They’d gotten home late last night, and Riley had anticipated a quiet Christmas Eve tonight. Usually she spent it in the woods with the coyotes while her friends were all in church, but this evening Fiona had dragged her along. Admittedly, she hadn’t actually been dragged. It was her brother’s church, after all, and he delivered a moving sermon on the mystery of faith. Riley had a little more of it these days. She’d even found herself praying lately—giving thanks, really. For the first time in her life she felt, as David put it, something bigger than all of us, something greater than the whole, and this belief flooded her with a sense of peace and salvation. No matter that she’d murdered a man. Well, left him to die was more like it. Even that was a matter of opinion, a question of perspective.
After service, and in keeping with the tradition of the Italian side of the family, Tom had a Feast of Seven Fishes waiting in the rectory for them. Riley, Fiona, and Edy didn’t stay too long, though. Tomorrow they were hosting Christmas dinner, and Riley was hoping to sneak some time alone with Fiona before she went off to bed with Edy and the blue-tongued skink, which Edy had aptly named Bleu, spelled the French way. Riley had placed it in a gift bag and surprised her with it an hour ago, and they’d all gathered to watch it eat bits of fruit and moistened kibble. Edy was giving it a tour of the Christmas tree now, letting it gaze at the colorful lights and ornaments. As she circled the eight-foot tree that stood by the hearth, her elbow knocked a shiny red ball from a branch. It bounced off the wrapped presents below and rolled out onto the carpet, landing near Gomez, who was out getting some exercise. He lumbered over, maybe thinking it was an apple, but as he started to take a big bite, he flinched at the reflection of his own gaping mouth and hurried away from the attacker.
Luna lurked under the tree, probably planning to climb it after everyone went to sleep, and Widget and Gadget were off in the woods, playing in the snow that had been lightly falling since church let out. But Fidget and Midget, who’d polished off the leftover baked ziti they’d brought home, were content to forfeit the bitter cold and test out the new dog bed by the fire.
“Okay, kiddo,” Fiona said to Edy. “Upstairs, now. Bedtime. You’re exhausted, and so is that baby lizard.” They hadn’t formally discussed living as a family, but after Edy’s request that her new terrarium be set up in the bedroom, it became apparent that they weren’t going back to the farmhouse any time soon.
“Okay, Mom.” The skink lay stretched out in her hand, and Edy held it up to her face. “Let’s put you to bed, Bleu, so we can get up early and open presents!” Then she went to Riley and kissed her. “Thank you for the best present ever, Rile E. Coyote.”
“Edy!” Fiona’s voice was stern. “Don’t call her that.”
“Why not? Tom calls her Wiley Riley all the time. He even called her Wile E. Coyote at dinner tonight.”
“It’s okay.” Riley snickered and held up a hand to Fiona. She knew it was meant as a term of endearment. “As long as she knows what the E stands for.”
“What?” Edy asked.
“Edith.”
Edy crinkled her nose like a rabbit, and Riley laughed. It seemed Edy didn’t much care for her name either. She looked between Riley and her mother, as though wondering for the first time how she’d gotten her name. Her eyes narrowed, but then she apparently let the thought go. One day they’d tell her the story. She turned and went up the stairs, calling Luna, who jumped out from behind the tree and bounded up the steps.
“Edy? I’m warning you,” Fiona said. “Do not let that cat anywhere near that little lizard.” When it grew to be as big as the cat there wouldn’t be a problem, but right now the baby topped out at five inches.
“Don’t worry, Mom.” Edy sucked her teeth. “I know what I’m doing.”
“I really hope so.” Fiona looked at Riley and shook her head. “I better go up and avert a Christmas Eve tragedy.”
“Go on. You feel like more hot chocolate with Baileys?”
“Emphasis on the Baileys. In fact, maybe just Baileys,” she said.
Riley got up from the couch, glancing at the pile of papers Fiona had been browsing while they’d watched the tail end of It’s a Wonderful Life: information on starting a nonprofit corporation and filing for 501c3 status. At the fair, Riley had overheard her asking Scott Quigley if he’d come by the farmhouse after the holidays to talk about ideas for plumbing and filtration systems. The whole process would require both paper and legwork, permits and licenses, and a lot of construction, but Fiona would do it. She’d already returned to woodworking, from the look of things. Several gifts under the tree bore Riley’s name, but one in particular sparked her curiosity. It was narrow, chest-high, too big for any box. Fiona had wrapped it as best she could, but the shape gave it away—a wood-carved howling coyote, if Riley had to guess.
Riley smiled as she passed the tree and headed into the kitchen, listening to the conversation above her. One thing about post-and-beam houses—you could hear everything through the walls: the screen cover being put on the lizard’s tank, dresser drawers opening and closing, Edy getting into her pajamas.
“Can I read, Mom?” Riley heard Edy say.
“Sure. I’m going to stay up for a while, though. I’ll be up later, okay?”
“You don’t have to.”
“What does that mean?”
“No offense, but it’s getting crowded in here with Bleu’s big terrarium. And this bed is way too small for me and you, now that Luna sleeps with me.”
That was true. Riley had lost her little bedmate the moment the kid moved in.
“Oh,” Fiona said, sounding surprised. “Well, where do you suggest I sleep?”
“How about with Riley?” The coyness in Edy’s voice made Riley think this was less about space issues and more about Edy playing matchmaker.
“I see…well, I’ll have to ask Riley how she feels about that.”
“She won’t mind. She’s got a big room,” Edy said. “And her bed is ginormous. I know she won’t say it, but I think she’s lonely down there all by herself. I feel kind of sorry for her.”
“You do, huh?”
Riley choked back a laugh as she set two glasses on the counter and unscrewed the top of the Baileys bottle, but she had to agree. She did feel sorry for herself, lying alone in bed at night, knowing Fiona was in the house but out of reach.
“Yeah, I do, Mom. It’s a great idea. Riley will think so, too.”
It was the best idea. Riley carried the filled glasses into the living room, chuckling as she spread out a plush throw in front of the fire, tossed the couch pillows onto the floor, and settled in front of the toasty, crackling fire. Fiona emerged from the upstairs bedroom, and when she saw Riley looking up at her, she peered down over the balcony and shrugged.
“Were you listening to all that?” she whispered as she came down and turned on that holiday playlist to muffle their voices.
“Uh-huh.” Riley grinned.
Fiona got down on the floor, threw back half her Baileys, then stretched out alongside Riley. “Did she just give us permission to sleep together?”
“She did,” Riley whispered back. “I can’t wait to get you into that ginormous bed of mine.” They covered their mouths as they lay on their backs, squelching giggles so Edy wouldn’t hear them laughing.
Fiona scooted closer and Riley pulled her into a hug. “It would be nice to make love in front of this fire.”
“Just say the word, and the coyotes and turtles will be promptly dismissed.” But then they looked at each other, dismissing the thought. The house was too open. They couldn’t chance Edy coming out unexpectedly and catching them in the act. They’d save that for a night when Edy was at Olivia’s.
Fiona snuggled close, her head on Riley’s chest, but just then Midget woke up, seeming thrilled to discover that the party had moved to the floor. She gave a loud yawn, using her paws to pull herself forward. Her tail wagged, hindlegs dragging as she slithered over to them and went belly up. Riley rubbed
her chest with her free hand. And then here came Morticia climbing over Fiona’s ankles while Gomez walked along the bricks of the high hearth, drawn by the warmth and staring wondrously at the flames.
“Oh, the turtles,” Fiona said. “I forgot they were out.”
“I’ll help you put them away later.” Riley kissed her forehead. “Nice family we’ve put together, huh?”
“Mmm…” Fiona responded dreamily. “Odd, but nice.”
“I guess we can officially call ourselves the Addams Family now. Edy, with her new dragon-like skink, is like our Eddie. She should have named her new reptile Spot.”
“You’re confusing your shows. Spot lived under the stairs of the Munsters’ house.”
“That’s right.” Riley slapped her forehead. “What am I thinking?”
“And if anyone is Eddie, sweetheart, it’s you. Eddie was a werewolf, remember?”
Riley laughed. “I need to refresh my memory. Maybe sometime we can spend a rainy day watching reruns…for old time’s sake.”
“I can think of lots of things to do for old time’s sake,” Fiona murmured, her hand moving around Riley’s waist.
“And speaking of families…how did your parents react when you said you wouldn’t see them until the day after Christmas?”
“They weren’t happy, but I told them that, with everything that had happened, Edy and I needed to do something different this year. I sort of manipulated the truth…told her my new neighbor was the reverend of a church here in town and that we were invited to his service and for Christmas dinner. When Edy and I go up to open gifts, I think I’ll tell them I happened to bump into you in that church.”
“Planting seeds?”
“Yep. This way they can get used to the idea that you’re back in my life…before I tell them that you are my life.”
They grew quiet then, listening to the music, until the door upstairs opened, and Edy poked her head out. Either she didn’t see them on the floor through the rungs of the balcony or was completely unfazed by the sight of her mother lying there by the fire with Riley. “Hey, guys, it’s snowing!” she informed them with the excitement kids have at the sight of the white stuff. And why shouldn’t they get excited? For them it was all fun and games. They didn’t have to plow or shovel or clean the cars off. Or pay the heating bills, for that matter. But Riley was happy to see Edy thrilled…to see her relaxed and enjoying a carefree life for once. She deserved that much.
“Merry Christmas!” Edy called down.
“Merry Christmas,” they both shouted to her, and then the door shut again.
Fiona ran her hand along Riley’s arm. “What about your parents? Your birth mother—what was her name, Ellen?” Fiona asked. “Have you wondered if she might be living in the area?”
It was possible that she had stayed in Great Barrington—married, middle-aged now. For all Riley knew, she might have passed her hundreds of times in the grocery store, proudly shopping with her wholly human family. “Sure, I’ve wondered,” Riley said, “but I have no pressing need to find the woman who left her twin newborns to die. Okay, so we might have had tails, but still…”
“David had a tail, too?”
“Hm. That’s a good question. I’ll have to ask him.”
“Over dinner I heard David talking about a trip to Wisconsin.”
He’d invited Riley to join him the next time he flew out to the farm, maybe in the spring, to meet Francisco and Marianna. They were excited about meeting her. David offered to show her the reservation on which their father had likely been born and from which, as a shape-shifting boy, he might have been outcast. David also suggested something of an expedition in fur, just the two them—tracking wolf and coyote packs, scouting the wilderness for any signs or familial scents that might give them clues as to Jacob’s disappearance and current whereabouts…if he were still alive.
The idea of such an adventure was as scary as it was intriguing. She did feel a deep connection to her father now. Maybe because she knew his story. Maybe because David looked like him. But David had obviously inherited more Canis lupus genes. The bulk of Riley’s were Canis latrans, no match for a pack of wolves. And never mind wolves. Who knew what men were up to out there in the middle of nowhere? Ranchers despised coyotes, and with the pressure on the current administration to remove the wolf from the protection of the Endangered Species Act, hateful hunters might be roaming around, secretly trapping, poisoning, shooting them. At least here in Massachusetts she was an apex predator, a very domestic one at that. She had no real desire to stay in fur for weeks, sleeping outdoors and hunting for dinner, watching her back at every turn.
“Well, whatever you decide to do…I’m here for you. It’s ride or die, Red.”
Ride or die. That’s how it was for Riley, too. And she’d proved it—to herself, to Fiona and Edy.
“You’re extraordinary,” Riley said.
“No…it’s our love that’s extraordinary.” Fiona gave a contented sigh, and they fell silent again, listening to “Let it Snow” play for the second time.
Riley softly hummed, thinking Fiona might sing along, but she didn’t respond. Her breathing suddenly changed, soft and steady. The Baileys had gone right to her head, and Fiona was dwindling along with the fire. She kissed the top of her head, softly roughed up her short black hair. It was such a sexy cut.
Riley’s own thoughts drifted as she gazed between the glowing embers and the twinkling lights on the tree. It was nice that Fiona would encourage her to go off to Wisconsin in search of her werewolf father. But she had no desire to go anywhere. It had taken twenty years to get the woman she loved back in her arms, and this time she wasn’t letting go.
The End
About the Author
Karen Williams is a writer, psychotherapist, and licensed wildlife rehabilitator who holds degrees in clinical social work, communication arts and philosophy. In addition to her novels and short stories, she has published numerous articles on nature and the human-animal bond, and was awarded the Maxwell Medallion by the Dog Writers Association of America. Her recent works, Meeting Ms. Roman and As the Crow Flies, were both Goldie finalists.
She loves music, dancing, romantic comedies, and speculative conversation, but most of all enjoys communing with nature, exploring the northern woods with her dogs, and howling with her resident coyotes.
Karen loves hearing from readers. You can contact her at [email protected] or visit her at www.karenfwilliams.com
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