“Thank you,” said Meg. She opened the present and found two small baby sheep and a package of peanut butter cookies.
“The sheepz iz for Lidze and Elot and da cookies is for Unky Wolfy and you,” said Sara.
“Thank you again,” said Meg with a smile. Ysabel ushered them out to the back yard and came back inside to see the babies and chat with Meg.
“What on earth did you do to them?” asked Luc munching on a cookie.
“I threatened to lock them up in a dog kennel if they misbehaved,” said Ysabel smugly.
“What?” said Anna rather aghast.
“Mom, once you get to know those three, you won’t think that is such a bad idea,” said Meg. Everyone around them laughed and nodded.
Next in were Sandy and his son Jesse. Kisses and greetings were exchanged. Marie came in with Jack, ‘Solda and a very pregnant Bitty. Standing in the doorway was a very chagrined young man who was obviously Bitty’s new mate. The teeshirt didn’t hide the hickies and teethmarks.
Cal, Peter and his wife Lisa, and Kevin were the last ones in the door. Meg watched as food was laid out and opened a steady stream of presents as they were handed to her. The babies slept on in their basket oblivious to everything.
“Have you noticed anything different in the last thirty minutes?” Patrick asked Luc as they set up the table.
“No,” said Luc after a moment.
“Ever since Andrew walked in, Anna has been nearly silent,” said Patrick.
“You’re right! Oh god, don’t let her be attracted to him,” said Luc.
“No, I don’t think it’s that. Andrew has on what I think of as his ‘preacher look’ today and I think she’s reacting to it,” said Patrick.
Luc looked and then nodded. “Wonder if I can get him to visit at least once a day while she’s here,” said Luc.
“None of us will be that lucky. However, she’s the only non-shifter who doesn’t know about us in the room,” said Patrick.
“Does everyone know that?” asked Luc.
“I think so. However, it might not be a bad idea to figure out a way to explain things. Much better now than in fifteen years when they shift for the first time,” said Patrick.
Luc nodded. That was not going to be a good discussion. He went back in to help Meg to the table.
“Luc, have you noticed Mom?” she asked before they got two feet from the couch and Anna.
“Yes. Patrick and I were discussing that. We are going to have to tell her if she is around a lot,” he said.
“I know. I’ve been trying to figure out how, but I’m stuck,” Meg said.
“Me too,” answered Luc.
*
Two hours later, Ginny and Marie were washing up dishes while Meg nursed the babies in the bedroom. Sandy, Luc and Patrick were picking up the living room and dining room while Anna organized the cards, and made a list of the presents and who had given them. She’d been oddly quiet even after Andrew had left.
“Do you think it will last?” asked Ginny.
“The quiet?” asked Marie.
“Yeah. That was just weird the way she went from talking ninety miles an hour to nothing in a blink of an eye,” said Ginny.
“Agreed. Guess we will just have to wait and see,” said Marie. “Now where do these dishes go?”
Meg had almost nodded off when she felt a light touch on her shoulder. She looked up to see her mom standing there.
“Is everything okay Mom?” Meg asked.
“Yes, but I have a question for you,” said Mom.
“Okay,” said Meg wondering what her mom wanted to ask.
“That man Andrew, he’s some kind of priest isn’t he?” Anna asked.
“Yes Mom,” said Meg.
“And what is he?” asked Anna.
“He’s a silversmith who has a shop at the local Mall,” said Meg not wanting to think where Mom was going with this conversation.
“I know that. What is he? He moves like he’s loping or like all his bones and ligaments are covered in WD-40,” said Anna.
“Um… Mom, Are you sure you want the answers to these kinds of questions?” asked Meg.
“Yes. I’d ask Luc, but I don’t know him very well and I’m not sure he’d answer me,” said Anna.
“Of course I’d answer your questions,” said Luc from the door. “What do you want to know?”
Anna looked up startled. “Umm, well. You know I read a lot. Lots of books and while some of them are fiction, I know that not all of them are really fiction. Some of them are reality written in a way that people will think it is fiction and not be afraid. And you see, I read a lot of books about vampires and werewolves and I figured out a long time ago that somethings like that are probably real. In the mean time though you just live your life and you fantasize that this guy is a vampire or that woman shifts and you have all these things going through your head and then you read more books and it reinforces the idea that those kinds of creatures are out there even though you keep telling yourself it’s all fiction,” Anna said pausing for a breath.
“Yes,” said Luc wondering just how long it was going to take her to get to the point. Until she did, he didn’t dare jump in if he could skirt the issue. Plus, the babies were getting restless and he didn’t want to be in mid discussion when they woke up.
“Then my daughter gets married. You do call it married don’t you? Because you never did invite me to a wedding, but you live together and work together. And there’s your company too. Is it just coincidence that it’s called Alpha Wolf? There was all that stuff in the press a while back about some poor old man dying and all the press and the companies and supposedly they were all werewolves and while that was just so weird, I didn’t really think to call and ask, because of course you just don’t call up your daughter and ask if her husband is a werewolf just because there were really convincing articles in the newspaper now do you?” Anna asked.