To tell you the truth, I was feeling pretty nervous about the upcoming talk. I made a simple chilli con carne with rice for dinner. Meals were pretty hard to decide upon when I was cooking for the three of us because I couldn't use garlic, lemon, nuts or some foods high in iron. Hunter had a nut allergy and turns out fairies are not only allergic to metal iron but to the iron in foods which ruled out a lot of red meats. They could tolerate low doses but red meat was a big no no. I never used nuts much in cooking anyway but it was another thing to be cautious of now.

"Hunter could you please stay at the dinner table? There's something I need to talk to you about," I said whilst Claude and I cleared the table.

"Am I in trouble?" he asked.

"No baby, you've done nothing wrong. Be patient and I'll tell you in a minute."

I stacked the dishes to be washed later. Claude would be washing since I cooked but we decided that this would come first. I took the chair next to Hunter while Claude took the one across from him. How does one tell a child about their father's funeral? I guess just straight out.

"Hunter," I gripped his hands in mine for extra support, "when people die people hold funerals in memory of the person to say a final goodbye. There's one for your daddy next week in Homer. Now it's up to you if you want to go, just let me know."

I could see the waterworks building behind his eyes. "I want to go," his voice that miserable sound children have when they are about to cry.

I wrapped my arms around him, "your Daddy would be very proud of you. You are being a very brave. And me and Claude will be there for you just like we are now."

A few tears were shed but it was not as bad as I thought it would have been. "Can you tell me more about Mommy?" Well that caught me off guard.

"Sure thing, if you wait here I'll get you some pictures." I went into the living room to pull out some photo albums stored in a cabinet. I found two that spread over my childhood and pulled them out as they were bound to have plenty of Hadley to show Hunter. "Alrighty, here they are," I said opening them up on the table.

These two albums compiled by Gran had been dedicated to her three grandchildren. There were photo's of Jason, Hadley and I from when we were in diapers up until she died to no longer add to the collection. The last pages didn't have any of Hadley because she'd run away to get involved in the world of drugs and then vampires. Hadley had been popular in high school, a cheerleader and even Miss Bon Temps before her Goth days took over.

I knew Hunter would never have seen these pictures and he was impressed and remarked, "Mommy is pretty." He didn't want to skip any photos because Aunt Sookie and Uncle Jason were just as fascinating.

By the time we were getting to the end it was almost bedtime. Hunter had taken his time, studying each photo carefully as if he had to memorise them. "They'll still be here in the morning," I had told him repeatedly but he refused to get up until he was finished. Looks like bath time was going to be in the morning.

I hadn't looked at these in years. It was actually fun to remember the past. Claude looked on for the most part, taking a break once to wash the dishes. I expected him to have run the second I got the albums out but he hadn't. He really was changing for the better.

The very last photo was of me in my Merlotte's uniform. I remembered having this photo taken. I would have been almost twenty-two; I'd been working at Merlotte's for only several months. I had started in the winter so it was the first time I had worn the summer uniform and Gran had insisted on a photo. I never really understood the importance but because it was my Gran I let her take the picture anyway. I was smiling, my real smile, not my nervous, crazy smile. I was standing in front of the house on the porch steps. I couldn't help but notice I was slimmer now than I had been then and I congratulated myself. Then again, with all the adventure my life had taken it shouldn't really be surprising. I also had a few more scars now. Had someone asked me then what I thought I'd been doing in five years time I wouldn't never have said anything close to what my life really was like. Then I still thought vampires, shape shifters, fairies and everything else was all a figment of our imaginations, that I was the only one that was different. Boy was I wrong. Hadley had vanished off the face of the earth but little did I know around this time she would have been either very heavily pregnant or holding her new baby boy.

"Who took this picture, Sookie?" Claude asked curiously.

"My Gran, why?" I replied.

His jaw may have dropped a few millimetres, "It looks like you could have taken this photo last month."

"Nope, it's the first summer I worked at Merlottes."

Hunter craned his neck around to look at me where I was standing over his chair to get a better look at the picture. I hadn't sat back down since two vampires has checked in to let me know they were taking over the patrol shift five minutes ago. "You look very pretty aunt Sookie."

"Thank you Hunter."

Claude had the most curious expression on his face. "I just remembered I have to see Dermot tonight, please excuse me." He glided around the corner into the living room. I heard a few soft bangs and then the front door closed. Goodbye dear strange cousin of mine, I thought.

Hunter erupted in giggles, "Oh you heard that?" I said.

He nodded, "Where's Uncle Eric? It'a night time."

"He has to work tonight. I don't think he will be here tomorrow either."

Hunter frowned but the phone rang before he could say anything and I grabbed the cordless phone on the kitchen bench. "Hello?"

"Good evening lover."

"Speak of the devil. Hello Eric."

"Can I speak to him? Can I speak to him? Can I speak to him? Please," Hunter yelled, jumping on the spot.

Eric would have been able to hear him even if he had whispered, "go on, it gives me a good reason to hide in Pam's office longer."

"Why are you in Pam's office?"

"I'm having some small renovations done to mine. It should be ready for me tomorrow night. I figure that since Fangtasia is so prosperous it's going to be around for a while so I may as well make it more comfortable."

"Sounds good, I'm putting you on speakerphone." I'd often teased him about his office. It was dull in comparison to everything else he owned. The walls were off white and he had a sturdy looking wooden desk with his computer and a black leather couch. They were the highlights to the room. Then there were a few shelves and filing cabinets. It could have belonged to anyone. I clicked on the speakerphone.

"Hi Uncle Eric," Hunter smiled at the phone.

"Good evening Hunter. Have you been a good boy for your aunt Sookie?"

"Yup, we had a water fight and did some gardening and looked at aunt Sookie's photo albums."

"You mean there are more photos than the ones in frames? Sookie have you been hiding them from me?"

"Maybe, jealous?" I said.

"No, I'm devastated," he sounded it too. Too bad the emotions I was feeling through the bond didn't match that. Not so believable when I can feel his giddiness. There was an undertone of jealousy though, Ha!

"Don't worry Uncle Eric, I'll show you them," Hunter said.

"I'd like that Hunter. Can I speak to aunt Sookie in private?"

"Okay, Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

"Hunter can you go pick out what pyjamas you want to wear tonight and I'll come in and help you when I've finished talking," I said.

He ran to his room and once I could no longer see him I turned the phone off speakerphone and held it to my ear.

"Pam found a tracker on the car and a matching monitoring device in the truck."

"Fucking technology," I muttered.

"Call it a hunch but I think there's more on your mind than frustrations caused by technology."

"There was a notice in the paper today about Remy's funeral. I'll tell you about it when I see you next. I'm not ready to talk about it, especially over the phone. It's not for a week so there plenty of time to talk about it."

"I've had the hood replaced."

It took me a moment to understand the quick change in subject, "You listened to me?"

"I always listen to you lover. If it was going to upset my fiancé so much then it had to go. The car has only the faintest of scents now and that should be faded by the end of the week."

"Thank you. I wish I could talk to you longer but Hunter's waiting for me and the quicker you get back to work, the quicker you finish, the quicker I get to see you."

"Stay safe."

"I love you."

We hung up and I went to find Hunter who had gotten changed all by himself, "I picked aeroplanes," he beamed. His pyjamas were a white two piece with lots of little red aeroplanes all over.

I smiled, "Good job but your shirt is on backwards."

He looked down at the offending garment, "Uh oh, whoopsie."