“Trying to get me to go out there,” I said, skipping all the other bits of the conversation that weren’t appropriate for a little kid.
“No, we can stay in our bedrooms when people are over if we want to. It’s a house rule. You don’t have to talk to visitors if you don’t want to. If they get mad, they can wag their tail and get glad or go home!” Jondi waved his finger at me.
Jade grinned like the proud dad he was. I could tell it was a conversation they’d had before.
“Do you want me to tell them it’s time to go home?” Jondi asked, one hand on his hip.
I wondered if Jade had offered to do that for him before too. He must have because Jondi took one look at my expression and nodded. He padded out of the room with Jade on his heels. As much as I wanted to stay in the comfy bed I really wanted to see a little otter kick out a house full of larger shifters.
“Okay,” Jondi said to get everyone’s attention. “Thank you all for coming. Thanks for my pool and the pizza, but it’s someone’s naptime and we need to have a quiet house. He can’t sleep if you all keep talking and chewing and stuff. I’m sure Grandpa Carmine or Grandma Diamond will be happy to have you party at their house for a while. Thank you and goodbye.”
The adults all exchanged looks and then a few of them grinned.
“You heard him. If you’re not staying the night you gotta go home. It’s Beryl’s nap time,” Jade said.
Everyone laughed but started to collect their stuff. A few moments later, we were alone in the house except for Eran and his family who had once again settled down in the living room.
“See, it’s not so hard. You just gotta make it not a question. I live here. So I can tell people when it’s time for them to go home,” Jondi said and Jade beamed at him. I wondered how long he’d been working on boundaries and confidence with him. I almost asked, but didn’t want to ruin Jondi’s moment. “I’m going to see if there is any pizza left.” The little otter said and walked over to the counter.
“He’s some kid,” I said, leaning one arm against the wall.
“Never know what to expect with that one,” Jade grinned.
“I’m lucky he didn’t kick me out,” I laughed, but Jondi overheard.
“You are going to live here too,” he said.
I shot Jade a questioning look, wondering how much he’d told Jondi and how much he picked up by himself.
“Is he?” Jade asked, sitting down at the table when Jondi did.
I joined them not wanting to stand in the center of the room again like an idiot.
“Well, I figured it out. Well, I think I did. He is your Vatten,” Jondi said, picking a piece of pepperoni off the pizza and putting it on his tongue. He chewed and then smiled at Jade. “Right? Like he’s the one you’ll have us some babies with?”
“Would you like having brothers or sisters?” Jade asked.
“I think so. If they’re nice. Vatten’s babies are nice,” Jondi said, picking off another slice of pepperoni and eating it.
“So when the time comes, you’ll be okay with him moving in?” Jade asked.
“He isn’t staying now?” Jondi asked, his little brows rising in concern.
“I think we have to talk some more before that,” Jade smiled.
“About what?” Jondi asked. “Does he have to ask his mummy? I think Grandma Diamond will be okay with it. He’llhave to get his own pool, though. Maybe he could swim in the pond again. We could take turns!” He fell quiet and then locked eyes with Jade. “We’re still going to live here, right? We’re not moving like Uncle Eran did? Like he moves in and we move out?”
“No, this is our house. We’ll just share it with him.”
“He’s not sleeping in my room. You’ll have to share yours with him,” he said.
“I know.”
“Oh!” his eyes lit up. “That’s what you have to talk about. You have a lot of stuff and there’s no more room in your closet. You have all the clothes in the world in there. He’ll have to put his outside or something.”
“Or something,” Jade nodded.
“Do you have a lot of stuff? Wait! Where is your house? You don’t live with your mommy!” Jondi said as if he’d only just realized I probably had a house somewhere.
