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I grinned a little. “I haven’t bitten Drew since I was seven.”

Charles started to say something before we got interrupted by the lady of the manor’s desire to some quality TV time. Sara stood in the front door, hands on her hips. “You got all day to talk, if you aren't going to let me carry it in, could you please get on with it.”

The boy looked a little started. So I began to tell him all her sins. “She’s been like this all week. Demanding special foods, breaking light fixtures, working an old man to the bone she has.”

My granddaughter did the complete trifecta of stomping her foot, rolling her eyes and heaving out a loud sigh.

But she did also get me and Charles carrying in the TV, well, really me carrying it and the kid steadying the other end. Hell, I think I could do most of the work of moving a fridge now.

Ami was heading up stairs with her new outfits, and then wandered in and out of the game room to show them off, or to mock Charles fashion sense for tween wear. Note, while still putting on and showing off the glittery unicorn shirt and dark pink pleated skirt.

Or Fuchsia as she corrected me. Thought that was a flower?

I also spotted Aran doing something with the leftover boxes that seemed to have his complete attention.

Sometimes I worry about that boy.

Since I had ordered the same make and model of TV, it wasn’t that hard for Charles and me to detach the old one off the wall and put the new one up on the same mount. And since it was the same model, the old wrecked one went right into the box as well.

As Charles and I began plugging in all the wires, The eldest grandchild became more and more inpatient. So naturally, without a word, the boy and me began undoing each other work and slowly discussing which wire went were to drag the whole thing out for as long as possible until the girl began to whine and beg us to let her try.

Which we eventually did, all the while giving her unneeded and unasked for instructions and explanations of how she should do it to her muttered replies of “Got it, I’m already doing that, Stop helping! Old people…”

Welcome to the family kiddo. Boys and men have been doing this to little sisters, brothers, daughters, son, nieces and nephews for three generations. Wouldn’t want you to feel left out.

We finally left her to it and drifted off to the other side of the room.

I began racking up the pool table while Charles gave me an inquiring look. “So...”

I cued up a break shot and set the balls in motion. After taking a look as the balls as they rolled to a stop, I called out “Solids”, and proceeded to sink two balls. Uncalled. Despite growing up with a pool table in my grandfather’s house, which later migrated to my dad’s and now my own, we had always played slops. Uncalled shots, with the eight ball sunk last.

I’m still not sure if slops is a official term, and have never cared enough to find out.

Charles knew me well enough to give me enough time to think about what I wanted to say, but not well enough to guess I would wait until he was preparing to take his own shot to start talking.

As he leaned over and pulled back his cue. “I still got a lot of questions myself, about how this werewolf thing works.” He looked up for a moment to see if I was ready to continue, then started to take his shot again.

“But I've gotten the impression that someone that just got bit might be dangerous for a while.” He must have caught on since he just paused without looking up, then took his shot as I finished. Still threw him off, his ball hit the edge of the hole and bounced.

I allowed myself a brief grin and a slight wiggle of my head as I examined the table for my own shot. I tried to use a little English to spin the ball the right way, and failed. But at least I had an easy shot ready for my next turn, if the cue ball ended up on the right end of the table.

I waited for him to get ready to take his next shot. “I also think that getting bit might not work everytime, or maybe not for everyone? Otherwise everyone would be biting every sick relative and friend no matter what the consequences were. Hell, if just sinking my teeth into people was all that was needed, I’d be heading out to the nearest VA’s hospital right now.’

It didn’t work, he sunk his next three balls despite my ramblings. But hitting a hospital full of veterans? I wonder if being turned would regrow an entire lost limb.

Which would also help my brother. I had offered to replace the VA issued prosthesis, but Drew said his life would be more improved with the same amount of money in steaks.

I got him a deep freeze instead, along with a monthly delivery from his local butcher.

Which was also a Red’smart. I would have to warn him about all that if I did bite him.

“Uh, Uncle john?” Oh right, my shot. Maybe just focus on one game at a time.

“So before I start forming my own pack, I want to get filled in on everything I should know about being a werewolf, and also find out if there are any living up by your dad's house before he starts howling at the moon up there.”

At this point Sara could no longer just eavesdrop and got up off the couch, from where she had been playing some shooter game, and walked up to join us.

“Why are you talking about turning your brother into a werewolf?”

Charles looked over to me and I shook my head.

“This is another thing you’re old enough to hear about darling, but young enough I don’t want to burden you with it yet. Again, it’s your choice if you want to hear about it.”

She thought it over, long enough for Charles to sink another ball. Wait, wasn’t it my turn?

She finally nodded.

“Your great uncle had cancer. It got caught it early enough to get treated, but it was also long enough ago that he will probably get it again before old age catches up with him.”

She thought that over and look a little confused.

“We didn’t catch it in time for my mother, and it was all over her so it wasn’t possible for the doctors to help her, just keep her around a few more years on heavy medication.”

“No one else in the family has gotten it yet, and we’ve been checking, but with it in two generations of the family, you, me, Charles and everyone in the family has to be aware, and have that awareness lurking in their heads as a lifelong concern.”

Some understanding appeared on her face. “Oh. Are you alright?”

I gave her a smile, while Charles stole another ball, jerk. Then I stepped over to give her another half hug with one arm around the shoulders. She only pulled away a bit, having learned to be suspicious. “This is something we usually wait to talk about until someone is a bit older. You shouldn't need to worry about this on top of everything else a teenager has going on.”

“And I’m fine. I get a check up every six months. Clean bill of health as of two months ago.”

I felt her relax a bit, some tension I didn’t even notice going out of her shoulders as she pulled free before I could quite get my hand on the top of her head to muss her hair.

“That’s game.” Said Upchuck as he sunk the eight ball. Jerk. Taking advantage of a tender family moment just to win a game. Some people.