by Bijou DuLac
“Exactly.”
The waitress left me to eat my breakfast with just my thoughts to keep me company. Somewhere between the eggs and the bacon, I came up with a plan. I would go for a visit with Vera and Annabelle. Removing myself completely from the situation at Shady Creek Village would give me a chance to figure out what I even thought about the whole mess. By the time I was done eating, I had called Vera to let her know I was on my way.
When I pulled up in front of their house, Annabelle was already waiting for me in the yard. “Grandma! Grandma! Did you come to take care of me again?” she yelled as she ran toward my car.
“Oh, Annabelle, I have missed you!”
“Are you going to play with me and take me to the park and tell me a story at bedtime? How about we go to the store and you can buy me a present? Will you stay in my room? Mama bought me a new dress. It’s pink and it has sparkles but she says I can’t wear it if I can’t be good. Will you tell her that I am good so I can wear it? I have an imaginary hamster and his name is Farley because my mom won’t let me have a real one.” Her little mouth was running a mile a minute and I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing. “He sleeps in a cage in my room and sometimes he gets out at night and does naughty things and my mama thinks it isn’t very funny and I get in trouble. I’ll bet he will listen to you, though, and you can make him be good. Sometimes my mama—”
“Annabelle!” I had to interrupt her or she would have gone on all day like that. “How about you help Grandma carry her suitcase into the house?”
By the time we were making our way up the front walk, Vera was on the porch. “Is everything okay, mom?” She actually looked concerned. “I’ve been worried since you called.”
“Everything is fine,” I said. “I needed a change of scenery and I missed my girls. Can’t I miss my girls?”
“Of course. I just didn’t know what to think when you called from the road this morning. You must have been up before the sun today to make it here by now.”
I sighed. “I missed the two of you. Is there a law against wanting to see my only daughter and granddaughter?”
“No, but—”
“If it’s an inconvenience, I can always check into a hotel.”
Vera’s hands went up. “No. No, stay here,” she said. “Annabelle is excited to share her room with you.”
“Well, then, I haven’t eaten since breakfast and I am starving. Give me a chance to clean up and I will take my girls out to eat.” I turned and looked at Annabelle. “And I think you should pick where we go.”
“Yeah!” she said as we walked past Vera, into the house. “I know just where to take us.”
“And where is that?”
Annabelle and Vera answered in unison, Vera slightly less enthusiastic, “Mr. MaGoozle’s!”
“What in the world is that?” I asked. I had never heard of it.
“It’s new since you left,” said Vera. “It’s this horrible place with kid-friendly food like hotdogs and hamburgers and chicken nuggets. There are lights everywhere and they blink in time to this horrible, loud music. There is also an inside playground. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. Annabelle loves it.”
“Well,” I said with a laugh, “I think Mr. MaGoozle’s sounds like a grand idea.”
Chapter 16:
Home Is Where the Heart Is
I spent three days bunking with and caring for Annabelle before Vera started questioning me about what was wrong again. She was asking questions for which I did not have answers. The only thing I did know was that I could not continue to hide from my problems. I was going to have to go home and face them. I just did not know how to go about it yet. Then, something happened to clear out all of the fog in my head.
That night, as I was getting ready to tuck Annabelle into bed, she asked me to read her a story from a book of fairy tales. She handed me the book with it held open to her favorite story, Beauty and the Beast. When I got to the part about the girl loving the beast despite his outward appearance because he had a good heart, I was stricken with the realization that Wolf was more like the beast in that story than he was like the Big Bad Wolf. Wolf was kind with a good heart. He had never done anything to hurt me or put me in harm’s way. Suddenly, it did not matter that he was the wolf. I knew that I loved him before I found out that he was different. Being a wolf did not change his heart and it should not change mine.
Finally knowing what my heart was telling me, I headed home the next morning. The entire way, I marveled at the idea that a children’s fairy tale had solved my predicament. Though I knew that there would be no prince at the end of my story, I still wondered if it would be a fairy-tale ending.
When I pulled into my drive, Mr. Woodman was getting his mail. I noticed that his arm was bandaged but I did not care to ask about it. I had no desire to speak with that odious man at all. Still, when his eyes met mine from across the street, I could tell that he had a burning desire to tell me something. I attempted to ignore him as I unloaded my suitcase and headed toward my cottage.
“Front door!” he shouted.
I spun around to glare at him but he was already making his way into his house. When I climbed my front steps, I saw two things. First was a pile of wilting bouquets that had obviously been sitting in the sun for a few days. Second was a bright red notice taped in the center of my front door. I pulled it down and read. It had apparently been posted by the police.
NOTICE TO ALL RESIDENTS OF SHADY CREEK VILLAGE
From the Montville Police Department and Ballard County Animal Control
Several complaints of a large, gray dog wandering have been reported in your area.
One attack by this animal has been reported.
Should you see this animal you are advised to avoid contact.
This animal has exhibited aggressive behavior and is dangerous.
If spotted, please contact the Montville Police department or Ballard County Animal Control immediately.
I pushed through the front door and dropped my suitcase on the floor. They had to be talking about Wolf. That was not in his nature, though. The Wolf that I knew would never attack someone. Unless…Was it possible that my rejection had driven him to do something drastic?
I desperately wanted to talk with Wolf to find out what was going on. The only problem was, I did not know how to get ahold of him. He had never given me his phone number, and it was true when Mr. Woodman had said that I had never been to Wolf’s house. Until that very moment, it had never occurred to me that it was even the tiniest bit odd that I was in a serious relationship with a man who I did not know how to contact.
The more I thought about it, the more I began to doubt my decision to return. Was this the kind of person I wanted to be in a relationship with? Maybe he did just live in the woods. Was that where wolves lived? If that was how he lived, it would be silly to think that he would have a telephone. Nothing made any sense. If only I could talk with Wolf, I knew everything would be clear again.
I hung around my house for two days, wondering about the notice, hoping that Wolf would make an appearance or call. I wanted to walk the trail into the forest to see if I could find him, but there was a sign posted at the trailhead stating that it was closed until further notice and that trespassers would be prosecuted.
My doorstep remained empty and I was afraid that I would be seen going onto the closed trails. I knew if I could just talk with Wolf, everything could be worked out. I just had to figure out a way to get in touch with him.
Over the course of those two days, I noticed that Mr. Woodman was out and about in the neighborhood more than usual. He seemed much friendlier with the other neighbors, too, talking with everyone that came along. On more than one occasion, when I saw him talking with people, I saw him motion to his bandaged arm. After watching enough of his interactions, I put two and two together and figured out that he was the person who was supposedly attacked by the “aggressive” and “dangerous” animal.
I could not h
elp but think, if Wolf really had attacked Mr. Woodman, he had probably deserved it. He was a mean, spiteful old man and he was the one who had driven the wedge between Wolf and I. It was hard not to wish ill on him.
As I sat watching Mr. Woodman revel in telling yet another person what was surely a fanciful tale, I made a decision. I had to try to find Wolf. I had to go into the woods. And so, I made my plan.
Chapter 17:
Through the Woods
With everything I knew about Mr. Woodman, I guessed that he would call and report me in a heartbeat if he saw me take even one step onto the trail. I also knew that he had seen me leave the house to meet with Wolf just shy of midnight. Therefore, I knew I had to be sneaky about leaving my house and getting onto the trail. Simply walking out my front door was out of the question and, since my back door was actually on the side of my little cottage and he had a clear view of it from his house, exiting from that door was not an option either. My only other alternative was to climb out a window. After surveying the options, I decided that my bedroom window would be best. It was the biggest and closest to the ground in the back of my house.
I read once, if you are going to sneak around anywhere at night, you should wear dark gray instead of black because it will help you blend in with the shadows better. With that in mind, I donned the grayest outfit I could find in my closet—sweatpants and a sweater—and somewhere in the neighborhood of 2:00 a.m., I climbed out my bedroom window.
I am sure that the sight of me climbing out my window in the middle of the night would have been funny had anyone been around to see it. I felt a little like a teenager sneaking out to meet a boy, and the humor was not lost on me that sneaking out to meet a boy was exactly what I was doing. I just wish it was as easy to climb out a window at my age as it was for a teenager.
After going to the effort to climb out my bedroom window, I did not want any risk of being seen. Instead of going to the trailhead, I waded into the tall weeds behind my yard. I worked my way far enough around that I knew there was no chance of being spotted on the trail. As the weeds thinned out and I entered the edge of the forest, I was grateful for the little bit of light the waning moon provided. I was still close enough to my neighborhood that I did not want to risk turning on my flashlight and being seen.
It was disorienting entering the woods the way I did and I was worried that I would get turned around and lost. I don’t know if it was a coincidence or not but suddenly, I noticed lightning bugs glowing in the darkness. I walked toward them and in no time at all, I was on the familiar trail. I followed it to the edge of the clearing and across it, my eyes searching for any hint of Wolf.
When I came to the tree by the creek, I turned on my flashlight and searched the area but did not see anything. “Wolf?” I called out, my voice barely above a whisper. I waited, listening. Nothing.
Rather than follow the path back toward my neighborhood, a feeling in the pit of my stomach made me decide to take the fork that led deeper into the forest. I had seen Wolf coming from that direction in his non-human form before so it made sense. Anything was possible.
As I began my journey deeper into the woods, I realized why I had never bothered with that path before. It was used far, far less than the other and after about twenty or thirty yards, I noticed that the brush was growing thicker and taller along the trail. Maybe it was only my imagination, but even the trees seemed more menacing. They seemed to be growing taller and the foliage thicker, blocking out most of the moonlight. On top of that, the ground was more uneven and the path began to wind back and forth up a steep hillside.
Part of me wanted to turn back. It was dark and scary and even with frequent walks, my body was not made for that kind of exertion. I had gone to the trouble to sneak past Mr. Woodman, though, and it was very important to me to find Wolf. I had to continue on.
I lost my footing only once on my way up the hill but when I did, I dropped my flashlight. Fortunately, I was not hurt. The flashlight, however, did not fare so well. I banged it on my hand and flipped the switch back and forth several times before giving up. I was going to have to continue on in the dark.
I stumbled on a little more slowly than before, but forward nonetheless. When I finally came closer to the top of the hill, I was greeted by a sight that brought hope to my quest. There, shining through the trees, was a light. It was still some distance away but at least the trail had evened out and became smoother underfoot.
The closer I got to the light, the quieter I tried to move. Soon enough, I could make out the shape of a huge house beginning to emerge from the shadows. The light I had seen was on a deck, overlooking a clearing with a small pond.
Please be Wolf’s, please be Wolf’s, I thought as I stepped onto the property. The only light burning that night was the one on the deck. Aside from that, everything else was dark. Silently, I cursed my broken flashlight, then I quickly reversed that train of thought. I wanted to have a look around to get some idea of the person who owned the property before banging on the door in the middle of the night. If I had a working flashlight it could easily draw attention to my trespassing.
I did not want to just go up and look in the windows. That would be creepy and I would be lucky to not be shot if I was spotted doing that in the middle of the night. Instead, I circled around the house and found a garage. I tried to climb up on a planter and peek in the window but no matter how I tried, I was still too short.
When I stepped off the planter, I came down on a stick that I had not seen before. It snapped with a loud crack and I was sure that I was done for. I quickly retreated into the woods. Surely, a noise that loud would wake someone. I sat watching the house for a full ten minutes until I was sure that the noise had not awakened anyone.
Slowly, I crept out of the woods and returned my attention to the garage. If I could not look in the window, I was going to have to get inside to have a look. The big car door was not an option. I had yet to find one that did not make massive amounts of noise when opened. On the side of the garage was a sturdy-looking door. I pushed against it to see if there was any give but found that it was as sturdy as it looked.
I stood, wondering if there was any way to pick the lock to get inside the garage, when it occurred to me that I had not even tried to see if it was unlocked. I placed my hand on the knob and turned. To my surprise, there was no resistance, only a gentle click and the door swung open. What an idiot I was. That alone was proof that I was not cut out for a life of crime.
As I stepped into the garage, my heart sank. The moon was now low in the sky, offering no light to shine through the window, and the garage was pitch-black. I felt around by the door for a light switch. I was going to have to run the risk of flipping it on so I could see if Wolf’s car was in the garage.
My fingers found the switch and I turned around. Quickly, I flipped the switch to the on position. I was instantly blinded by the bright light. Blinking, I stepped forward and as I did, I kicked over a bucket, making a huge crash. I winced at the noise but when I saw a familiar blue car sitting there, I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Wolf!” My lips formed the word but no sound came out.
I spun around, stumbling over the same bucket but no longer caring about the noise. As I ran toward the front door, I saw a light on the upper level come on. “Wolf!” I yelled as my fists pummeled the door. “Wolf!”
Finally, I heard someone moving inside and the front porch light came on. Even that did not stop my assault on the front door. My balled up fists pounded on the door, willing it to open. I heard a lock click and suddenly, the door was yanked open. Standing there with a confused expression was my Wolf.
“Ruby? Wha—How did—” He was obviously shocked to see me. “You’re here?”
“I’m here.”
“But how?”
“How do you think, Wolf?” I laughed. “I took the path through the woods.”
His brows knit in confusion. “But how did you know where to find me?”
“I
didn’t really know where to find you,” I said. “It was really more of a hunch that led me here.”
“But they closed the path.”
I ignored his question. “Are you going to invite me in or are we going to stand in your doorway all night long?”
“What? Of course,” he said, taking a step back and letting me in.
Wolf led me into his living room and we took a seat on an overstuffed leather couch. I looked around and quickly decided that I did not like his taste in décor very much. The wood floors were nice but the sparse, rustic feel of the room did nothing for me.
He interrupted my thoughts. “What are you doing here, Ruby?” he asked.
I looked at the floor. “I reacted poorly, Wolf, and I am sorry. I was out of line.” My eyes darted up and connected with his. “Can you ever forgive me?”
“Ruby,” he said, leaning forward and taking my hands in his. “I love you. You have no reason to ask for forgiveness. I should have found a way to tell you as soon as I realized how we felt about one another. It wasn’t fair for you to find out that way.”
“It does not matter anymore, Wolf. I went to visit Vera and Annabelle and while I was there, I had a chance to think,” I said.
“And?”
“And I realized that it does not matter to me if you are a wolf. You’re perfect just as you are and I love you no matter what.”
“Ruby.” His voice was barely more than a whisper and his eyes became glassy.
“Wolf,” I said, “my answer is ‘Yes.’”
He pulled me to him. “Yes?” he asked.
“Yes,” I repeated. “I want to be with you forever.”
“Forever?”
I could not help but smile as I asked him, “Wolfram, will you marry me?”
Wolf’s lips locked on mine and between kisses, he answered with a simple, “Yes.”
It felt so good to feel his lips on mine. There was no other way to put it. It was just right.
