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Isabel

Isabel watched as Becky was guided to the car; whining loudly the whole time that she wasn’t tired and wanted just a little longer with her friends.

She was clearly exhausted, though. And almost as soon as Isa had buckled her in and shut the car door, the girl’s head was resting against the window and her eyes were slowly drooping closed.

So, while Isa said her goodbye’s to Becky’s friends and helped Jareth with the last of the event’s clean-up, Isabel figured she’d do something useful and gathered up Mimi and her brood into their carrier. She’d just closed the door when she heard Don honk at her from across the room, and she let him into the carrier to snuggle up with his family.

She held the carrier up for Isa to see, getting a confirming thumbs up, before heading to the car to set them in besides Becky. She pulled the seatbelt across them and buckled them in (just so they were extra safe) and then shut the door and headed back inside to say her goodbyes to Moon.

She found the woman talking with Ken and Cheeto, and quietly walked over to take her by the arm and lay her head lightly on top of Moon’s own.

They were talking about Isa, and how hard she had worked making sure the wedding went smoothly— And how exhausted she looked….

‘I could drive the car back,’ Isabel offered. ‘I’m not tired at all! Actually, I’m feeling a little bit buzzed.’

‘Yeah, I know, right?’ Cheeto laughed. ‘I’m half tempted to head to the club after this!’

‘You extroverts terrify me,’ Ken muttered in a joking tone. ‘Hm… perhaps it would be best if I drove the girls home. Will you be alright by yourself? It’s a long drive.’

‘I’ll be fine!’ Isabel reassured. ‘I always used to go driving on my own! It’s not a problem.’

‘I could always go with you,’ Moon suggested, and Isabel felt herself light up. ‘We could get dinner on the way back.’

‘Oh that would be wonderful!’ Isabel beamed. ‘Oh— But, oh. Moon, what about your car?’

‘Ayyyy,’ Cheeto gave an impish grin, and motioned to himself proudly. ‘Who’s got two thumbs, and got their license back last week? This guy!’

Moon looked a little apprehensive, at that…. Though it was clear that her want to spend time with Isabel was stronger than her misgivings about her cousin’s driving skills, and she pulled her keys from her pocket and held them out to him.

‘Aw, yeah cus! Perfect—‘

Moon yanked the keys back as Cheeto made a grab for them.

‘—Ah! Ah!’ she scolded, pointing an accusing finger at him. ‘Do not crash my car again.’

Cheeto gave a dismissive chuckle. ‘I won’t crash your—‘

‘—Do not crash my car again,’ Moon repeated, firmer this time.

‘Moon, I’ve been clean for three years,’ Cheeto said; raising his hands submissively and taking on a serious tone. ‘I won’t crash your car…. Can I have some friends in it, though?’

Moon’s ears folded back and her eyes tightened.

‘Sober friends?’

They flicked back up. ‘Alright. But you be safe, you hear me? Or I’ll never hear the end of it from Auntie.’

Cheeto was already halfway to the door; his hand held high in a thumbs-up as hurried away.

‘God, that idiot better not hurt himself,’ Moon huffed. Then, she chucked, and held out her hand to Ken. ‘I believe I saw Isa putting Becky in her car…. Wouldn’t want the girl to wake up while we’re getting dinner and freak out, so perhaps we should take yours.’

‘Ah, yes! Good idea. Very good idea,’ Ken agreed, pulling out his keys and giving them to Moon. ‘And if you scratch my car, it will not be such a big deal as with Isa’s!’

‘She does love her car,’ Isabel observed.

‘She is very proud of it,’ Ken agreed. ‘Well. I shall go, and make sure she doesn’t leave without me! You two have a good time.’

‘We will, thank you,’ Moon nodded to Ken, and stepped away so he could pass her. ‘See you at home, Ken.’

‘Yes. See you,’ Ken passed the girls, heading off to Isa, and Isabel watched from a distance as the couple embraced and began to talk.

She couldn’t help but grin.

And then, Moon took her hand and squeezed it. ‘Shall we?’ she asked.

‘Sure!’ Isabel giggled, following Moon to Ken’s car and settling herself in the passenger seat. ‘Where do you want to go?’

‘Well… there’s this nice little place on the other side of town,’ Moon said. ‘Tabaxi’s Tacos? It’s not romantic or anything, but it’s good food. And the owner is lovely.’

‘Oh, tacos?’ Isabel leant towards Moon in excitement. ‘So, Spanish?’

Moon shook her head, twitching her whiskers and giving Isabel a very patient look that let her know she had been wrong in a rude way. ‘Mexican,’ the tabaxi corrected.

‘Those are… different?’ Isabel grimaced as quite a few arguments she had been in during her youth suddenly made sense. ‘Oh, my.’

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