Howl of a Human

XIII

Everyone was at the table when we went down to eat. Holly and Kian next to each other with Jack at the head of the table and Catherine to his right. My father sat across from Jack at the other end of the table. Mike took the spot next to his mother and I took the one next to him. Zoey was between my father and I.

Out of respect to my father, we all bowed our heads in grace. He's a very Christian man. I could see Kian snicker at the whole thing out of the corner of my eye.

I also saw Catherine kick him under the table and his wince following it.

"We praise the lord..."

Dinner finished exceedingly well. The only time it was every even a little wolf-y or strange was when Mike tried to talk to my father about football and Holly rambled about how it can cause brain damage so Kian shut her up by shoving his tongue down her throat for a solid minute. That was more PDA than werewolf anyway so I think it went pretty well.

After the meal I helped Catherine and Holly clean up while Mike showed my father around the property. Catherine shooed me away soon after and told me to head to the lake.

"I'm sure there are somethings you want to stop your father from telling Mike anyway. They should be by the creek by now."

I passed her the towel along with a thankful smile. Lord knows what my father would tell Mike. What if he decides to tell him about my "adorable" smile before braces with the huge gap between my front teeth? Or how I cried for a week straight when I lost my grandmother's ring? Or worse, how I wouldn't wear anything but his shirts for a whole month when I was 4?

My legs decided to go faster, but I wasn't expecting what I saw when I stepped on the top of the hill. 

I imagine that normally, Mike would have smelt me the moment I got anywhere near him but today the strong wind was pushing my hair rapidly fast my shoulders and behind me. The strong smell of the yellow flowers and the rush of the river in the late spring was masking my presence. Their voices flowed through the wind and to over into my ears.

"Do you really love her?"

"If I did, she would be the first to know. I'm not great at emotions and all that."

A stale, forced laugh escaped Mike's throat. There was a long pause before Papa's voice came to me again.

"There's something I've always wanted to know," he stepped closer to Mike, his arm swinging around the younger set of shoulders next to him," You see, I'm a bit color blind-"

Oh, no.

I started to walk down the hill.

"I can't see my daughter's eye color right, it looks like a- a purple. She doesn't have purple eyes."

No, no, no. Please don't do this to me, Papa.

"She doesn't," Mike kicked a tuft of grass.

"Maybe you could- Could you describe her eyes to me? Maybe then I could see them."

"She has beautiful eyes."

I stopped dead in my tracks. 

What?

"They look like... Like their on fire. Not like she's mad, but like a small candle. They have life in them. Like she is life. Lacey's eyes are fragile. They seem like you could blow it out with the wrong word. You can't, though. She's just too strong for that."

"It seems like you've really taken the time to look at her eyes."

"I have. They're magnificent."

"I'm sure they are," he smiled slightly. He tilted his head back and looked at the sky above him, only once did those blue eyes shoot over to me," I once told my little girl that I knew that no one would ever love her the way I do, the way to someone's heart is their eyes. You have to love those before you can ever fall in love with them.

I think you love her eyes. Michael, I think you're already halfway in love with my Lucille and I am beyond glad. She needs a man like you, she doesn't know it but she does. Do me a favor, would you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Don't you dare hurt my girl."

Mike laughed. This one was much better. It was a carefree laugh, straight from the soul. The most beautiful laugh.

"I don't think that will be a problem."

"Good."

My father started to walk up the hill, towards me. I hurried to duck behind a tree. Mike bent over and picked up a rock, tossing it a few times in the air.

"And, sir?"

"Yes?"

"She's our girl, now."

My heart started to go a million miles a minute. 

Papa smiled and tipped an imaginary hat at Mike before chuckling and going back up the hill again. Mike turned around and skipped the rock on the water. 3 times it hit the water. Plop, plop, plop.

Silently, I was ecstatic. My fingers went up to touch my eyelids while a stupid smile played on my lips.

Mike loves my eyes.

Aww. You think I'm gonna let them be happy?

How cute.