Chapter 184

NOLAN

“So this is the new theater,” Nolan said, taking in the sight. They had built an entirely new structure in the open space behind the main building of the orphanage. It was a sort of covered amphitheater.

“The weather isn’t often dry, of course,” Cindy said. “But we can keep this enclosed most of the year and just remove the covering over the seating areas when we do get nice weather. It will be a great way to entertain the kids outside. Instead of just setting them free out in the yard to run around.”

The orphanage director closed her eyes and shook her head with an amused smile, no doubt visualizing the chaos of dozens of little werewolves running amok, something she had to oversee and wrangle all the time.

The edges of Nolan’s lips curled up into a satisfied smile. This was exactly why he chose this lot in the first place, when he got everything started to break ground on the werewolf orphanage last year. He had hoped that as the organization became more established, the people running it would utilize this remaining open space on the property to add on additional structures as needed.

“It’s amazing,” Nolan said. “What’s happening to the old theater, though?”

“We demolished it,” Cindy answered, throwing a knowing glance in Yena’s direction. “And built something entirely new in its place. Come on, we can go see that, too.”

“Ha.” Nolan couldn’t help but grin as he looked around the room. It looks like your studio.”

“I suppose it does,” Yena said, walking into the center of the big, bright space.

The construction work was complete here – that had been a simple project, unlike what was happening with the amphitheater outside. Here, they had simply leveled off the floor that used to slope downward toward that little theater stage, then refloored with hardwood. The walls were different too, now featuring simple wood paneling painted bright white, with large, tufted fabric-covered corkboards hung up at intervals.

Decorating and furnishing was in progress. Looked like there were going to be three distinct work areas in this bigger version of Yena’s fashion design studio, each with its own work table, sewing machine, model pedestal and trifold mirror.

Yena said, “I’m going to start volunteering here once a week. Cindy and I are going to run a kids’ fashion design workshop. We’ll teach them how to draw, cut, and sew patterns.”

“That is… awesome.” Nolan was fresh out of words for how incredible it was, what Yena was doing for the orphanage.

There were a lot more words exchanged between Yena and Cindy. They were showing off the studio to him, but also speaking directly to each other a lot, actively working on their plans as the group walked around.

It occurred to Nolan suddenly that Yena was already doing a job that she probably still questioned her qualifications for.

She was being very queenly indeed. The acts of charity, her devotion to serving the public, the way she brought people together and inspired good things to happen. She acted more naturally royal, in the true meaning of the word – selfless, honest, noble-hearted – than any other royal he had ever known.

The ladies were hugging, saying goodbye, cueing Nolan to glance at his watch. It was a good thing they hadn’t asked him for his thoughts about the plans they were discussing, because he had zoned out from that conversation. And yes, they should be on their way; he thanked Yena internally for paying attention to the time.

He didn’t want to be late for their appointment with his old friend, who they were visiting next. Alaster was sleeping more and more these days, so the window of his availability for visits was getting smaller all the time.

Fortunately he was awake when they arrived. Nolan and Yena were heading down the hallway to the old man’s room when Nolan heard the faint sounds of Alaster arguing mildly with a nurse. He was trying to avoid eating.

It was painful for the old man, with the problems with his throat, to choke food down. Or even liquids. He never outright refused to eat, though. It was always, “Later.”

“Are you giving this kind woman a hard time, Alaster?”

The old man’s face was overtaken by a big, bony smile when he turned to the door and saw the royal couple. Nolan ducked slightly to move through the doorway, holding his princess’s hand as she followed him inside.

Alaster said nothing… maybe only being slow to speak, as he often was, or also possibly verklempt. Or perhaps he was holding back from saying “I told you so” to his young friend.

Nolan couldn’t help but grin back at him. Sending a silent “yes, you were right” response.

“It’s great to see you again, Alaster.” Yena let go of Nolan’s hand and moved to the bedside. She gave the fragile man a careful hug.

“You too, my dear.” Alaster’s voice was quiet and hoarse. “You’ve made my day here, with this visit.”

Yena straightened out his blankets compulsively. Alaster relaxed his skeletal body against the mountain of pillows behind him, looking rather comforted. “How are you feeling?” she asked him.

“Fine, fine.”

Nolan had been talking quietly with the nurse, who was now slipping out the door.

“I’ve been made to promise I’ll see to it that you eat something,” he said, taking his turn at the old man’s bedside.

“Have you now?”

“Can we get it over with?” Nolan’s voice contained just a tiny fraction of sternness.

“Oh, alright.”

Then they handled the slow and painful business of Alaster eating a few bites of lunch. Nolan did his best to help with the mechanics of the task, and the old man downed a couple spoonfuls of rice pudding and drank half a cup of chocolate milk before then requiring a break to cough for a full minute.

Yena made herself busy in the meantime with tying back the curtains and cracking the room’s sole window, then putting away some folded linens she found on the countertop, stacking them neatly in the closet.

“While you’re in there, dear,” Alaster called out between coughs, “grab the Wheel board.”

Yena found the old wooden gameboard and brought it out, looking down it as she walked back over to the bed. “I’ve never played Wheel,” she said. “I always wanted to learn how.”

“Well, today is the day you learn. Wheel is a very old game. It’s all about strategy and patterns.”

Alaster took the game from Yena when she handed it over. It was nicked and battered, the shape of a square when folded in half and closed with a black metal latch. The old man unhooked the clasp and unfolded the board with confident, familiar movements of his fingers.

“Nolan and I will play a round, and I’ll explain as we go. Come on now, son.” He waved at Nolan impatiently, bidding him to sit at his side and help him set up the pieces.

When the old man had completed a victory in the game along with a hoarsely narrated gameplay tutorial, he told the couple that he was feeling tired, politely suggesting that they take their leave.

Nolan bid his friend goodbye first. Yena snatched up the Wheel board and made to return it to its place in the closet.

“Wait,” the old man said. “Take it home with you please. Play with our man here for practice. Then you can bring it with you next time and you and I can have a turn. I bet you’ll be a natural. You’ve got an eye for patterns.”

“Okay. You’re on.” She placed the bulky gameboard into her purse carefully. “You take care of yourself, Alaster. And we’ll be back to see you soon.”

“Alright then. Lovely to see you, dear.” Yena returned to the bedside and bent to give Alaster another delicate hug.

When his lips were close to her ear, the old man started to whisper something.

Nolan’s acute Lycan hearing made whispering an ineffective means of keeping a secret around him. He already overheard the words, “I must tell you something… you can tell him later, when the time is right,” when Yena darted her eyes up to look at her husband with an admonishing glare, telling him to stop listening to something that was meant to be private.

Nolan obeyed her silent command and began the walk back up the hallway.

He was awfully curious about what his old friend might need to tell his wife in confidence. But he respected the both of them enough to leave it alone, and tried very hard not to overhear the rest of what Alaster was saying.