Family Tails

A Story of a Mixed Family in the Genetic Age

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Names of actual businesses, their products, etc, are the property of their respective owners.

Story and characters © 2013 Ronald J. Lebeck

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Chapter 37

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" everyone shouted when the clock struck midnight. It is now officially the year 2030, and Ron, Lupina, and Rosie has another celebration--their seventeenth anniversary.

"Seventeen years, baby...," Lupina said with a grin as she looked into her husband/mate's eyes.

"...And still going," Ron finished, giving her a kiss.

"I think somebody finally conked out," Rosie observed, holding her four-month-old son, Kenneth James Daugherty.

"He's certainly a little cutie, Rosie."

She looked up to see Darcy, now white haired, admiring the kit. Dr. Nemeth retired from The Center during the previous year--at seventy-two, it was time to hand over the reins to one of her assistants, and enjoy the remaining years of her life away from a lab.

"Yeah, he is. He's gonna grow up big and handsome, just like his father," Rosie grinned.

"I don't doubt that, Rosie," Darcy said quietly, glancing up at Ron. "You know, Ron, We're only two years apart in age, but you sure don't look like you're my age."

"Ah, well now, these two fine ladies keep me young," Ron chuckled, putting his arms around both his mates.

"Me, too!" Kapik sent, wagging her tail.

"And Kapik, too. I can't forget you, sweetie," Ron agreed, giving her a hug and a kiss.

"Did Kenny J finally go to sleep, momma?" Chrys Ann asked coming over to check again.

"Yeah, I think he's out for the night," Rosie replied.

"Want me to put him to bed?"

"Yeah, sure Chrysie. Ya got him?"

"Yeah. C'mon lil' bro, beddy-time," Chrys Ann said quietly, taking her baby brother from her mom's arms.

As she headed towards the bedroom, Darcy commented, "She's going to make a good mother one day. I hope I live long enough to see your grandchildren."

"I'm sure ye will, Darcy," Ron said reassuringly, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Ye ha' been with the G.E.L.F. Project since the beginning--ye will see the grandkids of the first G.E.L.F.s at least."

"I hope so, Ron...it's been a dream of mine for a long time."

"If Mackie and Iluq get any cozier, we may be grandparents by summer," Lupina laughed.

Cormac and Iluq were on the floor in front of the couch, in front of Sierra. He had his back against the front of the couch, between his twin sister's legs, and Iluq lay next to him with her head resting on Cormac's lap. Iluq had been spending more and more time together with him, and they often went hunting together. Violet came over and plopped herself down next to Cormac with a glass of homemade mead in her hand.

"Hey Mackie...you and Iluq got plans for tonight?" she asked suggestively.

"No, Vi, we're just hangin' out. I thought you were gonna bring a boyfriend or somethin' tonight."

"Well, I was, but Tim couldn't make it, so...here I am," Violet said.

"What was the excuse?"

"His brother's unit is heading to Korea on the second, instead of the third--something about avoiding a snowstorm that's coming."

"Oh. Yeah, dad showed me something churning over the northeastern part of Siberia, and it's about to hit Chukotka. We might get a major snowstorm out of it."

"It's gonna suck."

"Hey, it won't be much longer before we head back to college, and you'll have all the guys checkin' out your tail again."

"You think they really like my nice, fluffy tail?" Violet asked teasingly, rubbing the end of it in his face.

"Vi...I'm gonna bite your tail if you don't get it out of my face!"

"Ooo!" Violet said, turning towards her brother and resting her head on his shoulder, batting her eyes. "Mackie, ya sure know how to turn a girl on!"

Sierra lightly smacked Cormac on the back of his head and said, "Mackie, you oughtta know how skunks are, ya bonehead! All dad's gotta do is give Aunt Rosie a little 'love bite', and she's dragging him off to the bedroom! Don't encourage her, tail-for-brains!"

"Oh, c'mon, Sierra, think I'd be pouncin' on our bro?"

"He's a guy, isn't he?" Sierra asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, the last time I looked."

"Then you would in a New York minute!"

"Mmm...wanna bite me and find out?"

"VI!" both Cormac and Sierra exclaimed.

"Hey, Mackie mine! Violet can't have!" Iluq sent, getting into it.

"Ha, guess you got told, sis!" Sierra said, sticking her tongue out at her half-sister.

"Lick me, Sierra!" Violet shot back before realizing what she said.

Sierra's twisted sense of humor--that she got from her dad--instantly kicked in. Quickly leaning forward and wrapping her arms around Violet's neck, Sierra wetly licked the inside of Violet's ear.

"Mmm, tastes like chicken!"

"Eeeew, grrr-O-O-S-S!!!" Violet exclaimed, wiping her ear with her sweatshirt while both Cormac and Sierra laughed. Even Iluq laughed, though hers sounded more like the wolf equivalent of a rapid "ya-ya-ya-ya."

Amaguq's mate, Sakari[1], saw their three year olds Ikiaq and Miksa, yawn sleepily.

"Go sleep now," she sent to her mate, getting up and stretching.

"Okay, I tell others," Amaguq sent back and then he got up.

Amaguq made the rounds, saying his goodnights to everyone.

"Turning in for the night, guy?" Ron asked when Amaguq got around to him.

"Yes, little ones nearly asleep. We go to basement now."

"Okay, I'll say goodnight to them."

Ron went to see Amaguq's family off to bed. Sakari was well used to being around her "extended" family by now, though she tended to be closer to the wolf side of it, particularly to Amaguq's brother and sisters. That was most likely due to the fact that they looked like normal wolves...even if they were larger than normal. Of the humans, Sakari largely remained aloof, though she would approach Miki and show a little affection. Ron was the other exception, and she--at Amaguq and his sibling's insistence--accepted the fact that he was part of her new pack. Over time, and especially after being given the telepathic ability, Sakari came to understand more about him and how Kapik felt about her mate. As he had been when Iluq and Mumik were born, and when Kapik had her two children, Ron was there when Ikiaq and Miksa were born. Ikiaq, like Aurora and Fionn, is a wolf/human hybrid, though he leans more towards a wolf in general appearance. In the Inuit language, "Ikiaq" means "red spruce", and he was given that name due to the reddish browns of his fur. Miksa, his sister, is a wolf for most intents and purposes, though she has a curious ability that was passed to her from the human part of her father's DNA--she can talk. Her words can be difficult to understand at first, though with practice, a listener can pick out the sound equivalents for the letters "b", "m", "p", and "v". With a lot of help from Lupina, Miksa was learning how to read at a very basic level. "Miksa" in Inuit, means "between", and she does stand on the threshold between wild animal and something more.

"You go bed now?" Ron asked Sakari mentally, keeping his sending simple for her.

"Cubs tired, sleep now."

"Be warm," Ron sent, stroking Sakari's fur gently.

She gave him a wolf kiss on the face and brushed against his body as she headed off towards the stairs.

Ikiaq stood upright and toddled over to Ron and gave him a hug.

"Momma say sleep time, go to bed now. Goo' night, Unca Ron."

"Goodnight, Ikiaq...pleasant dreams, little guy. Be careful going down the stairs."

"I will."

Miksa was drifting off to sleep, so Amaguq nuzzled his daughter and sent, "Miksa, come. Go bed."

With a few soft snorts, she lifted her head sleepily.

"Ho-khay, da," she said aloud, getting up slowly and yawning.

"Goodnight, Miksa. Pleasant dreams, sweetie," Ron said, giving her a hug.

"'Nite, unca Rron."

Miksa walked over to her mom and brother, and the three of them went down to the basement together, with Ikiaq holding onto his mom for support while he walked upright.

"I guess I'll see you in the morning, Amaguq," Ron said, giving his "brother-in-law" a few rubs on the shoulders.

"Okay, see in morning."

Amaguq went to say goodnight to Kapik, Iluq, and Mumik personally, before sending an open "goodnight" to everyone else.

A short while later, Darcy was starting to nod off, so she called it a night, too. She said her goodnights, and Lupina walked her to the guest room in the basement.

"Thanks, Lupina, I don't get around quite as well as I used to. As much as I'd love to, it would be nice to climb that ridge again out back of your place. Anymore I'm doing good to get up and down a flight of stairs. It's a shame, because the view up there really is spectacular. *Sigh* It sucks getting old."

"Maybe when it gets warm again, we can all go up there for a picnic or something," Lupina suggested, turning the covers down on the bed and fluffing the pillow.

"We'll see, Lupina, we'll see. I'm going to be seventy-three this year...I'm getting to be an old woman. Hell, I am an old woman, who am I kidding."

"Oh, don't say, that, I'm sure you've a lot of years left," Lupina chided.

"Probably not, dear. My grandparents and parents were in their eighties when they died, and chances are, I will be too."

As much as she didn't want to admit it, in her heart, Lupina knew that she was right. Darcy was thirty-five years old when the Gen-1 G.E.L.F.s were born--just three years younger than Lupina herself is now. Seeing the sadness creeping into Lupina's eyes, Darcy put her hands on either side of Lupina's face.

"Lupina, I may be old now, but I'm happy--I've lived long enough to see you come into your own, have children, and see them grow up. With any luck, I'll get to see your kids have children of their own."

"You will, Dr. Nemeth...you will!"

"Lupina...'Doctor' Nemeth retired, it's just plain old 'Darcy' now, okay?"

"Okay," Lupina agreed quietly.

"Alright, well, I'm going to bed now. You go take care of that man of yours, and I'll see you at breakfast."

"Okay, goodnight Doct...um...Darcy," Lupina said, giving a little wave.

"Goodnight, Lupina."

After Lupina left, Darcy quietly shut the door, and went about changing into her pajamas for the night. When she was ready, Darcy sat down on the bed and thought quietly aloud to herself.

"Hmpf, it's the year 2030...where are all the groovy things we used to talk about in the sixties, space colonies, flying cars, and all that? Well, at least we've got the G.E.L.F.s now--maybe they'll get some new thinking going on in the power circles, and maybe start getting all of us foolish humans to start caring about something worthwhile again. Oh, I hope they'll survive and flourish...we've planted the seeds, and now it's time to watch them grow. We've been damn lucky there haven't been any more like Sumter lurking about, trying to pervert what we've done. That...that still gives me goose bumps, what happened that day! B-r-r-r! At least something good came of it, though. Edgar...my first G.E.L.F., I wonder where he's at...I miss talking with that rascal. Well, it's probably too cold for him to be out and about. Still...I wish...*sigh*...I'm too damn old now, he wouldn't. I remember when I could hardly think straight every time I got near Edgar, especially after he grew up. I don't think there'll ever be another like him."

Darcy leaned over and reached into her suitcase that was sitting on a chair near the bed. She pulled out a well-worn photograph and looked at it admiringly. After a minute passed, Darcy gently, lovingly kissed the old photo as she had done every night for many years.

"Goodnight my dear...hold me in your wings."

She tucked the photo of Edgar Corvus under her pillow, turned out the light, and fell asleep.

In February, Cormac and Iluq accepted each other as mates, and that brought another milestone to the family--the first of the children to take a mate. By the time Sierra, Cormac, Chrys Ann and Violet graduated from the university at the end of May with their bachelor's degrees, Iluq was noticeably pregnant. During an exam, it was found that Iluq was carrying a little of five--Rosie, of course, had something to say about that.

"Whoa, girl! Are ya tryin' to have 'em all at once?!"

The doctors kept a close eye on Iluq and her developing offspring. During subsequent exams, it was determined that at least one of the five appeared to be human. This became a concern, for never before had a wolf--even one who is part human herself--ever carried a human child. The other four would likely be due in late July or early August, though by conventional standards, that would be much too early for the human child. It was decided that a detailed scan be made to see how the human baby was developing before any other decisions should be made.

On the day of the test, Iluq was nervous, but Cormac was right beside her the whole time. Ron and Lupina, Sierra, Rosie, and Aurora came along as well to the UAFMedicalCenter where the scan would be performed. The medical people performing the scan were leery at first when they saw Iluq, and they started talking to Ron, but Cormac made things clear to them.

"Hey, you folks need to be talking to me and my mate, not to my dad. She's got a name--Iluq--and she understands you quite well. If you had received her sister's gift to everyone, you'd be able to hear her trying to talk to you," Cormac insisted, pointing to his head. "Now, tell us what you're going to do and why."

Ron and Lupina were pleased with how their son handled the situation. With Aurora helping by acting as a bridge, the doctor and other medical people could hear Kapik, which surprised them. During the scan, it was learned that besides the human child, one of the little ones was indeed a wolf, and the other three appeared to be G.E.L.F.s, though it was difficult to be sure since G.E.L.F. fetuses look almost exactly like those of the animal species they were derived from up to a certain stage of development. After much discussion, it was decided to perform a C-section when it was time to deliver the little ones. The doctors were not sure about what to do with the human child--they thought six months would be too short of a gestation period, though there was the possibility that the human child might grow as quickly as G.E.L.F. children would. This was a medical first, so thee were a lot of questions and unknowns. As it currently looked, though, the human child appeared to be further along than three months, so of course they questioned Cormac and Iluq again, about when conception likely took place.

"Like we've told you already, it was in February of this year," Cormac insisted.

"Listen to Cormac. Only possible one time a year for us," Iluq added, going though Aurora.

After further collaboration, it was decided to do one more scan when Iluq was about due, which would be near the beginning of August.

Later that evening, Chrys Ann and Vi were getting ready for bed.

"Chrysie, things are gonna be different around here...between all of us."

"What do ya mean, Vi?"

"Well...Mackie is gonna be a daddy, and we're gonna be aunts. Kinda makes ya feel like we're not kids anymore, ya know?"

"Yeah, I guess so. That is gonna be kinda weird. I wonder how Sierra's takin' it," Chrysie agreed.

"I'll ask her," Vi said. "Hey, Sierra, come over here a sec."

"Where are ya?" Sierra sent back.

"In our room."

Sierra came through the bathroom from her room, brushing her fur-hair.

"What's up?" she asked, coming out of the bathroom.

"We were just talkin' about how weird it's gonna be around here with Mackie bein' a daddy soon," Chrysie replied.

"Oh, yeah, I know. It's not the same between me and Mackie anymore," Sierra said quietly.

"Whadda ya mean, Si?"

"Well, we're still close and all, but...it's different. He's all excited, and worried, and wondering how they're going to deal with having five kids at once."

"I'd imagine so. We don't have space for five more," Vi agreed.

"Yeah, if Mackie moves out to get his own place...it'll be the first time we've been apart."

"I wonder how they're takin' it," Chrysie said, referring to their parents by jabbing her thumb towards the other side of the house.

"I think momma's excited at being a grandma soon, but she's kinda sad, too. Dad hasn't said much, but I can tell he wishes 'Grandma' Sesi and 'Grandpa' Atka were here to see Iluq's little ones, and Amaguq's, too," Sierra said quietly, looking at their photo on the wall. "I miss them, too."

"Yeah, me, too," Chrysie said with a sniff and hugging Sierra.

"Me, three," Vi added, making it a group hug.

"It's not gonna be the same around here if Mackie moves out," Chrysie sniffed.

"It's already not the same. I love Iluq, but it's kinda weird sharing our bed with her," Sierra said with a sigh.

"Hey, you can move in with us after she has her babies," Vi offered.

"Yeah, we can get bunk beds or something. What do ya think, Si?" Chrysie asked.

"It'll be kinda crowded," Sierra replied being realistic about it. "If we were still little kids, it wouldn't be so bad, but we're grown up now. Chrysie, you've got your job workin' the coffee shop; Vi, you're workin' for that geologist; Mackie and I are interning with dad and Uncle Rob at the shop for the summer, and we will be going back to school in September to work on our Master's Degree in Engineering; and Aurora and Fionn are doing volunteer work at the hospital. I mean, we've all got crazy schedules and stuff. Did you guys know that dad and Uncle Rob are plannin' on retiring in twelve years? I think momma is, too."

"Yeah, I guess we're all going different directions at once. Twelve years, huh? That seems like a ways off," Chrysie said.

"When Mackie and I graduate again in two more years, Aurora and Fionn will be graduating from high school. It'll only be another ten more years and dad will retire for the second time--at eighty-three. I know he doesn't look it, but that's getting' kinda old for a human," Sierra argued.

"Yeah, I guess so. Hey, did ya know that ol' Doc Nemeth is only a couple of years older than dad is?" Chrysie brought up.

"Yeah, momma told me somethin' about that back in January. She was acting kinda sad one day and I asked what was wrong, and that's when she told me what Doc Nemeth said to her about being old and stuff. She might not be around by the time dad retires again," Sierra said with a wistful look.

"Jeezers, she's the one who made our mommas and the others...that's gonna be tough losin' her...," Vi said quietly.

"Yeah," Sierra and Chrysie agreed.

One Saturday morning in June, Sierra walked into the kitchen, where her dad was cooking breakfast. She poured herself a cup of coffee, and then got into the refrigerator to get the cream. While she was reaching down to get the bottle on the lower shelf, she happened to glance back to see her dad watching. It wasn't a lewd type of expression on his face--it was more as if he was remembering something. Still, Sierra, with her own twisted sense of humor, couldn't help but to get a little grin on her face as she thought up a few amusing scenarios. After fixing her coffee the way she wanted it, which was just like how her dad drank his--with cream and one teaspoon of sugar, she took a sip and then gave him a hug.

"Scopin' out my backside, dad?" she asked with a playful smirk.

"Heh, seeing you get the cream out of the refrigerator just reminded me of back when your mom was first here, just before she moved in with me. She was twenty, and you look a lot like how she did then. I was munching on some cheese when she came in to fix a cup of coffee for herself--she tried to sneak up on me, but it didn't work. I popped a slice of cheese into her mouth while she was talking, and you should have seen the surprised look on her face when she closed her mouth on my finger. Of course, I just had to put a piece in my mouth right after that, and closed my lips on the same finger, making sure she saw me do it. It was right after that she got in the refrigerator to get the cream...and yeah, I was checkin' out her backside," her dad said, recalling the incident.

"You really love momma, don't ya, dad?" Sierra asked, still holding herself against her father.

"Aye, if it wasn't for meeting her that one day, on the sidewalk in downtown Fairbanks...I'd just be some ol' geezer livin' a quiet life, writin' an' drawin' all by himself out here in t' boonies, an' so i'tis," her father spoke softly.

His Irish accent became more pronounced as it usually did whenever he became sentimental, which seemed to be happening more often lately, Sierra noticed.

"Ach, now me wee little iníon[2] is all grown up, an' she'll be soon followin' her deartháir[3] out the door t' follow her own dreams."

Sierra had always been close to her father, and she could sense his feelings. She knew that even though he understood that one day she and her siblings would be striking off to make their own way in the world, it was still going to be hard for him to watch them leave. It was already being tough for her knowing that her twin brother Cormac would likely be moving out soon so that he and Iluq would have a place of their own to raise their family. Dad had already taken them out to select a place on the property to build their own house on, and they had been looking at house plans.

"Dad...I hope I'll find someone who will love me as much as you and momma love each other," Sierra said quietly, looking up into his eyes.

"Aye, 'baby doll', I hope ye, do, too."

In the middle of July, the families of Ron, Rob, Dave, and Jeff, had a picnic up on the ridge behind the house, bringing Darcy along with them. Violet explained a bit about the geology of the area, and while looking down towards the glade, she made an observation.

"Ya know, the glade looks nearly circular from up here, and that rock is about in the center of it. There's an old, extinct volcano called Small Dome over that way," she said, pointing towards the southeast, "and I'd bet that chunk of rock probably got blown out of it, ending up over here and forming a shallow impact crater. Over time, it got filled in with sediment, probably from that stream that made the little pond, and the grasses took over in the middle."

"That's an interesting theory, Violet," Darcy said, "though how do you account for there being no trees in the middle, only around the outside of it?"

"That is a bit strange, isn't it? Small Dome has probably been extinct since long before the present forest grew up around here, so one would think that some trees should have sprouted there by now. The soil seems rich enough, for things to grow in, and it shouldn't be either too alkaline or acidic. Evergreens love acidic soil, if I remember, and if it were too alkaline, nothing would grow there. I wouldn't mind checking some samples..."

"Maybe Nature has her own purpose for it being the way it 'tis, an' we should just leave it be. Nunataq told me once the glade is a sacred place, an' I believe it--we should tread lightly there, an' treat it with respect," her father said quietly, though firmly.

Violet was about to say something, but Cormac cut her off.

"Vi, being curious about stuff is fine and all, but you know, some things just need to be left alone. I think the glade is one of those places we shouldn't go diggin' up, or takin' stuff from it. Dad's right, we need to respect it--it's a special place, and we oughtta just experience the mystery and wonder of it."

"Mackie's right, Vi," Fionn piped up. "Don't go there with picks and shovels; only go there with an open heart."

"Aw, c'mon, guys, I just think it's strange that no trees grow near that rock," Violet said.

"The glade is meant for one to contemplate one's place in the vastness of the universe, a place where one may listen undisturbed and hear the whisper you do not hear, yet do. It is a place where one may find serenity and solitude, love and peace, understanding and wisdom. Go there to learn of your own self, and of your path through life...let it attend to its own mysteries of how and why it came to be. Take from there only that which you may hold in your heart."

Violet--and the others, too--looked up to see Edgar looking down at them from one of the higher rock outcroppings, where he had apparently been listening.

"Edgar! I didn't know you were here!" Darcy said, the excitement clearly heard in her voice.

He spread his wings and jumped down from his perch, landing softly near her.

"I've always been with you," he said cryptically as he swept his gaze across everyone.

"Aye, I don't doubt that," Ron said under his breath.

Edgar looked at Ron with a knowing smile, having heard what he said, despite how softly he had said it.

Violet felt a little chill run through her body when she heard Edgar say that last bit. There is just something about him, and the habit he has of showing up at the oddest times, that gave her the willies.

"We tried getting a hold of you to see if you wanted to join us up here today, but you weren't home," Darcy said to Edgar, reaching for the wrist joint of his wing where his fingers are.

"Oh, I've been up here working on a new painting...the view really is lovely," Edgar said, looking at Darcy in a way that seemed as if he was admiring her more than the landscape.

"Ooo, can I see it when you're finished? Chrysie asked hopefully.

Chrys Ann had inherited her father's artistic ability, and she enjoyed Edgar's paintings so much that he had been helping her expand her skills.

"Why certainly, Chrysie, I'll let you know when it's completed," Edgar replied with a bit of a grin.

During the first week of August, Iluq went to the hospital to have her little ones, with Cormac and his mother insisting on being by her side the whole time. The doctors had decided to perform a C-section due to the size of Iluq's human child, who had developed much faster than the doctors had thought, and they decided on not taking any chances with a natural birth. Since this was a medical first, several experts who were kind enough to donate their time and expertise, attended the event. Iluq was nervous with all of the strange scents, sounds, and people around, though having both Cormac and Lupina reassuring her was a big help. Helga scrubbed in to assist, so at least one of the attending medical people was a G.E.L.F. with the telepathic ability. The process went smoothly, and due to the positions of the little ones inside Iluq's womb, the wolf cub--a female--was the first one out, followed by the three G.E.L.F. babies--one male and two females. The human child was last to come out, and appeared to be a healthy boy. Afterwards, the family gathered around Iluq in her private room while she nursed the little ones. Kapik was there, too, much to the joy of her sister.

"Wish momma could see little ones," Iluq sent to her sister.

"I know, Iluq. We take cubs to special place soon. They will be there."

"I miss them, sister."

"Me, too. Pack big now. You, me, and Amaguq, all have little ones of own now."

"Mumik need find mate, maybe your cub help him like did with other brother."

"Maybe, I ask her later. You rest, I go get drink."

"Okay."

After Kapik left her sister's bedside to get some water, Cormac carefully laid on the bed with his mate to be with her and their little ones.

"How's my sweet fur and our cubs doing?" he sent lovingly to Iluq, nuzzling her.

"Helga say we fine. Humans make big fuss."

"Yeah, well, it's just because you're special."

"You special, too, Mackie."

Cormac and Iluq kissed each other tenderly human-style, and then one by one they both nuzzled and kissed each of their newborns.

"I love you, Iluq."

"I love you, too, Mackie."

[1]Sakari - means "soft" in the Inuit language.

[2]Iníon - Irish Gaelic word for "daughter".

[3]Deartháir - Irish Gaelic word for "brother" (sibling).