Owls and Rainy Evenings

Rain drummed steadily against the windshield of my brother's sleek black '67 Mustang as we glided down the quiet city street. Street lamps, traffic lights, and neon signs illuminated the waters trickling down the cool glass, turning them into a shining collage of red, yellow, blue, and green. Strangely beautiful, considering such radiance was created by artificial light. I peered up through the water-stained glass. The late June sky above us was a dark grey canopy of clouds, heavy but not ominous, the western edges already turning a faint orange, indicating that this shower would be done before night fell completely. I sat back in my seat with a quiet sigh.

"You know, Will, I could have made the drive myself."

A muffled snort burst from the driver's seat to my left, followed by a clever voice slanted with a hint of an English accent. Much like mine... "You could? With what, I wonder... You know you're not to touch the wheel of my baby." He patted the dashboard affectionately. I suppose it was only right for him to be proud of that car. He'd saved up for it since he was twelve years old.

I rolled my eyes and scowled at the rain patterned window of the passenger door. "I could have taken the Subaru... Dad says I can use it whenever I like."

"As long as 'whenever you like' doesn't involve an evening excursion in pouring rain! Mum would never allow it, kid. Everyone knows I'm the better driver!"

I turned my glare from the window to the imp in the driver's seat. He was smirking at me. Bright, mischievous green eyes, like mine, that mop of dark hair, that familiar cheeky grin. Will. My ever-watchful, ever-annoying twin brother. He was barely six minutes older than I, but he never failed to hold those six minutes of 'extra charm, wisdom, and experience' over my head. Mischievous as he was, however, he was always looking out for me, always there for me. Even at 18 with his big plans and his bright future...Will kept a careful eye on his "little" sister.

I widened my eyes in imitated shock. "You big insensitive bugger. How could you state the obvious to my face like that?!"

He just winked and reached for the radio volume. "I aim only to please, beloved sister of mine."

The remainder of the journey passed quickly, time filled with The Proclaimers, bad sing-alongs, and various accent imitations. As we moved up Shadow Drive, my brother-in-law, Jamie, waved to us from the sheltered front porch of the pricy, two story, four bedroom, cream-colored urban house that he shared with my sister and their two children. Will waved back, pulled up to the curb by the perfect front lawn, and put the Mustang in park.

"Okay, kid. That'll be eighty-four dollars, tax and extra expenses not included. I'll write you a bill. Now get your stuff and get out."

I punched him hard on the arm, causing him to yelp loudly, but his grin remained. "There's your payment, bud. Thanks for the lift. Have fun bowling and tell Ryan and the guys I said hey."

He ruffled my hair playfully. "Will do! I'll text ya the scores later. Maybe I'll bring you a slice of cold victory pizza for breakfast tomorrow."

"That's my boy," I grinned at him, grabbed my backpack, jumped out, and walked up to join Jamie on the steps. Golden light of evening began to filter through the fading clouds and the rain lessened to little more than mist as I drifted up the stairs, the sound of Will's car engine fading away. Things to do...places to go...

"Hey, Lara," Jamie greeted me warmly with a one-armed hug and a smile. "Glad you could make it."

"Of course!" I said, returning his embrace. "Wouldn't miss it." I stepped back and smiled up at him. My brother-in-law was dressed quite handsomely in a neat button down shirt of light blue that enhanced his eyes, a pair of black slacks, smart brown leather shoes, and a blazer of darkest charcoal. His sandy brown hair was combed back and his overall posture was that of the cool, quiet confidence that came so easily to him. "Is Kat inside?"

"Yep. She's just getting the kids settled." He glanced at the screen door, through which the empty hallway could be seen, and leaned toward me conspiratorially. "Between you and me... She's been driving me crazy all evening. 'Do you think Lara will manage? Do you think the kids will behave? Maybe we should just order takeout and call it good.'"

I rolled my eyes. "You know Kat. Seeing smoke where there's no fire. Freaking out about giants when they're only windmills. It's a talent of hers."

"AUNT LAWA!" A streak of blue and gold crashed through the screen door and plowed into me, latching onto my legs with a grip like iron. I staggered and looked down at the huge, beaming eyes and toothy grin of little Alec. Just two months shy of three years old, Al was cute as a bug. He had golden curls above eyes of blue and a button nose to round it all off. Anybody to catch sight of the little fella would be instantly smitten.

I grinned and lifted the little boy in my arms, holding him out so I could look him up and down. He wore only a blue t-shirt and a pull-up, his chubby legs bare and kicking. "There you are! You ready for an awesome time with your favorite aunt?" Al nodded eagerly, curls bouncing as a high pitched giggle drifted through the screen door.

"You're his only aunt, Aunt Lara."

I looked through the screen and winked at the young speaker. My 5 year-old niece pushed through the door and trotted over to us on bare feet. Her ashy brown hair was neatly brushed and her little lilac colored dress (clearly a favorite) was adjusted to perfection. Her eyes, the same clear blue as her brother's, sparked with glee.

"Hello, Calpurnia. My, don't you look lovely!"

The little girl smiled shyly and shuffled her feet, giving a sudden squeal of delight when her father scooped her into his arms and tickled her. "I think she looks pretty as a goblin princess, don't you, Lar?"

I grinned. "Oh, yes... The fairest goblin princess I've ever seen!"

Callie laughed and squirmed. "I'm...n-not a goblin, Daddy!"

"Your Aunt Lara knows lots of goblin stories, Cal," came yet another voice from beyond the screen door. "You'll have to get her to tell you one." My sister floated out to join us with steps as smooth and graceful as a dancer's. Her honey blond hair was twisted up in an elegant French knot at the back of her head and she wore a flattering dress of midnight blue fabric that hung mid-calf and swayed delicately with her movements. In her right hand she held a small pair of trousers, obviously abandoned by my squirming nephew. Kat brandished them in my face. "You see what they do to me?! Animals!"

I laughed and snatched the article of clothing from her. "What've you done, Alec? Don't you like to wear pants any more?" The boy just shook his head, eyes twinkling mischievously. I grinned at Kat. "They get their talent for irritation from Will and me. Either that or Jamie was a little beast."

"Hey!" He protested. "I was the perfect angel! Just ask my mother."

"No, I see you and Will in them constantly." My sister put her hands on her hips. "It's enough to give me nightmares!" Katherine was the eldest. The first of the Tyler Trio, as we were so famously called. She was also the more traditional, the more nurturing, and the more up-tight in our family. She was the perfect daughter, the loving wife, and while she had lost most of her accent during our ten years of American citizenship, she was still very much the British mother.

I wished that I had taken after her more... Where Kat was calm, I was restless. Where she was sweet, I was surly. If someone angered her, she would ignore them and take it in stride, but not me...I would confront them, often with monstrous insults and fists flying. She was grace, I was speed. She liked dancing. I liked swordplay. She read proper books by proper authors like Jane Austen, while Will and I read every medieval fantasy novel, mystery, or knight's tale we could find. I also lacked her beauty, being shorter and plainer of face, favoring dark hair, like Will, over blond. The rose and the rapier.... Even our eyes were different. Will and I had sort of grey-sometimes-green eyes, whereas Kat's were a warm hazel like our mother's.

"It takes talent to be mischievous." I set Alec down, took off my pack, and handed it to Callie. "Take this to the living room for me, will you? Careful not to drop it and don't open it until I say. Dragons can be nasty when angered."

The girl looked at me with wide eyes. "There's a dragon in here?"

I winked. "It's a surprise." Callie grinned and walked into the house, taking each step as carefully as though she carried a basket of sleeping kittens. Alec followed quickly behind. I straightened up and glanced between my sister and her husband. "Now, you two are a fine looking pair. Better get out of here so I can spoil your kids."

Kat took me inside to their huge kitchen and showed me the extensive list of emergency protocol she had left on the fridge for me. The children had already eaten supper, but not dessert. Don't give them too much sugar. Graham crackers would do. They could watch TV, but only one program and it had to be over with at least half an hour before bed. Make sure the bath water isn't too hot. Use only the peach scented baby shampoo for the both of them. Their pajamas were laid out on their beds. Makes sure to take two minutes a piece when brushing their teeth. Calpurnia could do part of it on her own with supervision. Above all, make sure they were in bed by exactly 7:45. Not a minute before or after. She then proceeded to hug me and kiss the children no less than six times each before Jamie took her by the arm and led her toward the door.

I followed them out and walked them to the silver Nissan parked in the driveway. Kat hesitated with her hand still on the car door and looked back at me.

"We'll be fine," I assured her. "Go on and have fun. You'll be back at midnight. That's only five and a half hours. Enjoy them."

My sister paled. "Five hours..."

"Get in the car, Katie," Jamie smiled. "They'll be fine. What can happen in just five hours?" Kat sighed, gave me a feeble smile, and stepped into the car. Jamie nodded to me. "Thanks again, Lara. We really appreciate it."

"Not at all, Jame. Have a good time."

My brother-in-law smiled, closed the door, and started the car. As soon as the engine was running, my sister rolled down her window. "Call me if anything happens, Lara. Anything at all." The car backed out of the driveway and turned down the street. "My phone will be on all night! Don't hesitate to-" Her husband rolled up the window. I laughed and waved at them as they pulled away, my sister's eyes remaining glued to my face until they turned the corner and drove out of sight. Poor Kat... I chuckled and shook my head, turning to make my way back to the house.

I did not see the owl until I reached the first porch step. It was perched in the lower branches of the large elm tree that grew off the right side of the yard. A barn owl. He sat silently, like a pale shadow amongst the still damp leaves and twigs, watching me closely. I stopped and studied him a moment. It was so rare to find them in the city like this as, generally, they preferred the wider spaces of fields and forests. I loved owls...and this one was particularly beautiful. The feathers on his chest and heart-shaped face were white as snow whilst the ones on his back and wings were a mix of burnt gold, brown, and cream. And his eyes... His eyes were shining black coins in the growing evening and they radiated a strange, inhuman intelligence. I smiled. The bird blinked at me, then swiveled his head so far to the right that it was almost upside down, closing one of his eyes and balancing on one foot. What the...? I stared at him. The owl stared back, opened his eye, straightened up, and repeated himself in the opposite direction, swiveling his head left. A light burst of laughter escaped me at this curious display. What an odd creature... The bird righted himself and fluffed his feathers, clicking his beak in satisfaction. It was as if he'd wanted me to laugh. Well...that was one of the stranger things I've seen this week... Still smiling, I climbed the stairs to the house, strangely aware that the owl was watching my every move.

I found my two young charges waiting patiently in the kitchen. "Right, my little salamanders!" I said, clapping my hands together. They grinned expectantly as my eyes sparked with impish glee. "Who wants ice cream?"

Hello all! Welcome to my first story. I've been writing for several years now, but I've only just plucked up the courage to put some of my work out there. I know this chapter is a bit long...a bit cliche...perhaps even a bit dull. But I hope at least to amuse someone... Anyone... I'm talking too much.

Sorry for a slow start. I promise it will pick up within the next two chapters!

Again, this is my first, so please accept my apologies for any errors/short comings in advance. I hope that you can be patient with me, as I'm still trying to figure all this out, haha. Any feedback, positive or otherwise, is more than welcome!

Oh, and I do not own Labyrinth, though God knows I wish I did. I claim only the Tyler family...and a few others.

Arrivaderci, for now!