In the Woods, Bears

Chapter 47 - Three Tiny Monsters

At the butchers, Kennedy piled fat meaty T-Bones into her basket. They might eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the rest of the week, but tonight they would feast. When she finished shopping, it was almost six, and time for her last stop. Jeremiah had slipped away for a moment while she was staring at the protein options in the case. Just when she was about to pay for the steaks with the money Terry had given her, Jeremiah reappeared, flushed, as if he had been running. He bumped into her side, playfully moving her out of the way. "I've got this."

It was almost impossible not to return his smile. Never in her life had a man been so willing to buy her anything she wanted. The experience had lifted her mood. "Why are you so happy?"

The butcher behind the counter flashed his own smile. "He's eating a T-Bone tonight with a pretty woman. Who wouldn't be smiling? If I was twenty years younger, I'd be trying to get you to cook one for me, too."

His wife passed behind him and gave him a playful whack on his shoulder with a roll of twine. "Easy now, old man, or you will wake up in the freezer and be tomorrow's sale items."

"Yes, Mam," he answered as he reached out to goose his wife's bottom as she passed. After giving them their wrapped steaks, tidy in their brown paper, he accepted Jeremiah's money. "Are you two celebrating something?"

"We are if she accepts this." Jeremiah opened his hand and in the center of his palm was a hastily braided grass ring. "I promise to make you a prettier one."

With a roll of her eyes, she lifted it from his hand. Still green, and probably pulled from whatever was grasslike by the side of the road. The promise that came with it made it beautiful. As he accepted his change, she tucked it next to the others in her wallet. "I'm getting quite the collection of these."

"That's good," the mechanic said. "When I was a kid, my grandma used to say that four was the perfect number, and made for the happiest families."

The woman behind the counter laughed. "Four husbands? Bless. Who has time for that much nonsense in their life?"

Kennedy tried to correct her. "Three fathers, no husbands."

"Being a father is where it all starts." Eyes crinkling as her grin widened, the butcher's wife placed stew bones on waxed paper next to their order. "Make her bone broth. It's good for the baby." Unwilling to accept no, the kind woman packed them up as her beefy husband wrapped a fond, possessive arm around her.

*

Making her way through the veterinarian's door, happy with her purchases, Kennedy only carried one small bag, unlike Jeremiah, who was laden down behind her. Kennedy swung into Terry's office with the mechanic trailing behind her marked with a perma grin. Beard boy's arms were loaded with bags of groceries that he hadn't let her pay for. Four times, he had promised her she wouldn't regret letting him join them for dinner. Hell, Nana's face was gonna be priceless. They were going to be eating well for the entire week.

The big Vet had his hands full in the waiting room. With a bottle brush of a tail, a baby kitten was trying to claw its way up Terry's chest, yowling with each centimeter of progress. He stood before the reception desk, trying to keep three tiny monsters in check. There were two more fluff balls hopping about on the desk, making utter fools of themselves at the sight of a half asleep basset hound resting against a sloe eyed teenage girl.

A brunette in yoga pants with her hair swept up into a messy bun atop her head cradled a wicker basket with a napping mother cat in it. She was almost as loud as her kittens, talking nonstop to Terry. The babies did not have their mother's inclination to stay put. Talla, the vet tech, was trying to get the woman's attention so she could sign the credit card slip. Kennedy had met Talla this morning. She was super organized and sweet. Being one of Ba's granddaughters showed in her creamy dark skin and large, intelligent eyes.

Talla said, "Ms. Chester, just sign here and we can get you on your way with your babies." Pushing a pen into the woman's hand, she added, "You have to introduce these little guys to canines or bring them in a carrier." Terry scooped up a second fluff ball that was just about to rage itself off the counter. Startled by its sudden flight into the air, the kitten's feet shot out straight in all directions. Terry tucked both little babies into the basket with their mother as the woman signed the slip of paper. The momma cat looped one arm around the squirming babies and yawned. As soon as Terry deposited the third one into the basket, he turned the woman toward the door.

The bell jangled, and Talla sighed. "Thank goodness. Just the Murphy girl left."

Terry winked at Kennedy and shook Jeremiah's hand as he passed him. The big man sat himself down next to the waiting teenager, his last customer. He rested his hand on the old basset hound's head. Carefully, he worked his big fingers along the old boy's spine, down to his hips. The girl's slim hands lifted, and she signed to him. He nodded and signed back.

Talla was already writing up the pain prescription and had placed a small pot of salve on the counter. When Terry lifted the old boy carefully, the girl followed him to the desk. The teenager drew out seven wrinkled dollar bills and smoothed them on the counter. The money was clearly all she had. Talla pushed two of the dollars back toward her without a word. The girl's fingertips rose and lightly touched her chin in thank you.

With the two dollars back into her pocket, she accepted the salve and the prescription. The girl's jeans were too short and her ankles were exposed above her worn sneakers. When she reached out to take the basset hound from Terry, he gently placed the old boy into her arms and held the door for her. She left with a shy smile, arms completely full of a dog that loved her as much as she loved him.

With a fingertip, Terry opened one of the many bags and looked in. His smile widened when he saw the bag from the butcher.

Kennedy put her hands on her hips. "This is your fault. Jeremiah got your email. He is coming home for dinner. I'll have you know."

Terry grinned. "Good," he said as he slipped his white lab coat off his shoulders.

Talla started the daily report printing from their credit card reader. "Lock that door and head on out, Doc. I got this."

Terry touched his fingertips to his chin in thanks, just like the girl had.

Talla nodded. "It's good to see you smiling again."

As Terry locked the front door, his big smile softened his entire face, making him so handsome that Kennedy's breath caught.

*

Nana's surprise had indeed been worth it. Her mouth took the shape of a perfect o. When they arrived, they found out that Nana and her Mom had already eaten sandwiches for dinner. The pain meds had definitely improved her Mother's mood, but they made her tired and by the time the evening got dark, she and Nana had gone to bed.

Kennedy found herself alone in the kitchen, looking out at the three men on the porch. They were each handsome in their own way. They were laughing and talking around the grill, sharing a six-pack that rested between them. Jeremiah had potatoes roasting and the thick steaks were resting in marinade. She held her breath, afraid she might be hallucinating again. They remained solid, present, and hers. She had their promises in her pocket. Kennedy headed out onto the porch where she belonged.