Katya
Angie picks me up in her little blue Suzuki swift, and I can feel Ezra is angry that I am going off on my own, but I don’t care. Pulling up to Jasmine’s place, Angie honks the horn twice before Jasmine comes rushing out and jumps into the back of the car.
“My ladies,” Jasmine greets, sitting in the middle and leaning forward between the seats.
“Seatbelt bitch,” Angie scolds, and Jasmine rolls her eyes, but clips her belt in and leans forward again.
“Are we going to CJ’s?” Jasmine asks.
“Yes, they have the best burgers! They’re really thick and just ooze with juice and they know how to not overcook the things. Oh, and don’t get me started on their fries!” Angie moans and drools, making me chuckle. She snaps out of it as her eyes flick to the mirror and she studies Jasmine. “Where is my brother?”
I’d almost forgotten that Angie’s brother was Jasmine’s mate.
“Helping my father down at the practice,” Jasmine answers with a shrug when Jasmine turns to me and gives me the side-eye. “How is Mateo?” She bites her lip and her eyes dart to the window and back to me. I explain the entire thing that happened this morning with Ezra, and both girls are just as dumbfounded as I was when I was chucked on the spot.
“Not the strangest thing I have heard, but I kinda feel bad for Mateo, it would suck killing your mate knowing there are no second-chance mates, only chosen mates once they die,” Angie winces.
“Yeah, I don’t get that. You would think the Moon Goddess would have a backup plan, and my dad had two mates,” I point out.
“Yeah, but his mates were the same person, they were identical, weren’t they?” adds Jasmine, and I nod.
Angie turns onto the next street and glances at me. “Are your parents talking again?”
We pull up at the café and I’m saved from having to answer. The café has red and white umbrellas out the front and round tables, with a huge red and white sign on the roof that reads CJ’S CAFE. I shrug at her question, unsure how to answer it.
“It’s too hot outside, let’s go sit inside,” Jasmine encourages, hopping out of the car.
“Yeah, today is an absolute scorcher. I wonder how hot it is?” Angie fans herself with her hand as we rush to get inside.
The little bell rings above the door as we enter, and I find the place is almost full. The one place we find is a table in the far corner, right next to the toilet.
“Ew, gross, but I am not sitting in the heat,” Angie complains, dumping her wallet on the table and sitting down.
“We could always go swimming at the river near your place instead of watching movies,” Jasmine suggests, looking at me, and I nod. It is definitely hot enough.
I slide along the booth seat, and a woman in her mid-twenties comes over with a fake customer service smile, not a genuine one. I don’t blame her, the last place I would want to work in 100-degree heat would be in a hot kitchen.
She takes our orders before wandering back off to the kitchen. We sit and talk, it feels good being out of the pack house. While eating our lunch, the bell above the door rings and the door opens. It only takes a second for their familiar scents to hit my nose, making me look up, seeing my parents walk into the café.
“Maybe it isn’t too late to fix things after all?” Jasmine grins, nudging me with her elbow.
My mother sniffs the air, looking around, and her eyes fall on us in the back corner. She smiles brightly, touching my father’s arm and pointing us out, walking over to us. “Hey, girls,” my mother greets. Jasmine drags her food to the other side, and we all slide over to make room. My mother sits down across from us.
“Hey, mom.” I smile as I stand up and lean over the table to kiss and hug her before sitting back.
My father comes over, sliding along the seat next to her. “Girls, Pumpkin.” He nods to Jasmine and Angie, both smile politely, while my face turns beet red.
“I ordered for us. They said it wouldn’t take too long,” my father tells my mother before stealing one of my fries. “What are you three troublemakers up to? Not going streaking again, are you?” My dad asks, and Jasmine giggles.
“No, but what is the deal with Pumpkin? Kat absolutely hates it.” Jasmine asks, and I shoot her a glare, and she shrugs.
“I bet it’s not even embarrassing,” Angie adds, and I wish the floor would open up and swallow me whole.
My dad laughs. “No, I just think it is funny, she was only little,” Dad tells her, looking to me for permission.
“Fine, you can tell them, but don’t tell anyone else,” I tell the girls, who nod.
“I promise that I will definitely tell my mate,” Jasmine laughs, and I roll my eyes.
“When Kat was little, we were decorating for Halloween and hollowing out pumpkins. She was in the middle of toilet training, and we left her alone for a few minutes while we grabbed the rest out of the car to decorate the front veranda. When we came back, she went potty in the pumpkin,” my mother explains, with a wide smile before she chuckles.
“That’s not so bad. Why would you be embarrassed about that?” Angie giggles, looking at me expectantly.
“Oh, it didn’t happen just once, she refused to use the potty after, and we had to buy pumpkins until she was officially toilet trained, even had to cut the faces in them before she would use them.” Dad is bent over, snickering, barely able to get the story out.
“For a month, we only ate pumpkin soup to make sure the entire pumpkin didn’t go to waste,” my mother tells them, and I die of embarrassment.
“It’s okay, Pumpkin, we won’t tell a soul,” Angie vows, tapping my shoulder with her hand.
“Except my mate,” adds Jasmine with a grin. I shake my head at them.
“So, what are you girls doing afterward?” Mom asks.
“Going swimming. Wanna come?” Angie offers.
“Where at?” My father asks.
“Back of the pack house. Just need to grab some swimsuits first before we head there,” Jasmine pipes up.
“Sounds nice, you want to go with them?” Mom asks, turning to my father, who nods before kissing her shoulder, and I feel my lips tug up slightly.
“We can meet you out there if you want, girls. That way, you don’t have to wait for us to finish eating,” mom tells us, and I nod, standing up.
“Okay, say an hour, and we will meet you out there?” My dad says, looking at his watch.
“Sounds good. See you soon,” I tell them, giving them both a quick kiss on the cheek.