questions.”
“Like, why you feel the need for a werecat’s permanent protection over Carey?”
“I’ve lived long enough to make enemies. I figured that one was obvious.”
“Really? Nooo. I want more details than that next time.” I grinned, waiting for him to either deny me or relent.
He didn’t say anything for a minute. “I’m glad you’re smiling again. Don’t let that asshole make you feel bad. If he can’t treat you right, he doesn’t deserve the privilege to call you family or the ability to make you upset.”
I swallowed, nodding slowly. That wasn’t what I was expecting. Why did it feel like Heath was never what I expected?
“Why are you so adamant about my relationship with my family?” I asked after another moment of quiet.
“Because it pisses me off. I fucking hate seeing people treat others like that when it’s supposed to be the place you find support. I told you, my sister was a Tory. Fell in love with a Red coat, and we lost contact, but I was never cruel to her. She was my sister. I…hated Richard that night. For one moment, I realized he was everything that pissed me off about people, and I wasn’t sure how I had a son that would treat his younger siblings that way. For what? Jealousy? That’s petty, and I don’t tolerate petty. I don’t know where I went wrong, raising him to make him behave that way.”
“I don’t think you did,” I told him softly, taking my hand away slowly. “I think he shut you out. He was a grown ass man who decided to dwell on feelings that were unhealthy and wrong. He built up all the wrongs, instead of looking at the good things.”
“You think that might be what happened between you and…them?” He moved to lean on a wall in the cavern.
“I don’t know, actually. They were never welcoming. I like to think I tried, but…” I hadn’t told him everything. I didn’t want to rehash it all right then. “Next time.”
“Next time,” he agreed. “You know, my family would welcome you if you ever needed it.”
“Thanks.” I blinked back tears. “I mean, the holidays were uncomfortable for all of us, let’s be real, but it was nice for someone to think of me.” These past holidays, I had stopped in at Carey’s request for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner with the Everson family. Both times had been awkward, but the invitations mattered. They meant something.
“You’re welcome to spend them with my family. For as long as you need to. Carey’s right about it, and I should have thought to offer before she annoyed me into it. No one deserves to be alone during the holidays.” He chuckled. “They were uncomfortable, but we were all still very new to each other.”
“We were.” I smiled a little. “You cook a mean turkey, though.”
“Ah, thank you. Thank you.” He gave a little bow. “I would hope so since I’ve been making Thanksgiving dinners since it was declared a national holiday.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, but you need help with your sides. Your mashed potatoes are bland.”
“Fine. You can make them this year and teach me better.”
We both laughed at that. Then I heard the stomping of Jabari coming back.
“Fuck,” I muttered. “Here he comes. We’ve been too happy for a split second, so he’s got to come crush it and keep us on task.”
“How old is he, really?”
“Born BC, at least three and a half thousand at my best guess,” I said in a whisper for only him. He nodded.
Jabari walked in like a fucking storm rolling in. He looked at the pair of us standing off to the side of the cavern, then down at his bag near my feet.
“Who went through my things?”
“I did. I wanted to see what we had to work with. You’ll survive. I put it all back after taking a very small sip of water, which you can deal with.”
He bared his teeth but quickly pulled back his anger. “That’s right, you two don’t have supplies. There’s a stream deeper into the cavern. I’ll show you.”
“Thank you.” Jabari walked by us, and I gave Heath a look, telling him everything I thought of my dear older brother. He snickered and put a hand on my lower back. With a small push, I was forced to follow Jabari, Heath right behind me.
We journeyed further into the cavern until I heard running water, and Jabari pointed out the small stream in the dark. I really should