Chapter 22
We went upstairs to Monroe's attic.
"Now there's like a spare room I keep up here for guests. Well, not that I get many guests… But, you know, it's good to be prepared." He laughed as I followed him up the stairs. "But then this is also where I store... you know, everything else." I was eager to see what everything else could possibly be.
Monroe opened the door to the attic and it was much nicer than what I'd anticipated. But with Monroe, of course there would be an order to things. He was mostly organized, and I adored him for that. Pictures were displayed on the wood paneled walls, and I tried to hold back stopping at each one just to see the details. There was a bed beside the window amidst some boxes and a trunk right in front of that. Yeah, it was definitely suitable for a spare bedroom. But we were here to find cameras, so I couldn't stop and be nosy. Well, at least not today.
"I know those cameras have to be over here somewhere," Monroe said while rummaging through some boxes in the far left corner of the room. Four or more large boxes labeled 'Christmas' were stashed against one of the walls, while a few others were labeled 'Halloween.'
"Are you big into the holidays?" I had to ask, pointing out the boxes.
Monroe looked over his shoulder. "Oh, yeah, man. Holidays are kinda my thing. We have a big tradition in my family for Christmas. But, dude… Halloween. Now that's even bigger." He grinned that childlike grin of his as he spoke.
Of course he'd be big into the holidays. But really, Halloween? His birthday was on Halloween, but wouldn't Wesen be a little put off by humans traipsing around in costumes? Usually those costumes were similar to what Wesen looked like. I pictured last Halloween in Kentucky. How many Wolfmen came to our door? Three at least, easily. Did that kind of thing upset him? Maybe I was being the biased one here.
"Halloween, you like that?"
"Oh, yeah. Well, think about it. We get to be what we are without anyone judging us. And I've won a few costume contests, too." Another smile passed his lips. Maybe I was seeing it all wrong. True, Wesen had nothing to hide on a day like that.
Monroe turned back to his boxes, and I walked up beside him, helping him move them out one by one.
"I know those cameras have to be in here somewhere," he said almost to himself as we went through boxes of trinkets that I really wanted to ask about. But if I opened that can of worms we'd be up here all night. Monroe never had a problem telling stories.
"Oh, wow. Now that's my grandmother's rocking chair." He pointed to a chair in the corner. "My grandmother was an awesome lady. We would go on picnics... Oh! I bet that's up here somewhere, too." He moved up and over to another set of boxes. "Well, will you look at that!" he said as he pulled out an old picnic basket.
It was one of those old style, dual-handled woven baskets with a metal latch, and it was covered in dust. He lifted the basket, looking it over with scrutiny as he opened it and admired it from every angle.
Monroe looked up at me while grinning. "Yeah, this was my grandmother's, definitely. This is from the early 1920s." He dusted it off and rubbed the edges with his sleeve. "We used to go on picnics when I was a kid. Well, we'd do other things out in the woods on those picnics, too." He gave me an oddball look. "Umm, but I won't bore you with those kinds of details."
Oh, I'm sure there was more to those trips than just picnics. I tried to shake the thoughts out of my head. Too much info, Mr. Monroe.
"God, I haven't seen this in ages." He seemed lost in thought.
"It's really beautiful," I said as he held it up to the light.
"We oughta go on a picnic sometime," he said brightly with a twinkle in his dark brown eyes.
"I'd like that," I smiled at him.
Monroe sighed wistfully, looking up. "It's been forever since I've done that."
"Okay, don't judge, but I've never been on an official picnic. Is that bad?"
"Really?" Monroe seemed surprised.
"I've eaten outside, but I've never done it with a blanket and picnic basket."
"Okay, then that settles it. We gotta do one." His grin burst into a big smile, and I had to smile, myself. "Oh! Cameras! I almost forgot." Monroe set the basket aside, looking through more boxes.
"You have so many boxes up here."
"I have a lot of important things, you know?" Oh my. There was more to that story, and if I kept asking we really would be up here all night.
"Found it!" Monroe said looking through another box, pulling out an old camera. This one seemed to be the right box. "So, here it is. Olaf's collection." The box was full of old cameras and projectors maybe? I was clueless. "My great-uncle Olaf had so much more than this, but this is what is left. God, this box hasn't been opened in a long time."
He lifted a few cameras out, going over the history of each one. I had to bite my tongue. He was brilliant and knowledgeable. I'd never dated anyone this into facts... Well, okay, maybe Pete. If you could call what we did dating. Pete was brainy, but Monroe... No, Monroe was more than just brainy. He was witty, scatterbrained, and so much the nerd. Given today's attic adventure, Monroe also had a little ADD. I liked the mixture of nerdiness with his randomness. Was there anyone more perfect? Crap, my mind was wandering and Monroe was still talking.
"…so this one was one my mom said my great uncle really loved."
Perhaps I was a little ADD, too.
After going through the entire box Monroe seemed satisfied.
"You have quite a few family relics up here," I stated with a grin.
He grinned back. "Knowing where you're from and what your ancestors did… Well, that is what history is all about."
I'd received quite a history lesson of my own today… That was for sure.
A/N: We're finding the cameras and that picnic basket earlier than in the show. But maybe Renée will be treated to a picnic soon?