The End of Innocence: Book 3 of the Kinstone series

I drove us along the outer road that circles the mall. It was a path I always took since I didn’t want to try and get back out onto the main road. I also took it because there was less traffic if I went this way.

Within a few short minutes we turned onto Lakeline Mall Dr. and then turned left onto Pecan Park, heading towards the restaurant.

One thing I have always loved about Lakeline is how everything was so close to each other, which if you had asked that same question about anywhere else I’d lived, I would’ve told you that have some modicum of distance would be far more preferable.

So not even ten seconds of being on Pecan Park, I turned in behind the Alamo Drafthouse Theater. This used to be one of many theaters I used to attend. Apart from it being rather expensive, what made up for it was how close and easy it was to get to.

A few moments later the car finally came to a rest in front of the restaurant, parking just a few steps away from the front door. The three us of stepped out of the car, with Fenris close by. I pulled out a service animal vest and attached it around the wolf’s body. I had him registered as one shortly after Rachel and I came back from our trip during spring break and only used it sparingly.

This didn’t apply to Concordia due to the massive outpouring of affection he garnered the moment he ‘officially’ stepped onto campus. This made things somewhat easier while I negotiated having him with me. He hates wearing it, much how I hate strapping a collar around his neck. But both were necessary for being out-and-about.

We walk up to the front door, where we were promptly seated by a server. I gaze around the restaurant. Little more than a dozen people shared the dining room with us, all apparently having just arrived in the last few minutes. A quiet stillness settles around us, with a few of the patrons either looking over their menus or nose-deep into their phones.

In the background played a mix of soft jazz, which served to calm diners and relax them while they ate. This was a suggestion that I made to many places I used to eat at, stating this particular genre of music was the best for setting a good atmosphere. A bit on the smug side for me, but hey, I like soft jazz.

Our server quickly poured our glasses with water and even placed a bowl down for Fenris, who had lain down onto the cold marble flooring. I pull out my phone, scanning the internet. Diana did the same, while also looking over her menu.

This is a nice peaceful moment, if not for the fact that Marron was still taking her sweet time getting over here. I still couldn’t believe that she was back in town and was going to be living close by.

My head slumps onto my arms, with my feet tapping on the floor. I just wanted her to finish up and get over here. The wait for a free lunch wasn’t the issue, just the wait of seeing her finally walking through the front door.

I coil my fingers around my arms, part of me leapt when she offered to come take me with to her show. Just having another night out with her would be incredible. But…I had a prior agreement to have dinner with Diana and her mom. I sigh, breathing hard onto the cold table, causing it to fog a little.

Someone then plants a kiss onto the top of my head, “Hey Marron.”

Her hand then takes mine as she sits across from me. “Hey Baby Ahri, sorry I took so long. Apparently, the people at the market were a bit excited when they knew you had returned. So they had to talk to me about you.”

I smirk, gripping her hand tightly, lifting my head up and resting it my chin onto my arms. She stares down at me with gleaming emerald eyes. I tap on my phone, pulling up the screen, “Found these a few minutes ago.”

She pulls the phone toward her, and then smirks, shaking her head, “Sweetie, even when someone offers to buy you lunch you have to find some way to chip in.” I giggle softly.

“What’s so funny?” asks Diana.

Marron looks over to her, “This clever little fox went and searched for coupons for us to use,” gazing to me, “she’s always done this. Give her a fortune and she will still haggle for the best price on everything.”

I shrug, “It’s a curse.”

My sister reaches over and pokes my nose, “Such a kid.” I giggle.

A moment after our drinks arrived, Marron had me sit next to her as we order our food. I scoot my chair closer to Marron, which makes me wish we were sitting in a booth rather than a table. She wraps her arm around my shoulder, holding me close. My head rests on her chest, listening to her hum softly.

If I could, I’d wish that the world would just fade away and leave the two of us alone. Not a practical wish mind you, merely the fleeting fancy of a child. My fingers cling to the hem of her shirt, happy beyond words to have her next to me again.

The last time I was at peace like this was the night I spent with her during the gathering. This only made me want to start visiting her new home all the more.

Marron then pulls out her phone and starts showing me pictures of her packing up her house in Seattle. I’d never seen what her house looked like, aside from the little tidbits she’s given me. It looked no bigger than the parsonage, maybe a little bigger. But it was cute and perfect for her.

Something stirs from within me, old feelings and fantasies of what it would’ve been like if she had raised me. I imagined waking up in my room with her yelling at me to get up.

A blush then forms on my cheeks as I thought of having breakfast with her down in the kitchen before rushing out the door to school. Fantasies as they were, I still thought of them from time to time. I tapped my thigh, bringing me out of my childish delusions, despite being very much a child.

I look up at her, “So how was leaving Seattle? Did everyone see you off?”

She smiles, stroking my arm, “I will admit it was tough at first. As much as I fought to get back to you, one can just as easily forget that you made a life for yourself in a place.” My gaze lowers.

I know exactly what she means. Before coming back to Austin, I couldn’t wait to leave the Valley. Yet as the final moving day drew closer, I’d often find myself wishing it were just a month or so earlier. Just wanting the home to be back to what it was before being completely filled with boxes.

“Now as for your other question, yes, a lot of people showed up to help me load up the truck. It always stings when one of us leaves the area. It becomes just that much emptier. Of course Miriam was there and her.”

I swiped the picture on her phone, seeing Marron and Miss Anabelle standing together in front of the truck. I really hope that she could finish what she told me at the Gathering, “rectifying a mistake”, as she put it. Marron needs that closure, something else to call her own. She has me of course, sisters forever.

She plants a kiss onto the side of my head, “But now I’m back here with you. Finally set to fulfill that promise I made you.”

I giggle, “At long last. I think everyone here will be happy too.”

Her arm gives me a tight squeeze, “No doubt about that Baby Ahri.” My grin grows broader as she slipped her phone into her purse.

“So I have a question.”

The two of us looked up, nearly forgetting that Diana was even there. Marron rubbed my arms, “Go ahead.”

The girl leaned forward onto the table, “Are you two really sisters? I mean, Aria told me that most of her family was gone and that she was adopted soon after.”

Marron smiles, “Yes and no. No in the fact that we aren’t sisters related by blood, but at the same time yes we are sisters nonetheless. The truth is we’re even closer than blood sisters. The only other person, beside her mother who is as close to her would be Silvi.”

The girl tilts her head, “Who’s Silvi?”

I giggle, “Silvi is my other sister, the one who’s the survival expert.”

Diana leans back, “Oh, you mean the one who lives in the forest.”

I bob my head, “The one and the same.”

Marron leans forward, “So I take it you’ve been to the Estate?”

The girl shifts her arms, “I was there just this week and…it was more than I ever thought could possibly exist. I still can’t believe that this girl here lives there. It’s like I stepped into a fairy tale or something.”

My sister grins, “You have no idea little lady. This girl here is in every way a fairy tale princess,” poking my cheeks.

I grumble, rolling my eyes.

The girl scoots closer, “Okay, so who did you two meet? She told me that her mother was a teacher at her school, which I find strange given how big her home is.”

Marron smiles, stroking my arm, “Aria and I met a few years ago, when I led a small Lolita group here in town. She found a link to my page and contacted me. The moment we met, I instantly fell in love with this little girl.” My cheeks burn red, still remembering that first meeting.

“I sort of claimed her as my own from then on, taking her out shopping and generally hanging out with her. She would also on occasion spend the weekend with me. I gave her a spare room to sleep in and we’d pretty much do anything together.”

My thoughts went back to when she took me to her old shop and dressed me in an actual wedding gown, granted the thing was so massive that it dwarfed my body.

Diana looks on confused, “But she must’ve been in the seventh or eighth grade at the time, how did she get to you?”

Marron taps her chin, looking back to her, “Aria lived not too far from where I did, so she’d either walk to my house or took the bus. I personally didn’t like the fact that she was living alone and thought of having her move in with me. That way I could keep a better eye on her and made sure she was safe. Plus I’d get to have my sweet little sister with me at all times.”

I giggle, “I would’ve loved that too.” She smiles, holding me even tighter to her body.

Diana looks on, “But…obviously that never happened.”

My sister sighs, looking away, “Correct. I received a job opportunity in Seattle shortly before Thanksgiving, one that I really couldn’t pass up on. I hated when I accepted it, because if I hadn’t, I’d have asked Aria to live with me. I pretty much had everything planned out too. But…life sometimes gets in the way of things.”

Her voice echoes a soft jealously and hurt. I know she hated when she was recalled early from her mission of watching over me. When I learned the truth, I felt the same way.

I clung to her, still feeling how devastated I was when she broke the news of her leaving. But that’s in the past, she is back and nothing is going to change that.

“I’m guessing that’s when she met her teacher, now mother.”

“I assume so. Well, she of course didn’t meet her until the following spring. She must’ve told you how close the two became right?”

The girl bobs her head softly.

“From what I heard,” she continues, “Aria here soon came to stay at her teacher’s home during the semester and then over the summer when the school let out. This little fox didn’t like the idea of going back to Georgia so her teacher offered to keep her for the summer. That’s when they took that surprise trip to Japan.”

Diana curl her lip in confusion, “How do you know all of this?”

Marron chuckles, “I was a part of her school’s booster club, but our paths never crossed until she saw my link for the group. So naturally I was kept informed of this little girl,” ruffling my hair.

Somehow Rachel, her, or anyone from the Coven all know this backstory, if they were ever asked about me. A good and solid plan, but in the end, I didn’t care. I now am the happiest I had ever been in my life. I had a fresh start, with a new family.

Our lunch was soon brought to us, along with several plates. I gleefully began to pluck several pieces, quickly eating them. Marron dangled some just out my reach, with one or two dropping from her chopsticks, only to be snatched up by Fenris.

Diana watched the both of us, playing and laughing with each other. She ate quietly, with the occasional question popping up. The girl seems to be interested in Marron, now that she has met her. Once she had settled in, I don’t think neither of us would have a problem if Diana joined us on whatever we planned on doing.

I personally can’t wait to model for my sister. The thought of trying on any new designs she came up with was incredibly enticing, and I know how much my sister loved to dress me up. I even imagined her placing me into brand new Lolita dresses or coming up with new cosplays. Oh, just the idea of going back to conventions with just her continued to fill my mind.

Marron peers to Diana, having finished her last roll, “So you’ve been asking us a lot of questions, lets here about you. It obvious you live close by, so what does your family do?”

The girl looks up, “My father works as a historical consultant, and my mother is a teacher.”

My sister leans forward, “Interesting. I think a certain little fox here might like to meet him.”

The girl’s gaze turns towards me, “I agree.” I didn’t catch in that moment, but something in her tone threw me off, don’t know why.

She then cranes back to my sister, “One other question, why do you call her a ‘little fox’ and ‘Baby Ahri’?”

Marron grins wrapping her arm around me, “Well Ahri is her favorite character from the game League of Legends. So naturally I gave her the nickname of ‘Ahri’. Now it’s simple that I added ‘baby’ to it because she is my baby sister.”

I giggle, feeling my cheeks blushing.

She smiles, stroking my hair, “She also loves foxes, and is just as clever as one.”

“I see. You two really are interesting,” she says, taking a sip of water.

My sister bows her head, “Why thank you little lady.”

Just then, we hear a phone going off. Marron dives into her purse and pulled it out, letting out a groan. “Well my dears, it looks like I have to end our time together.”

I look up at her, “Have to get ready for the show?”

She sighs, “Yep, but I first have to drop my stuff off from the market and then grab a shower. So much to get ready for.”

I cling to her, “When do you think you could come by the Estate? I know everyone will be excited to know that you’re back.”

She flags down our server, asking for the check, “I don’t know sweetie. Maybe once the truck decides to get here, I can have you over and help me unload it. It’d serve as a really good reason to tear you away from your mom,” winking to me.

I giggle, “Just don’t take too long in giving me that call.”

She smile, “You know I won’t. I can’t wait to have you over sweetie. Finally, that promise I made you will finally come true.”

I lean my head into her chest, “At long last.”

She kisses the top of my head, and then pays for the meal. We rise from the table and head for the door.

The afternoon sun is brutal as it bore down on us. There’s very little wind to help lessen its oppressive heat while the four of us march towards our cars. I unlock my car and open the backdoor for Fenris to hop in. Diana quickly climbs into passenger’s seat.

I turn to Marron, plunging myself into her chest, “I’m so happy that you’re finally back. Please let me know when I can come over.”

Her arms wrap tightly around my body, “You’ll be the first to know sweetie. And like what your mom told the first day you came to the Estate, my home is your home.”

I grin looking up at her, “See you soon.”

She leans over and kisses my forehead, “Same here.” We hug each other for a moment before finally letting go and each climbing into our cars.

I slide the key into the ignition and turn on my car. Marron and I wave to each other, and slowly pull away from the parking lot. My mind is still buzzing from seeing her and also having lunch with my big sister. Oh, if Rachel hasn’t heard the news yet, she’ll be just as thrilled as I am. I pull onto Pecan Park and a couple minutes later, turn right onto 620.

Diana leans over as we pass Deerborn Rd, “So that was your big sister?”

I giggle, “Yep, and she’s the best ever.”

The girl nods, “She seems pretty important to you.”

I lean back into my seat, “That is an understatement. I owe a lot to her. More than I ever hope to repay.”

The girl leans back, staring straight ahead.