The Timber Effect

by Jacklyn Reynolds

  "Timber," whispered Henry as though he was struggling to speak. She reached the first-floor landing and Henry grabbed her gently by the hands. Timber heard Emily take another photo but she didn't care.

  "You look stunning, Henry," said Timber breathlessly.

  "And you! You look -," fumbled Henry. "You look - I can't find the right words."

  Henry leaned in and kissed Timber on the forehead while Emily took another photo.

  "I'm sorry to interrupt your moment you two, but what time are y'all goin' to be home?" asked Grace.

  "About five," said Henry.

  "Alright. Okay, y'all should get goin' so y'all don't miss your reservation," said Grace. "Drive safe and have fun!"

  "Bye," said Henry and Timber together.

  Henry led Timber out of the house and across the street to his driveway. Timber was confused and excited. Instead of Henry's ten-year-old Honda, there was a 2015 Corvette Stingray in dark gray.

  "Henry, where's your car?" asked Timber as Henry opened the door for her to get in.

  Timber got in and took a look around the car. She took in the new car smell and smiled. He closed the door and walked around to the other side and got. He closed the door and pushed the start button. He looked at Timber and grinned. He started the car and revved the engine, letting it roar as loud as it could. Timber smiled and felt a rush of adrenaline sweep over her and she grinned too. Henry pulled out of the driveway and headed to the south end of town.

  "I didn't know you were a Corvette guy," said Timber. "I pictured you as more of a Viper kind of guy."

  "The Viper looks nice but Corvettes handle curves better going at high-speed."

  "I love fast," said Timber. "You didn't answer my question, though. What happened to the Honda?"

  "It's in the shop," said Henry. "It's been having trouble starting recently and last night it wouldn't start at all so I took it to the mechanic. I could have fixed it myself but I didn't want to cancel our first real date."

  "This is going to sound weird, but I'm glad your car wouldn't start because this is amazing," said Timber.

  "I have better news," said Henry. "The restaurant I'm taking you to is not going to charge for the meal."

  "What? Why?"

  "The owner of the restaurant owes me a favor from fourteen years ago and I'm cashing it in."

  "What did you do?" asked Timber.

  "Saved his life," said Henry. "He was a friend of mine growing up in Haven. He's a year older than me but we were the same size in human form. Unfortunately, his werewolf form is pretty small so he was picked on a lot."

  "Poor guy," said Timber sympathetically.

  "One full moon a substantial number of larger guys were chasing him and one bit him. I was able to put an end to it but it cost me. My last three fingers on my left hand had to be surgically reattached. I can move them and use them properly, but I have no feeling in them. I got off easy, though. I ripped the arm from one and two others can no longer walk. The rest ran away. I was only ten and not even full-grown. I was maybe about your size. After that, no one messed with me. The only reason I made it out is because I was being trained in combat by Lord Avanti. The others were not. Dresden was grateful and demanded that I let him pay me back. He opened up the restaurant two years ago but he called me last month to let me know where he was. Then, he told me that I could have lunch or dinner for free when I wanted. So today I'm cashing in my favor."

  "Henry, you're amazing," said Timber. Henry smiled.

  "Only in your eyes, I'm afraid," said Henry.

  "Does he live in the area then?" asked Timber.

  "Funnily enough, he lives in Fort Bragg too," said Henry. "He moved there a year ago. He's living in the apartments on Cypress Street. He always said that he wanted to live in a small town by the beach. He said he couldn't say no when he saw downtown which is oddly enough, the same reason I came here."

  "Does he like history too?" asked Timber with interest, hoping for someone else to debate with.

  "Not at all," grinned Henry. "He likes food and tattoos. His favorite thing to do growing up was experiment in the kitchen. It paid off. We do both like fast cars, though."

  They drove for a little while listening to the radio and singing badly along with the songs they knew while Timber was dancing in the passenger seat. After twenty minutes, Henry turned the radio down.

  "We're almost there. Can you smell it yet?"

  Timber rolled down the window a crack to not mess up her hair and sniffed. The air was damp and salty. She could smell the trees, the flowers, and the sand. What stood out to her though was the scent of a well-seasoned prime rib. Timber closed her eyes and lodged the memory of this scent away so she would never forget it.

  "I think I see the restaurant," said Henry.

  "Yeah, there it is."

  He turned into a small parking space in front of a building that looked more like a house than a restaurant. Timber got out of the car and looked around. It was beautiful here. Timber had been to Mendocino many times, but she had never been to this restaurant before. It was a beautiful white building with a vegetable and herb garden on the side and a beautiful view of the ocean and Mendocino Bay between two other beautiful buildings.

  Henry offered Timber his arm and she took it happily. He led her through the open door and Timber's smile grew wide when she saw the inside. The restaurant looked more like a cozy New England home than a restaurant were it not for the tables and chairs that filled the room. The windows on one side gave people a superb view of the ocean. On the other side, guests could see the old wooden water tower. Timber thought it was beautiful.

  "Henry, my friend it is so good to see you!"

  Timber turned to see a tall black man coming towards them with a smile on his face. He was powerfully built with large muscles and no hair. Timber sensed him to be a man of a gentle nature despite his looks. His arms were heavily sleeved in tattoos and on his wrists he wore a pair of black leather bracelets identical to Henry's.

  "Dresden, it's been a long time," said Henry smiling and shaking his hand. "You've grown taller than me. You also have more tattoos than me."

  "It was only a matter of time," laughed Dresden. "I'm also quite sure the one on my back is larger than the one on yours. And who is this beautiful woman on your arm Henry?"

  "Dresden, this is my fiancé, Timber Brogan," said Henry stepping aside so Timber and Dresden could shake hands. "Timber, this is Dresden Michaels."

  "Brogan? Elizabeth's daughter?" asked Dresden looking both surprised and highly impressed.

  "Yes," said Timber.

  "Henry, you are the luckiest man on the face of the earth," said Dresden. "Elizabeth was an angel. Her smile could light up the darkest room and when she spoke, the angriest man could no longer feel anger. Even as a wolf, she was nothing but kind. Your father, I only met a few times. He was hardworking and a little quiet."

  "You knew my parents?" asked Timber.

  "Yes, I did. I was bitten as an infant," said Dresden. "Your mother used to sing me to sleep when I was first brought in. My mother dumped me in a river on a full moon. I was found inside Haven by your mother who was only thirteen then. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to meet you though I heard of your birth."

  "Timber possesses many traits from her mother it seems," said Henry.

  "Well I have to say that I am truly honored to have Timber Brogan in my restaurant," said Dresden. "Please allow me to personally seat you."

  Dresden led them to a table beside the window and the fireplace and gave them their menus. He left for the kitchen and Timber looked at her menu without reading it.

  "Timber, are you alright?" asked Henry. "Your eyes aren't moving."

  "I had no idea my parents were so young when they had me," said Timber. "Dresden is one year older than you which means that he's seven years older than me and my mom found him when she was thirteen. That means she was nineteen or twenty when I was born."

  "Well look at it this way," said Henry,
"if they waited, we may have never happened."

  "I'm glad they didn't wait then," said Timber with her mood lightening and a smile dancing on her lips.

  "I love you, Henry."

  "I love you too."

  Henry smiled lovingly at her, making her blush. Then Dresden came back with a smile.

  "So may I start you two off with anything to drink? Order anything you wish. Everything is on the house tonight."

  "I'll have a virgin strawberry daiquiri," requested Timber.

  "Cabernet Sauvignon," said Henry.

  "I'll have it right out for you," said Dresden and he left.

  "Your friend is quite charming," said Timber. "I like him."

  "I thought you might," said Henry. "That's why I asked him to be the best man at our wedding. He was my best friend in Haven. He was overjoyed when I told him I was engaged. So much has happened recently, I forgot to tell you. I can't believe I didn't think of him before."

  "Well it's been a long time since you lived in Haven," said Timber.

  "That's true."

  "So when were you going to tell me you have a tattoo on your back?" asked Timber with a playful smirk dancing on her lips.

  "I only have two you haven't seen," said Henry. "You've seen the golden sun mark that the Highers have on their hands?" Timber nodded. "I have the same design tattooed on my upper back between my shoulders. I got it on my eighteenth birthday right before I left because I wanted to declare my loyalty to the Highers. Most of us who are loyal to the Highers get the mark tattooed somewhere on our body whether we leave Haven or not. When I was sixteen, I got a wolf print with the symbol of a bear on my upper left arm. It was done in a special ink so it's only visible with the Highers' magic. It was placed there after I completed training in combat and became a Haven soldier. The wolf mark was so if something happened I was identifiable as a werewolf. The bear is Lord Avanti's symbol. He is the Higher who trained me."

  "I would like to see the one on your back," said Timber.

  "One day," said Henry with a smile.

  "You want to know something funny?" asked Timber. "We saw each other, fell in love and then we met. Then we became friends. Then we kissed. Then we got together. At Christmas, we got engaged and now we're finally on our first real date a month and a half before the wedding. We are doing this all out of order."

  "I like it, though," said Henry. "It's different from the usual story. Boy meets girl. They become friends. Then get together, go on dates, kiss, fall in love, and get married. Ours is unique. I do remember you saying that you would end up an old maid with far too many cats."

  "I don't know why I thought of cats," said Timber. "I hate cats."

  "As do most canines including myself," said Henry. "So have you decided what you want to eat?"

  "I think so," said Timber. "Have you ever had duck before?"

  "Rare or cooked?"

  Timber smiled and said, "Cooked."

  "No, but they're very good fresh out of the air. Well, if you take away the feathers."

  "I take it that was your animal of choice in Haven," said Timber grinning.

  "I preferred deer, but I couldn't often bring myself to catch them. It was never a matter of speed, and I'm strong enough, as you've seen. I could bring down a full-grown bison easily if I wanted too, but most of the time I would see a doe and fawn and I opted to let them be."

  "That's very kind of you," said Timber. "I wish I could figure out my skill set."

  "I think your skillset is more along the lines of agility and endurance," said Henry.

  Dresden came over with their drinks and took their order. Timber couldn't make up her mind so Dresden recommended the house specialty which was quail soup. Timber ordered that and Dresden again, left with a smile.

  "So I never did ask you," said Henry taking a sip of wine, "where did you learn to fight? I know Lord Avanti wouldn't have taught you. You were too young. Greg was a skilled werewolf. The way you fought him, and the Vanquisher; I've never heard of anyone getting close enough to kill a Lyndrath."

  "My mother taught me how to fight," said Timber. "When I was four, she started figuring out what I was best at. I have great endurance and I fight best in short bursts. My first strategy is to try to tire them out and then make them mad. If they're tired and angry, they make mistakes because they can't think straight. It gives me the advantage."

  "That sounds like a good strategy," said Henry.

  "What happens when you get angry?"

  "I think clearly no matter what. The anger only gives me adrenaline. Fear is what gets me. My mother figured that out so what she wanted me to do is to try to turn my fear into anger."

  "I can understand that."

  "I smell that... It smells so good," said Timber.

  Dresden appeared carrying Timber's bowl of quail soup and Henry's plate of venison and potatoes. He offered Henry more wine but Henry declined because he had to drive. When Dresden left again, Henry looked at Timber.

  "You know, you do look beautiful," said Henry. "You look different than usual but I kind of like it."

  "Thank you. I feel kind of pretty today."

  "Timber, you're stunning. You're always absolutely drop-dead gorgeous."

  "I haven't always thought so," said Timber. "This soup is amazing. Anyway, I have always been highly self-conscious because of my size. I've always been a little bigger than my friends ever since I hit puberty. They all have amazing swimsuit bodies with no scars. I didn't. Diana didn't help either. When I met you, it made me more self-conscious not because of anything you did but because of my insecurity. I knew I liked you but I was afraid that you wouldn't like me because of my size. When you told me that you loved me... That was the first time I felt pretty."

  "Timber, I want to tell you something." Henry took Timber by the hand. "I have seen you in your pajamas, with no makeup, fresh out of the shower and you're still absolutely stunning. Your size never mattered to me. It's not your body that I loved. It was you. Your heart. I knew I couldn't have you in the beginning because you were too young. I thought I could never have a relationship but I desperately wanted to spend time with you. I never meant for you to fall for me but when you did, all of my visions for the future changed. So in loving your heart, I changed my own."

  "That's the most beautiful thing you have ever said to me," swooned Timber. "Why are you not an English teacher?"

  "Because it's not something I'm passionate about," said Henry. "I want to make the world a better place. I believe that the best way to do that is to teach the past. You can learn from it. You can see what worked and what failed and you can try to make it better. The first thing you have to be able to do is think for yourself, but also be open to suggestions and opinions and be willing to compromise for the benefit of others."

  "Where did this passion come from?" asked Timber. "I love that you're passionate about something. I'm curious."

  "The Highers, I guess," said Henry. "They're passionate about making the world a better and safer place. I guess it rubbed off on me."

  "I'm glad you're passionate about something so important," said Timber. "I can hear it in your voice when you start teaching sometimes. It's one of the reasons why I love you."

  "Thank you," said Henry smiling. "Do you have anything you're passionate about? I know what it is, but I want to know if you know."

  Timber lowered her spoon and thought. What was she passionate about? Timber had never taken the time to be passionate about anything now that she thought about it. There were things that she wanted to preserve but she never got worked up over anything.

  "I don't know actually," said Timber. "Is that bad?"

  Henry shook his head.

  "I shouldn't think so. Though I have noticed something you are passionate about." Timber tilted her head. "It's memory preservation. Your passion is to keep your history alive through photos with your mother's camera. Also your family's stories about moonshining, life during the civil war, and the preservation of Thatcher's journ
al. You're passionate about preservation and tradition. I would say that's a good thing."

  Timber thought about what Henry had said and she smiled

  "I think you know me better than I know myself," said Timber grinning. "I have a question and you can say no. Can I try a sip of your wine?"

  Henry raised his eyebrow, and Timber thought he was going to say something about waiting to drink until she was twenty-one even though he started drinking at eighteen. To her surprise, however, Henry smiled and handed her his glass. Timber put it to her lips and took a sip. She immediately handed Henry the glass and scrunched up her face in disgust with her tongue hanging out. Henry laughed heartily as Timber turned red and started trying to get the taste out of her mouth. She drank her water until it was only water she tasted. Then she looked at Henry who still looked very amused.

  "That's disgusting," said Timber. "How can you drink that?"

  "It's an acquired taste," said Henry lightly. "White wine is lighter than this. It might have been more suitable for your first taste of alcohol. But the face you made was too funny. I have no regrets in life now. Just don't tell your aunt and uncle I let you have a sip of wine."

  "Trust me I won't," said Timber. "So can you explain your leather band to me? Dresden has the same one."

  "We gave them to each other for Christmas as teenagers," answered Henry. "We made them in class and wrapped them. They're enchanted to our swords. Mine is enchanted to make sure that no one but me can wield my sword Bellator. Dresden's are enchanted to call his twin swords to him wherever he is. They only work with our DNA so it would not accept you but if I could have a child, it could accept them. I would wear this on my right wrist but I don't like my scar, so I wear it on my left. I would make gifts for Victoria and Charles too, but they were never enchanted. Every year they would send me a handmade gift, too. We stopped sending gifts after Victoria died."

  "Can you tell me about her? Victoria. You seldom talk about her. I want to know what she was like."

  "She was my baby sister," said Henry. "She was always my Victoria. Before I went away, she would follow me everywhere. She was always shy and quiet. I loved her very much. So did Charles, but I was her favorite. When I went away, Charles told me she cried every night and asked for me all the time. It broke my heart. She was the one I went to when I left Haven. That was before she met Sebastian. She cried when she saw me. I don't think anyone has ever hugged me tighter. Not even Charles when he saw me before prom night."