Rodney: Marshall’s Shadow – Jaguar Shapeshifter Romance

by Kathi S. Barton

  “What are you thinking about now?” Smiling at her momma, she told her she’d been thinking about the hospital. “Sure you were. And I’m a monkey’s aunt. Honey, we all die. I just got myself an earlier ticket than most would have.”

  “Don’t make light of this.” She told her that if she didn’t, she’d be a puddle of tears. “I know, but I don’t want you to leave me. We had so many plans, you and I. I want those memories to have after you’re gone.”

  “Let’s change the subject. Why are you thinking about this place? It’s been a nice hospital, don’t you think? I mean, I’ve not had one lick of trouble here.” She told her what she’d overheard in the cafeteria. “Oh. I’d not heard that. But then I don’t have a lot of friends coming here to visit me and bring gossip to me. What have you heard?”

  “That there was a shakeup with one of the nurses. I’m not sure what it was about, but I guess they lost about ten of them in one mass firing. Doctors too. Do you remember when we first came here that people told us about the Marshall family? I think they had something to do with it.” Momma told her that the Marshall family was some sort of big deal. “Yes. I looked them up. They’re filthy rich. I’m not sure what that means exactly, but that’s what they’ve been called by a few of the nurses. Also, I guess there is some speculation that they’re shifters. Cats.”

  “Filthy rich implies that a person’s wealth is offensive. I have no idea why someone would take exception to someone being wealthy, but that’s what it means. Thank goodness for crossword puzzles.” Her momma did love to do puzzles. Of any kind. It was something she did even now, but it took her longer because she was so weak. “You’re overthinking again.”

  “I know. It’s just really painful to know you could have been doing puzzles at home. I feel like this trip out here might have made you worse.” Momma told her what her opinion of the trip was. “I guess that is one way to look at it. At least we were at a place to take you when you got ill. It came over you so quickly.”

  “I know I’ve said this to you before, but it is what it is. I want you to realize something else, too. You’re here with me, Shannon. You could have been off to college or some job. But we had planned to spend some good time together, and we are. I will remember this when I’m looking down on you from Heaven, sweetie. You are my heart, my life.” Shannon didn’t even bother trying to hide the tears that fell this time. “If you continue to cry like that, I’m going to be all wet too.”

  They were both crying when the nurse came in to take her momma’s blood pressure. When she left, Momma closed her eyes and said she needed a nap. Momma told her to go and get something good to eat, and she’d be right there when she came back. Shannon knew it wore her out quickly when she tried to stay cheerful for her. Resolving to try and be less teary, Shannon made her way to the cafeteria to get herself something to eat.

  Not that she had a lot of experience eating in the hospital cafeteria, but she thought this one was superior in what it served up. They not only had a daily special that had been delicious every time she’d gotten it, but there was a wide selection of desserts too. Her favorite so far was the farmers peanut butter pie. She didn’t understand the title of it, but it didn’t deter her from having a piece daily when she came in.

  It was hard for her to realize she’d been here only two weeks with her momma. It seemed a lifetime ago when she’d had to pull off to the side of the road when Momma started throwing up blood. Not just a little either—a scary amount of it. The ambulance was there within minutes and rushed her momma away from her. Driving to the hospital the medics had given her directions to, her momma was already in surgery when she finally made it there.

  After the doctor said the words terminal cancer, very little else got through to her mind. Her momma had it in her bloodstream, which meant it had spread all over her body. It had taken her momma two days to recover from the loss of blood and then a couple more days for her to be able to talk to her. They had both cried that entire first day. Then Momma had gotten over it and seemed to be all right with what her body was doing to her.

  Sitting at the table by the window, Shannon watched a couple of black squirrels chase each other all around the open garden area. Someone had planted some beautiful flowers in the area, and they were happy enough to make her feel a little better by just seeing them. When a large tray was set on the other side of her, she looked at the elderly man who sat down with her.

  “Howdy, Darlin. I saw you sitting here all by your lonesome and thought I’d keep you company. I like that pie myself. Don’t rightly understand the farmer part of it—far as I know, farmers didn’t eat peanut butter—but then I’ll eat it no matter what it’s called. My name is Sheppard, but everyone calls me Grandda. What’s your name?” She told him. “Shannon is a pretty name. It is. Not as lovely as you are, but about there. You’re here with your mom. I heard the nurses telling me what wonderful people the two of you are. I’m sorry about your mom, sweetie. I truly am.”

  “Thank you.” She decided she would unload on this man. For whatever reason, when he sat down with her, she thought of him as someone she’d known forever. Friends were something she didn’t have a great deal of, and he seemed to be one. “She’s going to die. Cancer. When she got sick in my car, we were headed to Florida. To catch a cruise ship for three glorious weeks. Now I have to figure out a way for me to go on without her.”

  “You will. That’s a given, honey. I lost two loves of my life. Thought for sure I’d not want to carry on either, but I got me some grandsons and their wives that sort of bullied me into getting on with life.” He laughed. “Harris, my granddaughter-in-law, she’s a bit on the blunt side. Told me she was going to bury me alive if I just kept sitting there. She was right. Mean, but right in me not living. Now I have me a bunch of great-grandbabies and more to come.”

  “It’s just my momma and me. She had me when she was very young. Her parents kicked her out even though they knew she’d been raped.” Looking at the squirrels again, she continued with her story. “I was born on her fourteenth birthday. In all that time, she’s never once made me feel like I ruined her life. Or blamed me when her parents were willing to take her back if she were to get rid of me.”

  “Your mom, she sounds like a heck of a woman. Yessiree, a heck of a woman.” Shannon told him she thought so as well. “My grandson and his wife, they’re doctors. Rodney, he told me he hates telling people they got cancer. He told me they know it’s going to take their loved ones from them. Even his wife, Rebel, she told me it’s worse when it’s a child that is sick with it. It’s a terrible thing. I’m so sorry the two of you are going through this.”

  “I am as well.” She realized she’d eaten everything on her plate and did feel a little better for it. “You’re very good company, Sheppard. Thank you for listening to me whine. I do that. My momma told me that it’s a fact of life that we all die, but that her ticket came up sooner than she’d like. But she’s all right with it. I’m not, in case I was hiding it.”

  “You weren’t. But you weren’t whiney either. Sometimes you just need to get things off your chest, and I was here to help you along with that.” She thanked him again. “No need for that. I’m glad I could be here for you. You were looking a little off your feed, and I decided to come to see if I could help you.”

  “You did. A great deal, as a matter of fact.” The speaker buzzed, something she’d come to associate with an announcement. Waiting for the person to speak, she had a sudden feeling it had to do with her momma. “I have to go.”

  As she was racing toward the elevator, she heard the room number called with a code blue. Her heart felt heavy as she realized that not only was it her momma’s room number, but a code blue could only mean one thing. Sheppard got on the elevator with her.

  “I’m going with you. In the event you need me.” Nodding, she was crying hard when the doors opened. Knowing she’d not be able to go into the room jus
t yet, she stayed as close as they’d let her. “Darling, come over here. You’re going to be in the way.”

  “She’s dying, and she’s all alone. I told her I’d be there, and I’m not. What am I to do, Sheppard?”

  Sheppard did something for her that she would forever be grateful for. He took her hand into his and shoved his way into the room. The doctors were still working on her momma, but she took her hand into hers.

  “I love you, Momma. If you’re going to do this, it’s okay with me. Just go on and be the best angel ever.” The little blip on the machine over her head made a sudden loud noise. When the staff started to work on her again, she told them no. “She’s ready. And I can’t see her suffering anymore.”

  “Are you sure, honey?” She nodded at Sheppard when he spoke to her from behind. “Then they’ll let her go in peace.”

  Sheppard spoke to the staff there, and they went out of the room one by one. The noise was cut off at one point, and she held tighter to her momma’s hand. Talking to her, telling her what she’d had for lunch, was all she could think to say to her.

  “I met the most incredible person while away. Mr. Sheppard. I don’t know him very well, but he was there when I needed him to be. He also made it so I could be here with you now. I’m going to miss you so much, Momma.” She cried harder then, not caring one bit if anyone was judging her. Looking around, the only other person in the room with her was Sheppard. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.”

  “You’ll figure it out. And if you don’t, I’ll be right here for you.” He smiled at her. “You go on now and have yourself a talk with your momma, Shannon. She can hear you. I just know it.”

  She did what he said, telling her about the things she was going to do the rest of the day. “I know we called that funeral home to have arrangements made, but I don’t know if I have to call them or not.” Sheppard told her the staff would take care of it by coming to get her. “Good. I showed you pictures of the pretty cemetery I found for you. I love the fact that it’s so well taken care of. You’ll be the envy of all the others with the pretty tree that shades your spot.”

  She spent another hour with her momma. The funeral director must have been friends with Sheppard because she heard him tell the older man that his family was good. When she was asked if she was ready, Shannon left the room and sat in the hall with Sheppard. Leaning on his shoulder, she cried again, wondering, as she had been lately, what she was going to do now that she was all alone.

  “You must think I’m silly. I’m a grown woman, and I’m afraid like a little girl. But she’s always been with me, and now I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.” He told her she’d get to living, just as he’d done. “You’re right. Momma would be fussing at me if she were here now. She’d say, ‘Shannon, get yourself up and going before I have to kick you around.’ She never actually kicked me, but I understood that she would if I didn’t. I’m going to miss her a great deal.”

  “Well, of course, you are. But here is what you and I are going to do. I’ve been talking to my family, and I’m to invite you to my grandson’s home. We’ll have a nice dinner, and you can bunk in my house. It’s no trouble at all, so don’t be thinking I’m going to let you out of it.” Shannon didn’t understand this connection she had with this man, but she trusted him. “Then sometime tomorrow, I’m betting you’ll be able to go to Henderson’s place and make them arrangements for your momma. You’ll feel a good deal better by getting a good night’s sleep and some homemade food in your belly.”

  “Why are you being so nice to me? You don’t know me from anyone else.” He said he understood her pain. “I guess you would. More than anyone around.”

  In the end, she went to the funeral home after they left the hospital. The man there, Mr. Henderson, told her that even though everything had been arranged and paid for, it would help him a great deal if she were to answer a couple of questions.

  “She decided no service was to be held. Do you still want that for her?” She said she didn’t know, and Sheppard told the man they’d be there for her. “Very good. Also, I have you on the list for the spot next to your mother, Shannon. As soon as I have any information on that, I’ll give you a call. How long after the service are you leaving?”

  “Right away. I need to get home and finish the things there that we left to make this trip.” The thought of going back to their home was hard on her. “I don’t have much to take care of there, but I’m thinking of coming back here. To be close to her. Is there anything around here that I could rent?”

  “You let me have a look around.”

  She nodded and finished up making the rest of the arrangements. She’d not have to be back here until one tomorrow. Then the burial was right afterwards.

  Since it was so late, Sheppard asked her for a ride home. Agreeing that she’d take him, she wondered what sort of home he lived in. If she didn’t like it, she could always drive herself to a hotel. However, when she pulled up the driveway, the home in front of her looked like a luxurious five-star hotel. The house—no, mansion—was huge.

  “You live here?” He told her with a laugh that his grandson did. “My goodness, Sheppard, this is a mansion. Do the others live like this?”

  “Yes. They all have big houses. They need to get into gear and fill them up for me with babies, but I’m loving the ones I have now. Little Dru, you’ll just love him to pieces.” He got out of the car and was still talking as he went up to the front. “That there is my grandson, Rodney. That’s his mate, Rebel. You’d not believe it, but she’s—”

  “You’re Sheppard Marshall, aren’t you?” He nodded at her and asked if that was a problem. “No. I mean, it’s not a problem. But you’re a very wealthy family. Like the richest in the entire world.”

  “That don’t mean that we’re any different than most people.” Only the richest family in the world would think something like that. “You’re going to come in, aren’t you, child? I’d hate to have to send Rebel after you. She’s a little bit of a mouthy thing, but I love her to pieces.”

  Shannon really didn’t think she had a choice in the matter. When the couple came down the steps toward them, she thought she could make it to the car before they got to her. However, she didn’t count on Sheppard taking her hand into his and dragging her toward them.

  “I think there has been a little confusion.” Rebel asked her what she thought was confusing. “I thought Sheppard here was going to let me bunk in his home, and it would be a normal home.”

  “You’re going to find out, I think, that no one in this family is even remotely normal. Come on now, I have some tea for you or strong whiskey should you need that too. Later, the two of us will talk about what your future is and have a good time.” She started to ask what her future had to do with anything, but she was in the most beautiful home she’d ever seen. “It is beautiful, isn’t it? I love it here.”

  Shannon felt like the rabbit falling down the rabbit hole. As soon as she was able, she was going to smack herself in the head for being so trusting and then go back home. No one, not anyone she knew that had funds out the ass, was this nice—this generous. As soon as she could, Shannon kept telling herself, she was going to go to a hotel.

  Chapter 7

  Rodney was looking over the plans when Trenton joined him. The two of them had tried to get together twice now, and something had come up. He’d never realized how money could be so time consuming. Today he’d told his brother that he had to get the work started before fall and asked if he was able to meet him out there by the gazebo.

  “I’ve been looking over paint colors. Not that I was going to have it painted any other color but white, but I’m telling you now, Rodney, there must be two thousand colors of white.” They both laughed. “Not that many, but too many for me to just go in and pick a color. Because there are things like flat white, semi-gloss white, and so on. Christ, I just wanted to get a
good color. Not have to be stressed out over it.”

  “I’ve been looking at the original plans for this place. Someone sometime in the past has enlarged it. The thing is only supposed to be ten feet wide. But it’s about twenty now. Do you suppose that will matter to the women?” Counting off his steps, Trenton told him it was about twenty-five. “I can see that it would be wonderful to have it larger. Especially since Lach was talking about wedding pictures and such. But now that I see this, I’m thinking even that extra few feet might not fit the bill either.”

  “I was thinking the same thing. She wants benches up here too. As well as a band in the summer months. I can see it with ferns hanging from the loops here, but even that will take up more room than I think she’s thinking she’ll have.” Trenton told him he’d contact her. “That way, she can make the decision as to how wide she wants it.”

  Rodney looked at the area they were allotted to work in. There used to be all kinds of pretty flowers around here—roses, if he didn’t miss his bet. Now there was a great deal of trash lying around, as well as things on the floor of the gazebo that he didn’t want to investigate too hard. As he was thinking of how it was going to look, he saw Grandda coming toward them.

  “I saw the two of you making your way here. Whatcha doing out this late?” He told him they’d meant to get here earlier, but life got in the way. “I know that. I had me a hankering to go to get me a piece of pie today at the hospital cafeteria and met up with a little girl that lost her momma when we were talking. Poor thing. They were headed on a vacation, just the two of them. She’s at your house now, Rodney.”

  “I met her. She’s a very nice woman. A little overwhelmed, but very nice.” Grandda said he’d be that way too. “I looked over her mom’s notes, and she was very lucky to have been able to say goodbye to her family. She was riddled with cancer all over her body.”