Delores took the most direct route to Raymond. When Terry asked her why, she said she didn’t want to risk meeting crazed redneck ogres and getting sidetracked again. She did stop at the Wally World in Jackson on Highway 18 to pick up something she’d promised to buy Thunder. She bought him a bike bell. Terry talked her out of the horn quickly enough by carrying it around for a few aisles as they did some quick shopping and randomly honking it at her. She’d finally snatched it out of his hand and threw it over the aisle. They’d had to run when they heard it hit a kid in the head. She also picked up a phone mount.

  When they returned to the lot, Thunder was prancing around playing with local kids, their parents watching. It took some doing to get everyone calmed down and answer some questions, but finally they sent the kids along and attached the bell. Terry didn’t know if Thunder would be able to use it, but as soon as it was attached whatever gave the scooter life took hold of the bell and he started ringing it happily. Constantly.

  “Thank you for talking me out of the horn.” Delores said, leaning into Terry.

  The trip into Raymond proper took a little while as they drove down 18, passing the few industrial buildings and small businesses. They reached the Community College in Raymond and turned onto the campus to head into town. Terry told Delores stories about monsters he’d fought there as they drove slowly through, watching for speed traps. Campus police recognized him and waved. He had no idea they really knew who he was. He waved back.

  Once they hit downtown Raymond, such as it was, Terry felt his heart ache. He’d been homesick. He’d been ignoring it, suppressing it. Now as they passed the Way Station and he told Delores about Dwumbra it all came crashing down. He started to question his original plans to become a Knight Errant. He didn’t think he could really leave here for good. They came to the town center near the grocery store and he tapped Delores on the shoulder.

  “D, can you stop at the round-a-bout?” She nodded and she pulled up onto the grass.

  He climbed off and looked around and found what he knew would be there. The pavement in one part of the street by the water tower grounds was smooth and a different texture. It had been melted and had solidified again a long time ago. He knelt. His whole life he’d ridden by this spot. He’d fought an ogre in nearly the same place. Never once had he considered what this spot was. What had happened here. How his life had changed on this one, melted patch of pavement. He placed his hand on it.

  “This is it, isn’t it?” he heard Elton ask behind him.

  Terry didn’t speak. He simply nodded. He realized how this must look, but when he glanced up from the spot, most people weren’t paying him any mind. Well, most weren’t, but there were some. Older folks, Ernest and Dottie’s age and older, saw him and they knew. None of them approached, but he saw it in their eyes. They knew who he was and they knew why he was there. Sympathy and pride mixed in those looks. They didn’t talk about Glen here out of respect for his loss. Not out of shame.

  “I-” he cleared his throat, “I think we should see about getting a plaque put here. I think. . .” His resolve gave out and he fell silent as the tears came. He felt Delores’s hand on his shoulder. And then Elton’s on the other shoulder. Then he broke down. It all finally came to the surface and he dropped to sit on the grass. The only thing he managed to say for a long time was “I never. . .”

  Delores knelt by him.

  “You gonna be ok? Do we need to talk?”

  He shook his head.

  “No. I’m probably gonna be a wreck this first day. Sorry.”

  Delores put an arm around him and squeezed.

  “Understandable. You’re a different you than when you left.” She said.

  “It’s only been four months.” He said, feeling like an emotional idiot.

  “It’s the longest you’ve been away. This was home. Some people have good homes to come back to.” She smiled as she said it and he thought back to the previous day. He looked into her eyes and he felt the sudden need for Dottie and Ernest to meet her.

  “We can go.” He told her. “We’ll be here at least a couple of days. I can come back if I need to.”

  They remounted Thunder and as they left, Delores spoke over her shoulder to him.

  “I think the plaque is a good idea. People around here need to remember your father. And you. Not just the old folks. Everyone.”

  “I don’t know that I’m that big a deal here, D. I’m just the monster exterminator.”

  She just shook her head and focused on the road.

  They turned off the main drag onto Ratliff Road and drove out past the closely placed homes of town, out into the rural world of Central Mississippi. Leafless trees and a cold biting wind met them. Homes became more sparse. Terry pointed out a few including one shaped like an igloo that he always thought was funny. There was one they wouldn’t see on the drive in that he definitely wanted Delores to experience. They’d have to make a trip out to it.

  Terry continued a bit of running commentary as they passed locations and he remembered fights or adventures. He hadn’t realize how many involved helping goblins or gnomes or pixies until he came to tell someone else. He’d never thought of himself as a humanitarian. Not in that sense. The Order didn’t let you think like that. They were supposed to be soldiers fighting for the good of humanity. JUST humanity. But the more he thought, the more he realized his life was more like helping Runt than slaying dragons. Maybe he was more than the town monster exterminator. Maybe he was more than he gave himself credit for.

  They drove down a section of road with tree branches blocking the sky overhead that felt like a tunnel. Every time he’d driven or ridden down this stretch it felt like he was leaving the wide world behind. This time was the same, but he welcomed it. The air smelled different. Except for the motors of the scooters it was wonderfully quiet. He didn’t know anything about the Everywhen, but he thought that maybe going there felt like passing through that tunnel of trees. You come out and the world was just different.

  Delores laughed when she saw the road they had to turn down. The sign was old and faded and had gone up sometime in the 1960’s. “Lingal Lane” it said.

  “Well that is adorable.” She said over her shoulder and Terry smiled. It did sound like something out of a fairy tale. They passed fields and homes that were painfully familiar to him. He didn’t know how it could hurt so much and feel like a bandage at the same time. It was like bleeding a wound to help it heal. God, I’m broken now, he thought.

  He tried not to fidget as they passed the last few pastures and he saw the house in the distance and the back of the old garage by the road. It had been a stable originally. Now it housed the truck most of the time. He pointed at it. He barely got the word “There” out.

  “I’m going to be a mess, D.” He said finally.

  “Then be a mess. You’re allowed. Especially now. You’re with people it’s ok to be a mess with.” She said smiling.

  He just nodded.

  They turned off the old blacktop road and up the rock and dirt driveway, and there they were waiting for him. Ernest and Dottie. He had no idea how long they’d been out there. Maybe they’d heard the scooters, but it was just as likely they’d been out there for an hour waiting. Delores parked Thunder and he pulled his goggles off and just sat there looking at them. They were exactly like he remembered. He didn’t know why he thought they’d have changed.

  “Go on.” Delores said quietly to him. “Go to them.”

  Terry dismounted from Thunder and Dottie held her arms open. She didn’t say the thing she usually said on first seeing him. She was fighting back tears. He leaped the full ten feet from the scooter straight into Dottie’s arms and started crying before he knew what he was doing. Ernest hugged them both.

  All he heard for a time were them trying to tell him how proud they were of him and that just made him cry all the more.

  “Yer folks woulda been so proud of ya, boy.” Ernest said and he squeezed them both as tight as he could.

  And you left them to live in a trailer and wander the woods with monsters, he thought. All Terry could manage were apologies when his voice would allow. He wasn’t sure they knew why he was apologizing and he didn’t care. He needed to say it. He knew they’d forgive him. Maybe he was hoping he could forgive himself. He wasn’t sure if that was a thing he could do yet.

  It was a while before any of them could speak coherently. Ernest was the first to pull himself back together and step back, which wasn’t a shock to Terry.

  “So who’s this party of yers, son?”

  Terry stepped back from them finally and turned to his friends.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “Aunt Dottie, Uncle Ernest, this is Elton. He’s my Troubadour.” Terry specifically left Elton’s last name out to be on the safe side. He never knew what they did and didn’t know. Elton walked up and held his hand out.

  “Pleasure to meet both of you. Terry’s told us a lot about you. I’d love to pick your brains about our brave, young Errant.” Elton said with a grin.

  Ernest looked at Elton with suspicion. Dottie looked concerned.

  “They know everything.” Terry told his aunt and uncle.

  “How much is everything?” Dottie asked.

  Terry looked at Elton and Delores.

  “Absolutely everything. The voice, the dream. The magic. The little I’ve put together about mom. ALL of it.” He said.

  Ernest flinched. They did NOT talk about that. Ever. Ernest must have felt like he’d been slapped. He glared at Terry.

  “Uncle Ernest,” Terry said, feeling exasperated after so much open discussion with his friends, “I can’t very well jump around and chop down giant monsters and expect them to not figure things out. And I trust them. I trust them more than anyone. And it’s past time we talked about what I am.”

  Ernest nodded, then finally took Elton’s hand and shook.

  “Yer the Beasley boy.” Was all he said.

  “Yes, sir.” Elton replied, face suddenly serious.

  “Yer doin’ good out there.” The old man said and the surprise on Elton’s face was wonderful. When he let go of Elton’s hand, Dottie came in and hugged the bard. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head. Dottie was the strongest in the county besides Terry, probably. Elton was learning this through involuntary spinal readjustment. She finally let Elton drop and he staggered back with a weak smile on his face. Ernest had a satisfied grin.

  “We’ve been reading your blog, Mr. Beasley.” Dottie said. “You’ve done such a wonderful job talking about our boy. It’s good to see someone else that cares so much about him.”

  “Uh, thanks.” Elton coughed, rubbing his back.

  Delores stepped up in front of them. She seemed nervous. Terry understood why.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Lingal? I’m Delores.” Was all she said.

  “Yer his mage then?” Ernest asked.

  “His partner, dear.” Dottie nudged him in the ribs.

  “Right.” Ernest rubbed the back of his head.

  Delores opened her mouth, probably to agree, when Terry jumped in.

  “She’s the woman I love.”

  He let it hang in the air. He reached over and took her hand. He might need to try and keep this, and everything else, a secret from the Order, but he refused to keep it from his family any more. Ernest nodded.

  “I figured. I just didn’t wanna say it out loud. I know ya can be funny about yer vows and Oaths and such.” He gave Terry a questioning look.

  “I renounced that vow.” He said. “It wasn’t right.”

  The smile that split both his aunt and uncles faces surprised him.

  “Just like Glen.” Dottie said, turning to Ernest. Ernest just shook his head.

  “Yep. He never let dumb rules get in his way either. I shoulda told ya about his rebellious streak. He didn’t have a lotta respect for the Order’s vows. But we’ve got time to talk about that now.”

  Terry stared. Like Glen? He’d deduced his mother was a mage, but his father had done the same thing he was doing? He supposed he would have had to, but still. Delores let his hand go and held it out to shake.

  “It’s good to meet the both of you.” She said to his aunt and uncle.

  Dottie walked right past her hand and embraced her much more warmly than she had Elton. Ernest, after a moment, joined her. Delores looked like a deer in headlights.

  “I’m glad Terry has someone in his life now.” Ernest said.

  “Welcome to our family Delores. You’re welcome as long as you’d like to stay.” Dottie said.

  Terry was relieved. He’d hoped they’d accept her, and of course they had. He smiled as Delores buried her face in Dottie’s neck. He sent a silent prayer of thanks up to anyone that was listening. Terry suddenly put a hand to his forehead. How could he forget one of the main reasons he’d come home?

  “I completely forgot to introduce our fourth!” he said.

  Delores was talking quietly with Dottie, and Ernest looked up.

  “What fourth? Ya got a mouse in yer pocket?”

  Terry turned to the scooters and couldn’t keep the grin off his face. He couldn’t wait to see their reactions to this, too.

  “Thunder! Sorry buddy! Why don’t you come say hi? You remember Dottie and Ernest?” he said.

  The little scooter hopped to face them and rang his new bell once. He rolled on over and turned his light to look at Ernest and Dottie, then waggled a single handlebar. He’s learned to wave, Terry thought. He felt proud of the little guy. Terry was not disappointed in their reactions.

  “What the hell in a ham-hock is this?!” Ernest yelled. “I didn’t pay George to build a pet!”

  Delores walked over and scratched Thunder’s headlight.

  “Mr. Lingal, Thunder can be sensitive. He’s a very good boy.” She said, scolding Terry’s uncle.

  When Terry looked at Dottie, he could already tell she was in love. She came over and knelt in front of Thunder.

  “You are ADORABLE! You’re just a rolling puppy, aren’t you!” She said as she patted his shield.

  Delores turned to Ernest.

  “This little guy helped to save Terry's life three days ago.” She said. “He’s a part of this party now.”

  “And,” Terry added, “I was hoping to get George out here to find out what happened. I’ll call Sean later and see if they can make it.”

  “Actually,” Dottie said, “I called Sean and told him you were coming. I made him promise to remember to bring George. They should be here in time for supper.”

  After the introductions and welcomes were done, everyone unloaded their saddle bags and brought them into the living room to decide the sleeping arrangements. Before joining everyone, Terry reached into their trailer of holding and pulled out his and Delores’s Jack-O-Lantern. He placed it on the porch to face the street. When Delores saw what he'd done, she gave him a huge grin. He finally came inside after that.

  “So,” Dottie said, dusting her hands off, “Terry already claimed his old room. We have the guest bedroom and we can get the spare bed out of storage and put it together. In either room. . .” She trailed off giving both Terry and Delores a questioning look. NOW Terry felt embarrassed.

  “Oh, I’ll be in the guest room, Mrs. Dottie.” Elton volunteered. He gave Terry a devilish grin.

  “And no need for the spare bed.” Delores said with a smile so innocent it would have gotten her convicted.

  “Ah!” Dottie said, eyes widening. “That’s nice. Terry, dear, you’ll be sleeping under the house tonight.”

  Delores CACKLED at that and Terry buried his face in is hands.

  “I should have gotten a motel room in Jackson.” Terry mumbled into his hands.

  Ernest patted him on the shoulder.

  “You’ll never live this down, boy. I’ll make sure of it.” When Terry looked up at Ernest, the old man was beaming.

  Crimeny, he thought, they are happy I have someone.

  “I need to get started on supper.” Dottie said. “This’ll be the biggest group we’ve had since the last time we hosted Christmas for my family. I’ll take any help I can get. Except for Terry. I want him to go see David. And no armor in the kitchen.”

  With that, Dottie marched off into the kitchen looking happier than he’d seen her in years. Delores walked over and kissed Terry on the cheek.

  “I’m going to go help your aunt.” She said quietly. “I like her, Terry. I like both of them. Thank you for bringing me.”

  Terry grabbed her in a bear hug before she could go.

  “I’m glad. I can’t tell you how much I needed you guys to meet. I love you.”

  She gave him a brief but wonderful kiss before filing off through the dining room into the kitchen. Terry looked at Ernest.

  “Let us set our stuff in our rooms and I’ll go with you to see David.” The old man nodded.

  Terry opened the door to his room and stood there. It was exactly as he’d left it. Bed on one wall by the windows. Some tables with plants in front of those windows. A wardrobe with drawers on one side. A door to his aunt and uncle’s bedroom on one wall, a door to the walk through closet on the opposite. His desk directly to his right. The posters, his father’s and uncle’s from the late 70’s and early 80’s, still hung on the walls. It was swept and dusted. Dottie had kept it clean and neat on the off chance her wayward nephew decided he missed them. That had taken far too long.

  Terry had never thought of the room as his. It had been his father’s and uncle's originally, and he just slept in it. Dottie had tried to get him to hang up his own things, but he hadn't cared about the room. Now, he suddenly had the urge to make it his. Finally. He sat his and Delores’s things down by the wardrobe and closet for later. He looked around again. He reached into one of his bags and fished around. He found what he was looking for.

  Terry took the fair sized, jagged tooth and placed it on the desk. It was from the gargouille, the very first monster he’d killed away from home. The first time he and Delores had worked together. He realized it was the first thing that belonged to him that he’d ever added to the place. He had so much he wanted to do while he was here, even if it was only for a few days.

  When he stepped back out in the hall, Ernest and Elton were both waiting for him. Terry gave the bard a questioning look.

  “I cook every night, Terry. I’d like to NOT help cook this once. Mind if I tag along?”

  Terry smiled. Of course Elton needed a rest too.

  “Not at all, bud. Feel free.”

  “Before we head out to the trailer,” Ernest said to Terry, “how long are ya plannin’ on stayin’?”

  Terry opened his mouth to say a couple of days and he just couldn’t. The idea of leaving so soon felt terrible. He decided to take his brain off the hook and see what his heart had to say on the matter.

  “I don’t know. A week? If that’s ok?”

  Ernest just shook his head.

  “Boy, I’m sorry if I ever made ya feel like this wasn’t yer home. You can stay a week, a month, don’t matter. We’re just glad to have ya back with us.”

  Terry managed to not fall apart right there. He’d do that tonight when he had a chance to process all of this.

  “Thank you, Uncle Ernest. I just feel like I have a lot of things to make up for.”

  The old man nodded.

  “I understand that feelin’. Let’s go see yer cousin.”

  As they started walking, Elton turned to Ernest.

  “I noticed he wasn’t here to welcome Terry home. Is something wrong?”

  Ernest looked at the bard, then looked at Terry. Terry simply nodded to his uncle.

  “Yes and no. He’s a good kid, he works hard. He works too hard. He’s got a case of hero worship goin’ on with ya, Terry. He was too nervous to come out here and see ya. He’s back at the trailer, practicin’ with the sword in the yard.”

  “Well,” Elton said, “That’s a hell of a hero to worship.”

  “That’s the problem.” Ernest said. He suddenly looked uncomfortable. “The, uh, things ya do, boy? He’s seen ‘em on Elton’s blog. He wants to do what YOU do.”

  Terry nodded at that.

  “I can talk to him. Maybe. . .maybe if I tell him and he-”

  “Hold up, now!” Ernest said, stopping them on the front porch. “Let’s not get crazy stupid here! There’s no need to tell everybody!”

  Terry stood there for a moment. He wasn’t angry with Ernest. The man was coming from a place of love with this. They both knew what the truth coming out could lead to. Terry had realized something after the previous night though. He’d been able to talk freely for a whole day with people about a part of himself he normally couldn’t.

  “I think I’m done hiding.” He said to Ernest.

  “Terry,” his uncle began, “I know how it has to feel. We couldn’t talk about Marie, even when she was alive. Her and Glen wouldn't let us. But they’ll take ya, boy! They’ll take ya and turn ya into a mindless drone fer decades! They'll work ya near to death. Ya won’t be you any more when we get ya back. They burn out a hunk of yer soul. I couldn’t take that.”

  “I know.” Terry said.

  He had finally gotten the hang of something that morning thanks to Delores’s coaching on the road. It had been a matter of perspective. He reached into his coat and pulled out his sword. He focused a portion of his will into the blade. He knew that wasn’t what he was doing but it was easier to do right now if he kept thinking of it like that. The blade, by the time it was free of the pocket, was glowing like the sun. He just held it there in front of him. He felt whole with it, especially like this.

  Ernest stepped back, mouth hanging open. Elton’s eyes widened. Terry turned to his uncle.

  “They are more than welcome to try. I know what I am now.”