy here." He comments.

"I don't know. I seen it packed out." Aunt wipes off face hands from her meal. She sits reclined with her drink.

"Its a great place. This building was the court rooms once. The gallows outside pitched traitors and slave folks that didn't follow the rules. The school house is literally chained to the floor because of the storms." Grandpa explains small things in a subtle way. Those that knew he meant the spirits nod and those that didn't posed confused.

"I thought the old hotel was the mayor's house." Aunt corrects.

"The slave post is right there." Her boyfriend adding.

"I think we should do one the cart bus tours." Mother nervous, "They will guild us and explain history."

"Buts its the Spanish holiday. They going to have the tour busses finish early." Lea being her werid knowing self.

"Yes that's right Lea. It is a Spanish holiday. It's one the Saint days. It's sort of like day of the dead but they are celebrating the animals that protects us." Lea nods agreeing to her grandpa.

"Do you think they have more surprise dancers around?" She asked. He smiles and nods.

"Actually now that I think about it. Lea was there someone in the loo before you?" The English guy asked.

"She was sorting her makeup in the mirror. I liked her dress. She was pretty. I think she might be one the surprise dancers." Lea replies with then sipping her drink and he looks worried, "Ladies always adjust their hair and lipstick there. It's not weird."

"Yes... sure. The woman walked through the wood door and turned down a corridor that was a painting." Lea tilts at him like his the strange one.

"Wow, you got to see one the ladies of restaurant. There was one 12 lovely ladies that looked after this place. They died in many accidents over time. They say of see them, you leave them alone." Grandmother posed pointing her wisdom.

"I would want to upset the gaurd dog or snake." Lea nods agreeing, "She was pretty but I never spoke to her. She left before I finished."

"Very good." Grandma pats Lea's head. The English man seems at a lost of words while Aunt was no impressed by all this playing into a children's imagination. She rolled eyes no believing any of it. Her boyfriend was mildly Amused, a skeptical sort but was entertaining to watch the family.

"Did you see the lady on the stairs?" Her mom asked and Lea shook.

"We did both stop at the courtyard and looked at fountain there." He points out, his trying to get the family to realize Lea knows.

"The white marble is very lovely. Someone should give it a nice clean." Lea nods, "There was a spider on it."

"I am sometimes wonder just how good your eye sight is." Her mother sighed.

The adult rumbled about the drinks and debating on the check.

"Pardon us..." A living restaurant guy approached, "Due to a mix up with our staff. Would anyone here happen to have you recipient?" Lea does, she took out from her pocket. The man looks at it and the adults looked at her oddly, "Oh... I see. I was right." Passed to the nearest person, "It would seem that someone paid your tab. I thank you for coming to the restaurant today." The adults passing it around in confusion, "A gentleman in a black suit came to the counter earlier and was paying random tables bills. We reckon he might be a lotto winner or someone famous. You give the man a wave next you see him."

"That is very nice of a stranger." Mother worried.

"Its OK mom. If it was a problem, I think the ghost that follows me around would deal with it." Lea enjoys her fancy drink now it tasted better.

"You have someone that follows you?" Het mom asks, "Scince went."

"Since we got Morpheus. I think he has a twin that follow us around." She hardly ever talks about the strange cat and this was one those rare moments for the family, "I think it's why the front door has stuff always littered there. I have to clean up after him a lot."

"Yes, that cat is very oddly attached to you." Her mother crossed arms of defeat, "I just didn't realize your spirit guide was related to him." Lea shurgs.

"Actually... that awesome." The English guy laughed, "How did you find the cat?"

"My mind is still fuzzy about it. But he was injured and small like I was. My head hurt and I was in hospital. I took him with me. His been with us since." That there he frowns because he knows what her mom said about that day. About whatever business her biological father went to a deep end for and had Lea dragged into it all.

"I wonder if we met the black suit guy before." Grandpa thinking about other things.

"You might have. He fought the war like you. He always at this restaurant. He orders a drink at the bar. We should leave him one." Lea smiles.

"Yes, we should." Grandma goes to sort that put.

"I go help out." her aunt leaves and boyfriend gestures his heading to the loo.

"About time." Borrowed her aunts seat was this being, sitting and looking at the table of the clean plates, smiles glad of the plates being clean, "The nonbelievers are hard to talk to these days." She was with the dog being.

"I love your dress, lady." Lea speaks up cheery, "The food was lovely, I hope the chief team knows that."

"Awe, your so lovely as always." The lady smiles, "Now you make sure your cat does eat other my customers."

"He eats dreams. I don't think this place would be his fancy. His not that sort." The lady nods in accepting that if it's a dream visitor.

"You nickname the thing Morpheus after the god of dreams?" The dog guy ponders.

"Well if it's a dream eater. the real God would mind it helping his reputation." The lady it works for sighed, "To the point of why I am bothering you all." She waved a paper fan to appear and does undertaker court gesture. Explains a on going issue in the area, that is disruption to the Saint holiday. The English man nods very seriously with the lady and clearly his worked with her mom. Her mom is writting. Grandpa stares oddly of Lea looking at the spirit people. She noticed Grandpa and smiles. He rubs a temple and waved that she come sit on his lap. She got off the chair herself and walked around carefully, picked up by Grandpa and she smiles in looking at more guests joining the table.

"So who is the highest in the pecking order?" Lea instantly frowns. Her grandfather's raise eye brow.

"I didn't do anything bad. I just walk a lot in my dreams." She muttered softly.

"OK... but you have to give permission to these people to do this work." Grandpa posed.

"As long as they follow the rules then they are ok. If there a bit of a confusing, we can blame my cat." She nods.

"What rank are you?" The English man asked.

"I can't tell." Lea posed with hand hiding her lips, "But as long as we act quickly, we can make less clean up. The undertakers are bored people but they dislike dead people being lost. I learnt a lot you know." She turned to her Grandpa, "I left to someplace and time away, when my head go hurt. It took me a long time to come back too. I am grateful for being back home."

"OK. Do you know how to help?" He asks.

"I think so. But if I do, things are messy or confusing." She frowns.

"We can accept this permit from you. You have the lead for if things are harder." The lady nods, "Stay to the plan." She up and leaves. Lea waved them away. She smiles as dog guy too. He waves and his tail wags. A two leg standing dog man, furry and creepy. She doesn't care.

"I like her dress." She repeated, "Its so pretty but I could never have it. That material is hard to maintain and clean."

"I was trying to tell you." He tells her mom.

"I knew she can see. I just didn't understand her interactions. She avoids even angels."

"It be due to her rank. Considering that was a Duchess of this area." Grandpa explains, "The ranks of undertakers is complicated. But there is very few above a Duchess. Namely Monarchs, realm keepers and ranked high sigil walkers. If her paying for our meal was one thing. But a black suit gentleman."

"His the hand of the monarch. I haven't worked out if it's left or right." Lea pondering, "I have always respected and left them alone. I may help if it didn't make things worse. I never speak to them. I don't need to or wish to."

"But having an allies like that would help you avoid your father." Grandpa was treating her older then she appears and it's a test.

"I know. I hate them too. Hurt my head was only the tip of things. They had ruined a book. They chased me in my dream walking. Had a demon sent too. I am grateful for Morpheus." She pouts and crossed arms, "A bunch of cultists."

"Well I am glad I don't need to explain how bad they are. But I am sorry that I haven't been there to protect you sooner." Her mom reached and as mother habits go, brushing hair out eyes and warm hand on cheek.

"I don't have any plan of revenge or anything to do with anyone. I will stay standing independently. But I know I am mostly alone. It's why I have things like Morpheus and book."

"Can I see the book?" The English man asked. Lea sighs. She considered it but her uncle and aunt were back. Grandma slowly after in whispered to a spirit.

"Shops time!" Aunty claps and given she's no spiritual person, she didn't enact any casting from doing it. Everyone getting up and making it easier for drinks and plates to be taken. Table tip. Last checks for things left behind. Lea pick up the fan the lady left at the table. Holding it close and protected it.

"Just another thing to return to them." She walked with Grandpa, "There are a lot of undertaker kingdoms. They suit the area they boundary lies over."

They leave with a soft wave to staff and onto the streets. Among the little tourist gift places. Passing along up towards the school on chains and as a group walks seeing the sights.