Sapphire: A Werewolf Love Story (16 page)

The guy with her comes over and he looks as pissed
off as Ruby.  “Who are you?”

“Hi, I’m Parker.”

“Parker, explain to me the reason I shouldn’t kill
you in front of your friends.  You kidnap my sister and you have the balls to
stand there between two sisters?”

“Stone, I’m guessing.  First, these people are my
family and they aren’t the kind to allow someone in their home to threaten one
of their family members.  I’d love to sit down and talk man to man, but I’m not
allowing you to bring more stress to my family.”

“ Sis, we need to go.  Your son is waiting to see
his mom,” Stone says.

“Stop, everyone stop.  Parker is his father, and you
are never to disrespect him again.  He didn’t do anything to me.  Someone left
me in the woods with nothing but a couple of cans of ravioli and a tent. 
Parker and their family are the ones that found me.  Actually, it was Oakley
and Abel who found me.  I didn’t see Parker until today.  I’ll leave with you, but
I’m coming back and will bring my son with me.  He deserves to know who his dad
is.”

Ruby throws her hands up in the air, “Gah!  Of
course you’ll accept Parker with open arms.  Don’t you even think about dating
my sister again, she’s not that stupid.”

I put my hand on her shoulder and push her back. 
Not realizing my own strength, she goes flying backwards into the wall.  Dolly
is there to break her from hitting the wall.  She winked at me as she knew I
had no idea how strong I am.

“Parker and I have agreed to start dating, so keep
your opinions to yourself.  If I don’t have your word on it, you won’t be
seeing me again for a long time.”  I look over at Parker and his face lights up
with my confession.  “We’ve disturbed their night enough, let’s go.”

Parker comes over and hands me his phone.  “Take
this, I’ll call you later.  Everyone’s phone number is in the phone, including
the number to the house.  I’ll check up on you.”  He puts his arms around me
and pulls me in for a hug.  “Thank you for giving us a chance,” He whispers in
my ear.

Something about our closeness is making me want to
curl up in a ball with him and shut out the world.  I wonder if that is my
so-called wolf being happy. 

“Let’s go Phire, Storm is waiting to say good-night
to you.”

I stand on my toes and give Parker a quick kiss.  He
didn’t have a chance to react before Stone and Ruby were pulling me to leave
with them.

“Bye everyone, I’ll be back.” 

“Who are you?  The Terminator?”  Stone asks.

“I don’t know what that means, but I’m guessing the
answer is no.”

~~~~~~~~~

“Sis, are you okay?” Stone asks.

“Yeah, I’m fine…minus the part where I don’t
remember anyone.” They would probably be offended if I tell them that this is
like riding with Abel and Oakley, two complete strangers.  Just because they
say I’m their sister, it doesn’t make it easier.  If I were being honest with
myself, I’d say I’m more comfortable with the Phelans. 

“I’m so glad to have you back, Phire.  We need to go
to the police department and you’ll make a statement about what happened.  Mom
is having the medicine woman come over and work you over tomorrow,” Ruby says
and snickers to herself.

“Should I be concerned?  A medicine woman, isn’t
that a little cliché?  What brand of Indian are we?”  Neither one of them say
anything for at least a full minute.

“Interesting way to ask about your genealogy.  Your
brand
 is Cheyenne and Arapaho, we’re Arapaho.  You’re telling me, you don’t
remember anything?  Bullshit.”  Ruby shakes her head back and forth getting
cockier as she talks.  “I’m serious, this is bullshit.  How can you not
remember your family?”

Stone is driving and he shoves Ruby by her
shoulder.  I’m glad I’m in the backseat and away from both of them.  “I’m
praying when I see the little boy I’ll remember.  Stop at the police department
first; we need to get it over with.”

The police department is between a Donuts Have Holes
and the post office.  The navy-blue cinderblocks on the police department are
contrasted with white lettering and drab looking windows.  We’re at precinct
221, whatever that means.  I’m walking into a police department with two
strangers to talk about being abducted, which I don’t remember.

 The receptionist is wearing a raspberry colored
suit with big shoulder pads and huge lapels.  Her curls are as bouncy as her
personality.  She tells us she has to go do some shredding but hopes our visit
is good.  She reminds me of a girl who got her first ‘big girl’ job and
borrowed her mom’s clothes. 

The three of us sit down as we wait for officer
Maupin to take my statement.  Parker keeps invading my thoughts as I sit
silently on the uncomfortable chair.  The next hour of my life I’m asked about
everything to do with my abduction.  The one thing I wasn’t prepared for was
explaining why I didn’t tell the police when I went to the Phelan farm.  Good
question.  I wonder how he’d take it if I told him I am a werewolf and don’t
have thumbs when I’m a wolf.  Probably not the best thing to say in front of
sister psycho and brother Stone.

Everyone agreed that tomorrow we’ll meet at Big
Bob’s and go out to check the camp site.  It will be a wasted trip, especially
when wolves already sniffed it out.  If I had to guess, I bet there’s a group
being assigned to find Pedro and bring him to the farm. 

“If you don’t mind, I want to get home to see my
son,” I blurt out.  I’m edgy after a day like today.  “I have a headache, can
we go?”  I stand up and start walking to the doors. 

The little boy is out in the front yard with a woman
that looks a lot like Stone.  He’s running towards the car, Stone is inching
into the driveway, keenly aware where Storm is walking. 

“Mommy!  Mommy’s home!  Yay!  You miss Storm?  
Mommy, you miss Stormy?” 

He’s so adorable, with
long eyelashes like daddy
his
dimples like Aunt Ruby.  “I missed you with my whole heart,” I say and sweep
him up into my arms.  “What have you been doing?  Are you being a good boy for
grandma?

“I’s a good boy and I say’d my prayers for you to
find your way home.   I can do a cartwheel, you wanna see?”  He flops himself
around the living room showing off his cartwheels.

“Storm, it’s time to go to bed,” I scoop him up and
take him into my room.  It was interesting no one showed me where my room is
located, yet I found it without any problems.  Maybe, my subconscious mind does
remember.

Storm’s little toddler bed is set up in the corner. 
The room is large enough for him to have his own boy-cave.  

Ruby stands in the doorway watching the two of us
together.  “We’re almost finished painting the mural for Storm’s new bedroom. 
Stone’s old room is a perfect size for all of his stuff.  His new big boy bed
was delivered a couple of days ago.”

“Right, you’ll have to show me after I say prayers
with Storm.”

“Aunt Ruby, tuck me in too.”  He holds his arms out
waiting for a hug.  My heart melts watching him loving us.  His eyes are so
bright with wonder and his little nose is too cute.  My heart hurts from
forgetting him and his young life. 

Ruby and I come downstairs from Storm’s new room and
find our mom and another lady sitting on the couch. 

“What’s going on?” Ruby asks. 

“This is Hania, she is a spiritual healer…a doctor
for the soul.  Hania, these are my daughters Sapphire and Ruby.”

The woman is not what I expected when I was told the
medicine woman was coming.  This
woman
is no older than twenty.  She’s
shorter than me and has long dark hair with a gray streak down the front.  Her
eyes, one brown, one blue, are beautiful.

“Nice to meet you,” Ruby and I say in unison.

The doorbell rings and everyone looks at me.  “I’m
not expecting anyone.”

I follow Ruby to the door to see who’s here.  Parker
is standing there and something in me feels calmer.  He smiles at me and I can’t
help but grin back at him.

“What are
you
doing here?  Don’t you think
you should give her time with
her
family?
 I mean seriously, this
is jacked up,” Ruby complains.

“Come in,” I say and hold my hand out to him.  “You
know where I live?”

He notices my mom and Hania are in the living room. 
“I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“Of course she’s okay, dumbass! We’re the ones that
love and protect her.”  Ruby’s on a roll.  She hates Parker and isn’t afraid to
let him know.

Instinctually, I put my arms around Parker and hug
him.  My soul is screaming in ecstasy as we hug. 

Parker bends down low enough to whisper in my ear. 
“You sense it don’t you?  That’s your wolf, and she is happy her mate is with
her.”

I blush and pray no one heard him.

“They didn’t hear, because your hearing is so good,
you can hear everything.”

“I’ll remember that in the future,” I whisper back.
“I’m going to stand on the porch and talk to Parker for a minute.  I’ll be
quick.”  I hear an audible sigh.  My mom says to take my time.

“Thank you for seeing me,” Parker says. 

His eyes,
those beautiful eyes
pierce through
me.  My heart surrenders to my wolf.  Every ounce of fear is comforted, just by
him standing close to me.  “I’m glad you came, really I am.  My heart is saying
one thing; my rational head is saying to give-in.  I’ll listen to my
instincts.  Contrary to what everyone wants, I am allowing myself to be
yours…if you’ll have me.”

The look on his face is priceless.  His eyes are
wide and a smile like no other, has filled his face, and my heart.  “You’re
serious?”

“I’m serious.  I might be crazy
definitely crazy
,
but there’s a dark shadow over my heart when you’re not around.  I need
sunshine in my life.  I need someone that won’t run and will help me.  Parker,
I know you’re those things for me.  I want to take it slow, well, slower than
having sex tonight.  If you can handle it and not run away, I’m willing to
try.”

“I’ll give you all the time you need my love.  Can I
kiss you?”  He steps in and puts his arms around me. 

I’m complete
.  
Yes!  Kiss me!  “I’d like that,” I whisper.  His lips, like soft pillows, press
to mine, gently.  Oh, yeah, that’s nice.  My arms pull him closer to me,
feeling his body pressed to mine.  A low growl rumbles as he deepens the kiss. 
It’s as though we can’t breathe without the other.  I want to go limp in his
arms just so he would be forced to hold me tighter. 
People are waiting
inside the house
, I remind myself.  I pull back, “We need to go inside.”

“Oh yeah, lead the way.”

“Come in, this is my mom, Pearl, and her friend the
medicine woman Hania.”

Everyone moves to the dining room to sit at the
table.  Mom (
strange calling a woman I don’t remember “Mom”)
, has made
coffee and a streusel cake.   I laugh, nervous everyone is judging me, which
they are.  Except Parker, he isn’t, he accepts me for whom and what I am,
whatever that is.

Parker and I are sitting next to each other, my mom
and Hania are sitting across from us and Ruby is sitting at the head of the
rectangle table.

Ruby is doing her best at giving Parker dirty
looks.  I’m about to die laughing inside, but I don’t want everyone to think
I’ve gone crazy
I’m already crazy .

“I’m blessed to be here with you tonight.  This is a
tough time for your family as we heal our sister Sapphire.  There will be
things about Sapphire we’ll learn tonight, secrets that belong to her alone.  I
must ask you to keep an open mind, respect the spirits and keep the secrets at
this table.  If you can’t accept the rules, I’m asking for you to excuse
yourself and leave.  Is everyone okay with the rules?”  Hania’s voice is
melodic as she speaks.

What secrets does she know about me? 
This can’t be good.

Everyone agrees to silence.

“Could someone explain why we’re allowing this man
at our table?  He isn’t part of this family, we don’t even know him,” Ruby
bitches.  She stretches her arms in front of her being melodramatic.

“That is a good question,” Pearl says. “I’m not
trying to be rude, but he isn’t part of our family.”

Hania sets a white candle in middle of the table and
lights it with a Bic lighter.  “You’ll understand soon enough.  Parker is part
of your family, whether you believe it or not.  His son is in the other room
sleeping and dreaming about his mom right now.”  She takes out a bundle of
dried up leaves and a big feather.  She holds the lighter to the bundle and
lights it on fire.  She blows out the flame and uses the feather to stoke the
smoke.  “Let’s begin.”  Hania holds her arm out and walks around the table,
chanting and fanning the smoke. 

Parker squeezes my hand, which he is holding under
the table.  Something about him comforts me.  What happens if I remember?  I’m
a werewolf, not a puppy…or a cute little fox…no, I’m a werewolf.  Parker
explained as much as he could about why he never came back.  Ruby has made it
her mission to remind me I was a weak, pathetic, broken girl curled up in a
ball.  I didn’t have the guts to tell Parker about our son.  At this moment, I
understand neither of us handled the situation well.