by Sable Sylvan
Natalie looked around. All she saw was pitch black. She couldn’t even see the sky above her. The moon, whose light touched everything, did not penetrate the forest’s canopy. The only sound was the rustling of leaves underfoot.
Natalie looked forward. There was blackness everywhere. Just blackness. Then, she saw what looked like a spark.
A spark? She had to be hallucinating. Why would there be a random spark in the air?
Then, she saw another.
And another.
Soon, she saw dozens of glowing lights. They were greenish yellow sparks, like chartreuse flames, darting about. It was like there were sparks coming off of a magical invisible anvil.
“What is that?” said Natalie.
“What do you think it is?” asked Bruce.
“Fireflies,” said Natalie. “I didn’t know they had them in Washington. How did you know they would be here?”
“Shifter paths,” said Bruce. “There’s a legend among the grizzlies of these parts. Something about a Star Mother bear, drawing paths for the shifters with fireflies. The paths are said to guide the grizzlies home. The grizzlies run through these woods, along the paths, which is why they end up being so clear of branches, at least, close the ground.”
“Or, in this case, the koalas,” said Zach. “You can let them land on you. They won’t burn.”
Zach came to a stop and kept perfectly still. Natalie followed suit, not moving a muscle, and just watching the fireflies. By now, they were in the deepest part of the sprinkle of fireflies. The fireflies were swirling around them, like an aurora borealis on land, blinking on and off.
“I think we’re not the only ones mating tonight,” said Bruce. “Those flickers are part of their mating rituals. It’s the circle of life, baby, and we’re all part of it.”
“That’s their mating ritual?” asked Natalie.
“You better believe it,” said Zach. “Many animals have mating rituals. After all, isn’t the point of existence finding your true love? Fun fact, group of fireflies is called a sprinkle.”
“A sprinkle,” said Natalie. “Huh. What does that make us?”
“A trio, a menage, a household,” said Zach. “There’s many words for it, but the words don’t really matter. What matters is we found each other, and we have Fate to thank for that.”
“I guess we have something in common with the fireflies after all,” said Natalie. “Plus, they glow to attract mates, and you two, well…what would you call what you were doing at Bear Buns if not practically glowing? You two know how to light up a room and put on a show, just like these lightning bugs. Maybe you two are part firefly.”
A firefly landed on Natalie’s hand, right on her ring finger. It glowed bright and stayed there for a while. The firefly was joined by some friends, which formed an arc over Natalie’s finger, like a wedding band.
“What does it mean?” asked Natalie.
“Some say that the fireflies are connected to Fate, that they can send us omens,” said Zach. “I don’t know about all that, though.”
“All I know is, Fate brought us together,” said Bruce. “That’s the most any of us can ask for. You ready to go back to your place?”
“Yeah, I am super tired,” admitted Natalie. “I don’t want to leave the fireflies, but…”
“We can always come back to revisit them,” promised Bruce.
The trio moved out of the firefly’s hidden festival and walked through the dark woods. Finally, Natalie saw beams of moonlight streaming through the trees. They were out of the densest part of the forest, away from the fireflies. Soon, she could spot cars.
Zach carried Natalie on his shoulders all the way back to the parking lot. They got back into the car. Bruce took the driver’s seat this time. Natalie yawned more than a few times on the car ride back. Bruce and Zach parked the car at Natalie’s apartment, and Bruce carried her up the stairs fireman-style because she was so sleepy.
“All tuckered out?” asked Zach.
“Yeah,” said Natalie with a yawn. “You two know how to treat a woman.”
As Zach tucked Natalie into bed, Bruce went to take a quick shower.
“Is there anything I can get you?” asked Zach. “Hot milk? A bicky?”
“My heart,” said Natalie.
“Your what now?” asked Zach.
“My heart, the silver box on my dresser, shaped like a heart,” said Natalie. “Bring it here.”
Zach retrieved the box for Natalie.
Natalie held the box in her hands. It took two hands to the hold the box as it was very large, not a mere box made for show. The box was heavy, and she could feel that there were things inside of it, although of course, she had never shaken the box. It was silver, ornate, and only slightly tarnished with age. The tarnish made the details stand out even more. The box had been passed down to her by her grandmother, in her grandmother’s will. She’d never opened the box. She’d never been able to bring herself to do it
“Are you sure you’re ready?” asked Zach.
“Ready for what?” asked Bruce, coming out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist.
“I’m gonna open the box,” said Natalie. “Bruce…be a dear and help me take my necklace off.”
Natalie sat up and Bruce pushed her hair aside, unlatching the necklace and gently placing it in Natalie’s hand.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” asked Bruce.
“Yes,” said Natalie. “I want to know what’s inside. I feel like tonight, I’ve gone bungee jumping with you two…well, now I’m ready to try skydiving. The fireflies, they must’ve been an omen, another message from Fate. I’ve already resisted Fate once, and she still gave me a second chance. Let’s not be greedy and ask for a third.”
Natalie placed the key in the box for the first time. A part of her was worried the box wouldn’t open. She turned the key gently. She heard a click. She opened the box.
Inside the heart shaped box were letters. They were addressed to her, and each was for a different event: for birthdays, for graduation, and even for major life milestones. Each letter was in a specially marked envelope.
Natalie sorted through the letters. One of the letters made her take a pause.
“What does it say?” asked Zach.
“It says… ‘For when you find love,’” said Natalie. “That’s…today. Fate must have something up her sleeve.”
“Are you gonna open it?” asked Bruce.
“Of course,” said Natalie. She gently opened the envelope, which was sealed with some colored tape. She pulled out the letter.
It was short, on a lined card.
“ ‘This was given to me by my grandmother, and I knew that one day, I would give it to my granddaughter. One day, you will give it to yours. You’ve met your perfect match. Now, what are you waiting for? You’ll know what to do,’ “ said Natalie. “I’ll know what to do?”
Natalie emptied the envelope out. Inside, there was something she would’ve recognized anywhere. It was her grandmother’s ring. It was art deco style, with a silver setting, and a large cushion cut diamond in the center, flanked by triangular and prism cut diamonds. Neither the stones nor the metals were the best quality, but that didn’t matter. The ring was priceless because it had belonged to her granny.
A drop of water hit the note. Natalie was crying, but she was not crying tears of sadness. No, they were tears of relief and joy. The events of the last few months had been intense. Every good time was followed by an intrusive thought about how the Aussies would surely break up with her. Every gentle caress was met with longing and worry. Natalie had finally learned to do what Diane had told her to do, to be vulnerable, and in doing so, she had become stronger than ever.
“Bruce, Zach,” said Natalie, pulling both of them in for a hug. “I would never have had the key to open my heart if it wasn’t for you two…nor would I have had my courage. Thank you for giving me the strength to take back what was mine, and to open my heart to you two.”
&n
bsp; Chapter Nine
Three Months Later
Once Bruce and Zach had shown Natalie their loving skills, Natalie became a lot more confident. Assured that she was Bruce and Zach’s fated mate, she was able to let herself be loved by the two men that she was proud to call her fated mates. Over the next few months, they spent valuable bonding time in and out of the bedroom and even went to Diane’s wedding. Because Diane had hooked the three of them up, they made sure to get her an awesome wedding present as a thank you gift…albeit from a store off their registry, namely, the kinky sex shop that Diane was known to frequent. It was a St. Andrew’s cross with an accessories kit so that Jacob could treat Diane like the princess she was…while being the total dragon he was. Diane and her mate Jacob loved it because when Diane was tied up, there was nothing she could do but let her dragon ‘eat her up.’
A weekly tradition had started at Bear Buns. On Saturday mornings, after the long Friday shows, the staff and dancers would all meet up to have a brunch. After all, Friday was their busiest day for business, and they all needed a way to unwind. It was done pot-luck style, with every group bringing different food each week. This time, it was the koala trio’s turn to bring the pastries. They’d stopped by the Bear Claw Bakery on the way to the club, picked up the weekly order, and headed to the club.
The club was bustling with activity. All the new recruits needed new sets and new props for their shows. After all, the loyal fans didn’t want repeats of the same shows over and over. They wanted brand new stuff, and Bear Buns was gonna give it to them. After all, they couldn’t rest on their laurels just because they’d hooked up a few dozen couples. There were countless shifters out there looking for their fated mates, and Bear Buns intended to do something about it.
All the familiar faces were there. Over the past few months, Natalie had gotten to know more of the club members, as well as their fated mates. Once a dancer found a partner (or not), they were obviously free to leave the club, but most stayed on so that they could help people find their true loves at Bear Buns. Bear Buns was practically family by that point, and family stuck together. Bruce and Zach still danced in a few shows, but they were actively looking for their replacements, ideally another pair of koalas. They had become the international recruiters for Bear Buns, a role that they took to like, well, a platypus to water!
“We’re putting together a new cocktail and food menu,” said Bruce.
“We’re redoing the decor too. Wanna come look at it?” asked Zach.
“Uh, duh, of course!” said Natalie, with a wide grin on her face. If somebody had told her she’d care about strip club decor last year, she would’ve laughed in their face, but now, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Zach took Natalie by the hand as she got out of her chair and Bruce took her other hand. They led her from the backstage area, full of hustling and bustling, to the main stage.
“Woah,” said Natalie. “It’s…it’s really something.”
Natalie, Bruce, and Zach had entered through the back of the house that day, carrying pastries from the staff parking lot in the back of Bear Buns to the backstage area, so Natalie hadn’t had a chance to see what had changed yet.
The Bear Buns main stage area was truly a sight to behold. The previous decor had been done up in white, black, rose gold and aqua blue. The VIP area had special tables with poles on them for private table dances, while most of the tables consisted of collapsible chairs with fancy seat covers alongside round folding tables.
Now, the decor was jewel toned. There were rich amethyst tufted Chesterfield sofas with jade green translucent tables to hold beverages. There were lush mahogany tables, as red as rubies, with sapphire blue arm chairs. The bar, which previously had a modern look, with lots of black, chrome, and faceted glass, had been replaced with deep hardwood paneling and emerald green felt bar stools, with soft golden warm lighting rather than chilly blue light. Even the air freshener had changed. Before, a sweet lavender and Marionberry smell were part of the ambiance. Now, there was a warm vanilla and caramel scent in the air.
“Things really are changing at Bear Buns,” said Natalie. “Change is good, right?”
“Yes, change is good. Other things are changing, too,” said Zach.
“Or, at least, they will be,” said Bruce.
“What do you mean?” asked Natalie.
“Maybe it’s best if we just show you,” said Zach.
He took Natalie by the hand and led her backstage. Bruce walked ahead of them.
In the backstage area, the buffet had been cleared. Instead, their friends were in a circle, all holding bottles of champagne.
“What’s all this for?” asked Natalie.
“We have a surprise for you,” said Zach.
Bruce was holding out a box. It was large and wrapped. Natalie had thought it was just a prop for the show, but apparently, it was for her.
“For me?” asked Natalie. “It’s not my birthday or anything.”
“No, it’s not,” said Bruce. “It’s a much more important day.”
Natalie opened the box. The boys hadn’t thought to torture her with multiple layers of wrapping paper. The cardboard box had a lid that she was able to easy lift off of the box.
Inside the box was a familiar face. With a yellow bill, brown body, and two big black eyes shining and staring up at her, it was hard to believe that she was seeing what she was seeing. It was a stuffed plush platypus that had meant the world to her, given to her by the two men that were now her entire world.
“Patrick! How did you find him?” asked Natalie.
“We called your mum, talked to her, and figured out which hospital Patrick had been sent to,” said Zach. “She gave us a photo of Patrick so we could identify him.”
“Then, we took a road trip to go to the hospital,” said Bruce. “It was that weekend we told you that we were dancing in Idaho for the troops.”
“The doll hospital had moved spaces,” explained Zach. “They’d moved around the time your plush had been sent in.”
“So, we went to the old location,” said Bruce. “It had new owners and was a laundromat. They said there had been some boxes left behind by the doll hospital people.”
“There, in one of the boxes, was Patrick,” said Zach. “Then, all we had to do was fix Patrick up.”
“Obviously, after the mixup at the doll hospital, we wanted to do it ourselves,” said Bruce.
“I can’t sew, so Bruce handled all the sewing,” said Zach sheepishly. Natalie looked at Bruce. Imagining her big, strong jackaroo sewing, a toy platypus was hilarious. She couldn’t help but give a big goofy grin.
“It was no problem, and I was even able to add a little something extra,” said Bruce. “There’s a pocket now.”
“A pocket?” asked Natalie. She turned Patrick over. There was a small pocket, and something was inside it. She pulled it out.
Inside was a black velvet box. What could be inside? It was obvious. It had to be a ring.
Zach gently took the box from Natalie. Bruce and Zach each got down on one knee. Zach opened the box.
Inside was her grandmother’s ring, the one that she’d left her in the heart shaped box.
“Natalie, we’re proposing to you here, in front of all our friends, because if it weren’t for this club, we never would’ve met you,” said Bruce.
“Natalie, this ring represents the way that we found you again, and most importantly, the way that we earned a chance to date you,” said Zach. “It was your grandmother’s, and it has always been your birthright…but will you allow this ring to become a symbol of the love the three of us share as well?”
“Natalie Westfield, you are an amazing woman, and we want to share the rest of our lives with you…and your platypus,” said Zach. “Will you do us the great honor of becoming our wife?”
“Yes, yes, a million times, yes!” said Natalie.
Zach and Bruce got up off the floor, and both kissed Natalie deeply, Zach first, then Bruce. All
the bottles of champagne were popped, covering the future bride and her future grooms in rose petals instead of champagne foam.
“Bruce, Zach…” said Natalie. “I only have one question for you two.”
“Anything for you,” said Bruce.
“My question is…can we honeymoon in Australia?” asked Natalie. “You’ve seen my world, now, I wanna see yours.”
“Of course we can,” said Zach. “But first…we have a wedding to plan.”
Epilogue
Three Months Later
With Fate confirming Natalie had found her fated mates, and with a ring on her finger, Natalie was confident in the strength of her relationship. Although her parents were shocked to find that she had found not just a boyfriend, but two fiancés, once they learned that the koalas had retrieved her grandma’s silver key and stuck it to Randall all in one go, the koalas were accepted as family. Their Aussie charm didn’t hurt things either. The cuddly koalas were great with kids and adults alike. If being Shanghai’d into being babysitters was the worst rite of passage into her family that Bruce and Zach had to pass, they’d do it with gusto. It was the least they could do to make Natalie happy.
Randall never contacted Natalie about the key. Whether or not he realized that the key had been stolen remained a mystery, but one thing was for certain. Natalie was never about to let that rat bastard in her life again. After all, she now knew she was worth so much more, that she was worth two men that were both twice the man Randall was, both in character and in the pants.
Natalie and the koalas held her bachelorette party at Bear Buns. It was an all-out bash, with all of Natalie’s single female friends meeting shifters at the club. A tradition started in her clique: everyone’s bachelorette party would be held at Bear Buns to help someone find their fated mate.
Speaking of Bear Buns, the winds of change were a-blowin’. The Bear Buns club had grown at an extraordinary rate, the club becoming a cultural phenomenon. There were dozens of qualified shifters looking to start dancing at Bear Buns, and the club could only take a certain number of dancers without violating the fire code. That’s why there was only one thing Bear Buns could do: expand. A new club was being established in Denver, Colorado, with clubs in other major cities being discussed in hushed whispers backstage. The story of Bear Buns was far from over. After all, there were still single shifters out there, looking for a fated mate of their own…or to share.
