I want to give a special special SPECIAL shout out to Fa_JF!!!! You made my day. Your words touched me. I loved the advice you gave me. I will definitely take it. Actually, everybody that sent and sends me feedback I love it. I hope you guys don't think I ignore it; it's just that sometimes, well most times, you guys send it anonymously so I can't reply to it. I want you guys to know that means EVERYTHING to me. I seriously mean it. I love when you guys send me stuff that warms my heart lol.
It's crazy how much I've come to love this story. I've found comfort in this story. You guys don't know this but I am a mother. Actually, I'm a young mother at that. I'm only 18 going on 19 (07/25 go Leos). Another thing is I'm a single mother. My boyfriend was killed a couple of months before our daughter Akemi (more Japanese lol) was born in April. It was actually around that time that I submitted my first story. It's crazy how I was struggling with dealing with that, but writing has been a great outlet for all the pain I've felt. I am at peace with his death. Now I'm in a great place. I have a little baby girl, my sophomore year in college is about to start, and I'm just really happy. I need this story just as much as you guys. Writing this is healing me. OMG I'm such a sap lol. Ok enough of this. Thanks for all the support lovelies.
___________________________
"What are you?" Marie asked.
I had been woke for not even a whole minute and she was already questioning me. I had no idea what she was even talking about and I had the worst headache. I literally felt banging in my head. I rubbed my eyes and sat up in my bed.
"What are you talking about Marie"? I inquired.
I wasn't registering what she was saying. The question just didn't interest me at that moment and I wasn't thinking about it. She was so blunt and straight forward with her question that it didn't even make sense. I was surprised she was even still here.
"What are you?" she asked repeating herself.
"How long was I out?"
"2 days. You answered my question with a question. That isn't how this works."
"You're actually really annoying right now. Where are the boys?"
I watched her tilt her head and gather a confused look on her face. She squinted and shook her head. I had no idea what she was doing.
"What boys Natalia?"
"Your brothers. Jimmy and Byron!"
"I don't have any brothers Natalia! I'm an only child!"
I rubbed my temples and looked her in the face. She was being dead serious and she looked like she had no idea what I was even close to talking about. I was truly losing my mind. I remembered 2 boys. I found them when I found her. I remembered them just like I remembered her. But I didn't see any little boys. I don't hear any little boys. I was truly losing my mind. I was going crazy. I was imagining kids that didn't even exist. Something was wrong with me. I needed to check myself in a mental hospital.
"No I'm just kidding! They're at our grandparent's house," she said laughing.
"That isn't funny dummy. I thought I was losing my mind. I was seriously considering checking into a mental hospital," I replied sticking my tongue out at her.
That little joke wasn't funny, but it did get me thinking. I was a feeling so out of touch with reality lately.
"I didn't know you had any living relatives left," I said.
"Me neither. I went to take the boys to the park and a woman stopped me while I was pushing Byron on the swings. To my shock and surprise, it was our grandmother. Of course, we remembered her from the times we would have to sleep in her house because it was too cold to sleep outside, but I was still shocked to see her. Apparently after the last time, she warned my mom that she was going to try to get custody of us. Well my mom didn't like that so she cut all contact with her parents and we never went back. They had been looking for us ever since. It was quite the emotional scene," she replied nonchalantly.
"Wow that is actually really crazy. I am glad it all worked out for the best." I commented.
"We had a long talk after going to her house. I've decided to let the boys stay with her." She said smiling sadly. "She extended the offer to me but I declined. I'll visit them but I decided I would be being selfish if I kept them with me. They finally have the chance to have a normal childhood and go to school. They wouldn't be able to do that with me. And before you ask, of course I am sad. But they deserve to be kids."
I nodded. "I understand the idea of sacrificing your own happiness for the happiness of others. I commend you on your ability to be so strong."
"It wasn't easy but it was the right choice. The boys didn't really make the choice harder. They were ecstatic to live with her," She laughed.
"Well kids are the easiest creatures alive to please. Sometimes they like you and sometimes they don't. They can switch up on you in just 2 seconds, but you gotta love them."
She nodded her agreement. I knew it took a lot of strength to let her brothers go even though it would be best for them. My brothers never thought twice about me. In a way, I didn't have any brothers. I never saw them; they never called, so they didn't really exist to me.
"So what are you?" she said repeating her original question.
I laid back down and rolled over with my back facing her. Maybe she would just go away. I had a serious headache and I didn't feel like playing 25 questions. I would just figure out what she meant when I woke back up. I yawned and closed my eyes.
"You're not human," she said quietly.
In fact she said it so quiet, that I almost missed it. Nobody else would have been able to hear it but somebody with my hearing. It was like she said it only so she could hear it. I sat up and looked at her. I was suddenly very interested in what she had to say. It had finally hit me about what she asked.
"What did you say?" I questioned.
"What are you Natalia? Your secret is safe with me. I know you aren't human," She whispered.
"I am human. What do you mean?"
"I saw you."
"Saw me what Marie?"
"You know..."
"I know what?"
"What you did."
"What did I do?! Stop with the mind games!"
"You were a wolf, then you were a mouse, then you were a bird. Then you changed back and started floating. It was weird and but you didn't scare me. I trust that you won't hurt me."
"You sound crazy."
"I sound like a person who saw you," she pointed at me, "transform 4 times in her living room. Then you transformed into a wolf and wouldn't let me come near you. You are a very mean wolf. After an hour of inching closer you let me pet you. Finally after 10 minutes you transformed back and fell asleep. Then you talked in your sleep. You answered all the questions I asked. It's unfortunate what happened to your "mate" by the way." She made air quotes with her fingers around the word mate. "You were just about to tell me what the hell you were, but you woke up."
I fell back into the bed. I didn't remember a thing.
"And don't think about erasing my memory because I've wrote everything down and I will find the paper I hid and reread it. It would be pointless."
"Marie..."
"No don't 'Marie...' me. Ok? I don't care that you're some freaky weird animal transformer. You gave us a home. You made a way for us. I'm sure if you were going to kill me, you could have been did it. So it goes without saying that I trust you. I could've left you on that kitchen floor in pain, but I didn't. You owe me the truth. You wanted me to trust you; I want you to trust me."
"Why aren't you freaking out?"
"I told you already. I trust you. Your wolf let me get close to you."