“Half an hour.Why?”
“I just wanted to walk this over to Mateo’s place to see if they wanted it painted.”
Samsor sighed.“I will come with you.I could use the walk.”
She looked at him and nodded.“Okay.I will tell them we are coming over.”
Samsor nodded.“I’ve got it.”He paused.“Mateo and Owen are home now.Armand is away from home, and Persephone and Than are heading there.Armand misses out.”
She put a page of tissue over the drawing and folded the pad.“Not really.They can video chat with him.”She put her shoes on.
She smiled when Samsor offered his arm.They walked out on the same side of the house as Mateo’s place, and they walked across the grass quietly.
“Duran says the four are trying to reach a plea agreement.They were...upset when they found that the funds had been returned to you and the power of attorney had been dissolved.”
She smiled.“I imagine they were.I don’t know if any of them had a job.I think they were living off my money, and I know that my mother’s mother left the pack house to me.”
He sighed.“You knew that?”
“Yup.They put financial strictures on me, kept the police and hospital from reporting anything, and did what they did because their delusions were getting worse.”
They were nearly to the wall, and Samsor didn’t slow down.The high stone wall between the properties blurred, and they walked through it.When they finished moving through the cool stone, Em smiled.“That is so much fun.”
“I am glad.It comes in handy.”
She had an image of herself in labour, being stuck in a bathroom, on the floor.He simply reached through the door and picked her up.“Yeah, it will.”
They walked toward the old house, and Persephone met her in the driveway.Than was behind her.“I can’t believe I almost missed this.We had six new cats at the rescue today.One of them is positively enormous.I think Achilles is jealous.”
“I might have to come by.I always wanted a cat, but it wasn’t allowed.”
Samsor smiled.“I sense cat trees and litter boxes in my future.”
“Don’t forget copious amounts of food.Big cat, big appetite.”Persephone smiled.“Come on.I want to see what you have tucked under your arm.”
Than came around with his cuffs rolled back, tattoos visible.“Right.I confess to curiosity.”
They headed inside, and Samsor murmured, “Oh, and Persephone, Emhara is hug capable without pain now.”
Emhara snapped the sketch pad up as a shield.“After you guys look at this.”
Mateo and Owen were there, and they all gathered in the living room where a sculpture of their gathering was depicted in precious stones.Achilles’ work.The rest of the space was covered in bright children’s toys.It was nap time.
“Well, I can’t compete with your brother-in-law, but this is what you all look like to me.”
She flipped the first page, and Persephone gasped while the others whistled softly.
Persephone was central in the image, sitting on a throne made of cats.On each side were her alphas and Owen, each depicted holding their toddler, the father’s beast form manifest, and above the head was a picture of what the girls would look like when they were adults.Mateo’s daughter looked a lot like Em with pointy ears.
Persephone gasped.“Wow.That’s us.Our family.”
“So far.This one is not really for public consumption because of Mateo’s arachnid head and Armand’s zebra head and whatever the hell is going on with Than.”
He smiled softly but kept looking.“That is stunning.”
“Right.Well, that was for funzies, and this is the one I figure you would want to vote on.”She flipped the page and showed a more subdued version of the family without the extra adaptations and looks into the future.
Than grinned and started to chuckle.“Emhara, would you consider doing both?I want to send a copy of the first one to my grandmother.I think it would be entertaining.How long would it take you?”
