Immediately follows A Gift, Unexpected.
The unintelligible screaming carried for another few seconds, the voice unmistakably her brother's. Antheia had known it before she turned to look, and on confirmation squirmed out of Xavier's grasp and very happily cried out, "Knew it!" before proceeding to very energetically wave down her big-big-big brother.
Xavier, in the meantime, was doing everything he could to try and get her to stop flailing around so openly. His only goal at that point was to keep her from drawing any attention to herself, so his head was suddenly on a swivel and his hands somehow glued to her shoulders. Though with her physical advantage as a Page, he was sorely tempted to join her...
Unfortunately, that would defeat the purpose of trying to be discreet.
"Hey!" he hissed, trying to get her to listen. "Calm down! Stop! Stop jumping around!"
"Stop jumping around!" Dominic yelled as he raced over, though he stopped to glance back at Dani first, and then the girls who were still snoozing in the stroller. He had about lost his mind witnessing his baby sister power up, so screaming was probably the most expected result. Luckily he'd had enough self-control not to slip a few expletives throughout it.
Also luckily, his screaming hadn't been enough to wake them. They'd just fallen asleep on the car ride over, and the hope was that they might nap and be rested so dinner could be a happier affair.
"Stop jumping around!" he called more sternly when he got a bit closer. That seemed to do the trick. He looked her over quickly, and then eyed Xavier, who he was familiar with for two reasons—his last name was uncanny (and a detail he confirmed when they first met in person), and he happened to be Jasmyn's best friend from several band camp summers and a curiously well-maintained long-distance friendship.
Music, apparently, was that good of a bridge.
"What'd she pick up?" The question was pointed at Xavier in an urgent tone. Business-like, very matter-of-fact...though there was a thread of panic through it.
Antheia didn't find it even remotely familiar, and the sound jarred her enough that she wordlessly lifted her bow.
"Yeah, probably the bow," Xavier confirmed. "At least, I've never seen it before." His lips slipped down into a slight frown as he continued. "Sorry, I tried but I couldn't–"
"It's fine," Dominic cut him off, his eyes moving quickly to his sister. Seeing her suddenly shrink and take a half step back from him, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he felt marginally calmer. She didn't move any farther back after that, which was enough for him. "Okay. Do what I say first, and then I can explain later. Got it?"
She nodded.
Xavier glanced around. "Still clear, by some miracle."
"Right. Thanks." Gently, he rested his hands on Antheia's shoulders and squared her to him. "Okay, now. Focus on your bow...and then imagine yourself dismissing it. Like putting it away. Close your eyes..."
Antheia bit her lip but did as she was told. Her brows furrowed, and her grip tightened however slightly on her new bow as she did her best to focus. Slowly, she pieced together details until she had a clear enough picture of it in her mind, and then she imagined putting it away. Another cool rush of water flowed steadily through her, from the furthest edges of her body toward the center of her chest, and then...
She felt stuffy again.
When she opened her eyes, she watched both Dominic and Xavier let out a breath, their shoulders falling slightly as they relaxed. She was in her uniform again, now holding her violin.
"Good job," she heard Dominic huff, and before she knew it he had pulled her into a loose hug. She didn't need to fully understand the situation to want to hug him back, so she did.
Xavier stood back, eyes cast down now that the immediate concern was taken care of. And then he remembered that Dominic had come with his wife and kids, so he looked up again and looked in the direction he'd come, wondering if she'd taken them and gone home or what...
lKaefaux
