Page 99 of Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck
Drest looked down at the goblin. “Hell, I failed all of you. I’m sorry. I don’t blame you for hating me. It’s what I deserve.”
“Uncle Drest,” said Astria, surprising him from the entrance of the room. Her green eyes were rimmed with red. She entered and touched Stratton’s hand on her way past him. She came near Drest and bent, putting one hand on Torid’s back and the other on Drest’s knee. “You didn’t deserveanythingthe Nightshade Clan did to you or my aunt. Their stupid rules are to blame. Not you.”
“You don’t understand, Astria,” he said, his free hand going over hers. “I should have just taken all of you and run the second the memorial service for your mother was done. I could have protected all of you. Everything you’ve had to go through has been my fault.”
Astria laughed.
Drest’s brows met. “Astria?”
She offered a warm smile. “I don’t think anyone is perfect in any situation, but I also don’t think you’re to blame for what the Nightshade Clan and Henry did. By the logic you’re using, if I’d have stopped going on and on about a headless horseman on the bridge when I was four, the accident wouldn’t have happened.”
He clutched her hand. “Astria.”
“No. Let me finish,” she said. “My mom wouldn’t have died if the accident wouldn’t have happened. Henry wouldn’t have made the monster army and unleashed them on everyone. The incident at the house with Henry’s monsters wouldn’t have happened. The Nightshade Clan wouldn’t have ever known about you and Rachael. They wouldn’t have blocked you from seeing her or your daughter.”
“None of this is on you,” Drest said, squeezing her hand gently once more. “You were just a child, Astria. A sweet, innocent little girl who saw something that scared you. The accident was just that, an accident. Henry’s actions were his own.”
She gave him a knowing look. He realized then he’d just proven her point about it not being all his fault either.
He snorted. “When did you grow up and get so wise?”
She smiled. “I’m still a work in progress.”
Torid growled, drawing attention to himself.
Astria looked to him and then Drest. “Torid says nothing could have stopped Henry back then. Torid keeps repeating ‘poisoned mind.’”
Drest’s mouth drew up on the side as he looked down at the goblin. “You’re wise too, aren’t you?”
Torid farted loudly.
Astria waved a hand before her face. “And stinky.”
Torid licked her cheek, making her chuckle. He then turned his head and pushed at the photo of Demi with his snout.
Astria stiffened. “Torid, what do you mean her smell is in the house? Wait, you mean inmyroom, which is bizarrely frozen in time? That makes sense. I probably have one of Demi’s sweaters or sweatshirts in there. When I’d go home to visit, our things would get mixed coming out of the laundry since we’re about the same size.”
Torid huffed and went to the closet. The door was propped open slightly. He pushed his way in and rooted around in there before coming out with something in his mouth. He brought it to Drest and deposited it on his lap.
Drest sat there staring down at the goblin doll he’d had made for Astria when she was little. It was faded and showed signs of age, but other than that, it was fine. He lifted it.
Astria gasped and snatched it from Drest’s hand.
“Astria?” asked Stratton as he eased up closer to her.
She clutched the doll, her gaze wide as she stared at Drest. “Ohmygod.”
“What is it?” asked Stratton.
“A doll I had made for Astria when she was a baby,” replied Drest as he stood slowly.
Astria teared up. “Uncle Drest, I gave this to Demi when she was born. Rachael tried to get me to keep it, but I insisted. I gave it to Demi the first time I ever saw her—it felt right. Like you’d have wanted her to have something that came from you.”
Drest’s emotions got the better of him, and he had to clear his throat to be able to speak. “Thank you for that.”
She held the doll out to him. “You’re not understanding what I’m saying. I gave it to Demi. She cherished it andneverlet it out of her sight. Even in her teens, she kept it in her keepsake box with a sketch she’d done of you from what Rachael had told her you looked like. This shouldn’t be here in my room. It wouldn’t have gotten mixed in with laundry back then. Our boxes are something Rachael made sure we kept in our go-bags. They were never far from us.”
Drest glanced at Stratton, who shrugged, clearly lost.
