The house seemed smaller without Billie talking, laughing, rumbling around on his wheelchair. I could tell that Jake really missed him; but he’d done a good deal of getting on by himself. Due to the whole werewolf thing and not aging, the age gap between us was bigger than before; but because he just kept growing, he could have passed for at least five years older than me.

As we walked over to the garage, I noticed how he had to deliberately slow down, shorten his strides to match mine. I felt somewhat indignant, but also rather frustrated with myself because I had to slow him down so much. When I tried to walk a little faster, he just laughed at me, so I slowed down again, somewhat embarrassed for having to make the effort. I ended up laughing at myself with him, giving up on trying to match him, accepting that without turning into a…

Despite the fact it was right next to the house, I hadn’t seen the garage yet. So, when I finally focused on it, I let out a little gasp of surprise. It was pretty much the same size (perhaps a little bigger); but completely renovated. It was made out of wood, still, but sturdier somehow, and there was all manner of equipment inside and out. There were signs all over the place, and one car outside, one inside. I just gaped for a while, amazed at the difference. I could feel Jake watching me, presumably wondering what to say or do, but I didn’t react to that.

He seemed to give up waiting for a more obvious reaction, and continued to walk towards the garage, and, after shaking my head, I followed him. As I stepped through the wide open doors, I gazed around me, taking in all that was on the walls and on the floor; and not having a clue what any of it was. I saw a large sign on the top of the back wall, black with large white lettering;

‘Black Swan’

My features distorted with confused. I looked at Jacob, who, after waiting for my reaction, looked down at the floor, avoiding my gaze.

“I didn’t think you were going to make it,” His voice came out as a low croak, and I thought I saw glistening trails down his cheeks. All the more confused, I waited for him to continue; “I couldn’t cope. I started building it when you were still in hospital; I needed a distraction, something to focus on. So I started this,” he gestured to the walls around him, his eyes meeting mine, “and it worked. Sort of. Then, a little while after you moved away-Billie died. It tore Charlie apart; Billie and Harry in such a short space of time, with you gone too. He came over here more often; saw what I was doing, and helped out.”