The Chosen [Wolf + MxM]

The Chosen- Chapter 22

"So?"

"So it's gross," Tommy made yet another face, "Bathe. Brush your teeth. Find clean clothes. Go hang out with an old buddy or treat yourself to something nice or…or something. I don't care. Just − just take care of yourself. Please."

It was the resignation and borderline pleading in his voice toward the end that did it. I gave a dark sigh to make it clear to him that I was thoroughly disgruntled about this whole dragging-me-out-of-bed nonsense, but would do it anyway. For him.

"Soap twice!" he called behind me, "And lather up those armpits!"

"Okay, mom!"

"Don't you sass me, mister," he popped his head into the bathroom, "Not my fault you stink."

I didn’t complain. He was kind of right. It took longer than I expected to feel truly clean again. Something about the shower made me not want to stay cooped up in the house anymore. Tommy had a date tonight anyway so it wasn't as if I'd have company for very long.

Without the distractions, I found that I was actually pretty damn hungry. Stomach growling, I wandered around looking for somewhere decent to eat. In my dazed state, I didn't notice the woman who seemed appear out of nowhere, called me by name and wrapped her arms around my neck. "Whoa! Hey, can I help you?" I pealed her off. She wasn't in the least bit familiar.

"Oh, so you only remember your favorite charges huh?" she mock glared, "You notice Danyel in a heartbeat but now you're all 'Kenny who?'" As the recognition took, her grin widened again. I grabbed her in a hug before she could say anything else.

"Damn Kenny. You…I couldn't even…damn," I gave her a once over, "Look at you. Brains, brawn and beauty.

"I'm a triple threat," she shrugged and winked.

"Bet you're giving those boys hell, huh?"

"Every day," she beamed, "Man we missed you a lot here. It's hard finding a half decent babysitter these days."

"You do not need a babysitter," I laughed, "You're damn well almost as big as me."

"Where were you three years ago when I was having this fight with mom?"

"College," I gave her a peck on the forehead, "And I missed you kids too."

"Hey, did you have dinner yet?" she asked.

"Nope."

"Great. I live not too far from here. You can see the new place."

At first, I'd thought that she and her mother had moved while I was away. It was only as we entered the little, two bedroom house with one room out front acting as a home clinic, did I get it. "You're living on your own now," I murmured looking at the pictures on the wall. She nodded, coming to stand beside me.

A couple of the frames were with her and her mom, two had her and Orion together and one of them had her with Orion and Nye. Both boys were hugging her and they seemed happy enough. Nye was younger in this picture. His hair was buzz short and he was clean shaven. There was something that said military about him. Not that anything about that had changed, but it was more noticeable.

"It's so hard to get him to stay still for a picture," Kenny said softly, "Even harder to get him to smile for one." Clearing my throat, I walked away from the wall. She looked at me for another beat before heading off to the kitchen. I could hear her taking leftovers from the fridge and heating it up.

"He won't talk to anyone about what happened between you guys," she said, "Have you two talked about it yet?"

I shook my head, "He doesn't want to hear from me. Doesn’t want anything to do with me for that matter."