Episode 26: Travels and Treats

When Aurelia woke up this morning, she prepared a backpack of goodies for Deni. She packed him a box with two sandwiches and other snacks he could enjoy without making too much of a mess like cheese sticks, yogurt tubes, and granola bars. She put the leftover tea bags in a baggie, and added two thermoses, one with tea and another of water. She also threw in an older blanket she had in case he got cold or wanted to nap. She also wrote a note and hid it for Deni to find after he got home.

Castin sure could be a nuisance, sometimes. She was probably going to cry after Deni left. The house was probably going to feel empty for a while, too. Boy was it going to suck.

She tried to read while she waited for Deni to get up, but she could only concentrate enough to brew tea. Why was she being so emotional this morning?

Yolie hummed as she walked down the stairs. "Lalala! Brat will soon be gone!"

Rel frowned.

"Yolie," Keith said as the two joined Rel in the kitchen.

"What? Aren't you celebrating, too?" Yolie asked.

"The kid is half our age..." Keith mumbled.

"But he's been a thorn in your side just as long as he has mine!"

Keith said, "He started warming up over the course of the week." 

Rel smiled. "It would be nice if I could have him over more often."

"But, that won't happen though," Yolie said, hopeful eyes.

"You never know what might change," Rel replied.

Deni walked into the kitchen. He had on a green shirt that Rel hadn't worn since she graduated. It as so big that it looked like a dress on him. "Morning."

Rel handed Deni a plate with a chocolate chip fluffy cake on it. It was his favorite breakfast food, and today seemed like a good day to indulge him. "Good morning. You ready to go?"

He lowered his head and slowly sat down at the table.

Rel frowned. Guess the answer was no. 

She sat down beside her little brother and patted him on the back. His sad face made her even sadder. "Hey, Deni. Let's try to enjoy our last breakfast until we see each other again. Okay?"

Deni looked up and nodded. 

Rel poured some tea for them. "Aesia is going to be over the moon when you get home."

He chuckled. "Maybe. Or maybe she'll want me to leave again. Depends on how spoiled she was."

Rel laughed. "I'm pretty sure Mom would nip that in the bud at the first sign."

Deni sighed. "I hope so..." He took a bite out of fluffy cake before sipping some tea. "Daddy didn't have to share his love, so..."

Their dad certainly was more affectionate and prone to persuasion from Castin. Their mom had Minicha's ear and could come off as callous at times.

Rel smiled as she watched Deni enjoy breakfast. She wanted to take a picture, but didn't want to spoil the moment. Maybe later.

After they finished eating, Rel left their dishes for the robots to while Deni went upstairs to gather his stuff. She'd already brought most of it downstairs yesterday. When Deni came down, Rel hugged him, then led him outside to the car. She helped him load his things into the trunk, then closed his door for him.

She waved goodbye to Deni before the car drove away.

***

Deni stared blankly out the window while the car took him to the local train station. Normally, he liked to talk to the voices because they were so different, but he wasn't feeling it this morning.

When he got to the train station and got settled into his private car, he took a nap, so the time would go by faster.

Eventually, his grumbling stomach made him return to the land of the wakeful.

Sighing, he unzipped the backpack Rel gave him before he left this morning.

When he unwrapped and opened the black box, he found two sandwiches and a generous array of snacks.

He smiled at the thoughtfulness behind Rel's preparations. Deni inhaled the comforting aroma of tea before taking a sip. The warmth spread through him, calming his nerves and bringing a smile to his face.

He continued to munch on the snacks Rel had packed for him, feeling a bit more at ease with each bite. The cheese sticks were his favorite, and he enjoyed the yogurt tubes, too. As he unwrapped a granola bar, he found himself thinking about Rel, hoping she wasn't feeling too sad right now.

The rhythmic clacking of the train wheels was almost soothing, and with the tea and snacks, Deni started to feel more at home in his private car. He pulled the blanket tighter around him, its familiar scent making him feel secure and loved.

After finishing his snacks, Deni pulled up his favorite story on his terminal. The story quickly captured his attention, and he lost himself in the adventures of the characters.

Eventually, a dim light turned on as the sun began to set.

They could teleport as long as it was within a certain distance. Why did trains have to be so slow?

Cars were slower, too, but at least they only used them for short trips when they weren't in a hurry to get somewhere.

Teleportation and terminals weren't new. Why hadn't someone bothered to expand their range?

Before his train of thought could continue, he saw something dark red and sparkly fly past the window.

If only he could have gotten a picture. He wanted to know what it was. He'd never seen one before. Would the adults even believe him if he told them about it?

His mom never liked it when he talked about the invisible friend he had when he was little. She had even been treating Aesia the same way. It was so mean!

Wait. Rel read lots of books and knew lots of stuff. Maybe she would know what he saw!