Bearly Familiar

by Lilly Wilder

  “Yeah, my car barely got us here, I think it might die on us on the way there. Let’s just take your car,” Hyde urged her, and she couldn’t be quite sure, but she thought she heard Jesse giggle in the background, which annoyed her.

  Did he really think this was funny? Did they both?

  “Fine,” she snorted, “but, if we get stranded somewhere by the side of the road and it won’t start again, don’t blame me.”

  “Duly noted,” Hyde assured her. “Now, bring your sweet ass down, we’ll be late!”

  Again, that giggle, but she chose not to pay attention to it this time. She grabbed her car keys, then her purse and rushed down the stairs. This was already stressful enough without the Caprice getting involved.

  She walked down the stairs slowly, thinking how embarrassing it would be to drive the guys in her old clunker of a car. It might stop somewhere in the middle of the road. It might blow up on them. Hell, it might not even start. Any of those options was possible.

  She sighed, and figured, what the heck. Let fate decide what would happen.

  She exited the building, and saw them right in front, waiting for her. Once again, as she occasionally did, she noticed how strikingly different they were. Hyde was wearing navy blue pants with a casual white shirt. His hair was casual chic, as always. Cleanly shaven, smelling of some woody perfume. Jesse, on the other hand, was wearing a pair of jeans, with a dark red t-shirt. His Rey Bans were already on, even though there wasn’t much sun. For him, it was more of a fashion statement than protection from the sun.

  She smiled at both of them and gave them a big hug. They checked her out, top to bottom, and Jesse released a teasing whistle.

  “You look hot, mama,” he sneered.

  “You really look beautiful,” Hyde added.

  “So, which one is it?” she giggled. “We’re going to see my mother, I don’t want to look like I’m going clubbing.”

  “It’s perfect,” Hyde assured her, “you know Jesse.”

  Mischievously, she pinched Jesse on the cheek.

  “OK, guys, let’s get this over with,” she jingled her keys in her hand, and started towards her Caprice.

  “Where are you going?” Hyde suddenly asked.

  Rene turned around. She looked at the Caprice, which was just a few steps away from her. Then, she glanced at Hyde.

  “Didn’t you just say that we’re taking the Caprice?” she wondered, thinking maybe she misunderstood.

  “I didn’t say that,” Hyde shook his head gravely, then turning to Jesse. “Did I say that?”

  Jesse pretended to think about it for a second, even pressing his finger to his chin, mockingly.

  “I don’t believe you used those exact words, no,” he was being all smart, and despite her being a little annoyed that they were obviously making fun of her, Rene couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Seriously, you guys,” she heaved a sigh, “stop pulling my leg. You told me to get my car keys. Why would you tell me to do that, unless it was to take my car?”

  “Because…” Hyde started fumbling inside his trouser pockets, then extracted another set of keys. “I would like to exchange them for these.”

  She stared at the keys, confused.

  “What are those keys for?” she asked.

  “Your new car,” Jesse jumped in, grinning from ear to ear.

  “My new what?” she couldn’t believe that she heard it properly.

  “Your new car, sweetheart,” Hyde confirmed what Jesse had already said.

  “But… how?” she swallowed heavily, as tears threatened to wash all over her face.

  “We figured you needed a new one,” Hyde shrugged his shoulders, as if buying someone a new car was the most normal thing someone could do. “I mean, just look at that old pile of junk.”

  All three glanced in the direction of the Caprice, which unapologetically stood parked in the street, taking up more space than it really needed.

  “I don’t know what to say,” Rene gushed.

  “You say, thanks, you guys,” Jesse nudged her playfully with his elbow, “maybe even jump into our arms, and promise us a helluva good time tonight?”

  They all laughed, as Hyde shook his head in disbelief.

  “Don’t listen to him,” he kept laughing, “just say thank you and take the keys.”

  Not needing to be told again, she grabbed the keys and kissed them both on the cheek.

  “Which way?” she asked, and Hyde pointed at a blushing orange Honda Fit.

  “That one!?” she managed to mutter, unable to believe what she was saying. “But, that’s too much! You could have just gotten something used and…”

  “You deserve the best,” Hyde interrupted her, as Jesse nodded.

  Rene looked radiant, like a little child who just got her Christmas wish. She was on the verge of tears, unable to believe that she finally found someone who cared for her this much, who was attentive to her needs, and who would jump at every single opportunity to make her smile.

  “That’s why I got you,” she smiled.

  Rene felt like she could stand there on the sidewalk forever, just thinking about how wonderful these two guys were. But, they were all headed somewhere important, and she was eager to try her new car.

  About half an hour later, Rene was parking her new Honda Fit in front of her mother’s nursing home. Hands still firmly on the steering wheel, she took a few seconds to quickly scan the insides. She loved everything about it. The ease of access, the way it traveled smoothly down the road.

  “Well, this is it,” she sighed, looking out the window.

  She felt strange. The idea of Hyde and Jesse meeting her mother was something she’d wanted to do for a while now but, at the same time, she was afraid of the meeting. More precisely, she was afraid of the state her mother would be in. She was sure that the guys would understand and do their best, but sometimes, people’s reactions to this kind of situations were strange, even hurtful.

  Pressing his hand on her shoulder, Hyde seemed to sense the heavy feelings that were pressing down on her soul. She turned to him, and smiled.

  “It’ll be fine,” he assured her.

  She loved it when he did that. He was the only person she believed when he said that. It was as if just by saying it, he already made it happen.

  “She just might be…” she started.

  “We understand,” Jesse added, from the back seat. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

  Rene sighed. She got out of the car, and together, they walked up the stairs. They all greeted the nurse, who asked Rene to sign in, as always.

  “You know where to go,” the nurse smiled kindly.

  “Thank you,” Rene replied. “How has she been feeling?”

  “The beginning of the week was a bit tough on her, it usually is after your visit. Even though she thinks you’re someone else, I still believe that a part of her subconscious recognizes you, loves it when you’re here, and that’s why she gets a little down the following day.”

  “Really? I didn’t know that.”

  “Well, it’s nothing to be worried about. The last two days were perfect. She’s happy, and smiling all day long. Almost like she’s unknowingly anticipating your visit.”

  “Thank you, for saying that,” Rene smiled.

  Together, they walked along a small corridor. None of them paid attention to the unusual smells of products meant to keep the air and surfaces clean and disinfected. One step at a time, all three were lost in their own thoughts, until they reached a door that was familiar only to Rene.

  “Here we are,” she whispered.

  Suddenly, it hit her. How should she introduce them to her mother? Friends? Boyfriends? She didn’t ask them this, and the last thing she wanted was for them to get offended. Maybe if she just said their names, she could make that the best solution, not to name any role.

  She knocked softly, three times. Then, she waited until she heard he
r mother’s voice from the inside.

  “Come in!”

  Rene sighed silently again and opened the door. She went in first, Hyde and Jesse right after her.

  “Hi, mom,” she smiled at her mother, approaching to give her a kiss.

  “Milena,” her mother giggled. “I know I look a lot like her, but I’m not mother. Have you been drinking your medication?”

  Magdalena Olsen was sitting where she usually sits, in her chair by the big window. There were a few books on the little coffee table next to her, but Rene couldn’t see the titles. Her mother had always been a fan of classical literature, so Rene wouldn’t be surprised if those books were something by Kafka or Flaubert. Despite her generally cheerful nature, her mother enjoyed books that sometimes made her sad. When Rene asked her once why, her mother explained that only books which made you sad could make you happy again. Rene never quite understood what she meant by that, probably because she was too young to know what true sadness was. Now, the idea was more familiar.

  Rene smiled at her, then at the guys. They didn’t seem nervous. Standing there by her side, they appeared calm and happy to be there.

  “How have you been doing?” Rene asked.

  “Oh, you know,” her mother shrugged her shoulders, looking at her, then at the men.

  “I’d like you to meet someone,” Rene continued. “This is…”

  “Xenos,” her mother said his bear shifter name, and Rene’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I won’t forget that name as long as I live. I’m sorry, I’m afraid I don’t know your name,” she addressed Jesse.

  “It’s Jesse, ma’am,” he smiled, even though everyone was caught off guard by her recognizing Hyde.

  Even though some connections existed, they were well aware of them, but Rene wasn’t expecting her mother to recognize him. She had no reason to do so. Or, did she?

  “That doesn’t sound like our name,” she spoke slowly, as if she was having a casual chat with a close friend. “Do you belong to us?”

  “I’m not sure what you mean, ma’am,” he smiled, a little nervously this time.

  “She means if you are a bear shifter,” Hyde explained.

  “I know what she means,” Jesse retorted, “I’m wondering if she is one.”

  “Do you remember me?” Rene’s mother questioned Hyde, not really paying attention to Jesse’s comment.

  He wasn’t important to her. She seemed to focus only on Hyde, as he evoked memories she thought were long forgotten. She even looked better, her eyes sparkling with a strange, hopeful gleam. Rene couldn’t believe it. She hadn’t seen her mother like this in ages.

  “I knew your father, Magdalena,” Hyde answered.

  “Then, you know what happened to him,” she continued, with composure.

  “Not really,” Hyde shook his head sorrowfully.

  “I don’t mean the way he died,” Magdalena quickly added. “We all know how he ended up in that river. It’s Culore, that evil soul. How long will he keep taking innocent lives? I wonder.”

  “I’m happy to inform you that his reign of tyranny is finished.”

  “What do you mean?” she was surprised to hear that, not expecting this kind of an answer.

  “Culore is dead.”

  The sound reverberated in the room, like funeral bells, and all three were immediately transported back a year ago, to that night that almost ruined their lives. Rene still had nightmares. She still dreamed of that man coming back from the dead to take them back with him, his fingers made of nothing but bone reaching out to her neck to strangle her. She would wake up drenched in sweat, breathing heavily as if she had been running a half-marathon. Worst of all was that she wasn’t able to share this knowledge with her best friend, so she had to lie that it was just some random nightmare that kept haunting her occasionally, and sweet Alice believed her. Why wouldn’t she? But, Rene herself knew that these kind of traumas took a long time to heal. She just needed to be patient.

  “Are you sure?” Magdalena asked, eyeing Hyde suspiciously. “You know they don’t die so easily.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Well, then…” Magdalena sighed. “I can’t say I’m sad about that. He was responsible for my father’s death. He is the reason I had to go away from my family, to a new country, and try to make it my home. But, my heart always stayed there, always…” her voice trailed off as she spoke, and Rene knew that she was remembering her days as a little girl in the old country.

  “I didn’t know that you were forced to escape,” Rene whimpered.

  “Don’t be silly, you were there, too, Milena.”

  Rene smiled, nodding at Hyde and Jesse, who remembered that her mother always thought she was her sister.

  “But, you,” Magdalena went back to Hyde, “you must know why my father was killed.”

  “I only knew of his name, but I never spoke to him directly,” Hyde said apologetically. “I think we were even in the same company a few times, but no.”

  “It’s the coins,” Magdalena suddenly got up.

  She started walking to the middle of the room, slowly, as if every step she took was extremely difficult, and she was finding it increasingly hard to keep her balance. Suddenly, Magdalena grabbed her chest. Her face turned pale, her eyes bulged out.

  “Mom!” Rene shrieked, as her mother fell to the ground. “Get someone in here, quickly!”

  Jesse immediately rushed out to get help, while Hyde and Rene knelt down beside Rene’s mother. She took her mother’s hand. It felt cold and clammy.

  “Mom?” she whispered, looking at eyes that were barely there. “Can you hear me?”

  Her mother reached out to her, so Rene got closer. Her pendant dangled around her neck, and her mother grasped it with trembling fingers.

  “Rene,” her mother whispered, her other hand caressing her daughter’s face, as if she hadn’t seen her in a lifetime, “fiica mea dulce.”

  She finally recognized her, and Rene could feel her eyes tearing up. She had been waiting for this moment for so long, and now, she had it, but at what cost?

  “Mom, I’m here,” she squeezed her mother’s hand.

  “Go home… find the Sanziene well… and open the box…” her mother managed to whisper, feeling a little less alive with every spoken word.

  “Mom?” Rene sniveled, frantically, realizing that her mother was no longer with them. “Mom!! Mom!!!”

  She kept shaking her, trying to wake her up, but it was too late. The orderlies arrived, and they tried their best to revive her, but they could only pronounce her dead.

  “No, no…” Rene trembled with shock, burying her face in her hands.

  Hyde and Jesse hugged her, unable to say anything. There wasn’t anything left to say. The three just stood there, hugging, over the dead body of her mother, who seemed finally at peace. When Rene opened her eyes, it seemed as if her mother was smiling, her eyes closed, almost as if she had just fallen asleep and would be waking up shortly.

  But, Rene knew better. This was her final slumber.

  Chapter 20

  It was a small funeral, and not many people came. But, Rene was surprised to see a few people she hadn’t even heard from in years. They came to honor her mother one last time and she appreciated that. The priest’s speech was short. Rene had asked him to modify it a little. She knew that her mother wouldn’t want it made into a big deal. She also knew that her mother would want everyone to eat, drink and be merry right afterwards. That was exactly what she planned on doing.

  After the funeral and after the people offered her their condolences, she got into her new car and drove Hyde and Jesse to her mother’s favorite Italian restaurant. It still looked the same, even after all these years. Rene realized that those were the kind of things she appreciated the most: relatively permanent, offering stability and the same level of service.

  The three walked in. Rene had forgotten to make a reservation, and she could only hope that t
hey didn’t need one. The interior had changed slightly, but it still resembled the same place. The hostess approached them, smiling mostly at Hyde.

  “Hi, there,” she flashed a row of pearly whites, “table for three?”

  “Yes, please,” Rene replied.

  “OK, if you’ll just follow me,” she frowned seeing Hyde made no effort to talk to her.

  “Rene?”

  She heard her name being called out.

  “Rene Olsen?”