Abbott always looked good, but tonight he was downright yummy. He wore dark charcoal slacks, a lighter charcoal turtleneck, and a very cool black trench coat that hung to the back of his knees. It almost looked like a vampire cape, and I wondered if it was intentional.
I did the formal introduction thing, and Abbott held his hand out to shake Lauren's hand. She put her hand in his and went as still as a statue.
Abbott realized something was wrong and looked at me. I reached my arm around Lauren and she pulled her hand away from him and sank into me, whispering, "Mom, he's a m-m-monster. He's, he's... there were teeth...
and... his eyes and... " Oh, shit. I'd known she could pick up things about people, I'd even done my best to encourage her to listen to that inner voice. Where my parents had effectively squashed any metaphysical abilities I'd been born with, I was trying to help her trust whatever instincts she might have.
