by Abigail Owen
She wore a jean jacket over her light blue t-shirt, shrugging off Cass's concerns about her attire. "I've gotten used to the dry heat in Arizona—couldn't wear anything else, not for traveling! Don't worry, I've got a sweater or two in here."
The light talk calmed Cass's nervous stomach, settling the invisible butterflies down as she led Jean out to the parking lot. Soon they were on the highway, heading down to home.
They turned the last corner onto the dead-end street, the tires slipping a bit on the snow-covered road.
The house was there and...
Alec was on the front porch, bundled up with a tiny snowman in his arms—Michael flapping his arms in the bright red snowsuit and already babbling as they pulled up.
Jean leaped from the car as soon as they stopped, charging toward the baby with a smile so wide Cassie was sure her face would break.
"Oh, look at you!" She gushed as Alec handed him over. "You've gotten so big!" Jean smiled at Alec and Cassie saw a bit of the frostiness chip away. "Thanks."
"He must have a psychic connection to you." Alec tucked his hands into the top pockets of his jeans. "Started fussing and crawling toward the door only a few minutes ago. Figured he knew you were coming, so..."
Jean let out a low whistle as a cold wind swept over them. "I'm ready to pull out my cardigan."
Cassie handed Alec the single luggage bag from out of the back seat, giving him a grateful smile.
"Come on in—I've got fresh coffee waiting." He motioned them inside, Jean cooing over Michael. "And some apple strudel picked up from the diner for a snack."
Within the hour, Alec had broken Jean down with a friendly, cheerful welcome offensive that would have charmed the pants off any woman. As it was, her aunt couldn't help blushing and grinning—especially when Michael, babbling and waving his hands, pulled himself up on the end of the coffee table and let out a scream of delight, drawing everyone's attention.
Cassie held her breath as he launched himself at the sofa, the awkward steps turning into a run as he headed for Alec—Jean sitting beside him, eyes widening as she witnessed a major moment in Michael's life.
His first steps...
Michael charged into Alec's arms with a piercing yell, babbling frantically.
Alec roared as he picked up his son, swinging him high into the air as Jean squealed with excitement, clapping her hands.
Tears clouded Cassie's vision as she took hold of the nearby chair to steady herself, wallowing in the pride and joy circling around the room.
Alec put Michael down, letting out another shout of pride.
Michael gave a good impression of his father's cry as he sat down on the floor with a thump, his diaper taking the brunt of the impact.
Cassie blinked, seeing something stick out of the top of the baby's pants—he wore jeans and a t-shirt.
Was that...
She glanced at Alec in shock before reaching for Michael, her heart racing.
Alec winced, closing his eyes with an angry shake of his head—likely berating himself for not taking the pelt away. They'd had a swim together in the tub that morning, all three of them racing around the house in otter form. She'd thought about plucking it from Michael, but had been distracted by worrying about the airport traffic.
Too late.
10
With a high-pitched shout, Michael shifted into a baby otter, sliding out of his clothing with ease.
Oh... damn.
Letting out a loud rolling yelp, Michael ran around the couch, then up onto Alec's legs—jumping over into Jean's lap as the older woman sat there, eyes going wide.
Michael rolled onto his back and chittered, pawing the air with his tiny hands.
Jean, to her credit, didn't jump up. She didn't scream, she didn't swat the tiny creature in her lap.
She fainted, slumping back against the cushions.
"Aunt J!" Cassie jumped forward as Alec scooped the baby animal from the unconscious woman's legs. She sat next to Jean, lightly tapping her face. "Oh, God—if she has a heart attack..."
"You take care of her. I'll take care of him." Alec headed up the stairs with Michael, cursing under his breath.
Cassie checked her aunt's pulse—strong and steady. She stroked Jean's cheek, pulling back the black cardigan to rub her arm.
"Come on, wake up. Come on..."
She let out a sigh of relief as Jean's eyelids fluttered, then opened. She sat up with a start, nails digging into Cassie's thigh.
"What..." She gasped, her gaze darting around the room. "Where is he..."
"Michael?" Cassie answered before her aunt could say more. "He's going down for a nap. Got tired, taking his first steps. And you were here to witness it." She couldn't keep the joy out of her words—after all, it had happened. "Dad would be so happy."
"I saw..." She put one palm to her forehead. "I thought..."
Alec came down the stairs. "He's sound asleep. Couldn't keep his eyes open." He knelt down by the sofa, next to Jean. "Are you all right? Cassie said not to call 911, but..."
Jean shook her head, pressing one palm to her forehead. "I must have zoned out or something. Maybe the flight was a bit too much for me."
Cassie touched her arm, hating herself for the lie. "You must have. Why don't you go upstairs to bed, catch your breath? It's barely noon—you can have a nap and be up for dinner. Jet lag and all."
Jean got up, assisted by Alec. "Yes, that's probably it. A short rest and I'll be fine."
"Here." He offered her his arm. "Let me get you settled."
Cassie stayed seated as he escorted her out of the room and up the stairs.
She pressed a hand to her heart, willing away the ache.
Lying to her friends was hard enough. Lying to family...
Alec came down a few minutes later, a soft smile on his face. "She's already asleep. Passed out as soon as her head hit the pillow—likely a combination of the jet lag and shock doing a job on her. Not surprising, really."
"I don't—" She steadied herself. "I don't like lying to her. She's all the family I have left. I've always been honest with her and this, this would change everything."
"This'll change everything no matter what you do." Alec sat down beside her. "Do you want to tell her?"
"I don't know," Cassie said. "Part of me wants to, but the other... I'm afraid she'll freak out."
He took her hand. "I don't think it'd be a good idea to tell her, but if you want to, I'm open to trying it your way." Alec hesitated. "Just think about what could happen. If she believes you, if she doesn't believe you. How it could work out." He tilted his head, eyeing her. "This is a bomb we'll have to defuse, one way or another."
Cassie fell silent, her mind racing.
It wasn't until early evening that Jean came back out, covering her mouth as she yawned. "My goodness, I did need that nap." She smiled at Michael, playing with his toys as he sat in the middle of the living room.
Alec looked up from the fireplace, putting the iron poker back into the holder. "Glad you're up. Cassie was just about to go in and get you—dinner's almost ready. After that, we can turn on the television and watch the fireworks all night around the world until it's our turn."
"Good." She sat down on the sofa and watched the baby. "I can't believe I had that... issue earlier. Never happened to me before. Could be time for me to start watching my long trips more, be careful where I go and how tired I get."
Cassie wiped her hands on a towel, having watched the discussion from the kitchen. She hung up the towel and advanced on the couch.
"Got a lovely beef stew finishing up on the stove. Be ready soon enough." She sat next to her aunt, trying to banish the flock of butterflies clogging her throat. "How are you feeling?"
"Good. Pretty good," Jean replied. "Like I was telling Alec—I've obviously hit the age when I've got to rest up after these trips." She shook her head.
"Because you—" Cassie prompted.
"Because I get out of sorts and see odd things." Jean
laughed, taking Cass's hand and squeezing it. "Imagine me, thinking your son went and turned into a weasel."
"Otter," Cassie corrected her automatically. "An otter."
"I guess." Jean's forehead furrowed as she studied Cassie's face. "Is there a difference?"
"Actually, yes." Alec, sitting in the chair opposite the pair, nodded. "Very much so." He watched Cassie, letting her take the lead.
"Aunt Jean." Cassie paused, searching for the words that had seemed so easy to say earlier in the day, practicing in the kitchen as she prepared the stew. "Michael—he's not like other babies. He's special."
"Of course, he is." An odd look flitted across the woman's face. "Oh, goodness... is he sick? Does he have some disability?" Her attention went to the baby, still sitting on the carpet and presently chewing on the stuffed dolphin's tail. "What's wrong with him?"
"Nothing," Alec said, a bit too quickly and with a bit too much bite. "Nothing at all."
Jean drew back, frowning.
Cassie shot him an angry glare before turning to her aunt. "What I mean is that he's unique. He's got something special, inherited from Alec."
The older woman blinked. "What? An extra toe? Mole?" She looked at Alec. "Forgive me, I'm not quite understanding this. Perhaps if you made it clearer..."
Alec stood up and began unbuttoning his shirt, prompting something akin to a peep from Jean, her eyes going wide.
Cassie put out her hand, cocking her head to one side with a raised eyebrow.
Alec stopped, and sat on the floor next to Michael. The baby reacted with a laugh and climbed into his father's lap, swinging the stuffed animal around.
"Could be easier to explain with Michael." She nodded at Alec.
He withdrew the small otter pelt from his pocket and handed it to his son. Michael immediately grabbed the fur square and pressed it to his neck with a smirk.
Before Cassie could blink twice, the baby otter was back—scampering over Alec's shoulders and legs.
Jean's nails dug into Cassie's leg, trying to dig through the jeans and failing. It still hurt like hell, however, prompting Cassie to put her hand atop her aunt's in an attempt to calm her down.
"What..." She let her breath out slowly, staring at Michael. "Who..."
"It's Michael. It's still Michael," Cassie said quickly, hoping she'd chosen the right path. "He's got an ability, a skill."
"He can change into an otter," Jean murmured.
"Yes." The tight knot around Cassie's heart loosened, just a bit. "He got it from his father."
"Ah." Jean looked at Alec. "I guess you can do this too?"
"I can." He gave her a half-smile as Michael scampered up and over his shoulders again. "This is how she found me on Christmas Eve, two years ago. I was on the shore, injured. She took me in, cared for me." Alec stroked his son's back. "The rest, well… you know."
Jean chuckled, a tinge of nervousness in her words. "Cass's been doing that since she was little—always bringing in wounded animals for her mom to take care of. Even if they weren't hurt, just lost." She drew a staggered breath. "She's always had a big heart."
"Yes. Yes, she does." Alec took hold of Michael and pointed the four-footed creature at them. "Go visit your mommy and great auntie. I'm going to join you in a minute."
As Michael did so, Alec got to his feet and stepped toward the bathroom.
Jean let out a sharp giggle as the baby jumped into her lap. He spun around until he fell over and exposed his belly to her, tiny paws waving in the air in an obvious begging for a tummy rub.
"My goodness," she replied. "I didn't think you could become any cuter, but..." She stroked the fur, earning a happy squeal.
A larger, older otter scampered out of the bathroom and moved to the center of the room. He stood up on his hind legs and waved at Jean.
"Alec," she said. It was more of a statement than a question.
"Yes." Cassie said, comfortable with the admission. "He left before he knew I was pregnant with Michael; left to find a way I could be with him, be like him."
"Did he? Find a way?" Jean stared at her, the gentle smile soothing away all of Cass's worries.
"Yes."
"Wonderful." She drew a deep breath and nodded. "Why don't you show me?"
Jean kept playing with the baby otter in her lap as Cassie went into the bathroom and shifted, joining Alec on the carpet. He chirped and curled around her, hugging her as they watched Jean play with their son.
The uneasiness Cass felt all day fell away, seeing her aunt's response.
Jean studied the two of them. "You two look perfect together." She nudged the baby otter in her lap. "But no one's cuter than you are, right?"
Michael changed back, letting out a hungry wail as he curled into his great aunt's arms.
"I think he's hungry." She cradled the baby. "And he definitely needs a diaper now." Jean stroked the tiny pelt covering his lower half. "Don't think this'll do the job."
Fifteen minutes later, Michael sat in the rocking chair with Alec, happily taking a bottle. Cassie sat on the couch with Jean.
"So—" She started. "I wasn't sure how you were going to take this, how you would even begin to understand. But..."
Cass paused as Jean raised her hand, silencing her.
The older woman closed her eyes, various emotions flitting across her face as her forehead furrowed. The deep sigh came from down inside her, a weary sort of groan Cassie hadn't heard before.
"I've seen and heard a lot of things in my time. This is the strangest, I'll admit that." The senior opened her eyes and stared at her. "Can't deny what I've seen with my own eyes. Not going to." She drew a deep breath. "This is what you were talking about, where you were planning to go when you left, then." She nodded toward the fireplace and the man sitting in the chair. "With him. And Michael. To go wherever he went to, wherever his kind go."
"I'd like to," Cassie said. "I love him and you know how much I love Michael."
"You should. You do." Jean nodded, blinking away tears. "I don't want to lose him. Or you. Or Alec."
"You won't." Cassie grabbed her hands. "I just... we want to go visit his world for a bit, be with his people. His family."
Jean nodded. "As you should." She looked over at Alec. "I'm sorry for insinuating you were a bad father—or that you'd put them in any danger."
"No need to apologize." Alec put the bottle down, shifting the sleepy baby in his arms. "You were doing what you thought was right, protecting your family. I can't blame you for that." He smiled. "Shows me where Cass got it from."
She gave a shake of her head. "I never thought... Nick was a good man, a great father. Patricia, the same—your mother loved you so much." Her attention returned to Cassie. "I think they'd be happy for you. A good son, a good husband." She drew a deep breath. "So, what can I help you with to help make this happen?"
"First... celebrate the New Year with us." Cassie smiled. "I've got some fine liquor in the kitchen, and Alec made some delicious snacks. As soon as Michael goes down, we'll settle in to have a nice evening together and talk things over."
"And tomorrow..." Jean prompted.
"Tomorrow is a new year. A new day." Cass took her hand and squeezed it lightly. "A new life."
It was New Year's Day, early in the morning—when everyone would still be asleep or too drunk to sleep, making every and anything seen open to interpretation.
Jean stood on the river bank, arms filled with the plastic bags of clothing. She'd carefully diverted her eyes when Alec and Cassie stripped down, her attention on Michael who had already shifted and was busy scurrying around her feet, rolling and playing in the snow.
"I'll see you in three months, exactly to the day," she said as Michael ran over to Cassie, letting out excited chirps. "Don't worry—I'll lock up the house and tell everyone you're on a trip, going off the grid. It won't be a lie, after all. I'll come back and open things up at the start of April, be waiting for you right here with your clothing. Danny'll keep an eye on your pl
ace, along with Veronica. Nothing'll happen while you're gone."
She leaned down and wagged a finger at Alec. "I'm trusting you to bring my niece and your son back home safe and sound. Don't make me come after you."
Alec rose up on his hind legs and kissed her cheek, the whiskers brushing against her skin.
Jean giggled and pulled back. "If you have an older uncle, maybe send him my way?" She grinned. "I don't mind moving closer to the water. Arizona was getting boring anyway."
Alec ran to the edge of the river, Michael close behind.
Cassie paused, a quiver of fear running through her body. Her paws dug into the soft soil, clutching at the cold dirt.
Jean knelt down beside her. "Listen. I know you're a bit scared. Can't blame you—this is one hell of an adventure you're about to go on. But you've got too much inside you to spend it here. Years ago, you found love right here, on this river bank—and now you've got a chance to follow it home." She patted Cassie's head. "I'll be here when you come back. Go now... and have a marvelous time."
Cassie kissed Jean's cheek before running to the edge of the river. Alec had already slipped into the water and was busy playing with Michael.
"See you soon." Jean waved with one hand, clutching the bags of clothing in the other. "Just be careful. Don't eat any bad oysters!"
Cassie took a deep breath and dove under the water, love filling her heart as she swam over to Alec and Michael.
"I love you," Alec said, rolling onto his back and stretching out his paw. "I can't wait to show you everything."
She took it, copying him move for move. Michael swam around them, letting out cheerful chirps and barks as her and Alec bobbed in the water.
The current pulled them out into the center of the river, giving her a view of the snow-covered trees along the riverbank. Jean got smaller and smaller as they floated down the river, until they rounded a bend, and she vanished from sight.
"Whenever you're ready." Alec squeezed her paw. "Just say the word."
