“Yeah, it only took a century of marriage for your father to get it through his head that I truly was your mate.”

   (Small Fry Chapter 3) 

“So this is the last of your Dad’s stuff, huh?”  He picked up the baby album, to peruse through.  “It’s hard to think of your father being a baby.  Whenever I think of Hunter Wisetail, I remember this disapproving, old Lokoti Werewolf, constantly looking over my shoulder.  It was like he was just waiting for me to screw up.”

“He wasn’t that bad!” I rolled my eyes.  “Besides, you and Dad ended up getting along.”

“Yeah, it only took a century of marriage for your father to get it through his head that I truly was your mate.”  He complained.  “In the end we didn’t get along, we simply stopped fighting aloud.  Trust me, our glares said it all.”

This made me recall something about my parent’s passing, in particular what was communicated between my father and husband.

“Declan,” I began, “just before Mum and Dad left for the space time continuum, what did he say telepathically to you?”

“Huh?”

“You said, ‘do you really have to ask?’ or something as such.”  I remembered.

“Oh yeah, he tried to make me swear that I’d always put your safety first.”  He said bitterly.  “And my response to such a stupid question was, did he really have to ask?  He was about to leave behind his mortal existence and evolve as a sparkling cloud of energy and light, to the space time continuum.  But he still didn’t trust me with his beloved, only daughter.”

I cupped his face to pull him in for a kiss. “Yes, but I’m your beloved B now.” 

“Damn straight,” he murmured, just before our lips pressed together.  “You always have been and always will be, no matter how hard your father tried to split us up.”

“He didn’t try to split us up!”

“He married you to another man.”

“Oh yeah, there was that.”  I conceded.  “But that was before Dad knew of my feelings for you.”

“He suspected MY feelings and he still pushed you onto Grant.”  He let go to busy himself, by picking up the box.  “I’m gonna go put this stuff up into the attic.”

“No, I will.”  I hopped off the bench to take it from him.  “While I’m up there, I wanna check on something.”

“OK then,” he watched me walk away.  “Hey, have you actually eaten breakfast yet?”

“No.” I called over my shoulder.

“I’m gonna fix you some toasted tomato and cheese sandwiches then.”

“OK!”  I sung back.

 

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“Details details,” the European Werewolf growled

  (Small Fry Chapter 3)

My mate crossed over to my side as I turned tearful at the photo.  These people whom I hadn’t seen for over two centuries, could still bring a tear to my eye.  I had to sniff as my nose began to run, with my longing to see my immediate family again.

“Don’t worry, B.”  He put his arm about my waist.  “This afternoon, I’ll go to Forrest and Caesar myself and ask for the Riverclaw stuff.”

“Oh Declan!”  I threw my arms about his neck.  “I miss them!  I miss them so much!  I just wish that my parents and my grandparents were here.”

“I miss my Mom and my little brother, too.”  He held me tightly.  “She’d be spoiling us rotten, by cooking for us and coming over nearly every day, to check on the pregnancy.”

My mate gently lifted me up into his hug, as my legs wrapped about his waist.  His right arm held me up, as his left rubbed my back.  Our faces came together, as he used his to wipe away my tears, before planting several soft kisses over my trembling lips.

Walt said uncomfortably, “If you like, I’ll do another search of our attic to make sure you have all of Hunter Wisetail’s things.”

“That would be nice, especially since you’re living in the house that my father owned.”   I reminded.

“Yes but Aunt B, when your father left it to my great, great grandfather; we renovated it and made it our own.”  He joked back. 

“Details details,” the European Werewolf growled.  “If my wife says it’s her house then damn it, it’s still her house!”

“I take it you procure anything for her, that Aunt B says is hers, right Uncle?”  My cousin smirked.

“You got that right.”

“Yep, this is going to be an interesting pregnancy to be sure.”  Walt pretended to look nervous. 

“It sure is,” my mate held me closely, “and together, we’re gonna get through it.”

His bright blue eyes held onto my dark blue ones, as if silently endorsing his words. 

“Then if you two will excuse me, I have my own pregnant mate to return to.” Walt cleared his throat.  “Oh and by the way, Wendy wanted to invite you over for afternoon tea, for baby-talk.”

“Er, our afternoons can get pretty busy.”  Declan tried to put our recent bedroom behaviour, diplomatically.  “How about morning tea instead?” 

“That should be fine.”  He shrugged.  “I’ll see myself out and thanks again for the furniture, it'll come in handy for my eldest kids.”

Once Walt shut the front door on his way out, Declan placed me back on top of the kitchen bench again.

 

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