the herd. The little guy would probably get picked up by security before it got very far. He was making a lot of noise.
Jimmy Tony didn’t notice as Branch got closer and closer. He was crying with his head in his hands. Branch raised his trunk and wrapped it around the man’s throat. Jimmy dropped the knife and started scratching at Branch’s trunk. His fingers went limp after a moment and his head lolled to the side. Branch put him on his back and headed back to the herd.
The guy must not have known much about shifters or the animals he was there to “help.” If he had, he would have noticed that Branch’s elephant was way too big to be a normal animal. He was three feet taller than a regular elephant and much heavier. He almost felt bad for the man.
When he got closer to security, Branch took the unconscious Jimmy Tony from his back and shifted back to human.
“It’s Branch Dunkin,” he called to the security guards posted around the herd. “I’ve got the guy.”
There was a lot of back-slapping and offers to buy him drinks. He pulled Shane aside. “Is there any way you could go easy on Maura?”
Shane shrugged. “Probably. I don’t think Ward will want to let this get out of hand. Maybe she can be an informant or something.”
Branch nodded. “Thanks for the suggestion.”
He went back to Maura with a big smile on his face. “I got him.”
She threw her hands around his neck. “Oh my gosh. Thank you. Thank you so much. I can’t believe you did that.”
“It was nothing,” Branch boasted. He didn’t tell her that Jimmy Tony was a crybaby coward. “Listen, I think if you talk to security about the PFA, they’ll let you off with a slap on the wrist.”
Maura collapsed against his chest. “Oh, thank you, Branch. Thank you thank you thank you. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to thank you enough.”
He let her cry against his chest while he rubbed her back. “You could come and live with me. That would be more than enough thanks.”
She looked up at him with teary eyes. “What?”
“Come and live with me,” he repeated. “My place is small, but I think it would be more than big enough for two of us.”
“Are you insane? Everyone will hate me. I can’t live here.”
“But you do want to live with me?”
She nodded and gave him a small smile. “I would. I…I love you. I know it’s soon, but I do. I love you, Branch.”
“I love you too.”
Despite all that had happened, it was the best night he’d had in a very long time.
***
“I can’t believe I’m moving in with Branch Dunkin.” Maura handed him the last box. “This is insane.”
It had been five months since the incident with Jimmy Tony. Maura and Branch had kept in contact that entire time. She hadn’t gotten in any trouble with the authorities because she’d given them all the intel she had on the PFA and their planned demonstrations. The incident had blown over quickly, but she hadn’t wanted to move to the island right away.
She would have tried to convince Branch to move back to Florida if he didn’t love the island so much. Instead, when the ache of missing him became too much to bear, she agreed to move to Safari Island to be with him.
Branch laughed. “You act like I’m some kind of teen idol.”
Maura put her arms around his waist after he put the box down. “You’re my teen idol.”
He kissed her. “I’d think I’d rather be your husband.” He bent down onto one knee and took a box out of his pocket. Would you marry me?”
Maura began crying and nodded. She could only whisper her response. “Yes.”
Branch put the small diamond on her finger. “It’s conflict free, of course.”
She wiped her eyes. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
Maura didn’t know what she’d done to be so lucky, but she would never take it for granted. She couldn’t wait to become Branch’s wife.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Thank you for reading Elephants Never Forget! If you
Jimmy Tony didn’t notice as Branch got closer and closer. He was crying with his head in his hands. Branch raised his trunk and wrapped it around the man’s throat. Jimmy dropped the knife and started scratching at Branch’s trunk. His fingers went limp after a moment and his head lolled to the side. Branch put him on his back and headed back to the herd.
The guy must not have known much about shifters or the animals he was there to “help.” If he had, he would have noticed that Branch’s elephant was way too big to be a normal animal. He was three feet taller than a regular elephant and much heavier. He almost felt bad for the man.
When he got closer to security, Branch took the unconscious Jimmy Tony from his back and shifted back to human.
“It’s Branch Dunkin,” he called to the security guards posted around the herd. “I’ve got the guy.”
There was a lot of back-slapping and offers to buy him drinks. He pulled Shane aside. “Is there any way you could go easy on Maura?”
Shane shrugged. “Probably. I don’t think Ward will want to let this get out of hand. Maybe she can be an informant or something.”
Branch nodded. “Thanks for the suggestion.”
He went back to Maura with a big smile on his face. “I got him.”
She threw her hands around his neck. “Oh my gosh. Thank you. Thank you so much. I can’t believe you did that.”
“It was nothing,” Branch boasted. He didn’t tell her that Jimmy Tony was a crybaby coward. “Listen, I think if you talk to security about the PFA, they’ll let you off with a slap on the wrist.”
Maura collapsed against his chest. “Oh, thank you, Branch. Thank you thank you thank you. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to thank you enough.”
He let her cry against his chest while he rubbed her back. “You could come and live with me. That would be more than enough thanks.”
She looked up at him with teary eyes. “What?”
“Come and live with me,” he repeated. “My place is small, but I think it would be more than big enough for two of us.”
“Are you insane? Everyone will hate me. I can’t live here.”
“But you do want to live with me?”
She nodded and gave him a small smile. “I would. I…I love you. I know it’s soon, but I do. I love you, Branch.”
“I love you too.”
Despite all that had happened, it was the best night he’d had in a very long time.
***
“I can’t believe I’m moving in with Branch Dunkin.” Maura handed him the last box. “This is insane.”
It had been five months since the incident with Jimmy Tony. Maura and Branch had kept in contact that entire time. She hadn’t gotten in any trouble with the authorities because she’d given them all the intel she had on the PFA and their planned demonstrations. The incident had blown over quickly, but she hadn’t wanted to move to the island right away.
She would have tried to convince Branch to move back to Florida if he didn’t love the island so much. Instead, when the ache of missing him became too much to bear, she agreed to move to Safari Island to be with him.
Branch laughed. “You act like I’m some kind of teen idol.”
Maura put her arms around his waist after he put the box down. “You’re my teen idol.”
He kissed her. “I’d think I’d rather be your husband.” He bent down onto one knee and took a box out of his pocket. Would you marry me?”
Maura began crying and nodded. She could only whisper her response. “Yes.”
Branch put the small diamond on her finger. “It’s conflict free, of course.”
She wiped her eyes. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
Maura didn’t know what she’d done to be so lucky, but she would never take it for granted. She couldn’t wait to become Branch’s wife.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Thank you for reading Elephants Never Forget! If you
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