here before we get any service? Someone should have been over by now to take our order. They could have at least asked if we wanted coffee. I’ll go and get us some.” She slid out of the booth.
“Move another inch, and I’ll sic Shannon on you,” Kiesha threatened.
Shannon nodded. If Mary Elizabeth thought they’d be satisfied with the tiny piece of information she’d thrown at them, she deserved to be bit. She growled at her for good measure, flashing a glimpse of her canines. Mary Elizabeth narrowed her brown eyes at Shannon but sat back down as directed.
“Okay, now start again from the beginning,” Kiesha commanded.
“And this time, don’t leave anything out,” Shannon added.
“And what was that bit about shifting into a bear? You shifted?” Kiesha’s voice rose.
“I’ve been mated for over a month now, and I haven’t fully shifted.” Mary Elizabeth shushed them, waving her hands for silence as she looked uneasily around the diner. “Keep your voice down. I don’t want everyone knowing what happened.”
“Start talking, or it’s going to get ugly,” Kiesha threatened.
Mary Elizabeth relented and explained in greater detail. She finished with, “I got so mad at the things Charles was saying that I saw red. I didn’t know I’d shifted until Hugh told me. Apparently strong emotions bring on the change. I don’t know how Charles went from being in jail to crashing his van on the road out of town. And to be frank, I don’t want to know. I’m just glad the man’s finally out of my life.”
“I always knew there was something wrong with that man.” Kiesha nodded her head in an “I told you so” manner. “How did he find out where you were living? I thought you hadn’t given the folks your address.”
Mary Elizabeth sighed. “I hadn’t. He used my mother against me. She called begging me to come home for a visit. When I said I couldn’t, she guilted me into giving her my home address. Charles must have been sitting right there with her when she called.” Shannon looked at her. “Aw man, that’s deep.”
“You’re telling me.”
“I can’t believe your mother helped Charles like that. Then again, knowing her and the way she’s always treated you, I shouldn’t be surprised,” Kiesha acknowledged. “Sorry, but you know it’s the truth.”
Nikolai’s Wolf
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Mary Elizabeth gave her a smile of understanding. “I know, and it’s okay. I’ve made my peace with Mother. She is who she is. She couldn’t have gotten away with half of the things she did if I hadn’t enabled her. I could have broken free a long time ago. I guess that I wanted to feel needed and connected to my family, no matter what form that connection took. With Hugh, I’m finally starting to understand what a real family is supposed to be like.
Coming here was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m getting hungry. Since we can’t seem to get any service, I’ll go and get us some coffee.
Does anyone need a menu, or do you know what you want to eat?” Both Kiesha and Shannon knew so Mary Elizabeth got one of the order pads, wrote down their orders, and stuck them in the window. While she was standing there, the swinging door that led into the kitchen opened, and Hugh came out. He grabbed Mary Elizabeth by the hand and tugged her back through the door.
Kiesha gave Shannon a knowing look. “Think we’ll get our food anytime today?” Shannon smiled. “Only if there’s another cook back there.” They laughed as Kiesha got up to get the coffeepot and some cups. When she returned to the table and they’d both fixed their coffee, she asked, “How’s things going with your brother? He still driving you crazy?”
Shannon rolled her eyes. “Is he still breathing? ’Cause the only way he couldn’t make me crazy was if he were dead, and even then I’m sure Rory would find a way.”
“Why has he suddenly begun hanging around so much? That’s
“Move another inch, and I’ll sic Shannon on you,” Kiesha threatened.
Shannon nodded. If Mary Elizabeth thought they’d be satisfied with the tiny piece of information she’d thrown at them, she deserved to be bit. She growled at her for good measure, flashing a glimpse of her canines. Mary Elizabeth narrowed her brown eyes at Shannon but sat back down as directed.
“Okay, now start again from the beginning,” Kiesha commanded.
“And this time, don’t leave anything out,” Shannon added.
“And what was that bit about shifting into a bear? You shifted?” Kiesha’s voice rose.
“I’ve been mated for over a month now, and I haven’t fully shifted.” Mary Elizabeth shushed them, waving her hands for silence as she looked uneasily around the diner. “Keep your voice down. I don’t want everyone knowing what happened.”
“Start talking, or it’s going to get ugly,” Kiesha threatened.
Mary Elizabeth relented and explained in greater detail. She finished with, “I got so mad at the things Charles was saying that I saw red. I didn’t know I’d shifted until Hugh told me. Apparently strong emotions bring on the change. I don’t know how Charles went from being in jail to crashing his van on the road out of town. And to be frank, I don’t want to know. I’m just glad the man’s finally out of my life.”
“I always knew there was something wrong with that man.” Kiesha nodded her head in an “I told you so” manner. “How did he find out where you were living? I thought you hadn’t given the folks your address.”
Mary Elizabeth sighed. “I hadn’t. He used my mother against me. She called begging me to come home for a visit. When I said I couldn’t, she guilted me into giving her my home address. Charles must have been sitting right there with her when she called.” Shannon looked at her. “Aw man, that’s deep.”
“You’re telling me.”
“I can’t believe your mother helped Charles like that. Then again, knowing her and the way she’s always treated you, I shouldn’t be surprised,” Kiesha acknowledged. “Sorry, but you know it’s the truth.”
Nikolai’s Wolf
33
Mary Elizabeth gave her a smile of understanding. “I know, and it’s okay. I’ve made my peace with Mother. She is who she is. She couldn’t have gotten away with half of the things she did if I hadn’t enabled her. I could have broken free a long time ago. I guess that I wanted to feel needed and connected to my family, no matter what form that connection took. With Hugh, I’m finally starting to understand what a real family is supposed to be like.
Coming here was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m getting hungry. Since we can’t seem to get any service, I’ll go and get us some coffee.
Does anyone need a menu, or do you know what you want to eat?” Both Kiesha and Shannon knew so Mary Elizabeth got one of the order pads, wrote down their orders, and stuck them in the window. While she was standing there, the swinging door that led into the kitchen opened, and Hugh came out. He grabbed Mary Elizabeth by the hand and tugged her back through the door.
Kiesha gave Shannon a knowing look. “Think we’ll get our food anytime today?” Shannon smiled. “Only if there’s another cook back there.” They laughed as Kiesha got up to get the coffeepot and some cups. When she returned to the table and they’d both fixed their coffee, she asked, “How’s things going with your brother? He still driving you crazy?”
Shannon rolled her eyes. “Is he still breathing? ’Cause the only way he couldn’t make me crazy was if he were dead, and even then I’m sure Rory would find a way.”
“Why has he suddenly begun hanging around so much? That’s
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