by Sky Winters
“Not if you can prove you have been living together already as a couple. I think we have that covered,” he laughed.
“Are you sure?”
“Ridiculous question! I’ve been sure since we were fifteen years old. I wanted to wait until we graduated, but I don’t want our baby coming into the world illegitimately. Let’s give her proper parentage.”
“How do you know it is a girl? We told them not to tell us.”
“I know because I wished for a little girl as beautiful as her mother.”
“Charmer.”
“As long as it is still working on you.”
So, they went to the courthouse and got a license, hiring a student from the seminary college who had gotten an ordainment to perform ceremonies from one of those cheesy online sites while he completed his formal education. It was legal and that was all that mattered. The students that gathered had all cheered and clapped once they were pronounced man and wife, tossing assorted things like pencil erasers, sunflower seeds they had in their packs and even shreds of paper they had ripped up while waiting for the final vows.
Two years later, they had sat in the doctor’s office listening to the bad news. Josh had been blacking out and had bouts of confusion that were getting worse. It was a tumor at the base of his brain, growing and inoperable. Laura thought it had been the worst day of her life, but she was wrong. The worst days were still to come as she watched his deterioration, a time bomb sitting lodged in his head.
Pulling up in front of the school, she shook off the memory of those final days and wiped a tear that had managed its way down her face away. Waiting in the line with all of the other parents, she spotted Katie talking with one of her new friends on the lawn. When it came her turn to pull up to the curb, they were both waiting there for her.
“Mom, mom. This is Hank. He’s so cool!”
“Nice to meet you, Hank. Let’s go, Katie. We’re holding up the line.”
“Okay, Mom. Bye, Hank!”
“Bye, Katie. Bye, Mrs. Stewart.”
Laura smiled at him and waved as she pulled away from the curb. She hated being called Mrs. Stewart. It reminded her of all the things she had just tried to shut out of her mind so that she could put on a happy face for her daughter.
“Mom, guess what?”
“What?”
“Hank’s father can turn into a bear.”
“You’re kidding.”
Laura marveled at how the conversation just magically paralleled with the one she had been having earlier with Cynthia. Since when had it become so acceptable to be a shifter? Up until recently, it all seemed like a myth to most people, but in the past year or so more and more people were coming out and admitting their abilities. Instead of the usual fear of the unknown, people seemed to find it more fascinating than freakish, and were actively supporting the movement not to keep it a dirty family secret.
“Yeah. Isn’t that great! Hank will be able to turn into a bear one day too, but not yet. He said he is too little. Kindergarteners can’t be bears.”
“Thank goodness for that. Can you imagine the chaos at recess?”
Katie giggled and looked out the window and thought about that for a moment before turning back to her mother.
“What about me? Will I be able to turn into anything when I get out of kindergarten?”
“Just a beautiful young woman one day.”
“That doesn’t sound like that much fun. You are beautiful and you don’t have any fun,” Katie scowled.
Laura looked at her thoughtfully. She was terribly perceptive for such a young girl. It occurred to her that her daughter was right, though she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do about it.
“I have fun with you.”
“I have fun with you too, Mom.”
They drove the rest of the way home in silence. Katie scurried up to her room to play while Laura returned to her office to finish her work for the day. It was their usual routine. Laura’s work as a freelance graphic designer afforded her the flexibility to accommodate Katie’s transport to and from school, but she sometimes had to work while Katie was at home to keep up the eight-hour work day. At five, she would knock off for the day and they would make dinner together or get a bite elsewhere. Tonight was pizza night and they would order in and watch a movie together.
“What will it be?”
“Frozen!”
“How many times have we seen that now?”
“A bazillion!”
“Sounds right. Okay. You get it started. That’s the doorbell. Pizza is here.”
As usual, Katie fell asleep before the movie was done and had to be carried up to bed. Laura tucked her in and went back downstairs, intent on getting some more work done. Instead, she found herself checking out the site that Cynthia had mentioned. Looking through the profiles, she was fascinated to see how attractive the men were. It wasn’t your usual lot of lazy, self-important jerks she had become accustomed to.
“Why the fuck not?” she mumbled to herself, clicking on the link for ComeShift to sign up and set up a profile. After going through the process, she closed her browser and went back to work for a bit, putting it out of her mind as she finished up her work. Finishing the project she had been working on, she went to the kitchen for a glass of wine and sat on the sofa watching Frozen without even registering it. Her mind was a million miles away, lost in thought. Life was lonely. She didn’t want to be sad. Not for herself and not for Katie, but she was, and it was getting worse she was afraid.
She picked up her tablet from the coffee table and downloaded the come shift app she had used on her computer to it. No messages. Even shifters weren’t interested it seemed. Opening her email, she saw that she had to confirm her email address before her profile would be active on the site. She hesitated, instead going back to the app and looking around a little more. She opened a browser window and began looking around at the different types of shifters, and recent articles on how hard it had been for many of them to be open about themselves.
“Everyone has their problems, I guess,” she said to the room around her, shutting off the tablet and heading to bed.
The following morning, she went about her usual routine, getting breakfast ready and Katie up and off to school. Settling back in at home afterwards, she began to work, opening her mail to check for anything from clients she might need to answer. There was the confirmation email from the shifter site still waiting for her. Opening it, she clicked on the activation link, closed her email and went back to work. Before she knew it, time to go get Katie had arrived and she was rushing out the door to retrieve her.
Sitting in the line of parents waiting their turn to pick up children, she picked up her phone and glanced at it. The email notification was on and she opened it to see what it was, expecting more of the usual spam that seemed to make its way to her despite her best efforts to keep it out. Instead it was a message sent through the ComeShift app relay. She read it, surprised to receive such a quick response from anyone.
His name was Sebastian, and he was a dragon shifter. According to his profile, he was a local firefighter. His pictures revealed a man who was tall and fit, the classically dark and handsome type with wavy black hair and perfect white teeth. He didn’t seem too pushy or forward, just letting her know that he had liked her profile and picture, and asking if she’d like to meet for a drink to see if they might hit it off.
It was today’s dating test. Men never invited you to dinner or a movie right off the bat. They invited you for coffee or a drink, something quick that diminished how much time they would be forced to spend with you if you turned out to be a real loser in their eyes. At first, it had been a turn off to her that men approached modern dating this way, but after a few incidents with people she couldn’t get away from fast enough, it had become a perfectly acceptable thing to her, as well.
Might as well just get it all out there right off the bat she thought, sending him back a message telling him that she could meet him fo
r coffee, but it would have to be during the daytime while her daughter was in school. It was her usual response and she found that many times, there was no follow up from the other end. Despite what Cynthia had said, she didn’t expect it this time either. A guy that looked like this Sebastian fellow could choose whomever he wanted, it wasn’t likely he’d be interested in a single mother.
It was a surprise when, later that evening, she received an email back from him telling her that daytime was great. He was off the next day and wanted to know if she could meet him maybe after she dropped her daughter at school. After a bit of back and forth, she agreed to meet him at the Cuppa This, a local coffee and tea shop not far from Katie’s school.
Walking into the shop the next morning, she felt incredibly nervous. Usually, she was so used to these things turning out poorly that it didn’t faze her, but there was something different about this one. Whether it was because he wasn’t put off by a child, the fact that he was a shifter or just that he was so hot, she couldn’t be sure, but she felt like every nerve ending was on fire.
“Laura?”
She turned and found herself staring at the broad chest of the most gorgeous man she had seen for quite a while. He towered above her, which was saying a lot since she was five nine and wearing heels. Glancing to one side, she could see other women in the shop looking at him with a certain longing, but he seemed oblivious to the attention.
“Sebastian?”
“Yes. I’m glad you came. I was afraid you wouldn’t.”
“Why?”
“First, let’s find a seat somewhere before they are all gone. This place is filling up fast. I’ll order us some coffee and maybe a treat? What would you like?”
“Just black coffee and maybe a blueberry scone if they are fresh.”
“Simple enough. Be right back.”
She breathed a sigh of relief and looked around for a seat, finding one in a far corner that had just been vacated. Sitting down, she waited anxious for him to return, which he did a short time later, with two cups of black coffee and two blueberry scones. Were they that much alike or was he just trying to seem like it?
“So, back to your question,” he said. “I find that a lot of women are interested in dating shifters, but when it comes right down to it, they back down.”
“I see. I have the same problem with men who find out I have a child.”
“Never crossed my mind. Kids are great. What is your daughter’s name?”
“Katie.”
“How old is she?”
“Five, just started kindergarten this year.”
“Not to be too nosey right off the bat, but I find that some men have issues with Mommy dating someone new and I like to know what I’m getting into up front. How long have you been divorced?”
“I’m not divorced.”
His eyebrows were raised noticeably before I could finish the sentence. I could almost see him deciding if he would make an excuse or just bolt for the door.
“I’m widowed. My husband died a few years ago.”
“You didn’t kill him, did you?”
“No,” I said, laughing a little, despite the dark nature of his joke.
“Good to know. In that case, I’m very sorry for your and Katie’s loss.”
“Thanks. And you? Ever been married? Any kids?”
“Never married, no kids that I’m aware of,” he smiled.
I found myself liking him immediately. He had a somewhat macabre sense of humor, but it seemed to suit him well. It was almost charming. We talked a bit more about Katie and my work, then his phone began buzzing loudly. He pulled it out of his pocket and grimaced at the screen.
“I hate to cut this short, Laura, but I have to go. Work.”
“Oh, I thought you were off today.”
“I was. Getting called in. I’m very sorry.”
“It’s okay. Thanks for the coffee and scone.”
“Anytime. I’ll be in touch.”
“Sure. Good luck with work.”
She watched as he got up and hurried out the door. Work, my ass, she thought. That was nothing more than the classic phone a friend move. Shifters might be new to the open dating scene, but they were obviously familiar with the practice of having someone text or call you to provide an excuse for immediate departure. What had she done wrong? Was he lying about being okay with her having a child or had she just talked too much about her?
“Fuck my life,” she muttered, getting up from the table and walking out of the shop. Back at home, she opened up the shifter app and deleted her profile. Meeting strangers on the internet was not the answer. She wasn’t sure what was, but she was beginning to understand why so many women that are widowed are widowed for life. Maybe you only got one chance to get things right and when you get it right the first time, that is just all there is for you.
Several days passed and she heard nothing from him. Typical. Rather than dwelling on it, she decided to just build a life on her own with Katie. She would just be another one of those lifelong widows and learn to adjust to it. A week went by during which she signed up for a Mommy and me cooking class, a yoga class and a book club. It would keep her busy.
“You have to get back out there,” Cynthia said on the phone the following Saturday morning.
“I’m just tired, Cynthia. I can’t take one more bad date, or one more rejection. You should have seen how fast that firefighter ran the first chance he got.”
“Maybe he really got called into work.”
“Yeah and maybe Zac Efron is going to call and propose to me tomorrow.”
“I’m just saying that maybe you are making too much of it. Things happen.”
“Well, I’m sure they do, but the fact remains that I’ve heard nothing from him since then, so I’d say that speaks for itself.”
“Perhaps so. Anyway, what are you doing this weekend?”
“The usual. Nothing.”
“If you aren’t going to look online, then you at least need to get out and mingle. How are you ever going to meet anyone if you aren’t even trying?”
“I think you miss the point. I don’t want to try. I’ve given up.”
“I tell you what. How about you call your mom, and send Katie over to her house for the weekend. You and I will go out tonight. Girl’s night out and sleep in on Sunday.”
“Tempting, but I don’t think so.”
“Ah, come one, Laura. Let your hair down a little. No men to impress on a date, just two girls out of the town. You know you wanna!”
“Okay. I’ll go, but no fix ups. If I even think you’ve dragged me out to try to hook me up with some guy that happens to be there, I’m leaving.”
“Would I do a thing like that?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah, you’re right, but I won’t this time. I promise.”
Katie was excited about spending the weekend with her grandparents. They always spoiled her rotten and Laura got her back all hopped up on sweets and sodas, but it was a small price to pay for having a break to just not have to think about anything for a while. She dropped her off and headed back home, taking her time to pamper herself in the tub and wash her hair. Getting ready, she found that she was looking forward to a no pressure night out to just have fun.
“Isn’t this place great?” Cynthia shouted over the loud music that played in the club.
“It’s okay. Pretty lively, I guess.”
“What you need is a few drinks and some dancing. Come on.”
Cynthia grabbed her hand and led her over to the bar, ordering them each a Pink Tussle, which was really nothing more than vodka and pink grapefruit juice. It was strong and hit the spot right away. Cynthia found them a table near the dance floor and they settled in, ordering another round of drinks from the waitress a short time later.
“Would you like to dance?”
The voice sounded familiar, even before Laura turned to look at him. Cynthia gawked for a moment before a quick nod encouraging her to go, but that
wasn’t going to happen.
“I don’t think so. Thanks for asking.”
“You’re mad at me.”
“I’m not mad. We just didn’t hit it off and you couldn’t just say that. You made an excuse and ran off, then never called,” she told him.
Sebastian looked at her and grinned, irritating her a little bit more. How smarmy he seemed, so unlike how he had come across in the coffee shop when they first met. She watched as he rolled up his sleeve and showed her a scar on his forearm.
“Four alarm fire in the Empress Hotel downtown. I got a bit of a flesh wound that had to be tended to, but was otherwise okay. I would have called you, but you never gave me your number and you closed your ComeShift account, so I couldn’t contact you through there. It doesn’t reveal the email address through their relay system. I didn’t know your address or your last name to even look you up. I tried.”
Laura looked at him blankly, not sure how to respond. It had never occurred to her that he really did have a work call, or that she hadn’t given him a way to get in contact with her after their first meeting. Now, she felt like a complete idiot.
“It’s okay, Laura. In your shoes, I would have probably thought the same thing. In fact, I did. I assumed that you didn’t give me a way to get in touch because you didn’t want me to do so. Then, I saw you here and just thought, what the hell? All you can say is no and confirm what I was thinking already.”
Laura was still speechless, but fortunately, Cynthia was not. She jumped right in and picked up the conversation in her own abrupt fashion, practically pushing Laura out of her chair and on top of Sebastian in the process.
“She is an idiot. She would love to dance.”
Sebastian flashed another broad smile at Cynthia and winked, taking Laura’s hand and leading her out onto the floor just as the music switched from an upbeat dance tune to something slow and almost erotic. Taking advantage of the opportunity to be close, they pressed against one another as they swayed back and forth to the music that surrounded them. One dance led to two and before she knew it, they were completely lost in one another.
“Oh, God. I forgot all about Cynthia. I guess I need to get back to the table.”
