Gary was laying in my lap, and I was about to cry because she never wanted to be near me for longer periods of time. But she was napping, purring and I was running my fingers over her orange fur. She was so soft and occasionally, she'd lift her head, eyes still closed, only to lick her paw or tail and then go back to napping.
"Don't know if it's weird, but I'm slightly turned on seeing you with my cat? But not like in a sexual way. Like in a love way. A love hard-on," Abel said and sat down on his sofa, right next to me. He put his arm around me and sunk into the dark leather, slinging his feet onto the coffee table.
"Your way of putting it is art," I chuckled and leaned against him a little. Gary opened her eyes, meowed and then rose to her feet, stretching her little body. And then she left my lap to go sit in Abel's.
"Aww, Gary, no," Abel kind of laughed and whined at the same time. "You were bonding with Gael, baby."
"It's alright. She clearly has favourites."
"I mean..." Abel chuckled a little. "Dave likes you better too."
"Dave is a twelve-year-old puppy I've had since he was six weeks old. Maybe it's not that weird he favours me." I winked at my boyfriend.
"Dork," he muttered under his breath. "How long is he expected to live? Isn't twelve quite old?"
"It is, but the vet says he has a lot of good years left still." It was as if Dave's ears were burning because his little paws click-clacked against the hardwood floors from the bedroom to the living room. His tail was wagging all over the place and he jumped up, joining us on the sofa, going directly for my hand, resting in my lap, poking his nose at it.
"Did you hear us say your name?" I asked softly and scratched him behind his ear. He turned on his back, exposing his little tummy, desperately wanting me to scratch that.
"Maybe it's alright the kids have favourites, as long as we don't," Abel said then.
I nodded and smiled at my puppy, that really wasn't a puppy anymore, but would always be a puppy to me.
A knock on the door pulled us out of our chill-time, and Abel sighed as he almost had to peel himself off the sofa.
"Mum..." I heard from the front door.
I rose from the sofa too and tentatively went to see. A very tall lady stood in the door, embracing Abel. She had the same black hair as him, but hers was completely straight, where his had some waves in them. She had the same golden skin tone as well, and when she pulled back, taking her son's face in her hands, I could see, she had given him her eyes and cheek bones too.
She smiled and then she looked at me, as if she had known I was there this entire time.
"Hello," she said, her voice super smooth. I don't know what I had expected. Maybe her voice being a bit hoarse? Instead, it was really soft.
"H-hi," I stammered and wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans.
"Uh mum, that's Gael... My boyfriend." Abel glanced back at me, jerking his head, almost begging me to come to him.
I went to his side and didn't know what to do. Bow? Shake her hand? Kneel?
"Yes, your father texted me about it." She brought her phone out from her bag, waving it around. She even had a smartphone. Maybe I was expecting a flip-phone or something old like that. My thoughts were everywhere. And they went weird places too, apparently.
"Well, I've come. Maura Creek has been reaching out too. Apparently, there's trouble. Again. Seems like yesterday this very issue was... Well, an issue."
"That was like twenty years ago," Abel muttered and rolled his eyes.
"Eh, time," his mum replied and shrugged, going past us and further into the loft. "Exquisite taste."
"I got it from you. You'd decorate this place exactly like this."
She smiled back at us over her shoulder. "He's right." She turned around and folded her hands in front of her, her arms stretched downwards. "You can call me Nin, Gael."
"That's really pretty," I said before I could stop myself.
"Thank you. I like the name Gael as well. I've always liked names for both boys and girls. I wanted to name Abel Jamie. But alas, my husband did not agree. He's old fashioned."
I managed to stop myself from snorting. He didn't seem old fashioned at all when I had met him. But Nin seemed timeless. Her clothes were obviously expensive, but not in that flashy way. Like there weren't big logos everywhere, but you could tell the red cardigan probably was cashmere and that the silk blouse underneath was actual silk, and not a cheap knockoff. She was also in heels. Very tall heels. She wasn't tall herself, but in her heels, she towered over me. Or it felt like that, but in reality, she was probably maybe a couple of centimetres taller than me. She had nice, manicured nails that matched her bright red lipstick. There was nothing out of place on her. She oozed of class, and it made me nervous and acutely aware of my washed-out jeans with a hole on the knee.
This was about to get awkward on so many levels.
"Uh, my mum's here..." Abel said when Creek opened the door and made a small wave towards his mum. "She wanna talk to your mum."
Creek raised an eyebrow but stepped aside to let us in.
Nin stopped by the door and tilted her head to the side, waiting patiently. When Creek just gave her a weird look, she smiled softly.
"I need the owner of this residence to invite me in, little one. Otherwise, it'd be quite painful for me, unfortunately."
"Oh, shoot, hold on. I'll go get my mum. Mum!" he screamed into the house and went further in, looking for Maura.
"I'll just wait here," Nin murmured and sent me a cheeky smile. I couldn't stop an unattractive snort before it was too late.
"I never asked Abel what happened if you entered uninvited," I said then, trying to recover from the snort.
Might as well have been a were-pig.
"We burn from the inside. Slowly. I won't feel it for the first few seconds but then my skin will be covered in blisters, my tongue and eyes will melt until everything has melted to my bare bones. It won't kill me, but bones don't hold together without muscles and flesh. All of that will disappear. My bones will have to be put in a coffin until my body regenerates. Takes a couple of days." She said it all in this light tone, as if we were sharing recipes or shopping lists. She made it sound so mundane.
And I was just staring at her.
"Yeah, Mum, thanks for that vivid description. Could've just said we'd almost die or something that doesn't make us sound like total freaks," Abel said and rolled his eyes. I slipped my fingers in between his, giving his hand a squeeze.
"You've seen me tear my own skin off to shapeshift into a massive wolf, Abel. I think I can handle this."
He fought the smile, but it won, and the one dimple was digging into his cheek.
"Oh lord, you've been standing out there in this weather," Maura said, huffing and puffing as she came speed-walking to the front door. "I'm so sorry, come in, come in."
Nin just smiled that regal smile of hers and stepped over the threshold.
"Oh Gael, honey, that cast. That damned cast. When's it coming off?" Maura asked as she rushed us into the living room, leaving us there on the sofa, and quickly returning with a coffee pot and some mugs on a tray.
"It shouldn't be much longer," I said and stuck a finger in it, scratching the skin hiding underneath.
"That's good to hear." She nodded and sat down in her chair. "Now, you've also brought a guest." She looked to Nin.
"I am Abel's mother. Nin. We have met before, but you and the children were so young," she said and made a bow with her head.
"Oh right, yes. Welcome to our small town. Your son has become quite dear not just to my child, but to my whole family and this small community."
Nin smiled, looking proud. "He has always been community minded. Much more than I have. He has taught me a lesson with this community. It's sacred. It must be protected. Even from itself. Whatever weight I can throw around here, I will do it."
Maura widened her eyes a little. "It is always good to have community elders speaking."
"I reckon it is. Especially elders who have been around for a while."
"That's an understatement," Abel muttered, sending his mum a look.
She only sent him one back, clearly looking for him to say one more word. Daring him to say another word.
He didn't. He rolled his eyes, his irises changing size in the process.
I wasn't gonna say anything. I knew better than to comment on something between a parent and their kid.
"We appreciate the support," Maura said, cutting through the awkwardness. She poured Nin a cup of coffee and handed it to her. She smiled gratefully and took a sip.
"My son sends me texts. I'm bad at replying, as I do not enjoy cellular phones. I like conversations. But he told me of his wolf, and I adore love. Especially when my child experiences it. I don't take kindly to anything interfering in his happiness. So, this is for him and Gael." She looked very serious. "Just tell me what I can do, and I will do it."
"Your mum was very serious," I noted after we had dropped her off at Abel's house to stay.
"You think?" He glanced at me from the driver's seat.
"You don't?"
"No. But I've heard that before. I think it's because she has a bit of a resting bitch face. But she's not serious. She's quite warm when you get to know her. She's just subtle."
"Subtle," I murmured.
Abel swung in at my house, parking in front of it. I wish I had a parking space, but then I'd have to take parts of the garden. And I didn't want that. I loved my little garden.
"I promise, she likes you," Abel said as he took the key out of the ignition. "Otherwise, she would've said so. To your face too. She's not afraid of conflict."
"That's pretty admirable," I said and stepped out of the car, meeting Abel's gaze over the roof. "I hate conflict. I don't think I could ever tell a person straight to their face, I didn't like them. I'd just quietly distance myself from them."
"Such a bitch move."
"Hey," I said with a grin bubbling through.
"I'm not afraid of conflict either." He winked at me. He was such a dork and looked like a dork when he winked like a dork.