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Ami gave her aunt a cheery wave and a “Bye Aunt Rose.” Aran was clonked out in his kid’s seat, and Sara just gave her aunt a long cold stare as the witch walked away. Then she called shotgun, much to her sister’s protest.

I shoved a notepad and pen into Sara’s hand and told her. “Food run. Start writing down a shopping list.”

That kept them busy writing things down, until the two girl started arguing, naturally, about the health merits of some of Ami’s, and a now groggy but awake Aran’s, choices.

“Write it down.”

Sara gave me a betrayed look. “Grandpa, they can’t eat like that.”

I shook my head at her. “They don’t have to, caramel ice cream topping and marshmallow fluff sounds good. I’ll eat it. Write it down.”

She glared. “You’re supposed to be a good example.”

I nodded with a grin. “Yep, and kids are supposed to make mistakes so they can learn from them. Just doing my job and giving them enough rope to hand themselves with, or enough junk food to make themselves sick. Same thing.”

It kept them busy, and not whining about anything, all the way to the local grocery store, Marv’s.

The three kiddie’s gave the warehouse looking store, with all the windowless add-ons a dubious look.

Ami spoke up first “That’s a grocery store?”

I gave her a nod as I got out. “And a farmer’s market, a butcher’s, baker’s and enough handmade stuff it could count as a candle stick maker’s. Plus the one wing is like a garage sale.”

Sara had already gotten around the SUV and snuck passed me as I opened the back door. Then she started getting Aran out of his seat before I could do it.

Fine, he’s all yours. “Sara, take a cart and keep track of Aran while you get your stuff. And let him have what he wants.”I wiggled my finger at the boy. “If you see something other than food that you want, it’s only one thing. If you see something else you want, get it and put the other thing back on the shelf. Don’t give your sister a hard time.”

“Ami you’re with me.” She gave me a surprised look. “You’re too old to sit in the cart right.” The surprised look switch to a disgusted one instead as she stomped off toward the carts.

Sara rolled her eyes at me. “What? I was just asking?”

Ami snagged a cart and returned with a pointed look at me while refusing to surrender control of the cart. “No. I’m going to push it.”

I glanced over at Sara as she walked over to the cart corral under the sheet metal shelter beside the entrance, her brother hand in hers.

“Okay, but hold up a second. I just want to make sure Sara and your brother get inside the store first.”

She gave me a wide eyed look. I explained. “Ninja, werewolves, or even your aunt following us back. I want to see those two at least get in the doors before I let them out of sight. Just humor an old man.”

She looked all around with a worried expression. I felt a little bad for making her worry. But, paranoia was going to be a way of life for her for now on. Eleven is criminally young to have to be on guard all the time, but it was other people’s actions that was making me put this on her.

So. Their fault, my responsibility.

She slowly looked up at me. A sad look in her eyes. “This is how it’s always going to be for me from now on. Isn't it?”

I laid a hand on her back and rubbed it a little. “Sorry kid, this is part of growing up for every girl. Always on guard, knowing there are people out there. Unseen. Who are a danger to you. It’s just a bit worst for you.”

I nudged her to begin heading into store. “But you got me, and your sister. And soon your father and mother, all here to watch out for you. And in a few years, it’s going to be you protecting us.”

She gave me a surprised look. “Wha…?”

“You allready saved me from your aunt taking over my mind, and that was just you telling me to use what I already had. When you get your training I’m going to want you to use your magic to keep me from getting blind sided again.”

She paused in front of the door while she tried to process all of that. “Sorry to put this burden on you kid, but when it comes to all things magical. We’re going to need to rely on you.”

Then I tried to smoothly take control of the cart to at least get her into the store. I could see a woman with three kids starting to come up behind us. But she shot me a dirty look and threw her whole seventy pounds behind her as she rushed the cart through the doors and into the store to get it out of my reach.

Once in the store I came to a a stop. I hadn’t had a real clue on how to feel for things the last time I was in here.

Four. No, more than that. Maybe dozens in and out of here, but at least seven werewolves in the building with me right now. One of them a teenage boy talking to my granddaughter.

And looking at me with a slowly dawning look of horror on his face as he looked at me. Realized what he was looking at. Then looked at the young Asian girl by my side, then at the slightly older Asian girl he was flirting with.

He made a hasty retreat from the now confused thirteen year old girl who seemed to have no clue why a teenage boy might go running off from an underage girl when her grandfather showed up.

Ami caught up with her, a wicked grin on her face. “Who was that? Did he ask you out?”

Sara looked stunned for a second then blushed. “What? No! That was Neal, he works here. I just wanted to know if they make multigrain breads in their bakery.”

I shook my head at her. “Sorry Sara, but I’m required to tease you a little about this.” She gave me an angry look and raised up one hand in a first. I raised my hands defensibly. “Not too bad, but I am going to confirm he was flirting. Also, he’s like me, so I am so going to mess with him if I see him again.”

Down at the end of the canned goods aisle I could see the young man in question standing next to a fit young woman dressed in white with a full head covering cloth and flour on her apron.

Also a werewolf, and by the looks of it, related to him.

“So that’s what the new guy looks like. And his pretty little granddaughter as well.” She nodded to herself. “I approve, go ask her to dinner.”

The boy went beet red. “Mom? Not cool, he can hear us.”

His Mom, who looked way too young to have a teenage boy, grinned. “Well he’s not invited, I don’t want our sheriff to think I’m putting the moves on her man. Besides I’m mostly happy with your dad. I got a lot of time invested there.”

That got another protest of “Mom.” out of the kid.

I chuckled as Sara looked up and gave me a questioning look. “You can hear them can’t you.”

I was surprised. “You can’t”

She rolled her eyes. “How would I even train my ears to hear better?”

I had some ideas, but Ami interrupted. “What did they say?”

I looked down at her, then turned my head to stare right into Sara’s eyes. “His mom approves. He had her permission to court you as his future bride.”

Oh my. Her face, neck and even her ears went red before she snagged Aran’s hand and began to head off with there cart. “We’re here to get food, so get to shopping old man.”