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Siblings - The Series

Episode Thirteen

© 2016 Carlos Penguin

"Hey duuuuude, how are ya hanging in there?" Tonya asked Gary, compassionately curious over their regular Saturday morning 'One World' Skype meeting.

He gave a long sigh. "Worried, to sum it up."

"Kiana tells me that Marie is bunking with Elise and Ethan. She's probably finally realized that she needed to get out." There was some uncomfortable silence as she saw Gary still wasn't smiling behind his mountain-man like beard. "It doesn't feel good now, but you got through to her when no one else could."

Gary rubbed his face. "Instinct says I should go see her, but logic says she needs time to think."

"I concur with the logic. Give her some time." Tonya replied.

Gary nodded, but didn't feel any better. "Doing the right thing is difficult. Emotions are shitty."

Tonya nodded in agreement. "Tell me about it..." She gave a frustrated growl and pulled at her hair. "That squirrel won't get out of my head! I'm having trouble focusing on the course and this damn room mate and... and...." Gary saw something he never had seen before from his long friend - she began to cry.

Finally smiling, he said, "She can't get out of your head, because she isn't there - she's lodged in your heart."

Tonya wiped her eyes with a tissue, "I don't want to fall in love. I can't. School... career... travel... but I am!" She said the last words in a helpless whine. "Call you... back..." She squeaked and terminated the connection.

Gary was still smiling at the now blank screen. "Cupid's arrow missed me and gotcha good, Ton." He said and closed his laptop.

Sliding off the stool, he went to plug in the kettle for a pot of tea when a knock came at the door.

"Parts!" He smiled and went to the door, then remembered it was Saturday - no courier.

Opening the door, he was surprised to see Marie's dad standing there, propping himself up on his cane with Delia beside him.

"Fuzzy man!" She squealed happily and opened her arms.

Gary's heart warmed as he picked the little wolfess up in his arms. She immediately twirled his beard in her fingers and gently pulled at it, fascinated with the texture of 'human fur'.

"You've made my day a whole lot brighter, Mr. Deans." Gary smiled. "Come in."

The ragged wolf hobbled in through the door. He looked around at the messy condition of Gary's flat and gave a 'humph'.

"Yeah, a typical bachelor pad, I'm afraid." Gary said apologetically, sensing his disapproval.

Mr. Deans smiled and cocked his head, "Not typical, young man. I see a definite lack of girly posters on the walls, pizza boxes and beer bottles lying about."

Gary gave a scoff. "Not much of a fan for rodents and cockroaches, so I clean up any food. And I don't drink. Well, other than a beer with friends now and then. As for girly posters, well, that's what the net is for."

The wolf's piercing eyes considered Gary's response for a moment. "Good! Tells me I've made the right decision."

"Decision?" Gary said, curious.

With his free hand, he cleaned off room at his counter and offered Mr. Deans a stool. He politely shook his head in decline, but Delia took it and immediately picked up one of the tools he moved aside, examining it.

"Yes!" He replied and rocked about as if mustering the will to explain. "I have no idea where my daughter has gone off to. I was hoping to find her here."

Gary didn't want to get into details at that moment, "I haven't seen her." He said, casually.

"I bet." Mr. Deans said, knowing they had an argument. "Without Marie around, my little Delia is left to the care of my son and his cousin when my wife and I are out. You saw first hand what they are like. So I want to ask you something.... if something happens to us, will you be her guardian?"

Gary was stunned. He knew of the Deans' disdain for humans and they just met him once. Could things be so bad in their family that he would risk asking someone practically a stranger for such an important obligation?

"I... don't know what to say?" Gary said in shock and disbelief. "I mean, isn't there family of yours much better suited to...."

"No!" Mr. Deans said abruptly. "No, there is not." He repeated gently, then paced around in a small circle. "I'm a first generation of 'free' anthro and one of the last to be released from the confines. I have no direct family. Same with my wife."

"But, Lydia is cousin to your son?" Gary interrupted, puzzled.

"She's our 'cousin' in that her family was from the same confine at Bainbridge. We're from the same genetic lineage as the other wolf-human hybrids." He studied Gary's expression and continued, "I want Delia to be away from all that. I would like her to be like the other, young anthropomorphs who are a generation or two detached from our origins. My wife and I, we can't let go. She deserves better. And you, your group, your way of thinking about integration rather than isolation.... that is what she really needs."

"She really clings to Marie." Gary said. "I don't know if we'll be getting back together."

"Marie will find her own way." The elderly wolf said with a confident smile. "She is subconsciously torn between our world and yours." He nodded, "She will chose yours, eventually. But she isn't ready. You are."

Gary wondered if he knew of an illness he had and wasn't telling anyone. He could sure use his friend Tonya's advice right now.

"I accept." He said and extended his hand.

--

Marie opened her eyes, but the bad dream had not ended. The bright lights of the hospital room were off and the room was lit with the natural light of sunset creeping in through the wire reinforced security window.

Unlike before, she was not bound. The door was also unlocked and open slightly. She sat up, feeling anxious, but not frightened. She wanted more information, confusion being her predominant emotion.

"Hello?" She called out.

Her sensitive canine ears heard the shuffle of shoes heading in the direction of her room. Doctor Grove peeked in, then opened the door. He smiled and said in a gentle voice, "Good evening Miss Deans. Or is is Ms. Deans?"

"Just Marie, please." She replied melancholic. "Why is it I'm here again? I remember a police man, but it seemed like so long ago."

The doctor entered the room and sat down beside her, leaning over her bed. "In a moment, but first, how do you feel?"

She bobbed here head from side to side, "Better then before, I guess. Not totally scared any more."

The doctor nodded. "I gave you a sedative. Not enough to incapacitate you, just relax your anxiety. You've had a hell of a day."

Marie gave a chuckle, "Apparently so. I hope I didn't hurt anyone."

Dr. Grove shook his head. "Not severely. More bruised egos than anything." He leaned back in the chair and bowed his head, as if pondering the best way to form his words. He looked back at her and smiled empathetic, "I have been told that you have had a very difficult time. At home and with life in general." He put his hands up and slapped his knees, "I'm very impressed, actually. Most people would have been far worse off."

She rubbed her face, "You seem to know a lot about me. Did you talk to Elise?"

"No." He smiled. "Your fiancée. He seems to care a lot about you."

Marie stared blankly and blinked, "My.... fiancée?" She almost was about to say she didn't have one, but had enough wits about her to take the opportunity. "Is he still here? Can... I see him?"

"He left some time ago, but I will have the nurse call him." He got up from his chair, "Rest up tonight. We have work to do tomorrow."

Marie's anxiety returned. "Why? What's tomorrow?"

"Well, now that I know the situation, I will assess you, then see what I can do to get you out of here. Confining you will likely exasperate your condition."

Al arrived back at the flat a few hours later with some takeout. "Hey hon, can't remember what you liked for Chinese food, but I had a craving." He held up the containers.

Cerise smiled, having taken out some chicken, but upon seeing she didn't have to prepare it, returned it to the refrigerator. "My Prince! You have read my mind? I was going to makes ze stir fry!" She kissed him and took the containers.

"So, how did eet goes?" She asked as she took two plates from the cupboard.

Al put his arms around her. "I have wonderful, accepting friends."

"Oh, I knew zat." She said sweetly. "How do you feels?"

Al paused, thinking how best to answer. "Comin' to terms. Thinkin' ... nah, knowing I'm straight, but willin' to try new things."

Still in his arms, she turned around and put hers around him, "Do nots do anything for me. Be comfortable with yourself."

"Oh, I am, hon." He replied. "I'm thinkin' I just have this crazy fetish for fennecs."

"Ees zat so!" She giggled. "So, I lose you to ze younger, prettier vixen that struts her tail under your nose?"

He shook his head. "I like what I got here. Appreciate your head all screwed on right."

"You flatter me." She said sweetly and kissed him, knowing he wasn't just placating her feelings.

As if on cue in a badly written drama, Al's phone rang. "Y'ello? Uh-huh. She is? Great! I'll be right there."

"Who ees zat?" Cerise was curious and somewhat annoyed that dinner with her price was to be interrupted. Eating together was one of the most sacred times to the French. To 'eat on the run' was just so uncivilized.

"Hospital." Al replied. "Marie is in there. Long story. Can I use the car again?"

"Ze one with ze loose screws, as you say?" She said surprised at the news. "As long as you comes back to moi quickly. I am hungry and will nots eat alone!" She poked his chest playfully.

"I will." He agreed. With a parting kiss, he was off.

"How did I let myself get into this?" Marie whispered to herself as she looked out the window, noticing the parking lot lights turning on with a flicker.

"Your visitor is here." The tall nurse she had met before said without emotion.

She held the door open and led her down several corridors and through a couple security doors to a visitor room.

It was a claustrophobic room with no windows. A bench that was attached to the floor was set by a counter against a wall with a small, triple layer plexiglass window and exchange tray underneath. A shielded tube she could speak through to the person on the other side was mounted in it. It looked exactly like the prisoner visiting booths she had seen on television shows. If it hadn't already sunk in as to how much trouble she was in, it did just now with a hard reality check.

"Fifteen minutes, or ring the buzzer on the wall when you're done." The nurse said and the security door closed. She was alone.

With a sigh, she sat down and Al entered from the other side. It was similar, except that side had a chair and the door didn't have a lock on it.

Al sat in the chair and attempted to smile, but his expression went as sad as she felt. "Hey."

"So, you're my fiancée?" She was surprised.

Al smiled, "Was the only thing I could think of to talk to anyone."

She had so many questions, but the only thing that came out of her mouth was, "I don't remember anything much past the discount store and being upset with Elise." She fought back her tears.

"Whelp, short version is you had a spaz and knocked a security guard on their ass. You got zapped and hauled over here. You had another in the E.R. and got locked up."

Marie bowed her head and pulled at her hair. "Just when I was doing something to get my life together!" She shouted and began to cry.

"It ain't over yet!" Al said, trying to sound reassuring. "From what the nurse told me, they want to find out why this happened."

"Did... did they also tell you I'm under arrest? How will I work from jail?" She squeaked through her tears.

Al was taken aback. "What? When?"

"They came earlier and wanted to take me. Apparently the doctor wouldn't release me to them." She sniffled, wiping her tears and nose on her fur and gown. No tissues were present on either side of the window.

"Y'all gotta get a lawyer. I'll call your dad..." He offered and was cut off.

"NO!" She shouted. "Whatever happens, I need to do this without my parents. They'll bail me out all right and confirm what a loser I am, every damn day."

"Okay, no parents. What about Gary?" He asked and that just set her off in tears even more, shaking her head.

Al sighed, getting frustrated. "I'll talk to Elise and see what she comes up with, will that be OK at least?"

She nodded, "Fine."

Al just sat there and silently offered support as Marie did her best to compose herself. He saw the nurse enter from the other side and call out, "Time!"

Marie gave Al an expression of helplessness that tore his heart.

"Uh, love you sweetie! See you soon!" He said his eyes looking at the nurse, then back to his friend.

She got up and with head down looking completely defeated, followed the nurse out.

"Damn!" Al said aloud to himself, hoping Ethan and his sister had any idea of what to do.

It would be an evening-long story catching Cerise up on the day's happenings.

--

*meowwwww*

Chloe was airing her complaint loudly that Eugenia was not working fast enough.

"Hang on, dang it! I can't see it." She replied as if she understood the cat's complaint.

The ball she had been batting about enthusiastically had rolled under the stove. After a few futile attempts to reach it herself, Chloe, Rick and Eugenia's cat, decided it was time to put her human staff to work retrieving it.

Eugenia had pulled the bottom drawer out of the stove and set it aside. She knelt down and tried to reach into the darkness with a broom handle in hopes of it rolling out, but to no avail.

*MEOWWWW!*

Chloe's patience was thinning.

Eugenia straightened her back and put the broom aside. "RICK! CAN YOU BRING A LIGHT?" She shouted.

He entered the kitchen with the flashlight. "What's the hollerin'? The hockey game is still on!"

She sighed, "Chloe lost her ball again." She took the light and bent over and shuffled her head under where the drawer was. Chloe looked on, owl-eared and scowling.

Rick looked at his wife's bent-over spread in her tight jeans with tail half-up and forgot about the hockey game.

"I don't see your ball.. YEEEEHEE!" Eugenia squealed startled, banging her head as some fingers explored her from behind.

"Rick you ass! I hit my head... down... EEEEK!" Her scolding turned into giggling as he gently ran his fingers over her anus through the thin denim, tickling her. Her ample butt cheeks clasped on him momentarily. "You are SO gonna to get it, when I get up, mister!" She tried to sound serious through her giggles.

"Is tha' so?" He replied and with a solid pull, the waist of her pants were down about her thighs, making her squeak again.

She tried to back out from under the stove, but came against his body, right behind her. She felt his tip just pressing against her pussy lips. His hands ran along her hips, then he grabbed them. "Gotcha!" He said mischievously.

He ground his hips against her, his erection growing. He slipped into her as he hardened, perfectly on target. He gave gentle trusts so as not to bang her against the metal appliance.

Rick was not all that well endowed. He was short, even by fox standards. But one thing Eugenia could not resist about that 'deficiency' was the fact that when he did ride her, his tip would poke against her G-spot better than any bespoke toy fit for the purpose.

She raised her tail up and out of the way, giving him an unobstructed view of her buttocks bouncing with his motions. This made him pump a little faster in his excitement.

Eugenia gave a little moan as he began to tap against that perfect spot. He felt the little button sliding against his tip and angled himself toward it. She gave him a squeeze and voiced a couple of breathy pants before her rear quivered and he felt a splash of warmth wash over his balls. That was his trigger.

Eugenia felt several rapid pulses inside of her from his sliding member. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" She whispered quietly, feeling another contraction of orgasm.

After his release, he quickly slipped out. "Not much to retract" He used to joke, but Eugenia knew it bothered him... far more than it ever did her.

She felt a warm trickle down her lips and through her pubic fur. Her heart glowed even after all these years, with the receiving of his seed.

He leaned over and giving a nuzzling kiss, one of each of her buttocks as he always did when giving it to his wife from behind, and said appreciatively, "Yer a darlin'".

She shuffled herself back, then up on her knees. Glancing over her shoulder to him, she said coyly, "You just like takin' advantage of me."

Putting his arms around her from behind, "An' you love it." He kissed her cheek.

Chloe having had enough of the delay, walked under the stove and came out with her ball in her mouth. Strutting off with her ears back, she was most displeased with her servants.

--

It was eight in the morning on Sunday when Kiana got off the bus at the hotel and went over to the restaurant. She walked slowly, kicking herself that she let Ethan talk her into this. But it was for Marie.

She felt nervous - this was her first job. She knew she'd have to find work sooner or later, especially given her and her mom's near-impoverished life, but after meeting Tonya, she felt a safety net.

"It's only for a week." She echoed the words of Tonya in her mind. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, opened them and went in the door. She almost turned and ran back out again.

She had never been to that family restaurant during the morning breakfast rush. Hotel guests, travellers, truckers and early risers crammed in while no less than a dozen people sat and waited to be seated.

A middle-aged human hostess gave her an exasperated expression, "Sorry darlin', it's going to be a good thirty minute wait for a single seating. We're seating families and seniors first.

"I... I'm not here for breakfast." Kiana said shyly, the hostess struggled to hear her over the crowd. "I'm here for my first shift."

"Oh?" The hostess said. "I'll get Roger, the manager. He's expediting in the kitchen." She put down the menu and went back through the kitchen swing-doors.

She came out a few moments later, followed by an older human, who had a smile on his face, greeting various regulars as he passed.

He approached the tiny squirrel girl and extended his hand, "You must be Kiana, the one Ethan told me about. I'm Roger."

Kiana shook his hand, feeling a little overwhelmed. "Is it always this busy in the morning?"

"The weekend is our busiest breakfast, but this is extra crazy. The mountain pass a hundred kilometres east is closed due to an avalanche and we're the only restaurant open at this time with a large parking lot. So dozens of truckers radioed each other to stop here until the pass is cleared."

"I see." Kiana looked around, wide eyed and heart pounding.

"You're starting in the deep end today." Roger said. "But we won't scare you off."

He waved over to a younger waitress, who handed a table their bill and came over promptly.

"Selena, this is Kiana, a new temp. Let her shadow you, please?" Roger asked kindly.

Selena's eyes went wide, "Oh, you are so cute!" She squealed.

Roger's voice immediately went serious, "Selena, remember the staff meeting."

"Oh, yes sir." The waitress said, putting her hand over her mouth.

"Good." He nodded. "Please excuse me Kiana, I need to get back to the kitchen and keep things flowing. If you have any questions Selena can't answer, just come see me, OK?"

Kiana thanked him and looked at the waitress with a smile.

"Come! I'll show you where we hang our coats and stuff." She waved for Kiana to follow her.

She took her down a hallway, past where the washrooms were. That was as far as Kiana had been down that hallway. She had always been curious as a customer as to what lay beyond, but the sign saying, 'Employees Only Past This Point' had stopped her.

Selena opened a door with the sign 'Janitor' and turned on the light. It was a small break room with coat hooks along the wall and lockers against another. A table against the remaining wall with three chairs took up the remainder of the little space.

"We call this the 'sanity room'. A place where we can gather our nerves on a day like this." Selena said and shuffled around coats so there was a free hook for Kiana.

"Why the 'Janitor' sign?" Kiana asked.

"Well, the door isn't locked and we hang our purses in here. A thief is far less likely to explore a mop closet than if it said 'Break Room', right?"

"Makes sense." Kiana acknowledged.

Kiana took off her coat and hung it up. "Out of curiosity, what was that about a staff meeting?"

Selena blinked a few times, "Well, we're not supposed to tell, but we were told a furry was going to be hired. Roger gave us the tolerance spiel, but most of us think you're all adorable. Then we were admonished that you're people like us, not walking, talking, plushies we can cuddle."

"Honestly, I would rather be considered cute or cuddly than have someone shouting at me they want my pelt on their wall." Kiana replied morosely.

"Aww, hun. Sorry that happens." Selena said sympathetically. "We humans aren't nice to each other, either."

"Is what I'm wearing, OK?" Kiana asked, wanting to change the subject.

She was wearing a loose fitting, satiny pull-over blouse with pleated material that hung low, covering down to her thighs and a stylish belt about her waist. Her legs were covered by black stretch tights, ending in short boots.

"Actually, it's a little dressy. More suited for a hipster pub or bistro, maybe? What if you lost the belt?" Selena suggested.

"Ummm..." Kiana gave a worried look and loosened the belt. Her squirrel tail that had been restrained to her back, fell loose and made her immediately take up twice the space as before. "The belt does double duty." She shrugged.

Selena laughed, "Okay then, keep the belt. But I love that blouse. You have to tell me where you got it!"

Just then, the hostess walked in. "This is where the hell you got to, Selena. Your tables need tending!"

"Roger wanted me to show our new girl the ropes. Had to put her coat away!" Selena snapped defensively.

Kiana looked aghast at the way they spoke to each other.

The Hostess smiled at Kiana, "Hi, I'm Luci. Called in on my day off, grumpy and putting up with my little sister, here. Welcome aboard."

"Uh, hello." Kiana waved, unsure.

"Now we're all introduced, time to work. Hup, hup!" Luci held the door open for them both as they exited.

--

That afternoon, Rick and Eugenia took their niece and nephew for a driving lesson. Of course, it had to be raining, cold and in general, miserable.

Ethan was looking the part of a working bloke, wearing a flat cap, leather jacket, jeans and leather casuals for canids. They looked like human shoes, but inside were designed to fit a digitigrade foot.

Elise wore her camel tan coloured, mid-length wool coat and matching gloves. A rust-coloured sweater knitted by her aunt compensated for the fact her coat wouldn't close over her pregnant form. She covered her long, tied-up hair in a kerchief, but given the weather, covered her ears as well. While practical, the odd passer-by in the past had greeted her with "Salam", as it had the appearance of being a hijab to those not informed of how one was really worn or looked like.

Elise's sensitive feet during her pregnancy had her seeking the most comfortable footwear - which for her, and many other digitigrade walking females, was high heeled shoes or boots. Elise wore the latter. As well as comfortable for her, she looked sexy and it pleased Ethan greatly. A win-win for the couple.

Being a Sunday, it was practise in the empty parking lot of their dad's store, applying what they had learned with the professional instruction they were paying for.

At the beginning, they all piled into the mini van they were going to give them. But the teasing and sibling rivalry was too much between them. Ethan got frustrated and began snapping at his sister, while Elise got too nervous and whiny at him to finish their practise. So, they alternated between using the van and Rick's truck. Eugenia took Elise and Rick took Ethan.

Today, they were practising parallel parking along the curb of the walkway in front of their store.

Ethan did well getting the truck along side the walkway, but never got it within the 'lines' Rick made with sticks.

"Drivin' that forklift has givin' you some practise, but you gotta know where your wheel are, my boy. If you're driving along a river lookin' for a fishing spot, you'll go right in the water and drown if you don't." Rick said as they got out and surveyed Ethan's miscalculation.

"Well how do I do that? We're sitting so high up, it's hard to know where I am." Ethan replied, his feeling of failure weighing.

"Perspective." Rick said. "Visualize the tuck in your mind and relate it to where you are against the store. Use the reflection in the window to compare against. If you're parkin' in front of a little sports car, you can't see it in the mirrors, so you have to use memory where it is and know exactly where you are."

"Sounds... damn hard." Ethan grumbled.

Rick winked, "It is until ya get it! Then it becomes instinct and you don't think about it, you jus' do it."

Elise in the van felt victorious and smiled proudly as she put the vehicle's transmission into 'park'. "There, I did it! In the lines."

"You sure did, sweetie!" Eugenia smiled, but raised an eyebrow. "And you're three feet off the curb."

"Huh?" Elise's happiness left her like a balloon popping.

Eugenia rubbed her shoulder consolingly, "What's up honey? You did better last week, driving while screaming for your brother to shut up."

Elise rubbed her face. "I can't concentrate. I have an obstetrician appointment coming up I'm anxious about, Marie is locked in the hospital, I'm hungry all the time, none of my clothes fit, my boobs, hips, knees and feet hurt and I'm always so... damn... HORNY!" She growled and clamped her teeth on the steering wheel, sounding like a feral dog tying into a chew toy.

Eugenia laughed.

"I'm also wanting to do crazy things. I applied to be in Magnificent MILF." She said in a shy whisper.

"No!" Eugenia gasped in surprise. "Your Uncle reads that! And... and... what would Ethan say?"

Elise was surprised by her aunt's reaction. She didn't have issue with their incestuous relationship OR getting pregnant by her brother, but posing nude for a magazine?

"Auntie! I'm amazed you're shocked!" She said in a squeal. "And Ethan thinks it's an awesome idea."

"Not shocked!" She said in protest. "Jealous!"

"What?"

"I would have loved to have been one of those beautiful models." Eugenia said wistfully.

"Auntie, they're everyday ladies, like you and me. Not professional models."

Eugenia released her seatbelt, leaned over and hugged her niece. "I'm so happy for you, honey. I hope you get accepted."

As she did so, she felt what seemed like little taps on her arm. Elise gasped and grabbed her stomach.

"What's wrong?" Eugenia asked, alarmed.

"Did you feel that? I felt that!" Elise shouted, smiling.

"I felt our coats rubbing..." She stopped and they both said simultaneously and excitedly, "The kits are kicking together!"

Elise squealed with excitement.

"There, ya got it!" Rick gave a firm pat on Ethan's shoulder and he completed his first, perfect parallel parking job.

Ethan was elated.

"Time to celebrate." Rick said. "Did you bring yer pipe like I asked?"

"I did!" Ethan nodded. "Now I see why you asked me to."

"Let's wait for the ladies and have a puff." Rick said as he got out of the tuck.

They were leaning against the store under the awning, Rick telling stories about when he and Mark, Ethan's dad, learned to drive. "Your dad took it too serious. Ya gotta enjoy what you do! Life's too short."

"Is that why you and dad cut loose like a couple of teenagers, partying it up?" Ethan asked, the swirl of smoke from Cavendish tobacco swirling about their heads.

"I think so." Rick replied. "Easy to not know a middle-age-crises when you haven't really grown up." They laughed.

The van the girls were in came around from the back of the store, honking and flashing its lights.

Ethan pulled out his keys to the store, "Let me guess... pregnant vixen has to pee, like NOW!"

As the van pulled up, Elise rolled the window down and shouted excitedly, "Their kicking together!"

The van began to roll past, slowly as Eugenia was heard in the background, "Park! Put it in park!" The van lurched to a stop. "Brake first!" Eugenia shouted.

Ethan whispered to his uncle, "See why I get so frustrated?"

The door opened and Elise slid the seat back, tilted the wheel up and gingerly manoeuvred herself out.

With a smile, she went over to her brother and put his free hand on her belly. "They're in there, honey." She began to cry happily.... and he felt them both kick.

Rick took his pipe and Ethan held her her, sharing the moment. He had no concept of how this would move him, until it did. They shared tears of joy in each other's arms.

--

At least Marie wasn't confined to her room anymore. She was able to watch TV in a common area for the psychiatric patients. There was only two others there at the time; an elderly man in a wheelchair that seemed to only be able to communicate in squeaks and shouts and an older lady who payed no attention to either her or the man, but were talking to imaginary people that seemed to surround her. She happily conversed and laughed with the invisible people. "At least she's enjoying herself, wherever she is." Marie thought to herself.

Doctor Grove came and sat down beside Marie with a cup of water. "How are you feeling today?" He asked.

"Like a prisoner." Marie replied.

"Well, I'm working on that." Dr. Grove said with a smile. "Staff legal won't be in until morning, but I'll do my best."

He then pulled out a bubble pack with a caplet. "I want you to take this, please."

"More sedatives?" She asked, mistrustfully.

He shook his head. "A 'happy pill' one might say."

She accepted the caplet and washed it down with the water he handed to her. She looked up, then down, then towards him, "Not happy."

Dr. Grove gave a chuckle. "These take a few weeks to work. One a day."

"How are 'happy pills' going to help me? I'm not sad, just crazy it seems." Marie lamented.

"You're not crazy." He said reassuringly. "While the psychologist hasn't spoken to you yet, my experience tells me after talking to your fiancée that you have severe anxiety and manic depression, coupled with other social issues due to your family history."

"And the pills will cure me?" Marie asked hopefully.

"Well, the pills will help you control manic episodes and let you have enough control to heal through other means. Counselling, support and the like."

Marie felt something she hadn't felt in so many years, she forgot what it was like - hope. "You seem to have faith in me?"

"Yes! So does your fiancée. Seems you have other friends that do as well, he says."

Marie thought of Gary and realized now that he really was trying to help in the only way he knew how. "Thank you." She said and began to cry.

Dr. Grove passed her the box of tissues that were on a table. "One step at a time, but in the right direction, now." He said and left the room.

--

Kiana got home in the middle of the afternoon, head spinning from everything she had learned, still had too and was exhausted. Her mother had just woke up, rested after her graveyard shift at the supermarket.

"How was your first day of your first job, honey?" She asked with interest.

Kiana sighed, "How on earth do people do this full time?"

"You get used to it." Her mother replied. "Did you enjoy yourself at least?"

"Yes and no." She flopped down on the sofa. "My co workers are friendly, as are most of the customers, but SO much to do! SO much to learn!"

"Not unlike a first day at school?" Her mum smiled.

Kiana returned the smile, "Exactly! I hated that, too."

"It gets better." Her mum said. "Would you like something to eat?"

"Maybe, after a shower. I can feel that kitchen grease all over my fur. But I have to call Tonya and let her know how it went." She had new found energy in that thought.

"Hey, workin' girl!" Tonya happily answered her phone.

Kiana related every little detail about her day to her girlfriend.

"Sounds like you're going to love it, there." Tonya observed.

"Love it? I hate it! All I do is what other people tell me to do. Kids are screaming, parents keep changing their orders, they send things back because the kitchen made them exactly what they want, they're crazy!" The squirrel complained.

"And what did you do?" Tonya asked, simply.

Kiana sighed again, as she did a dozen times already. "I smiled and did what they asked."

Tonya chuckled, "You showed them exactly what your industry is titled, hospitality. Hun, that loony job is about satisfying the insatiable. It's thankless. You'll never be able to do enough."

"Sounds like how Elise describes some of her customers." Kiana said downhearted.

"Uh-huh. And if even you had no customers to deal with, you'd have some supervisor or teacher making your life hell in place of them."

Kiana groaned. "So, why am I doing this?"

"For Marie." Tonya reminded her. "Just like you mum is doing it for you. Just like Elise is doing it for her kits and Ethan for her."

Kiana now understood the meaning of 'service', even if she was too tired to appreciate it at the moment.

--

Al and Cerise were getting ready for bed. Cerise undressed and set the alarm with a sigh, "Ze weekend ees not longs enough."

"Tell me about it, hun." He replied as he got out of his clothes and lay down with a moan. "After Terrance gets back, I might just take some of that I.T. training and do brainy stuff instead." Al mused.

Cerise rolled on to her side and put a leg across his and twirled his chest hair. "Fen will be pleased, non?"

Al chuckled, "I got no intent on leaving ya, sweetie. Don't wanna move from the best thing I have."

"So tells me, why has zat wolfess got such a loyal friend in you, hm?" She asked, curious.

Al shrugged, "Nuthin' you want to hear about, I'm sure."

"Ooooo! Ze romance history, oui?"

"Well, yeah, somethin' like that." Al said.

"Tells me!" She said, excited. "I likes to hear about stories."

Al chuckled, "In school, there's jocks and cheerleaders. Nothin' special and very stereotypical. I was on the basketball team and Marie was on her first and last night cheerleading for our team." He smiled a the memory. "I was waiting on the bench to go in the lineup next and there she was, winking and doing all the teenager flirtin'-like things thy do. The other girls were buxom and bouncy, but poor Marie and her B-cups didn't have that. So she wiggled those hips, swayed her tail and flaunted that ass. I got so distracted, I lost the game and she got kicked off the squad. But it was the beginning of a memorable grad year between us."

"You did nots continue after graduations?" Cerise asked surprised.

"Nah." Al shook his head rapidly. "She was too busy 'playing the field'."

There was silence for a while, until she asked "But of thems all in ze last year, you liked her."

Al gave a sigh and a pause, "Never dated anyone again until I met you."

Cerise put her arm around him and nuzzled her head into his neck, "My sweet Prince."