Chapter Forty-eight Bryn sat on the back patio, under the eave, at the brand new cedar deck furniture, silently watching the maintenance men fill their beautiful pool. She couldn't wait to get in...unfortunately that wouldn't be until tomorrow after the chlorine settled. Taking a sip of her ice cream shake, she blinked in the bright sunlight and noticed Lindy walking through the side gate of the enclosed area. "Hey, what's up?" Lindy shrugged. "I was just wondering what all of the noise was. I forgot these guys were coming today." Bryn gave her a half-smile. "They were going to do your place before ours, but I snuck over to your parents' place and confiscated them." "Hmmph." Lindy sat down in the chair across the table. "What are you drinking?" "Chocolate peanut butter milkshake...there's some left in the kitchen. Want one?" "Sure. Thanks." Bryn got up and walked into the kitchen, careful to make sure only the minimum of sunlight entered the house. A few minutes later, she returned with another glass and handed it to Lindy. "You look mopey today. What's wrong? Still worried about Zenobia?" "No, embarrassed is more like it." Lindy sighed, looking into the glass before taking a long swallow. "I still can't believe I was boneheaded enough to think what I did." She shook her head. "She's not a half bad person, if you can get past the looks." She gave a sigh. "I'm still not looking forward to starting counseling, though." Bryn snickered. "'Not a half bad person, if you can get past the looks.' You make her sound like the Hunchback of Notre Dame." Lindy wasn't as amused by that as she was, apparently. Sobering, Bryn cleared her throat. "I think Nate was just making a suggestion when he told you Zenobia could be your counselor. You can go to someone else, you know. It might better to go to someone who has an actual degree in psychology." Lindy gave her a half smile. "I don't know, Bryn. I have a feeling that if I don't start going, I won't go at all. I mean I could easily weasel out of it, find an excuse not to go to just about any counselor. But part of me just wants to get it over with." "Hmm...the idea of talking to a stranger about your sex life just freaks me out period. I don't even like telling gynecologists. Then again, it's hard to say just about anything when someone has a metal pick up your crotch." Bryn grinned. "I just think it would be better to develop some sort of relationship with the person before actually giving them the details." "Yeah, but that would be a bit of an advantage of letting Zenobia do it. She already knows me, and I don't have to feel that I have to hide that I'm werewolf with her." Lindy sighed, resting her chin on clasp hands. She glanced at Bryn out of the corner of her eye. "Think we'll miss it?" "Miss what?" "Sitting in the afternoon sun?" Bryn kept her gaze trained on the glittering pool, shiny with reflected sunlight. "Yes, I know we will. So do Anton and Nate. I guess it's just a question of what you'd miss more, sunlight or spending eternity with the person you love." She turned towards Lindy, blinking a bit at the change in brightness. "I seem to have an advantage, that I have five or so years to soak in all of the sunlight that I can...but in reality, I think you got the better deal. Once you are Transformed, it will pretty much be impossible for anything to tear you and Nate apart." "I really hope so, Bryn." She also watched the sunlight dance off the surface of the pool. "Nate's got mixed feelings about Transforming me, although I don't think he'll have any doubts once it's done. He's going to miss the wolf side of my personality." She squinted at Bryn. "Would you do me a favor? Maybe paint a portrait of me as a wolf for him?" "I can try, if you're willing to pose for me. I can't guarantee anything, because I haven't done it in a long time...having two months to finish it would certainly help, though. Then maybe you could give it to him the night he Transforms you?" "That's a great idea!" Lindy looked pleased with the thought. "Would it really take the full two months? When do we get started?" "I-I don't really know how...long it would take. It's been a while--" She sighed, her whole face starting to look a little pale. "Um, I guess...I guess we could get started whenever you want." "Great!" Lindy leaned over and hugged Bryn tight. "Whenever you're ready, I am. I know you probably need to get some supplies. So probably sometime tomorrow?" Bryn gave her a weak smile. "Okay." She stood up, picking up her cup. "Um, you're welcome to stay if you'd like, but I think I'm going to go upstairs and lay down for a while. I'm getting a little overheated." "I'll just stick around until I can steal the pool guys back." Smiling, Bryn walked back into the house. Once the door closed behind her, she squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the impulse to go hide in some dark corner and pretend she'd never even heard of a canvas before. She was terrified to start painting again, her hands trembling at the mere thought of picking up a brush. Deciding to leave the dishes for later, she walked over to the stairs and quickly climbed them. The only thing she wanted to do right now was curl back up in bed and bury her head under her pillow. She slipped into the bedroom and out of her clothes. Sliding under the covers, she wasn't surprised when Anton rolled over and snuggled against her back, hand stroking over her skin to rest on her stomach. He let out a contented rumble, reminding Bryn of a lion purring. She settled deep into the mattress, and into the warm curve formed by his body. All she could think of was painting that wolf. She wasn't even sure exactly what Lindy wanted. The sketch shouldn't be too hard. That was mostly just placement and sizing. The actual painting would be the hard part. It wasn't just mixing colors and slapping them on canvas. And even if it were, she still wasn't sure she could do it. Yet, she couldn't ever explain that to Anton...he thought she was so good that she could never do anything wrong. How wrong he was. Feeling tears threaten, she buried her head under her pillow and squeezed her eyes closed. He woke up a little more when he felt Bryn continue to shift against the mattress. He blinked, confused at first when he saw pillows where his wife's head should have been. Something was obviously bothering her. He gently rubbed the hand on her belly in a soothing circle, smiling as he also felt Max shift. He gently kissed the back of her neck, hoping to soothe her. She sucked in a deep, shuddering breath, before turning to face him. She laid her cheek on his chest, her head tucked slightly, and hugged his waist. She hoped she could fall back asleep, blissfully dreaming away, but it didn't look likely. Especially with the racket the pool men were making outside. "I didn't mean to wake you up," she said, quietly. "S'okay," he murmured. He pulled her a little closer, kissing her forehead. "I've only been dozing because of the noise outside." He gently rubbed her back near the base of her spine. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" She let out a sigh, her fingers grazing the light dusting of hair on his chest. "Lindy wants me to paint a portrait for her...starting tomorrow." She swallowed heavily. "And I'm afraid I can't do it." Anton lightly stroked her head, running his fingers over the short, fine hairs. Part of him had been worried about the fact that he hadn't seen her complete anything since she did the ceiling at Nathaniel's townhouse. Max's room back at the warehouse was still half-finished. He hadn't been certain if pointing this out to her would help motivate her to pick up the paintbrush again, or if it would just frustrate her further. "Why do you think you can't do it?" he asked gently. The big fat tears that fell on his chest splatted down almost as if they'd jumped from her eyes. She sniffled a bit and closed her eyes. "Because you think I'm good, and I'm not. I don't paint like that anymore. And even when I did it was mediocre at best. It's so hard to live up to your...your idea of what I am. I'm not an artist, I'm just someone who plays with paints and foolishly thinks she can get paid for it." "Bryn, look at me." He tilted her head up until he was looking into her teary eyes. "You know that I have been around a long time, Bryn. And in that long existence, I have seen many paintings, many works of art. So I think I can be unbiased and authoritatively say that you have a rare gift. You have a talent that many painters would kill to possess. And it would be a shame to see you let that gift wither away." She lowered her gaze, her lower lip trembling slightly. "Then why doesn't it ever feel that way to me? I look at those paintings, and all I see is a big blob. I remember enjoying myself at the time, but when it's done, it's just...it looks like a worthless waste of time. I mean, it must be true, because you don't see my paintings hanging in the houses of rich people. You don't see them in museums. I think my greatest accomplishment so far is having a painting in the lobby of a children's dentist office." He continued stroking her head gently. "Bryn, why are you seeking validation from others for your artwork? You said that you enjoyed yourself while you were painting. Isn't that why you paint? For that joy? "There will always be a critic who pans your work. And I've seen many talented painters whose works never made it into museums or rich homes. But that did not diminish their talent one bit. It was the passion, the emotion in their works that made them great, the same passion you put in your paintings." "Because it stops being fun when someone else doesn't like it. Yes, I paint for me...but if that were it, I'd just throw away the canvas when I was done. There's no point in having a finished product if I'm the only one who wants to look at it." She sniffled again, then reached for a Kleenex on her nightstand. "What if Lindy absolutely hates what I paint for her. She'd never admit that to me, because it might hurt my feelings...but then she gets stuck with a crappy painting she doesn't even like, and she has to give this crappy painting to her husband because that's what she wanted it for to begin with. So, in my slightly less-than- logical mind, it seems smarter not to paint anything at all, saving us both time all around." "And what if somewhere out there, one person thinks it is the most beautiful painting that has ever existed? Does that not justify its existence, even if you never hear of it?" He pressed his lips against her temple. "Trust Lindy to tell you if she's not happy with the painting. She will." She sniffled again, then blew her nose, staring down at him from where she sat. Tossing the tissue in the garbage, she said, "I guess it's my turn to ask you when you got so wise." Anton chuckled a little. "After I started spending time with my wife. She's a veritable fount of wisdom." He gently kissed her. She leaned into his kiss, almost desperately returning the affections, wanting him to know just how much she appreciated his presence in her life. She pressed her forehead against his after pulling back slightly, framing his jaw with her hands. "I love you so much. You're the best thing that ever happened to me. And it means so much to me that you have faith in me, even when I don't have very much in myself." He rubbed his fingers against her cheek. "I love you too, Bryn. And I hope one day you have just as much faith in you as I do, because I know of no one more deserving." She clutched her robe tighter around her, standing up on tiptoes to peer over the stucco wall surrounding the pool area. [Courtyard?] She couldn't figure out what to call it yet, since they had no plants, but it would be a great place to grow flowers. [A rosarium, maybe.] She didn't hear anyone approaching, and the sudden whisper next to her ear was completely unexpected. "What are you doing?" Sabryn let out a little squeak, whirling around to face Anton...who was already quite comfortably nude. And nicely highlighted by the surrounding flood lights, as well. "It's not nice to sneak up on people! I was making sure no one can see us over the wall." "I think it's safely high enough...besides, it's the reflected view on the windows they'll really be looking at." "That's not funny," she whispered. "I haven't been outside, naked, a day in my life." She clutched her robe a little tighter, glancing back at the wall once more. "I just don't want anyone looking at me." "Should I close my eyes?" She rolled her eyes. "Anyone except you." "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I don't want anyone but me looking at you, either." She scooted closer to him, pretending to cover him up with her robe as well. She held the sides to his hips, her fingers lightly teasing over his skin. "I don't really want anyone else looking at you, either. Lindy might get it in her head to come over here and steal you from me," she said, grinning. "Or Zenobia...she is a witch, you know." He grinned as his arms went around her, palms brushing the sides of her breasts. "Too late for her, my dear. I'm already completely under your spell. And I never want it to be broken." Leaning down, he kissed her forehead and nose until she pushed up on her toes and claimed his mouth. When the kiss broke, he gave her a little grin. "You better hope the pool heater works well." "Let's find out." "Okay," He gave her a devilish smile before walking to the deep end. Allowing her to stare at his ass for a few seconds, he gave her a cocky wink and dove in. Head breaking the water, he pushed his wet hair out of his eyes. "As cliche as it sounds, my dear, come on in. The water's fine." He then started swimming towards the shallow end. Bryn hurried down to the shallow end as well. She wasn't a very good swimmer, so she never went in the deep end unless she was on an inflatable lounge chair. Taking another quick look towards the wall, she tried to look casual as she slipped off her robe. The cool air hit her skin, making her feel exposed to the world. She fought the urge to cover herself, and walked over to the steps going into the pool. "Okay," she said, meeting his gaze, "don't dunk me, and I won't have to cut your head off." He gave her a mock pout. "You never let me have any fun, my dear." He helped her down the steps into the water, and started walking her towards the deep end. "I can't even remember the last time I was in a pool," she said, following him with a slight bit of trepidation. "I'm going to have to relearn how to swim." She could feel the water getting higher on her chest, her feet started to move down the incline in the floor. Once the water reached her neck, she froze. "O-Okay, that's far enough!" "Okay, my dear." He leaned down to kiss her, shivering a little from the cold night air on his wet skin. He couldn't sink lower into the water comfortably. "Bryn, will you trust me enough to take you in a little deeper?" She swallowed heavily. Maybe it was an irrational fear, but she knew she was about to hold on to him so tight she might actually draw blood. Nodding, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on...her eyes getting just a little bit wider with every step he took. Walking at a slight angle, Anton reached the edge of the pool about the same time the water reached his shoulder blades. He held on tightly to Bryn, trying to reassure her as he moved. He leaned against the rough wall of the pool, allowing Bryn to choose to hold on to his neck or the wall. Gently he stroked her back, keeping one arm tight around her waist. She shivered slightly, pressing tighter against him, her arms still around his shoulders and her legs dangling in the water. She almost said 'don't let go', but then realized how stupid that would be. Obviously he wouldn't. At this point, she wasn't sure he'd be able to pry her away with a barnacle scraper. "It's n-n-nice out here, huh?" "Yes it is." He gently kissed her forehead, nuzzling her cheek. He could feel her still tightly gripping him. She wasn't relaxed by any means. This wasn't what he had intended at all. Smoothly and slowly to not startle her, he started moving towards the shallow end. "Wait--where are you going?" "Just moving forward some. Relax." "No, don't." She licked her lips, loosening her grip a bit. "I'm just nervous, because I'm outside bare-ass naked and haven't been in this deep of water before. Just--just stay here, I'll be fine. I only need you to distract me." "I can do that." He leaned forward to nibble on her ear. "Just think of this as a very large bathtub." His hands slid down to her ass and squeezed her cheeks. "Mmm...you know how much I like taking baths with you," she said, grinning. She wrapped her legs around his waist, lifting herself up until her breasts were out of the water. Her nipples immediately tightened in the cool air. She kissed him slowly and deeply, sucking on his lips, before pulling back to meet his gaze. "I think I'm glad I don't have any swimming suits that fit now." He grinned. "I can tell you that I'm glad. In fact, I can show you." He gently kissed her in return, one hand sliding up her spine to cradle the back of her head. Sinking lower in the water, he kissed a trail down her neck towards one breast that was bobbing just above the surface of the water. She shifted her thigh a bit, rubbing herself against his growing erection. "I can feel how glad you are." She slid her grip down his arms, thrusting her chest forward as his mouth drew closer. When his lips wrapped around her tightened nipple, pulling sweet liquid into his mouth, she wasn't able to contain the loud moan she let out. He smiled around her nipple, continuing to suckle. Gently he nibbled his way over to her other breast. He gave a low moan feeling his erection nudge the insides of her thighs. He lifted her a little higher out of the water, giving him better access to her breasts. She closed her eyes, smiling. Her trembling was from an entirely different reason now, and she was loving it. Unable to reach much from where she was, she slid her hands over his chest, lightly scraping her nails across his skin, before rolling her thumbs over his nipples. She knew she wasn't even hanging on to him anymore, but she no longer felt the need. He let out another moan. This was more what he had in mind when he suggested they play in the pool. He licked back up to nip at her lower lip, letting her slide down his body. He rubbed his cock against her legs, enjoying the feeling of the water caressing his body. "Will you help me try something?" she asked. "What's that?" She pushed herself down his body, keeping her legs somewhat tightened around him. "I want to taste you. But I want you to keep me from floating up...so you're going to have to hold my shoulders down." Before he could protest, she said, "I'll grab your wrist when I need air, okay?" He took a deep breath, as if he was the one going under the waterline. The idea was intriguing, to say the least, but there was an element of danger to Bryn. But he'd be able to pull her up quickly if something happened. "Okay, Bryn." "Okay." She started taking deep slow breaths, her gaze holding his, until she was ready. With one last breath, she pushed away from his chest and let herself drop, feeling his hands settle lightly on her shoulders. When she reached the height she wanted to be at, she tightened her grip on him and felt his hands give a bit more pressure. Taking hold of his cock, she carefully wrapped her lips around him and teased the underside with her tongue. Anton moaned even louder as she swallowed more of his cock. He tried to keep his hands loose so he could easily feel her signal to come back to the surface, but found he kept tightening his grip in time with the bobs of her head. The water around him was swirling due to Bryn's motions, caressing both of them gently. She reached for his wrist a few seconds later, and he quickly lifted her out of the water. She gasped for air as she surfaced, then wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Pressing her lips to his, she kissed him softly and whimpered as his cock nudged her sex. "I love you, sugar." "I love you too, my dear." He gently began kissing her, then kissed down her chin, sinking a little lower into the water. Now in a better position, he started pushing upwards, guiding her legs around his waist. He let out a soft grunt as his cock breached her. She shifted her hips as she settled down the length of him. "Don't move, not yet," she whispered urgently. She wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders and pressed herself against him, resting her forehead against his neck. "God, you feel so good. Sometimes I wish we could stay in bed for days and days." She looked up at him. "But you're going back to work tomorrow night, aren't you?" He nodded, frowning. "Yes, unfortunately I don't have much of a choice. I can't stay away any longer." He kissed her forehead. "But we'll have the days to spend together, wrapped in each other's arms. And I won't be gone the whole night." His lips brushed her nose before descending on her lips. He gave a light thrust forward with his hips. "Mmm!" She let her head fall back on her shoulders, her muscles squeezing his cock. "Can you walk to the edge? I want to lay back, but I want something to hold on to." "Of course, my dear." He eased back towards the edge of the pool. "Now lean back and put your arms out." His hands slid lower down her back, supporting her as she reclined in the water. He shivered a bit as the cool air hit his damp skin, breathing heavily as Bryn's sex tightened around him. She relaxed, allowing herself to float on the surface of the water. Her body was bent at an odd angle, but it wasn't painful and she liked being able to seat herself more firmly on his cock. She tightened her legs around him, and watched him over her undulating breasts as he started to thrust. Anton's mouth fell open at the sensation. He kept a firm grip on her hips, pulling her in time to her thrusts. He kept his eyes open, watching the moonlight reflect off both her water and her skin. He rotated his hips, trying to get deeper into her welcoming sex. Although she'd been determined to keep quiet while they were out where everyone could hear them, she should've taken into consideration how Anton made her feel. She never thought she would be a screamer in bed, but that had been before she met him. Now, the things he did to her drove her wild. Her body shuddered, sending even smaller ripples through the water around her. She let out a moan with every thrust he gave her. He also was moaning, not even trying to stifle the sounds coming from him. He could feel his balls drawing tight up against his body. Goosebumps lined his flesh, both from the cold and from the sensations Bryn was sparking in his groin. Eyes wide and dilated, he reached between her legs to rub against her clit. She jolted against him, crying out, rocking her hips against his. Her nipples felt like little rocks, impossibly hard from both the air and arousal. The sound of his moans turned her on even more, and his finger against her clit quickly buzzed her into orgasm. She squeezed him hard inside of her, thrashing against the water. He threw his head back and yelled as he came hard, pushing as deep into her as he could get. Panting heavily, he held her hips, stroking his hands over her thighs. Her legs around his waist was the only thing that kept him from slipping under the surface of the water from bliss. She let out a low purring sound and closed her eyes, letting her head sink back in the water until it reached just below her nose and mouth. Careful to make sure she was balanced first, she let go of the wall and spread her arms out, lazily floating on the surface of the pool. "I was thinking of asking Jess and Chandra to go plant shopping with me tomorrow night, to fill up the flower beds back here. And then I'll have dinner ready by the time you get home." She grinned, her eyes still closed. "I'm getting so domestic." Anton smiled tenderly, although she couldn't see it. "Must be the pregnancy hormones." He managed to duck most of the wave she splashed at him. "Speaking of...I have another appointment with Dr. Anne on Thursday, but I can drive myself if you'll be busy. I think she just wants a progress update...which means I'll have to get on the scale again. Sometimes I think that thing must be set up wrong. Maybe it's in grams or something." "Maybe she's got her thumb on the scale as well," he grinned. "And I want to be there, Bryn." He swam up to her side, treading water. "You can drive if you want to, but I'm going to be there." When she realized he was no longer supporting her, or even touching her for that matter, she panicked, her body suddenly sinking like dead weight. She sucked in a mouthful of water as went under, feeling burning hot pain rush into her lungs the same instant she felt Anton's hands pulling her back to the surface. Breaking the surface, she struggled to breathe, gasping and choking, hanging on to him for dear life. "Easy, easy," he soothed, pulling her closer. "It's okay, Bryn. I've got you." Rolling onto his side and making sure her head was above water, he began swimming one armed to the edge of the pool. As soon as he hit the shallow end, he stood up, making sure Bryn could feel the ground beneath her feet. "I've got you, Bryn. It's all right." He patted her back as she continued to sputter. She tightened her grip on his shoulders and pulled herself up to wrap her legs around his waist again. Holding on to him like a life raft, she shook with fear and humiliation. She felt like an idiot. She knew how to swim well enough to tread water, but she'd still panicked. That instant feeling of falling backwards in water...it reminded her so much of her abduction it brought tears to her eyes. "It's okay, Bryn. It's okay." He gently rocked her, stroking the back of her head. She was frightened, trembling and almost panicked. He softly kissed her forehead, murmuring comforting nonsense and holding her tight. Eventually she relaxed her death grip on him. "Hey there," he said softly when she looked up at him. "Can you tell me what happened?" She closed her eyes, her expression miserable, and rested her cheek on his shoulder so he couldn't see her face. "I don't like deep water...and when I couldn't feel you touching me, I panicked. Ever since my abduction, I never put my head underwater unless my feet are on the ground or someone is h-holding me." He held her tight, gently rocking her. "I'm sorry, Bryn. If I had known, I would have held on to you." He gently kissed the top of her head, hands stroking over her back in a soothing motion. She shook her head. "No, it's my stupid fault. I don't even know why it scares me so much." She sniffled, hugging him tight, then turned to kiss his mouth. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry if I scared you, flailing around like that." "It's okay, Bryn. It's hard to fight your instincts sometimes." He continued to stroke and rub her back and shoulders. "What do you say we go back inside and take a hot shower to warm up." When she nodded, he started guiding her toward the stairs. Once they were both out of the water, he first dried Bryn off with a beach towel before helping her into her robe. He then wrapped his own towel around his waist. He gently kissed her before leading her back into their home. Jess pushed the cart down the concrete walkway, watching Chandra sniff the flowers of several plants...from several feet away. Although most of the landscaping on the houses was being completed day by day, by the contracted workers, the flower beds had been left up to the women. Aside from a few personalized selections, they'd decided to pick out the same flowers for every house...that way Lindy's house wouldn't be left out. Hurrying up behind Jess, Bryn tossed a large bundle of lily bulbs into the cart. "I know Lindy will definitely like these." Jess was eyeing the rose bushes, trying to decide if they were worth the trouble. Selecting a few of the darkest red ones she could find, she added those to the cart as well. "Remind me to pick up some garlic bulbs." Bryn looked at her, arching an eyebrow. "Garlic bulbs?" "Yeah, garlic bulbs. Plant them about an inch from the rose, and you never have problems with aphids." She winked at Bryn. "What did you think I wanted it for? Homemade vampire-bane?" "No. I thought maybe you were making garlic bread for dinner." She gave her a small smile, then picked out several rose bushes herself. All brilliant velvety red, with shiny dark green leaves. She hoped they'd all grow to surround the entire pool with time. "We definitely need to stop at a grocery store, though. I have no idea what I'm going to make for dinner. It feels so 'official'. Our first dinner in our new house, with him coming home from work. I'm glad both of you are with me. I think I would've gone stir crazy by now." "I think we all needed to get out of the house." Her sideways glance at Chandra revealed exactly who 'we all' was. She then looked to the purple blooms just beyond the young woman. "You think agapanthas would go okay with the lilies?" "Um..." she said, looking at the picture on the care tag, "sure." Bryn set her purse in the cart, walking beside it. "Jess, can I ask you a question?" "What's that?" Jess said, a bit distracted as she picked her way through the other buyers, heading towards Chandra. "Was it weird for you, when you first realized you had your own family? I'm starting to feel really domestic, and I'm not sure if I like it or not." "Why?" "I don't know...I just always used to look at my mother and saw how she took care of everyone's problems, and catered to my dad's every wish, always making dinner, cleaning the house, making sure we made it to school on time and had lunch...plus she worked as a preschool teacher, too. I thought I never wanted to be like that. I saw how bitchy it made her, and how my dad took advantage of her. I know Anton wouldn't be like that, or at least I hope he wouldn't be..." She sighed. "I guess I just don't want to lose who I am." Jess nodded. "Boy, do I know that feeling. Especially after I found Lindy." She gave Bryn a half smile. "Don't get me wrong, I love her with all my heart, but for those first few months, I was deathly afraid I was turning into my own mother, which I wouldn't wish on anyone. And just when I thought I had that under control, Alex moved in and I had to go through it all over again. And I won't even get started on when we added Walter to the pack. But I think I found out the secret to keep it from happening." "Really? What?" "I set aside a little time every day, ten minutes, an hour, whatever I can, and spend it doing something I like. The cross stitch for example. Everyone knows not to bother me when I'm doing it. It's not so much what I do, but the time it gives me to orient myself, remember that I'm me first, and all the other roles are extensions of myself. But if, God forbid, I lost all my family, my home, I'd still be me." She half laughed, shaking her head. "Okay, I'm babbling now. Does that make any sense at all?" Bryn grinned. "If you started singing, 'I gotta be me,' I was going to walk away and pretend I didn't know you!" Jess smirked at her, reaching out as if to slap her face. "And yes, it does make sense. I guess it's just going to take a while for me...I can barely even think about painting as a job, let alone for fun. It almost seems easier to do it when I'm forced to--at least then if I'm disappointed with it, I can always blame it on time constraints or pressure. Painting for myself...I haven't done that for longer than I remember." She shook her head. "I do like to read, though. And do little craft-like stuff. It might be fun to make some mosaic stepping stones for the front lawn." "Well, there you go." Jess patted Bryn on the shoulder. "I know that you love Anton intensely. And there's nothing wrong with that. But remember that if you want to take care of him, you have to take care of yourself first. Besides, you're going to be busy once this little rascal," she patted Bryn on the belly, "is born." Bryn felt Max kick back at the same spot Jess had patted, and grinned. "I think he can't wait to get out and see you. He starts going nuts every time he hears your voice." She smoothed down her shirt. "My mother is going to be very jealous of how much Max likes you...and Anton and I, for that matter." "Thanks, Bryn. That means a lot to me." Jess got a distant, sad look on her face. "Believe it or not, your relationship with your mother is a lot better than the one I had with mine." "I wouldn't be surprised. She hurt me very much growing up, but she has changed lately. I'm not quite sure why. Makes me a little suspicious." "Could be that you're on opposite ends of the country now. The fact that you're not around maybe made her rethink some things. And you're married now, so maybe she sees you more as an adult." "Maybe. Sometimes I think she's just doing it because she likes to disagree with my dad. They're always bickering, and they don't even share a bed anymore. I have no clue why they're still married. And if Anton and I ever end up like that, when I'm 50, or five thousand years from now, I'm going to jump off a cliff." "Somehow I don't see that happening with the two of you. And as for your mother..." Jess paused. "I'm not even sure I should tell you this." "Tell me what?" "That afternoon they came to say goodbye and I let them inside the gate, I overheard them talking on the intercom. You know your dad has serious reservations about Anton. Your mom, however, was trying to explain your relationship to him." Jess turned to face Sabryn squarely. "She was comparing Anton and you to Romeo and Juliet, how they'd do anything for each other. Your dad said, 'But they died.' Your mom said 'Exactly. They died for their love. And so will our daughter.'" "My mother said that?" Bryn asked, her nose wrinkled. "Yes, but you can't tell her I told you that--" "I wouldn't--" She let out a half laugh. "That is way more--insightful--than I ever would've given my mom credit for." She went silent again, shaking her head. "Huh. Weird." Chandra walked back to where they were standing, a little bag and a pot in her hand. "Found some catnip for Montel. If he's anything like most cats, he'll flip out over this. I had one cat growing up who liked catnip so much that he used to sit on the planter we had it in...but his butt was so big, the plant dried up and never recovered." Jess laughed. "I'm sure he'll appreciate it." She looked at the assortment of flowers in their cart. "You know, I think we've got enough to start with. What do you say we pay for these and go hit the grocery store and figure out what's for dinner?" "Sounds good," Bryn said. "I just want to get some cut flowers for Anton first." She paused, then grinned. "And I didn't sound at all like my mother when I said that." He was a bit surprised when Bryn wasn't at the door to greet him. But Anton smiled when he saw the fresh cut flowers in the clear vase sitting on the coffee table. He leaned down to smell them, wondering where she was. "Bryn?" "In the painting room, sugar." Anton walked over to what had originally been the library and poked his head inside. Bryn had set up a canvas and was sketching feverishly a soft outline. Lindy, Changed into her wolf form, was sitting on a table, head up and ears perked, looking like a golden version of Anubis. Bryn lifted her chin as he came near, puckering her lips until he met her soft kiss. "We'll be done in a little while," she said, as she went back to drawing. "Dinner's cooking, and don't you dare open the refrigerator under any circumstances. Other than that...I got you some stuff at the store, and some flowers." "I saw them. They are very beautiful." He watched as more canine features were added. It faced the opposite direction of Lindy's human face on the other half of the canvas, windblown hair blending into the fur of the wolf's neck and shoulders. "That is going to be lovely when it's done. I'm assuming this is the painting we were talking about the other night?" She nodded, not really wanting to discuss it in front of Lindy. She knew she'd only make Lindy feel guilty if she knew how hard this was. But it would be amazing if she didn't already know from the shaking of Bryn's hand. "So, how was your day...or night, I guess?" "Long. It seems every time both Lindy and I leave there, things fall apart. Which reminds me Lindy." He waited until she flicked one ear in his direction, still maintaining her pose. "I need you to go over a few time card discrepancies tomorrow. The accountant can't make heads or tails of a few of them, and neither can I." Lindy gave a soft woof, which Anton took as an okay. Bryn added a few finishing touches to her sketch, then held it away from her for inspection. She frowned, but didn't say anything about it. "I think we're done for tonight, Lindy. I'll get started on the base tomorrow, and I'll let you know when I need you to sit again for the details." Lindy nodded, and stood up on all fours. She yawned, stretching her forelegs out before her, and than sat, leaning her head to scratch behind her ear. She jumped off the table, now stretching her hind legs. With another yawn, she grabbed her bundle of clothes in her mouth and started trotting towards the door. "Heading home, Lindy?" Another nod and soft woof was her answer. "Give me a call before you go to bed tonight so we can discuss those timecards...no, never mind. We can deal with it later." Again Lindy nodded, unable to communicate any further with them in this form. Anton and Bryn both called out goodnights to her as she trotted out of the room. Anton wondered if he was going to find teeth marks on the doorknob. Bryn came up behind Anton as they watched Lindy leave. "Timecard problems?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his waist. He turned around in her arms, his encircling her as well. "Discrepancies, actually. There's a question or two as to if George is doing the offsite work he's claiming. He's been acting strange lately. If he's got a problem and needs to take a paid leave, that's fine. But I don't want him on the clock if it's personal things being done." He tightened his hug. "But I don't want to think about work now. What's for dinner?" "Prime rib and baked potatoes." She smiled at the little moan of approval he gave. "Plus something special for dessert." She laid her head against his chest, sighing. "I got the flowers planted, and bought some little projects for me to do later. I think I'm turning into a housewife." He gently rubbed her shoulders. "You say that like it's a bad thing." He nuzzled the top of her head. "I'm not all that sure that it isn't. I was folding clothes and watching soap opera reruns tonight. If I start eating bon bons and laying around in sweats I'm going to go crazy." She shook her head. "I still think I need a job. Maybe something part time, or one I can do at home. Anything that will keep me busy." "Well, there's your business idea where you'd paint people's homes. Or you could come work for me for a while again. Did you still want to take over Lindy's job?" She looked up at him and shook her head. "Now that they're waiting to Transform her, she can work until November...it would be silly for me to learn the job, only to have to quit in a month or so." She thought for a moment. "Were you planning on taking some sort of leave after Max is born?" "I had been considering it. You'll need help, and I don't think I'll be able to get any work done knowing that you're home with him." He gently stroked the top of her head. "If he needs blood, I don't want him feeding from you, so that means I'll probably be on the same nursing schedule as you..." He trailed off, his strokes on the top of her head becoming a bit firmer. Tilting her head down, he looked at the top of her head, frowning slightly and parting her short hair. "What is it, Anton?" He ran his finger over her scalp, confirming it one more time. "Bryn, the scar is gone." She reached her hand up, about to say that he must be touching the wrong spot. But as she moved her fingers around, she realized he was right. There was nothing left but smooth, stubbly skin. She smiled at him. "I told you he's a miracle baby. He even clears up my zits fast!" Anton smiled back. "Our miracle baby," he repeated softly. He pulled her close, resting his cheek against her head. "I still want to know what I did to be blessed with both you and our son." "I think it was the other way around, Anton. We were blessed with you." She hugged him a bit tighter. "I missed you all night long. I kept glancing at the pool when I was planting. I feel so stupid about what happened last night. I didn't mean to ruin the mood." "It's okay, Bryn." He gently kissed her forehead. "You were traumatized as a child, and I'm not surprised that you had a flashback. And as for ruining the mood," he gave her a wicked grin. "Why don't we try to revive it after dinner?" She nodded, lifting up to kiss his mouth. "I should go check on it now. Why don't you go change into something more comfortable?" she added, with a grin. "We're eating in the dining room, for the first time. I figured if we have one, we might as well use it." Anton grinned at her. "I'm sure we'll use it, in more ways than one." He kissed the top of her head again. "Go see to dinner. I'll change and be down in a few minutes." "Sounds good." After squeezing each other one last time, they broke their embrace and headed for the opposite ends of the house. When Anton was almost out of the hall, he paused. "Bryn?" "Yes?" "I missed you tonight, my dear." Bryn smiled. "I missed you too, sugar." Both then turned and went to prepare for dinner. End Chapter <- Previous Chapter | Home | Next Chapter ->