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On the ground sat an older woman, staring at her hands as she moved them in front of her face.“Mom?”My voice came out squeaky with shock.
She rose to her feet, awkward and clumsy, like a newborn giraffe.
“Clothes,” Sue said from behind me, clicked her fingers, and covered my parents with simple cotton clothing.
I turned to smile my relief at her, and she shrugged.“I know wolves don’t care about nudity, but… still.”
“Thanks,” I managed to choke out as I staggered over to where my mom stood, staring at me.
“Mom.”I opened my arms and she stepped into my embrace, hugging me as tightly as I held her.
My heart burst with joy, and at the same time grew larger and stronger.“I can’t believe it’s really you.”I pulled back to cup her face.Her skin was scratchy and dirty, her hair tangled and pulled over her face.
I turned to Tania, not letting go of my mother.“Thank you.From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
Tania smiled at me through her tears.
Then I turned back to Mom, frowning.“They’re not speaking.”I threw another glance Tania’s way.“Is that… normal after such a spell?”
Tania wiped at the tears on her cheeks.“They haven’t spoken as a human in over a decade.I expect they need a few minutes to work everything out again.”
Oh.True.
Leo came over to cuddle Mom and I raced over to give Dad a hug, before walking back to Tania.“I don’t know how to thank you,” I said again.“You’ve just given us back everything.”
“Your joy is enough,” she said, her tone full of emotion.
I glanced at Sue.“And what you did to our house is… beautiful.Thank you.”None of what she had done was particularly to my taste, but she’d increased the value of our property by at least a hundred thousand dollars, and saved us many hours of back-breaking work.Thank you wasn’t enough.
Sue grinned at me.“I did it for your parents.”
I frowned at her.“You…” Then it hit me, and I laughed.“You made this house totheirtaste so they can live here.”
She laughed.“Yes.Well… I guessed at their style.But they’re my age, and haven’t lived in a home for a long time so I went with lush, but comfortable.”
“You have impeccable taste,” I said, her care touching my heart.“I really don’t know how to thank you.Either of you.Words are not enough.”
And they weren’t.In fact, they were vastly inadequate.
“I assume you have another home you can move into when it’s time?”Sue asked.
I nodded.“We bought another house this week actually.The plan was to flip it, but it would easily do to live in.”
She clapped.“Great.Well, we better be going.I’m sure you four have lots to catch up on.”
Tania smiled at me and turned to go.
I reached out for her, unable to let her go without thanking her properly.“Tania.Please.”
She put her hand over my fingers and smiled at me.“You don’t owe me anything, Mason.Seriously.I’m just so grateful I could help you get your family back.”
“Can I do something for you?”I asked.“Do you have a home that needs renovating the old-fashioned way?Or perhaps you want more business?There’s lots of shifters who would pay well for a witch as fearless, and powerful, as you.”
Tania opened her mouth to respond, but Sue grabbed her daughter and grinned at me.“You should definitely find my beautiful daughter more people to help, and if I decide to buy some more property in the area, you’ll be my first call.”
I smiled at Sue and squeezed Tania’s arm, loving the feel of her warm skin beneath my fingers.“You did so well.You were amazing.I… thank you.”
I sounded like an idiot, saying the same thing over and over, and I expected to be told so.
