Anniversary

He rehashed the old tales, howling with laughter, wiping away tears, and boring all of them to undeath. "Troublemakers!" one said, pretending to be amused. "Imagine the endless hijinx if you'd turned him!" said another, pinching herself to stay engaged. It was dangerous to encourage him; this could (and likely would) go on all night. There hadn't been another like Renfield, and they all knew it - himself most of all. "When he was discovered aboard the Demeter, mad as a hatter, I heard his insane giggling from inside my box of earth, and felt a kind of pride. Their fear of him was palpable!" Dracula sighed. Every year, on the anniversary of Renfield's first meeting with his master ... every year, they had the old stories and blood gelee served on the best china (reserved for the meals of kings). "Peas in a pod, you two," said the third wife quietly, for she loved him and knew that grief had many faces.