know. As parents, we pile expectations on our children but as grandparents, we just let them be.”
They were silent again. “Grandma, I don't know very much about your family, so can I ask you something really personal?”
“You can always ask, my child.”
“Did your mother tell your father about her ability?”
“She did, eventually.”
“So great-grandpa didn't know when he married her?”
The old woman sighed. “My father knew of the reputation of our family when he married my mother.”
“Did he really believe one of our ancestors was a kitsune?” Isabella asked.
“I would say he neither believed nor disbelieved, as such. To him, it was no more important than if one of her ancestors was a famous poet. The perception was important.”
“So, why did she tell him if he didn't think it was important?”
“Because it became obvious there was something indeed odd happening and my mother did not want to be accused of mental instability. So she told my father, and then she showed my father. This happened before I was born, and Mother did not tell me about the details, so that is as much as I know,” she said somewhat sharply.
Isabella continued with her questions anyway. “Did you tell your parents about your ability, or did your mother guess, like you did for me?”
“Mother guessed, and informed my father. I am not the only one of my siblings to have the ability.”
“I didn't know that.”
“My sisters both had the ability, probably more strongly than I do. Sometimes I see them, though the Veil,” Ami said sadly, and took another sip of tea. “Why are you asking such questions?”
“Well, one day I might get married. Not now, obviously,” Isabella answered. “I was wondering how you handled this. Why didn't you ever tell Grandpa or your kids about the ability?”
“I was afraid, I suppose. Our family's reputation did not always bring us good fortune. The ability doesn't always bring good fortune either. And despite my family's reputation, or because of it, my family seemed to have certain obligations that could only be fulfilled by those with the ability. I wasn't sure I wanted any part of those obligations. When I met George, the allure of getting away was very strong. I did love him, but I wonder how much of that came after we got married instead of before.” She sighed. “I didn't tell him because in some ways I envy those who can't see.”
“Why?”
“Those who can't see are usually overlooked, but those that can see attract attention. Your friend Leah calls this 'being a weirdness magnet,' right?”
Isabella nodded.
“My father had to be told. George didn't. Any time I acted strangely, he would assume it was just my strange foreign ways.”
“Grandpa really thought like that?”
Ami shrugged. “We are a product of our generation. George was better than most, and for all my odd ways, he loved me just the same. And when none of my children manifested the ability, I had no reason to tell them about it either.” She sighed. “Perhaps I was wrong. I didn't escape my obligations; only the details changed. I had to hide a large part of myself from my husband and children, and sometimes I worry I cheated them out of my own selfish fear. But then again, I feel I protected them from a world they didn't need to know about it. I'm afraid this doesn't help you, Isa-chan. You will have to make those hard decisions on your own. Although I suspect if you stay with your friends, the men you're likely to attract will be ones that either can see or ones who can have their eyes opened.”
“Four times the weirdness magnet?”
“I suppose if you want to put it that way.”
“Thanks for talking with me about this, Grandma. I try to talk to Mom, but she's hard to talk to about relationships in general, and I can't even try to talk to her about the weird stuff.”
“You can always talk to me, Isa-chan.” Ami yawned. “Now, you go get some rest. I'll be up much sooner than you, I'm sure.”
“Goodnight, Grandma,” Isabella said, and obediently went to bed.
Sure enough, Ami was awake and moving before the young women, even though they had set an alarm so they wouldn't sleep too late.
“You didn't have to make breakfast,” Isabella said.
“I like cooking. I don't do so much of it since I have no one to cook for,” Ami replied, finishing up some omelets. “You can clean up after if you want to help.”
She agreed, and they settled in for a nice breakfast. The band cleaned up after breakfast and they changed into swimsuits, loaded up purses and bags, and headed out to explore the resort.
The center of the resort was a large lake appropriately called Blue Lake. It was in a natural depression and fed by rain and spring water. Blue Lake was surrounded by small hot springs; although it was so large its temperature was always very cool. Each hot spring pool had a sign describing the temperature, capacity, clothing restrictions, and gender restrictions. The band and Ami picked a small, women-only pool for their first dip.
“The water smells funny,” Maryann said, wrinkling her nose.
“It's fine. It's good for your skin,” Nora replied.
The redhead reluctantly slipped into the water. Soon they were all enjoying the warm water. Ami noted with some sadness she was not as young as she used to be, and then let that thought go. After a long soak, they returned to the cabin for a quick shower and then took the beginner hiking trail down to Blue Lake. The other guests seemed to be mostly couples, some on their honeymoons and some on a second honeymoon, and a few larger groups, but not a lot of families with children. Maryann sighed inwardly and felt a bit envious of so many couples and thought of all the men she'd met. Then she sighed outwardly, although no one noticed.
When the first squabbling couple passed by, they barely noticed. When the third couple passed by nearly shouting at each other, they took note, even Maryann, who was still thinking of past romances.
“Those people need to find one of the couples-only pools,” Maryann said in a low voice.
“Or they need to get away from each other,” Leah offered. “Sometimes people spend so much time together they get on each other's nerves.”
“No, seriously?” Nora asked acidly.
“I wasn't meaning any of us,” she retorted.
The beginner trail terminated at a small dock on the lake. With the steep sides and tree cover, the color was much more green than blue. There was a sign posted warning against swimming in the lake.
Nora stopped walking and stared at the dark water.
“What is it?” Isabella asked.
Ami was also gazing out at the lake.
“I'm not going any closer. That lake doesn't feel right. It doesn't feel right at all.”
“What about the hot springs?”
“The one we were in this morning was fine. I don't know about the others. But there's something wrong with this water. I'm not touching it.”
Isabella cast a spirit sight spell. “I don't see anything. Grandma?”
“I don't see anything either, but I don't doubt your friend's intuition. Like you, I was always more in tune with the wind than the other four elements, although I have learned to attune myself to the Void.”
“Okay, I didn't understand much of that, but what do we do?” Leah asked.
“I can try a divination to figure out what's going on,” Maryann offered.
“You can try,” Ami said, “but I don't think you'll learn much. The lake is deep and perhaps hiding something.”
“We can research the resort and find out if there are any stories or legends associated with it,” Isabella said.
Nora sighed. “We never get to relax, do we?”
Leah shrugged. “It's us.”
“Well, let's head back to my cabin,” Ami said. “I'll make lunch for everyone. I've already made reservations for a nice dinner at the main restaurant too.”
The band, particu
larly Isabella, protested at her generosity.
“Nonsense,” she snapped, but not unkindly. “My treat. Now, I need to get back indoors. The beginner trail is almost too much for me and I'll need to rest up a bit before I start cooking again.”
They headed back up and passed another couple fighting with each other.
“That can't be normal,” Nora said to the others in a low voice.
They agreed.
The rest of the afternoon passed fairly pleasantly, but Ami noticed the four young women seemed to be slightly more irritable with each other than she expected. The main restaurant was a fine dining establishment, so everyone dressed up for dinner. Ami wore a dark gray suit, Nora wore a designer label teal cocktail dress, Maryann wore a sunshine yellow dress she got from a vintage store, Isabella wore a white summer dress, and Leah wore a green blouse and black slacks. Several men gave Nora appreciative glances when she walked into the dining room. The other young women felt a familiar pang of jealousy at Nora's ability to command a room. Some of the men's dining companions noticed them looking at Nora and took offense, which started a few arguments.
“I guess dinner is going to be about as quiet as hiking,” Nora said, noticing the squabbling couples.
“I guess so,” Maryann replied.
Dinner was pleasant enough as most of the couples stopped squabbling, although some settled into icy silence instead. After dinner they returned to the cabin and played some card games until Ami went to bed early. The young women congregated in Maryann and Isabella's room.
“Okay, so what about the thing in the water?” Maryann asked finally. “I mean, we've all