Settling In
1269 Words
Henry was finishing training and was shopping for stuff for dinner when he heard, “Hey mister, don’t I know you?” Looking down, Henry smiled at the white, blonde-haired kid with bright yellow eyes, “Hello Jack, it seems we meet again.”
Looking around the grocery store, Henry chuckled, “And where might your mama or daddy be kid?” Shrugging, Jack held up a tub of ice cream, “I wanted ice cream, but mama was talkin’ so I went to get it. Now I can’t find her.” Sighing since he easily could, Henry lifted the kid on to his left shoulder making him squeal, “You can’t run off from your mama bub. You can get lost, and she’ll miss you.”
About to protest that since his mama seemed to only be able to gush about the new baby lately, Jack was proven wrong. Frantic and red in the face, Ina came rushing over the second she saw him. “Devils be Jack! How many times do I have to tell you not to leave beside the cart.” Flinching at his mama’s mean tone, Jack wilted as he whispered, “Sorry.”
Holding his melting carton of ice cream, his mama took it from him and threw it in the cart before taking him from Henry’s shoulder. “Yeah, you’re going to be sorry. I’m telling your daddy, and no more shopping trips with mama until you learn to behave.”
Face turning red, Jack resembled her as he began to fuss. Eyes welling up with tears, he whined and threw his tantrum to the embarrassment of his mama. About to cry as she tried to get Jack to stop, the boy took his sandal off and threw it as he yelled, “No, you only care about new baby!”
Crying now, Ina’s hormones made her react like a child herself as she whispered, “No I don’t! I love you both.” And as the two blondes kept crying in the middle of the grocery store, Henry just stood there awkwardly. “Okayyyyy.” He sighed as he shrugged, “Then its settled. Mama here still loves Jack, and Jack no more running off in the store, deal?”
Jack stopped crying so Ina stopped crying and finally, both were calmed down.
Holding her son, Henry helped her check out and carried her bags to her car so she could put him in his car seat. Clinging to her, the boy was easily going to sleep as his mama strapped him in. Catching her hand, he said the apology soft and sweet.
And it made his mama grin as she kissed his head, “It’s okay. I love my baby. And I mean this one right here.” Ruffling his curls, she watched Henry put the last of the grocery’s in and winced a little, “Sorry about this mess-.” Henry grinned a little, “Eh, nice practice for the future mama. You and your son are just another testimony to a day in the life. And it could have been much worse, trust me.”
Ina flushed but Henry was now thinking of his little sister. Having been a good little girl, she’d had one or two brat moments, but she’d grown out of them quick. And now he missed her.
He wished she’d given him more brat moments instead of growing up so fast.
But them were the perks of losing both parents young and having to be raised by a damn teenager. Pushing thoughts of her away, he pinched Jack’s cheek, “Take it easy on your mama partner.” He gave Ina a smile, “And always a pleasure ma’am.”
She waved bye to him sweetly and made sure to tell her husband later how kind he’d been.
Having got home and started on the house again, Henry was going to work on the deck out back when someone greeted, “Hey!” He looked up at Kaiser and grinned as the dark yellow-blonde man bounced over, his tan skin salty from the beach he’d just ran on that morning.
Grinning at Henry, he greeted, “Hey man, I’m glad to see you decided to stay!” Grinning back, Henry nodded, “Yeah I found my mate and she wants to be here.” And if that changed, he’d go, but for now? It did look like Henry had found home.
And it was in the spirit of that Kaiser grinned back happily, “Good, then you can invite her over with yourself and we’ll do dinner. Say this Saturday at 7?”
Surprised by the invite but then remembering he did agree, Henry suddenly nodded, “Done.”
It was forty-five minutes later he and Kaiser had finished up the deck and the spellcaster had also helped him woodwork some furniture pieces before heading home. “I don’t leave her alone with Jack by herself for too long. He’s a good kid but he’s got so much energy and with her being pregnant he’ll have her exhausted and frustrated in ten seconds.”
Admiring the man for being so attentive to his mate’s needs, Kaiser had left with a wave before Henry realized what happened. And it was turning to his mate that he realized dumbfounded, “I made a friend, and he’s not pack.”
Giggling, Katherine chirped, “Good job, who is it?” Telling her their name, Katherine grinned, “Oh yeah, I know Kaiser. He’s three years older than me but he was always so nice. He has the energy of a golden retriever.”
Nodding eagerly in agreement, Henry was chuckling as she finished making them sandwiches for dinner and they shared a bag of chips. “So how was your day?” Katherine shrugged for a moment, “I went to work, I went to the park, sketched. I ran into Josie Carlin…we talked.”
Knowing Josie Carlin was the fairy in her community that had started the crusade against her, Henry was instantly on alert. “Was she mean to you? Say anything cruel?” And Katherine immediately shook her head, “No. We were just letting everything go. She apologized and we kind of just ended it.”
Surprised, Henry nodded happily, “Good, well that’s good right?” Nodding in agreement, Katherine shrugged a little, “I don’t know, it felt so small. I went through hell because of her, lost the respect of nearly everyone I knew and spent time in the human cities purely because I didn’t feel comfortable here. Now it’s just supposed to be over? But in who’s eyes?”
Because in everyone else’s? The war continued, and her image remained the same in their eyes. But did it matter? Did their eyes matter?
“I just don’t know where we go from here.” Henry held her hand and kissed her knuckles before grinning, “I think where we go from here is everyone stay in their mating households. We all continue to live as we can and wish until the end. And hopefully at the end it’ll be worth it.”
He smiled flirty at his mate, “And I can assure you mate I’ll make it worth it in our household.” Grinning, Katherine and him kissed before going to finish planning and decorating around their home. Leaving before it got too late, Katherine hesitated but he didn’t let her linger.
He wanted her to stay badly but until she could forever? He wouldn’t tempt himself.
- Writer
