"I bet it's nice being off on your own, right? You and Meaghan, getting to do what you want when you want it, if ya know what I mean."
Rudy nudged me in the ribs with his elbow and shot me a knowing wink.
I plastered what I hoped was a genuine-looking smile on my face and and answered.
"Sure thing. Things are going great."
"I envy you. I'd like to do the same thing with Aster, but you know how it is. Have to make sure things are running like they should at home. Oh well, maybe sometime soon, once Ma gets a little more used to the new regime."
In some ways, things actually were going great. Ma had backed down much more quickly that either I or Rudy had expected - mostly due to the imminent birth of our youngest sister, I was sure.
I was completely surprised when the whole island had come together to support Meg and me, even helping us renovate one of abandoned cottages. We moved my old couch and bookshelf from my old upstairs lair, although Meg insisted she update them with a fresh coat of paint and new pillows, and even Moonflower contributed by covering the old weathered walls in one of her now famous painted wall designs.
Oakheart helped me clear the rubble from the cellar to reveal one of the wells that was linked to the glowing well cave, and then showed me the mysteries of 'plumbing', as he called it. I claimed some the rugs that I'd found under the library to finish off our new bathing room.
And best of all, Val was ostracized to his own small bungalow far from the rest of the village. Moonflower mumbled an apology on his behalf, and promised us he wouldn't bother us further. I wasn't so sure about that though, and didn't intend to let my guard down.
Like I said, for the most part, life was great. Meaghan has this - talent - I guess I'd call it. She can conjure food out of thin air - and not just apples, like the witches. I'm talking plates of prepared food - the only catch is, she has to know how to make it in the first place.
Occasionally I'd run into Val, an event that never went well.
"I'm just biding my time, little wolf boy. Waiting and watching. Waiting for her to pop out that little witch baby. Heh heh. Then when you toss her out on her ear, I'll be there to pick up the pieces. Oh yeah."
"Not. Going. To. Happen. So get over it. You'll never get near Meg or the baby."
"Hahaha. We'll see about that."
I put on a brave face for everyone, especially for Val, but in reality, I was way less sure what I would do if this baby turned out to be a little green haired witch. We had talked about it many times, Meg and I, sometime late into the night.
"I just have a feeling. I think it's mine."
I gently rubbed her growing belly and looked up at her with a slight smile.
"What if it's not?" she asked soberly, for the umpteenth time.
"Then we'll give it to Oakheart and Moonflower to raise. They've already offered."
She nodded half-heartedly before replying, "I just don't know, Andrae. It's not the baby's fault. He didn't ask for any of this. Maybe he still deserves to be raised by his real mother."
"What if he looks like Val?"
She didn't have an answer for that, and neither did I. She just shrugged and shook her head hopelessly.
Not only did my arch-enemy's unseen influence affect our future, it also intruded into our love life.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just can't. I can't. Whenever you touch me like that, all I can think of is.."
And then she pulled away from me, sobbing uncontrollably. At first I couldn't figure out what was wrong; I thought she didn't love me any more.
"I'm so sorry, Andrae. I do love you, I really do. I- I just don't want to be touched right now, okay? I don't know why, it just brings back the nightmares."
Patience is a virtue, they say. I don't know about that, but it sure can be frustrating. Even though she couldn't bear to be intimate (it breaks my heart to write that), she wanted me close by. So most nights I wrapped up in my old furs on the floor at the side of her bed.
"G'night Meg. I love you."
"'Night Andrae. Love you too."
Most days she spent soaking for hours in her new bathtub, just staring off into space...
... while I took out my frustrations on various pieces of old lumber that I had scavenged. Every time I broke a board, I imagined that it was Val's face instead.
When I tired of that, I played around with the old set of tools that I'd found under the library. I'd found a simple pattern in my design book that looked actually doable with the scraps I'd found out on the beach. I was hoping I could figure it out in time to give to Meaghan when the baby was born.
In time, my patience paid off, at least somewhat. The nightmares gradually subsided and one chilly night after I'd settled in on the floor, I heard her voice calling to me softly.
"Andrae? Are you awake? I-I'm cold."
"You want me to get you another blanket?"
"No.. will you.. will you keep me warm?"
I barely slept all that night, holding her carefully and keeping her warm. That was all, but it was enough.
Meaghan's time was fast approaching and I was frustrated to no end. The full moon was rising, and I was torn, wanting to be at home in case the baby arrived, and not wanted Meg to see me as I truly was. I know, she claims not to care, but it bothers me for her to see me like this, and so that night I took off for the beaches as the sun was setting. I was pleased that night to find an old copper vase and a handful of gold coins which had washed up on the shore with the high tide. The coins were ancient, and so worn they were all but illegible.
I arrived home after midnight, and was relieved to find that Meaghan was sound asleep upstairs. I thought about charring the steak I pulled out of the pantry, but my hunger got the better of me, and I swallowed it raw, enjoying every bloody morsel. It felt satisfyingly good, but I was glad that Meg was unaware.
I spent the rest of the night down in the cellar, intent on finishing my project. As dawn broke it finally was complete. I hid it away, to surprise Meaghan with at the proper time.
I was still downstairs as the moon fell beneath the horizon and I was returned to human form. Meaghan was awake; I heard her footsteps on the stairs.
"Have you been down here all night? You didn't have to, you know."
"Uh huh," I grunted, trying once again to imitate the moves in the martial arts book.
"You look just like the picture in the book!"
"Heh, well - not quite. The clothes are perfect, but the moves I'm afraid are lacking."
"You like them then?"
I stopped the spinning bars with a well placed kick, then turned my full attention to her.
"I love them. You did a great job. They look just like the pictures in the book. Thank you love."
She surprised me then by leaning over and brushing her lips lightly across mine.
"I love you more than anything," she whispered. "Thank you for being so patient with me. You don't know what it's meant to me, all these months."
She hesitated for a long time then, chewing on her lower lip. Finally she heaved a huge sigh and continued.
" ...Andrae. The baby is coming soon. Like today. I can feel it. And... I can't give him away, even if he is a little witch baby. I just can't. I'm sorry. I know you want to..."
I could see the fear behind her eyes then, as if she thought I would make her choose. As if I might throw her out on her ear if she had a little witch baby.
But she was still my Meg, and I would never make her choose. We would work in out somehow. Even if the baby was the spitting image of Val.
"It's okay love, I promise. Whatever you want. We'll make it work. Now I should get some sleep."
"I'll come with you," she whispered with a smile.
Meg awoke from our afternoon nap yelping in pain. Still half asleep, I shot out of bed with a yelp of my own.
"Wha.? What is it? What's wrong?"
As soon as I said it, I realized what a dumb question that was, and the look Meg gave me confirmed it.
"Baby... coming!" she managed to grunt between contractions.
Now, I had watched Ma give birth twice; I should have been more prepared - but somehow it's different when it's the girl you love. I managed to muddle through somehow, though...
... and watched in rapt attention as Jaxon made his way into the world. Blue. He had definitely inherited Meaghan's pale blue Djin complexion. But there was no evidence of any other heritage - for now, anyway. No witch features, but no wolf features either.
One look at Meaghan's face as she snuggled Jaxon in her arms, and I could see she was hopelessly in love with this new addition to our little family.
It took me a little longer. But later that evening while Meaghan was resting, I heard him fussing and went to quiet him down so Meg could sleep.
"Hey hey, little guy," I murmured softly, jiggling him a little up and down. And then it happened. He smiled at me.
And I fell in love. Suddenly it didn't matter in the slightest to me who his father was. Because I was, and would always be, his real father in every way that really mattered.
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