Parole (Hypernaturals 7)

Help!

Morgan as alone out in the new garage, hood open on her beloved Miata, checking the oil. I walked up to her slowly, mentally organizing my thoughts. I paused in my ruminations to admire her as I walked up. I did not fall in love with her because of the way she looks, though like Jessica she lives in the area of my personal preferences. Being in love with her, however, makes her a Goddess to me.

A really smart, really professional, deeply competent Goddess. 'Sweet Goddess of Love and Beer', as Popa Chubby would sing, and she is those things, but so very much more.

I had slowed my approach, so Morgan looked over her shoulder and asked: "You going to stare at my ass all day?"

"I could, but honestly that is only part of what I am admiring. I mean... Look at this engine compartment! Do you even allow oil fumes in here?" I arrived next to her, and indicated the pristine, appearing as if it was just steam cleaned, engine and all the related boxes, wires, and pipes inside the compartment.

Morgan gave me amused. "Yeah. Right."

I made a show of looking around. "Where is your partner in mechanical crime?"

"In the house. It does not take two of us to check the oil in one car." Morgan said, slight sarcasm in her voice.

"I know. Even I know how to check the oil by myself. It is that I do not recall you being out here by yourself since you two built this palace of mechanical love. The Taj Mahal of car maintenance."

I was thinking about Helen watching the two of them together joyously working on things and her feeling around that but was not ever going to mention that.

Morgan agreed to that point. "It is rare. I prefer it when she is here. It is a thing we have together that we both enjoy. Since YOU are here, let us check the oil and fluids on your little car, shall we?"

I just did that last week, but I will never say 'no' to Morgan looking at my car and making sure it is OK.

We crossed over to it and Morgan popped the hood. I pulled out the dipstick, wiped, dipped, and showed it to her.

"Oil looks good. Still very clean. Do you know how many miles on it?" Morgan asked as I replaced the dipstick. "One thousand five hundred and two as of yesterday." I reported.

Morgan tilted her head. "We changed the oil about six months ago. Why so low?"

I pointed sequentially at her Miata, her Diesel yacht, and the Honda Pilot. "I go somewhere with only you, we are in the Miata, and you are driving. We go somewhere with the entire family, we are in one of the family haulers. You drive that one, Jessica drives that one."

I pointed over at the Hyundai. "If Helen and I go somewhere alone together, we are in that car because she does not like my car. She prefers a solid roof. She prefers I drive but we are in her car. My car only is used when it is only me doing something. It could have one seat in it."

Morgan nodded her understanding. "Poor boy. Never get to drive except to chauffeur British Royalty." I laughed. Helen actually IS British Royalty.

"So then Adrian: Why did you come out here to look at my ass then?" Morgan inquired as she proceeded to bend over the open engine compartment and look at things. She looked at the brake fluid, the radiator fluid, popped open the air filter and looked at it, tapped it against her leg to knock out some dirt, put it back, and then crossed over to a shelve to get a bottle of windshield washer fluid to top up my reservoir. As she worked, I talked.

"Well, it is not only that I love watching you work. I do. Do I wish you were naked doing this? Sure, but I get that you don't live your life to suit my preferences. Instead, I came to ask you a favor. I need help with Tommy. I need a co-parole officer."

Morgan gave me a 'go on' glance but continued her routines under the hood.

"I can't resign from this and hand him back. I agreed to do it, so I have to. If I learned anything from the bar and Holly and that whole thing, it is that I am not ready to be doing this on top of other responsibilities. I have taken on all these Vampire things and I have to pretend that I am good at them and can do them and all that, for the good of our entire species, but this is the straw that broke the Vampire boys back. I need help. I need YOUR help." I explained and it did not sound too much like begging. Only a little.

Morgan worked on. "Not saying 'no'. I am curious why specifically me. I am the youngest Vampire here."

"Not the youngest person: That's me. Or little Rachel from one point of view. Regardless: I absolutely cannot talk to Helen about this. She'll feel guilty about laying it on me in the first place, and that is expressly not my goal. I like that she thinks I am a worthwhile male. That was hard to earn. I can't ask Rachel to take on even MORE about me, for obvious reasons. She has been my rock for years. She has a life too. Also, the same thing as with Helen: She is on Council and she was part of getting them to give Tommy to a male Vampire. I can't have her thinking that was a mistake. Jessica was MY parole officer, and she was amazing, but she already did her time. That is not all of it. There is also that it is you."

"Oh?" Morgan one word asked.

"You. Fine judge of character, other than mine. PI. Even-tempered, Rational..."

"Except when I am so angry I leave you alone when you need me most..." Morgan inserted and with no little pain.

"Yes, well, I deserved it. Tommy deserves better than just me. Who I am and where I am at right now. I cannot be the person he needs. Not entirely. They are breaking the mold here giving me Tommy, and I think if they are breaking tradition like that, then people who are NOT old school Vampires and can bring a fresh outlook to this are also required. I need help. I promise I will quit asking you to take off your clothes all the time and in public places..."

"Adrian: I will help. I was just curious why me is all. It seemed you have much more experienced options available to you, but I find your reasoning to be sound, and if you want me to take off my clothes you should always ask. I may not do it, depending upon the circumstance, but asking is never a problem between you and I. I was angry at you, and I am sorry."

She came over to me and placed two fingers on my sternum. "Always. Ask."

"May I kiss you?" I asked

"Absolutely." Morgan agreed and pulled my face to hers.