Dragons are Forever

by H. M. Gooden

  "Yes, everyone into the house. I have made many smørbrød, as well as some warm suppe for this chilly day."

  Once again, Jake and his dad carried their meager luggage, leaving Mai to awkwardly follow behind them. It was starting to feel like a habit and she didn't like it. She'd come so far over the previous few years while attempting to fit into modern society, but this tense meeting had made her feel as if she was starting all over again, fading back into the wallpaper, and she wasn't going to let herself. She stiffened her shoulders and raised her head, stepping inside the door.

  Yet the inside of the house was warm and comfortable. Mai knew that if she'd been visiting under other circumstances, she would have felt welcome inside. The walls were a pale wood, with the kitchen painted a bright white. The stove was a big, black shiny centrepiece, with a pot on top that was bubbling, emiting delicious smells that wafted into the room. The kitchen led in an open concept into the dining area, with a long table in the same light wood she'd noticed in the kitchen, and through the far archway she could see part of a comfortable appearing couch in the living room.

  Aud commanded her attention the moment Mai walked in, obstructing her view of the rest of the house.

  "Mai! You must come with me. I want to show you the upstairs, where our rooms are. We've done up the spare room for you. Jake will be in his old room."

  Mai trailed behind the vivacious teen as they went upstairs, as Aud continued to chatter the entire way, stopping inside a pink and blue room. Aud flipped her long blond hair as she gestured excitedly around her.

  "Look, here's my room. I'm right across from you, so if you need anything just knock. I've always wanted a sister!"

  Mai was simultaneously amused by Aud's animated conversation while embarrassed to find out that his family had already arranged their sleeping situation, although it made sense. On the one hand, it was a relief that she didn't have to discuss the issue with his mother, but the reality of separate rooms also made her sad. She'd become used to sleeping close to Jake during their trip and the idea of being apart from him made her feel horrible and empty. But at the same time, she wasn't ready for something as big as sharing a room at his parents house without being married. In her day, that wouldn't make her a very decent type of marriage prospect. And while she wasn't sure that they'd mind, not in today's society, she still didn't want his parents thinking that she was that type of woman.

  Aud, completely oblivious to Mai's inner turmoil, bounced around the room.

  "I'm so excited to meet you. I always wondered what kind of girl Jake would bring home with him. And you're a dragon, too! It would have been sad if he just fell in love with a human. This way he'll continue to pass the family gifts forward."

  Aud stopped walking and covered her mouth with shock. "I'm so sorry. Not that there's anything wrong with people, that isn't what I meant. I'm just happy to have a sister who understands the difficulties and the joys that come with being different."

  Mai smiled, warming up to this friendly girl. She may have put her foot in her mouth a little, but she was open and welcoming and Mai could tell that her intentions were good.

  "Don't worry, I understand. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that Jake was a dragon as well. We had a connection from the start, but that did add another layer of shared interests that was nice."

  Aud relaxed, giving Mai a grin that stretched from ear to ear.

  "Thanks. You're very kind. I can't wait to get to know you better! How long are you going to stay? Are you getting married soon? Do you want to have kids soon? I love babysitting!" She flushed and stopped speaking, then looked amused at herself.

  "Oops. I'm sorry for all the questions. It's just that not much exciting happens here. You are very exciting to me right now."

  Mai laughed out loud. Aud's interest in her was like being licked by a puppy, with her excitement being left all over the place.

  "No problem. I'm not sure how long we're staying. It's pretty open right now. Maybe a month? We haven't made any plans and I'm not even sure if we have jobs to go back to or not, so there's nothing with a deadline that we need to get home for."

  Aud clapped her hands. "That's fantastic! I'll show you everything here and maybe we can even go shopping in the city!"

  Mai smiled again, not sure what to say at this point, so she just nodded. Aud kept up her steady stream of conversation until they heard a knock on the door, which Aud jumped up to answer. Thankfully, it was Jake and not his parents. Mai looked at him with a slightly dazed expression and he chuckled when he saw her face.

  "So, you've had a chance to meet my chatterbox sister I see. Getting to know each other?"

  Aud came and gave him a big hug and launched into another story, but Jake cut her off.

  "Mercy! Aud, please! Poor Mai looks completely shell-shocked. I'm not sure she's used to this much talking."

  Aud looked back at Mai, scrunching her face up apologetically. "I'm sorry, I like to talk and you're a very important new person here. Maybe I got carried away."

  Mai shook her head reassuringly.

  "Oh no, it's lovely. Thank you for being so welcoming. I was very nervous about meeting everyone but you've made me feel very at home, thank you."

  Aud beamed at her before glaring at her brother.

  "See? Mai likes it. It's fine."

  Jake snorted.

  "I'm sure she does like you, silly bean, but you're also being spastic and completely overwhelming her."

  Mai could tell that they were about to launch into a sibling argument, based on cues she'd picked up from hanging around Cat and Vanessa, and quickly interrupted before things escalated.

  "Guys, guys, it's okay. I'm quite hungry actually. I was hoping that we could go downstairs and eat some of the food that your mother has prepared? It sounds fantastic."

  Mai exhaled in relief as they took the bait and almost pushed each other for supremacy over who got to walk beside her. Jake finally fell back with a sigh, allowing Aud to link her arm through Mai's. Mai smiled at his frustration, but did find herself feeling more at home with the simple display of sibling rivalry.

  THE KITCHEN SMELLED even more wonderful. Although it only looked like soup and sandwiches, Mai could tell that everything was homemade, including the bread. She sat next to Jake at the long table, with Aud quickly claiming the seat on her other side. This had the consequence of providing Mai with a friendly buffer from Astrid, who was sitting at the end of the table, watching her with a cool expression.

  "Did you find everything alright? Is there anything else you will need in your room?"

  She spoke with one perfectly arched eyebrow and Mai wondered how she managed to look so pristine. She must be close to sixty, but she appeared ageless in her white sweater and cream slacks. Mai wouldn't even attempt to wear such colors with her unerring ability to knock coffee and food onto herself.

  "Yes, thank you. Aud was very informative and has been most helpful."

  Astrid nodded with satisfaction and Mai noticed that both Anders and Christian had already started to help themselves to the food without a word.

  "Please," Astrid gestured. "Help yourselves before the boys eat it all. They have big appetites, so I encourage you to take as much as you want from the start, in case there are no seconds available."

  Anders smiled at his wife, with a twinkle in his eye.

  "She keeps trying to encourage us to have manners, but I have so far resisted being tamed."

  Christian didn't even look up from his food, but just continued eating. So far, he seemed to be the quiet one of the family. As Mai watched him eat, she remembered being that age. He looked to be around thirteen and awkward, with the long bony lines and unfilled muscles of early adolescence. He likely wasn't comfortable talking with strangers, if he was anything like she'd been back then.

  Mai smiled politely at Astrid, as she took a plate and sandwich.

  "Thank you. This smells wonderful. Do you need me to help with anything? I'm not sure ho
w you like to run things in the house, but if I can be any help, please let me know."

  Mai wasn't sure how one got on the good side of a mother in-law to be, but hoped that she wasn't unknowingly doing anything wrong. Astrid smiled back with the barest hint of teeth and this time, Mai thought it looked like a real smile. Or at least, it was trying to be a real one.

  "Thank you. I'll be sure to let you know. Now, I'd like to hear all about your travels. Jake, did you have any problems on your journey?"

  Jake looked sideways at his dad before speaking. Mai caught an almost imperceptible shake of Ander's head before Jake turned to his mother with a guileless look.

  "We had a great trip, Mom. It was smooth, nothing exciting to speak of. We spent a few nights on the beaches along the way and would like to maybe go back for our honeymoon."

  Astrid's attention perked up at the word honeymoon.

  "So, you plan to be married quickly, ja? Are we to start planning the wedding tomorrow? We could have everything ready within two weeks, quite easily."

  Astrid looked intently at Mai with cheeks that had bloomed with colour and excitement. Mai felt her stomach drop and saw Jake pale under his tan.

  "What? Oh, um, well, we hadn't really thought that far yet."

  Jake turned, looking to Mai for help.

  "Mai? What do you think? Should we let my mom help with the wedding planning and get married here, before we go back to San Francisco?"

  Mai felt almost as surprised at Jake's questions as she had when he'd first asked her to marry him. But when she looked at him and then back to his mother, she could see that Astrid was serious. Mai examined her face more closely, and could tell that although Jake's mom was very composed, she actually seemed anxious herself. Maybe this was her attempt at making a contribution for Jake and Mai and giving her seal of approval?

  Mai forced enthusiasm to the surface that she didn't feel.

  "Oh, Astrid! That's such a generous offer! My only concern is getting all of our friends here in time for a wedding. If we're going to plan, can we pick a day now and then let everyone know? I'd be devastated if my girlfriends weren't able to make it. They are really my only family."

  Astrid gave her a true smile this time.

  "Of course! I'll call the hall after lunch and see what's available for rent and we'll start planning based on that. How wonderful!"

  With another smile of approval from Astrid, Mai could suddenly see what Aud would look like in the future and felt her heart twist in her chest. She wondered what her own mother had looked like. Did Mai resemble her, the way Aud looked like Astrid? Her memories were fuzzy now and she'd never know, as nothing remained from her life back then. But with a new sense of hope, Mai realized it was possible that she might fit into this family yet, no matter her initial reticence, and that maybe, just maybe, she'd have a mother figure again.

  CHAPTER 7 SETTLING IN

  Lunch passed smoothly from that point onward, with the men eating the majority of the food as Astrid had forewarned. Aud and Astrid had done most of the talking, but Mai felt more comfortable answering their questions now, and was able to interject on occasion with her ideas for the wedding. Jake remained quiet, listening as the women planned around him. Mai could see that he wasn't eating much. She wondered if things were moving faster than he'd wanted them to and felt a pang of worry.

  At that same moment, Jake caught her eye. She could see the love, as well as the desire that was smoldering under his silence, and she felt herself flush. Maybe it wasn't nerves, but that he was so eager to live together as man and wife that he wasn't hungry as a result. She felt the fire that was always there when she thought of him rise up and begin a slow burn. She didn't care much about the details of the wedding. She just knew that one way or another, she wanted to be with him forever.

  Somehow, Mai managed to finish her food and continue to participate in the conversation, even with the distraction that Jake was inadvertently providing. Once the food and dishes were tided and put away, Jake stood up from the table.

  "I want to show Mai the town, just the two of us. It's been great seeing everyone but I think Mai could use a small break."

  Jake looked at Aud teasingly before he continued.

  "She's had a lot of questions in the last two hours and I think we could both use a walk to clear our heads."

  Aud appeared disappointed, but Astrid agreed distractedly.

  "Fine, that's fine. I need to make a few calls anyways." Astrid walked out of the room with an absent wave, looking for her phone.

  Anders shrugged and went through the archway from the kitchen to the living room and sat down in his recliner, grabbing the remote.

  "Have fun. The game's about ready to start."

  Christian dropped onto the couch beside his dad without a word. Mai could see that both men had tuned out already. Jake opened the door and she followed without a word, the company they were keeping having dispersed, and they were finally alone.

  "HOW ARE YOU DOING?" Jake asked the moment they walked out of the house, waiting for her to answer while searching her face. He knew that it was a lot to ask of anyone, meeting an entire family at once. His family was amazing, but still, they were a lot to handle. As he'd watched them interact with her in the house, he couldn't help but worry that she'd panic and run away, breaking his heart forever.

  Mai reached up and gave him a light kiss, ending it before their desire had a chance to leap up and overpower them.

  "I'm fine, Jake. I was a little worried about you when your mother suggested we get married in a few weeks though. If you aren't ready, that's okay, I understand. We're still very young. We have lots of time to plan our lives."

  Jake grabbed her suddenly, kissing her thoroughly this time, which caused fire to quickly and thoroughly explode inside him with the relief of her response.

  "I can't wait much longer to be with you forever."

  He leaned his forehead on her as he pulled back, breathing slightly fast. "I was so surprised that my mother was ready for this. I thought we'd have a harder time convincing her we should get married. To have her offer so quickly was kind of a shock. And truthfully, I wasn't scared. I was having a hard time not picturing you in my bed."

  Jake turned bright red after mentioning his bed, then watched as colour rose in Mai's face as well. He was trying so, so very hard to be a gentleman, the way his father had raised him. They'd always danced around the subject of sex in the past, and he'd always tried to pull back just a little, to let her set the pace, then pulling back completely before things went too far. Even though her body and her dragon were willing, he'd known that her mind and her heart weren't ready to have a 'modern' relationship yet. That was part of what made her so special to him. He knew how much she wanted him and still stopped herself. And if he were honest, it was also large part of why he wanted to get married as soon as possible.

  They looked at each other with a mix of love and desire, before Mai smiled in relief.

  "We're a fine pair, aren't we? I'm actually surprised that we've been able to resist each other for this long. I mean, it's been almost a year and we've had these feelings this entire time. You are my Yang and I am your Yin. We're meant to be together, so it's no wonder we were drawn to each other. I don't care about the wedding. I'd marry you in my T-shirt and jeans under the moon tonight if I could, so why not let your mother plan it? Weddings are mostly for family anyway. The marriage is for us to enjoy forever."

  Jake nodded then hugged her, a nice, full-body hug. He lingered, but sighed before finally breaking away.

  "I can't wait to be married to you. Let's look around town like I said we were going to, then text Vanessa, Cat, and the others. We may not know the date yet but we might as well give them a heads up to see if they can figure out travel plans of 'an alternative' nature if needed. At least if it's on a weekend, they won't miss too much work or school."

  Mai nodded hopefully.

  "The Summerland doorway is a very convenient mode of trans
portation, to be sure."

  Jake remembered with optimism how quick it had been to travel back to the States from the UK the year before. Things had begun to move fast, but it felt right, and he couldn't wait to get the wedding over with. He wasn't excited about the wedding part, but the marriage, like Mai had said. And he'd been ready for that almost from the day they'd met.

  THE TOWN WAS A BEAUTIFUL seaside settlement that felt familiar to Mai. She couldn't help but compare it to the small Scottish coastal town they'd spent time in when they'd fought off Carman the previous spring. The biggest difference she felt was the lack of darkness around them and the fact she didn't have to watch for soul suckers. It was a sunny day and the people were friendly, without any taint of darkness that she could tell. Everywhere she looked, she saw happy, average people going about their day. Occasionally, one would wave at them. Twice, she watched as men came over to give Jake a hug and a clap on the back.

  She looked at Jake with surprise and he smiled.

  "It's a small town. I know these men from working summers in their fields as a teenager. I've only been away for about four years and it feels good to reconnect. It's the way life is here."

  Mai shook her head with wonder. "I'm not sure how you were ever able to tear yourself away from here. I guess after what I've been through, this place feels so much more welcoming than San Francisco. I'd give anything to have a family in a town that's friendly like this. Even growing up, I was always a little bit lonely. My parents were dead and while my aunt was wonderful, we spent our time working, not socializing, with those in the city around us."

  Jake touched her face before giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.

  "I do love it here. You're right, it wasn't easy leaving, but I was young and wanted to make my way in the world, to see what else, who else, was out there."

  Mai smirked at that and Jake wiggled his eyebrows in response.