CRAZY OLD MAN

Vermont sat in his room quietly while he waited for his wings to retract. He did not move too much for fear that he would make noise. When he was sure that Melody and Chris had left the house he cautiously walked downstairs to get a snack because he was hungry having not eaten for a few days. In the kitchen he found his sisters talking about Nixon. They noticed him and looked at him knowingly.

"Hungry?" Estella asked tossing him a bottle of water while Michelle started to slice apples.

Dee sat down on the floor and sighed once as he waited for the apples. Michelle gave him the sliced apples and then rejoined her sisters in gossiping.

"He's helpful but very clingy." Cecilia commented continuing the discussion about Nixon,"And mama doesn't seem to be fond of him."

"That doesn't mean he's bad." Felicia said and her sisters gave her a pointed look,"I'm just saying."

"You've been protecting him an awful lot since we started talking about him." Michelle said with squinted eyes.

"Do you like him?" Dee asked chewing slowly.

"No." Felicia said and she stuck out her tongue like she was disgusted.

"Good. It wouldn't sit well with mum as she once dated his dad." Dee finished and the four girls all looked at him in horror.

Realizing he had said what he wasn't supposed to say Dee got up with his plate and he left only to come back seconds later.

"What happened?" Cecilia asked.

"Gill." Dee said placing the plate on the table and then proceeding to run out through the back door.

Gill came in the kitchen and she was surprised that none of the girls rolled their eyes at her or said that the air was smelling bad. She narrowed her eyes and looked at them only to receive smiles.

"Why are you smiling at me?" she asked.

"What do you mean grandma?" Estella asked smiling brightly.

"You never smile at me or acknowledge my presence positively." Gill pointed out as if to remind them.

"We wanted to mend our ways." Felicia said.

"I don't believe you." Gill said sighing as she shifted her weight to one leg.

"Nor do I." Michelle whispered loudly and the girls laughed making Gill believe they were messing with her.

Gill rolled her eyes and then took the plate Dee had been eating from and she left. The girls sighed in relief once Gill was gone and then Cecilia went to check on Dee. She was almost scared to death when she saw him run back into the kitchen and she would have reprimanded him for it but then she saw old Luke walking around in the garden with his eyes glued to his phone screen. Dee quickly run to his room after avoiding a collision with Gill and he took his time to catch his breath. His wings started to retract slowly and he was upset by the fact that they hadn't done so while he was outside.

He decided to head back downstairs and get a proper meal. Old Luke was still there and he was talking to the girls and it wasn't going well. Old Luke looked at Dee and narrowed his eyes.

"You woke up?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Have you taken your meds boy?"

"Yes."

"You're answering me like you are in the military." Luke said smiling.

Dee smiled back and then sat on the floor again.

"My eyes are truly failing me. You seem like you are glowing." old Luke said in bewilderment and this immediately alarmed Dee.

His glowing skin had exposed him to Nixon and now it threatened to expose him to Luke.

"I agree." Estella commented nervously trying to smile,"He has really good skin, doesn't he?"

"No child. He is really glowing.....not glowing actually but shimmering....like....like glitter." old Luke said as he walked closer to Dee and he touched his face.

"You should see a doctor." Dee said removing the man's hand from his face,"Humans don't shimmer."

"I'm old not blind or high on something." old Luke said touching Dee's face again.

"Maybe you're having Alzheimer's or something." Felicia said with a slight chuckle.

"Alzheimer's is associated with memory dear not sight." old Luke defended himself.

"Then you must be losing your mind."Michelle whispered loudly making the old man glare at her.

"I'll call Gill and ask her what she sees." old Luke said with determination.

"Granny's old too." Dee said and old Luke sighed in defeat.

The old man stormed out of the room calling Gill so she would help him see better. When he was far from the kitchen, The girls dragged Dee to the sink and started scrubbing his exposed skin in an attempt to get rid of the shimmering but I stead it was enhanced. Cecilia opened the oven where they had been baking some scones and she fanned out the steam while the others closed the windows and door so it wouldn't escape. When old Luke returned with Gill, the room was filled with steam and one couldn't really see anything.

"What happened here?" old Luke demanded coughing.

"We were baking." Estella answered.

"Dee, come over here." the man said,"Let's step out and examine you nicely."

"But I'm helping out here." Dee said walking to the oven and opening it where this time the scones had burnt and smoke emerged.

Gill and old Luke left the kitchen, unable to handle the smoke and the burning sensation in their eyes. Dee took out the scones and looked at them sadly; he really wanted to eat them. The girls opened the windows and once the steam and smoke were gone they inspected Dee and saw he looked sweaty, perfectly masking his shimmering skin. Old Luke came back with Gill who looked upset and tired.

"See...I told you that people don't shimmer." Gill said exasperated.

"He wasn't sweating before, I swear." old Luke defended himself.

Gill shook her head and turned to leave but not before calling her husband a 'crazy old man'. Old Luke look hurt by this and his grandchildren noticed this.

"How can you still want to be with someone like her?" Michelle asked sounding serious.

"She's just upset." old Luke said sighing and he left.

The room fell quiet and after a while Dee left. He went to check his face in a mirror and he noticed that he wasn't shimmering anymore. He went back and he finally got food. Since that incident old Luke always looked at Dee with suspicion and he and Gill hardly spoke. At school Melody still clung to Dee and Nixon was back to being Dee's bodyguard.

"She's not a problem." Dee told Nixon and they walked to the lunchroom.

"Oh yeah. What will you do if she asks you to be her boyfriend because she doesn't trust other men?" Nixon asked scoffing.

"Are you planning on regretting her on my behalf?" Dee asked with a chuckle.

"If I have to. As your best friend it is my duty."

"What the catch?"

"You show me a magic trick."

"I'm not a magician."

"I know. You're better."

Dee sighed and just continued walking. He could see that Melody was waiting for him at the door and he frowned not understanding why she still wasn't comfortable around the others even after a while three months had gone by. She smiled when she saw him but then frowned when Nixon waved at her.

"What's up princess?" Nixon asked.

"Don't call me that." Melody hissed,"I was waiting for Dee."

"Really? I could have sworn you were smiling at me just now." Nixon taunted her and he threw his arm over her shoulder and made her walk into the room.

Melody was unhappy but she didn't do anything.

"Hi!" Susan greeted Dee by surprise.

"Hi." Dee responded startled having not expected her to talk to him in public,"Is there a problem?"

"No. Not really. It's just that my friends are having some extra classes and I was wondering if I could sit with you today...." Susan paused as she saw his expression change,"....just for today. Please."

Dee looked at the table where his friends were sitting and quietly chatting and his eyes fell on Penelope who had become quieter as their group became bigger. He looked at Susan again and smiled then he let her follow.

"Error! Nerd alert, nerd alert...." Nixon taunted Susan in a robotic voice and he laughed with Ray and Riley.

"Don't worry, he's just greeting you." Ray said as he.stopped laughing.

"Sure. What a warm welcome." Susan responded sarcastically and this made Ray narrow his eyes at.her but he said nothing. The table fell silent and Melody thought it was a good time to talk to Dee. She leaned over to his side and was about to speak when Penelope got up from her seat.

"Where to?" Riley asked.

"I just remembered I have to meet Miss Donna." Penelope said.

"What for?" Ray asked curiously knowing Penelope hated having to meet teachers.

"Career guidance. Bye."

Penelope rushed out of the room and Dee couldn't help but feel that something was wrong. Be also excused himself and went after Penelope but he didn't stop her right away and waited to see where she was going.