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Siblings - The Series

Episode Six

© 2016 Carlos Penguin

Preface

Again my dear editor, Victoria Fox, is caught up in life.

What I can say is she's being a heroine, IRL, while we bums are here reading porn. LOL!

--

Kiana's mother was rinsing the morning dishes. She would wash them later as doing so now would likely wake her daughter and her guest.

She heard the toilet flush. She smiled and hoped it was her daughter getting up. She wanted to give her a big hug for coming to terms with a deep rooted fear and conquering it. So she approached the hallway to the bedrooms.

But tiptoeing down the hallway wasn't her daughter, but the young skunkette she was with, her red dress all creased. She was greatly startled by turning around from looking back at Kiana's room to come face to face with her mother.

"OH MY GODS!" The skunkette screamed at the top of her voice, dropped her choker that she was carrying and fell back into the wall. Kiana's mom jumped back. Both panted with their hands on their chest.

"What?" Kiana ran out of her room, Au-natural, a scared look on her face.

"I... I..." the skunkette panted, still shocked.

Kiana's mom smiled and said, "I think I made a bad first impression on your friend."

Kiana's eyes went wide and gave an embarrassed, squirrel-like squeak, remembering she had nothing on. She crossed an arm over her breasts and placed her hand over her crotch. "Uhhhh, hi mom. This is Tonya. I'll, ummm, get something on." She ran back into her room and tossed on a nightie and returned.

"Would you like some breakfast?" Kiana's mom asked awkwardly.

Tonya gave a big sigh, finally calming down. "Thank you, but my dad's first appointment is at six and I have the car. He's going to be so mad if I don't get back to our hotel." Tonya said.

"I hate to tell you, but it's closer to seven now." Kiana's mom said. "I'll let you two... say your goodbyes and get back to my chores." She went into the kitchen and started filling a sink and hummed loudly.

"So..." Tonya said with a sultry smile.

"So..." Kiana said, twitching like she didn't know what to say next. "This is my... first 'morning after'." She giggled.

Tonya put her arms around Kiana, who looked up with a blushing smile, leaning against her lover's body. "This is where I say I'll see you later today."

"Ok." Kiana said wordlessly.

Tonya put her hand behind Kiana's head and gave her a passionate kiss. Kiana melted into Tonya's arms and held her close, running an uneasy hand along Tonya's hips.

Kiana's mom couldn't help but peek over the half-wall that divided the kitchen from the living room. She giggled at the sight of her daughter's awkward kiss in the arms of someone obviously more experienced.

"Nice to meet you." Tonya said with a smile, her handbag and shoes in hand, hair a frizzy disaster and creased dress.

"Bye, bye, now." She smiled back.

Tonya raced to the hotel, thankful she didn't encounter any speed traps. When she arrived, she saw a note that read:

Took a taxi to my appointment.

Call me when you get this.

Dad

She gave a sigh of disappointment in herself. She had never done anything like this before to him. She pulled out her phone and called.

"Hi, dad? I am so sorry! I fell asleep and..." She apologized, but her dad began to laugh.

"Your date ended good, I take it? No worries. Rick is picking me up after this appointment and we're going fishing. Get some more rest and have a good day, princess. Love you!"

"But dad.. hello?" She replied, but he already hung up. She growled in frustration.

She went to the washroom and looked in the mirror. She was a mess. She began to brush her hair. She was still tired and after getting the knots out, crawled into one of the two queen beds. She fell asleep thinking of Kiana.

--

Elise looked at herself in the mirror after her shower before drying. She put her hand on her belly, which was beginning to have an obvious 'baby bump'. Her hips were thicker and she ran her hands over them. She turned to her side and saw her perfect half-moon buttocks had increased in size and her thighs had thickened.

"Oh.. my... God!" She complained. "I'm going to be a blimp."

A wave of nausea hit and she dived to her knees in front of the toilet.

Ethan had made breakfast and timed it so the eggs went on just as the shower turned off. But as he plated his sister's breakfast, he heard her usual morning puke and the shower turning on again. He felt helpless pain for her and put her plate in the toaster oven and pressed the 'Keep Warm' button.

Ten minutes later, Elise exited and sat naked at the table. Her fur was all fluffed from the drier, but she hadn't brushed it. She put her head in her hands and began to cry.

Ethan sat beside her and put his arm around her. She put her head on his shoulder and sobbed.

"Rough morning, sweetie?" He asked and kissed the base of her ear.

Elise took a napkin and blew her nose. "I'm getting fat."

"Oh honey, we've been through this. You're beautiful." He said comfortingly. Ethan always had been attracted to larger girls. Uncle Rick says he got that from him as Aunt Eugenia had been one of the fullest-figured women he'd ever seen. "And a 'baby bump' isn't fat."

"I'm sick of being sick every morning." She lamented. "And... and it's catching me off guard. I'm so humiliated!"

"What are you talking about? This is normal, remember? It will go away." Ethan said, stroking her fur,

"Last night and just now, I puked and shit myself. I hate it!" She began crying again.

Ethan held her tight. "The pamphlet said this could happen. No one talks about the ugly side of pregnancy. Just baby showers, flowers and moody hens. I'm here and I love you."

Elise held him tight in return. "I have to make an appointment with an obstetrician." She added.

"Well, that settles it. You're staying home today." Ethan said. "Get rest and make your calls."

"But honey, I can't leave Cerise alone." She said out of a sense of responsibility.

"Sweetie, Cerise did fine by herself. She can do without you for today. And what about maternity leave, huh?" He explained.

Elise had let that slip her mind. "Ethan, how will we make it when I can't work?"

"Don't worry your pretty head." He said, stroking her damp hair. "We'll cash-in on some of those 'Uncle and Auntie' chips they offered, if I can't work overtime or get a raise or something."

Ethan went to work and explained to Cerise that his sister was having a bad day bad needed to call the doctor.

"I am relieved to hear." She told him. "I tells her yesterday to see ze doctor and she will needs to take more time off soon, non?"

"She will." Ethan agreed. "But I just hope we can make it, especially with a baby coming, on fifteen bucks an hour."

"You still has not talks to ze parents?" She whispered.

He shook his head. "Nope! Probably won't for a while, either, I suspect. But, I have an aunt and uncle that hopefully can help. I just hope we won't have to live with them. Their house is really small and no buses where they are, either."

Cerise grew up in a small town in France. No transport other than bicycles. She enjoyed it, as did her friends. But for a city kid relocated, it can be hell. "Let us hope it doesn't comes to zat, hm?"

Elise had called her doctor. He had the file from the hospital and congratulated her. But after explaining the special circumstances and her concerns, he told her to go see a friend of his, one that would be good at 'less than routine' pregnancies. She called and was told to come in straight away for an assessment.

She entered the vintage building. The doors creaked, the floors squeaked and it smelled old. Not unlike the building they lived in, but at least their building had modern doors, not ones looking like props straight out of an old black and white film.

She found the one she was looking for.

114

Dr. Alex Wojciechowski

MD MS OB/GYN

"Why do doctors always have such unpronounceable names?" She muttered to herself. She turned the vintage brass knob and entered.

In the waiting room were two others. An exhausted looking rat mother with six children, chittering happily over a game they had in the waiting room to entertain little ones. She looked like she had another six on the way as she took up two seats. The second was a young canid couple of mixed breed.

Elise stared at him, as he looked uneasy and nervous. His wife pulled out a bag and putting her muzzle in it, became ill. He rubbed her shoulders and said something excitedly in a language she didn't know. She empathized with her.

"Can I help you?" The receptionist asked.

"Ummm, yes. Elise Redd. I was told to come here by my doctor." She said, going up to the counter and pulling out her medical card.

The receptionist swiped the card through the machine and studied the information. "Your first visit, I see."

"Yes." Elise replied.

The receptionist handed Elise a clipboard with forms and a pencil. "Fill this out, please." She said in a nasal, indifferent tone of voice.

Elise sat down, placed her purse at her feet and began to fill out the forms.

"Hey! Mishush Hornby, how are you?" A heavily accented voice called from down the hallway as the large, rat lady got up with a smile.

She followed the voice with a slow waddle as her children ran ahead of her. Elise continued to fill out the forms.

Fifteen minutes passed and the rat lady came down the hallway, her children scurrying about. She understood why she looked so tired. "Shleep, you needsh shleep! Now go and get zhose ragsamuffins over to ze fasher's housh und get zom rest. Gut!"

"Thank you doctor." The rat lady said in a soft, high pitched voice out of place with her size.

She got her first look at the doctor as he waddled past toward the young couple. A short, fat, old, grey furred creature with huge rodent feet and powerful hands. A bristly moustache and glasses that were comically thick. He talked to the young couple in their language and they followed him down the hallway.

They were only in for five minutes when the couple came out. She was crying and he was holding her, looking very sad.

Elise gasped and put her hand on her mouth. "Oh, that poor couple!" She felt pained and thought that maybe they lost their baby. Her body went cold at the thought it could happen to her. "I... I don't want to lose mine too." She muttered aloud tearfully as she handed in the forms.

The receptionist took the clipboard and pen back. "Don't be frightened." She said in a soft voice. She looked around to see if the doctor was near. He wasn't. She stood up and leaned forward to Elise, "They had no baby to lose. Another false pregnancy. Her feelings and his nerves are shot."

"That's so sad." Elise said. "Some couples try so hard." All of a sudden, she felt very blessed.

"Redd? Eleesh Redd?" The doctor came in the waiting room and looked around. He pronounced her last name with a long, rolling 'R'.

He looked to the reception desk and smiled, "Ah! Dere you ish hiding. Come! Come!"

Elise followed and was amused by this specialist, a grin forming on her face. As short as she was, this doctor was but half her height. She finally saw a probable reason for at least part of her brother's confidence.

They entered a room that was unlike any doctor's office she had been to. It was more like a small living room. A comfy chair, a love seat, end tables and desk lamps. The examination table and medical cabinet at the side could be mistaken for a hutch, if it wasn't for the cushion on top.

"Shit, shit, makes yourself comfort-a-ble, ya?" The doctor said and she sat in the comfort of the love seat as the doctor read his clipboard.

"Zo, you are here becaush of special shircumshtance." He said, reading the FAX from her doctor. Zee baby ish from der brother, ya?" He looked up at her, without a surprised expression, just inquisitive.

"Yes." She said to him, unashamed.

"Uh, huh!" The doctor said as he marked with his pencil. "Any family history of dishability or dishease?"

Elise thought for a moment. "I learned recently that my dad has angina. Other than that, no." She said truthfully to her knowledge.

"Aorta.... poshible heart... problems." He said aloud as he scribbled.

"That question was on the form I filled out front, though." Elise reminded him.

"Yesh!" The doctor acknowledged with a smile. "Und ve forget osher things to put on paper, that ve remember ven ashked." He shrugged. "I do it. Hushband do it. Ve all do it."

"Oh, you have a husband?" She blurted out. Covering her mouth and looking embarrassed, "I'm sorry."

Rather than being offended, the doctor gave a beaming smile. "Hehehe! People often zink dat I am a man. I go by Alex, which ish Alexandra." The doctor stood up and pulled the white lab coat tight, revealing the shape of a pair of breasts. "I am vat you vould know ash a mole. Males und females look zee same, udder den vun gets da boobies und de udder gets de ballsh."

Elise was amazed. "I never knew there was a sentient mole species!"

The doctor nodded. "Very few of ush. Moshtly in eastern Europes. I vas born in Russia to Polish parents, raished in Germany und doctor shchoolings in Great Britain." She approached Elise and put her hand to her mouth as if telling her a secret, "Shome people shay I shound funny. Imagine zhat?"

They both burst out laughing.

The doctor set up a portable ultrasound machine and had Elise get on the examination table after removing her winter garb. Even knowing the doctor was a she and not a he, she shyly hesitated before lifting her dress and exposing her belly.

The doctor hit several buttons. "Ve compensates for zee denshity of zee fur and.... A-HA! Dere isht da baby." She tilted the screen and all Elise saw was a blob.

"I run zee shcanner over here sho you can shee ... oh!" The doctor said and ran the scanner at a different angle.

"What is it?" Elise said, becoming worried.

The doctor smiled, "You hash zee tvin, yeah! You are goinks to be mommy to two liebchens."

Elsie smiled. "Oh, will Ethan hit the ground."

The doctor zoomed in the scanner. "You can she zere precious leetle noshes, zee?" She said, pointing to the protruding proboscises and their extended tailbones already visible.

"That is so beautiful." Elise said with a tear of happiness. She no longer had any regrets. There they were, her children, alive, growing, part of her and now far more real than just a bump on her belly. "Do we know what they are, yet?"

The doctor shook her head. "Zhey don't know vat zhey are yet. Shoon, nature decide; ovary or testicle. Zhen ve knows."

She pressed a couple of buttons and the machine made a whirring sound.

"Show ze proud papa!" The doctor said and handed her a printout of the scan. "Shpeaking of which, I vun to meets him nesht time you come."

"When will that be?" Elise asked. "Is there any problems so far?"

"Everyshing look normal zo far." She said. "Given your shircumshtansh, I vun to zee you every two veek until your third trimester. Zhen every veek."

Elise got down from the table and tidied her dress. "Is there anything special I should be doing? Diet, exercise?"

The doctor shook her head. "Zee tesht result you doctor share ish gut. You eatingk fine. You are young. I am shure you exershize mit friends, und verk und fazsher ov de babies at nightime eh?" She chuckled and winked.

Elise blushed. "You don't seem unnerved that I... have a relationship with my brother. Thank you for not judging me." She said heartfelt.

"Love isht love, my dear. It choshesh us." She smiled. "Ve have one shots at dis life. Be happy mit it."

"I will." Elise said and leaning over, hugged the doctor.

--

"Now THIS is what I really came here for!" Larry said as he sat down and cracked open a beer after casting a line into the river.

"Yep! Nothin' like getting to the more serious things in life." Rick said as he leaned back, relaxed and let out a yawn.

It was just past nine in the morning and the sun, just peeking over the easterly mountains cast a golden sheen on the fog making the world look like a painting. The crisp, damp air brought back memories to both of them of walking to school around this time, still wishing they were in their warm beds.

"How did last night go?" Rick asked and opened a beer for himself.

"I think my daughter had a good time. She was still out when I had to leave and called me all profuse in her apologies. First time she's ever stood me up like that." Larry said with a grin.

Rick raised an eyebrow, pulled up his cap and turned to his friend, "With Ethan?"

Larry didn't answer right away. He had some more of his beer and gave a sigh. "I dunno."

Rick was even more confused now. "Wha' you mean ya don't know? Didn't she tell ya?"

"Rick, do you ever wish for something, even though you know it can't come true, but you keep trying anyway?

"Yeah. I keep wishin' I'd win the lottery, so I keep spendin' my dollar every weekend." Rick said.

"No, deeper than that. Like you and Eugenia kept talking about kids, even though you both knew a fox and a skunk just can't accomplish that." Larry said.

"OK, now I see what yer talkin' about, but not sure what yer gettin' at?" Rick took off his cap and scratched his head.

"Well, I want grandkids. I wanted a bunch of them." Larry said despondent.

"Oh, ya got plenty of time! Heck, she's what, my niece's age and there's her schooling and...." Rick was explaining as Larry interrupted.

"Tonya doesn't like guys, Rick. I'll never get little skunk kits sitting on my lap, listening to the old man's tales." Larry finished his can of beer and opened another.

Rick didn't know how to respond to that.

"No wife, no son, no grandkids. End of the line for my gene pool. Kind of makes one feel like the last rail before the stop signal at the edge of a cliff." Larry lamented.

"Aw geez, Larry. I don't know what to say." Rick said. "Yer what, fifty? Yer already sounding like you have a foot in tha grave. Why the heck haven't you remarried?"

Larry fiddled with his can of beer. "I guess, I just can't let go. Every time I look at her, I see Leah. I guess, she makes me feel that we're still together."

"An' now she's headin' off for an Ivy League degree." Rick said with painful realization as to how lonely his friend was.

Larry just nodded.

"Have ya thought about talkin' to someone? Maybe a professional at helpin' people get through these things?"

Larry smiled, "I thought that's what I was doing?"

Rick felt a pallet of bricks weigh on his shoulders. "If yer askin' for advice, I say sell tha big, empty house an' get someplace more sociable. Being in there with all those memories won't do you any good. Maybe then ya can move on."

"Been debating about that old buddy. That just sealed the decision for me." Larry said and noticed the tip of his rod twitching.

"Hey, ya got a bite!" Rick said happily as the gloom left their minds as Larry carefully took the rod and began to reel in.

--

"Do you want me to heat up your breakfast, or are you going to get some more sleep, sweetie?" Kiana's mom asked her daughter after Tonya had left.

"Ummm, Ill eat." She replied and her mother gave a smile and put her breakfast in the microwave for a couple of minutes.

Kiana stood there looking very uncomfortable as her mother patiently waited for the microwave to finish. "Don't... you... have... ummm..."

Her mom turned to her, "A thousand questions? No." She shook her head and smiled. "I'm just thankful you've found someone to reach out to."

The microwave beeped and putting on an oven mitt, her mom pulled the steaming plate out and put it on the counter. She removed the mitt and got a fork, putting it in the plate. "Truth be told, I thought you were going to have something with Elise when you kept rejecting her brother and spent so much time with her."

Kiana gave a look of shock. "You knew? You knew way back then I.... didn't like boys?"

Her mom sat down on the couch and Kiana beside her. "Sweetie, when you hit puberty and didn't show an interest in boys, I thought it was because of your trauma. But then I found your stash of magazines and pictures while cleaning up and realized it had nothing to do with that.

Kiana felt she was going to die of embarrassment and face-palmed, "Oh... God. All those girly magazines for guys? You must think I'm some perverted..."

"Healthy, curious, teenage girl?" Her mom interjected and rubbed her daughter's shoulder. "You are a beautiful, attractive young lady and I'm so happy you're able now to open up and share that."

Kiana looked up, feeling more confident. "You think so?"

"Uh-hm!" Her mother nodded. "Look at that beautiful skunkette you had over this morning. Guys would fight to have her on their arm, but nope! My little girl got her. Trust me, I know what girls want. Someone who looks like that has her pick and she chose to spend her evening with you."

Kiana smiled happily and blushed. "Tonya wants to see me this afternoon again, too. She leaves tomorrow."

"There you go!" Her mom said with a pat on her daughter's knee and got up from the couch to bring her daughter breakfast before it got cold. "Enjoy your time together. Make it beautiful. Make your first... well, second time, something you'll never forget."

"Thanks, mom." She said appreciatively as she took her plate. "Was your first time beautiful?"

Her mom laughed. "It was the seventies. My first time was on a filthy mattress in the back of an El Camino after a frat party. That's why I want better for you." She wiped the counter. "I'm off to bed sweetie. Good night."

"Good night, mom." Kiana said and received a kiss from her on the forehead.

A couple of hours later, Kiana had been drawing much happier scenes of her life. Her phone buzzed that she received a text.

Tonya: Just woke up. Still want to meet?

Kiana's heart fluttered.

Kiana: Yes <3

Tonya: OK. I'll shower and get all pretty :-)

Kiana hugged her phone and a tingle ran through her body. "Time to get pretty, too." She said to herself and quietly got ready.

--

"Heard from Elise?" Ethan asked Cerise, coming into the front after the lunch break began.

"Non." Cerise said simply, dabbing her muzzle daintily with her cloth napkin. "I would think she call you first?"

"Yeah, but gynecology doctor stuff, that's lady gossip, isn't it?" Ethan said with a smirk. "Thought she may have told you first."

Cerise shook her head. "You are such ze leetle boy sometime. Ze father should act like a man."

Ethan was taken aback with the insult. "Tell me something got lost in translation, or did you just insult me?"

"Ethan, she need ze strength from you, not me. If you think she is giggly, gossipy girl, you will hurt her and loose ze respect. She tells you first een everythings." Cerise chastised.

He just nodded and went back into the warehouse. "Got a lot more respect for dad, now." He muttered to himself. "For being a dad and I know why he complained about her lack of tact with him at work."

"Run in with Cerise?" Terrance asked, walking over with a hot dog in his hand.

Ethan bit his tongue to keep from making a wiener joke. "Yeah. I see why dad grumbles about her sometime."

Terrance shrugged, "Pretend she's your mom. You'll get along better."

"Pretty much." Ethan chuckled.

Terrance walked back to his lunch kit with his feminine strut. "Oh and I appreciate your resisting making the wiener joke!" He shouted without looking back.

Ethan wondered how many other things his eyes and body language gave away about how amusing he thought Terrance was.

Cerise came into the warehouse. "Staff meeting!" She shouted.

"What, now?" Ethan asked surprised.

"Nowwwww, new guy!" Terrance said, heading for the retail shop door. "I know this tone of hers, we better move it." He held the door for Ethan.

Cerise had a sign on the door and locked it. "Ten minute ees all we need." She said and spoke from the retail floor as if giving a lecture to an audience.

"Mark Redd has phoned and ees going on leaves until ze new year." She said as Ethan looked stunned.

"He has place me in charge as his manager." She continued as Terrance moaned. She shot him a dirty look.

"He has place Ethan in charge of ze warehouse. Terrance, Ethan ees temporarily your boss."

"I am?" Ethan said nervously.

Terrance gave a sigh of relief and patted Ethan on the shoulder.

"Now I will see Ethan alone. Thank you." She finished and went casually to her desk.

"See you in the back, boss!" Terrance said and went through the warehouse door.

"What the...?" Ethan said and went around the counter. He pulled out Elise's chair and sat across from Cerise. "You're kidding, right?"

"I am nots. Beesnees I do not joke abouts." She said straight faced. Your father has two messages for you he wants me to relay."

Ethan got a shudder.

"He say beesnees ees beesnees and he trust you." Cerise said as Ethan nodded, glad to hear of this. "He also say for added responsibility, he double your wage until his return. Says you will need eet and don't be foolish with ze money."

Ethan's eyebrows went up. "He really said that?"

"Well..." Cerise said with a smile. "He say he double your wage. I say don't be foolish." She gave him a pleading look. "Baby ees expensive. Elise will be off for some time when she has eet. Ees time to grow up."

Ethan smiled, "I've been doing a crash course in that."

"Good." Cerise smiled. Then her face scowled, "We are opens again. Back to work!" She got up and removed the sign and opened the door.

Ethan returned to the warehouse. "How does it feel to be a boss?" Terrance smiled.

Ethan pointed his thumb behind him to the door, "She's completely bipolar, isn't she?"

Terrance laughed. "Word for word what your dad says every week. There's screws loose with all of them." He hopped up onto the lift truck. "I got off lucky in this life." He started the engine.

--

Later that afternoon, Kiana was standing out front of her building in her fluffy winter coat, hat, mittens and scarf. Tonya came by and picked her up in the rental car, since her dad was going to be with his friend Rick until late.

She got out wearing knee-high leather, high heeled boots, a leather winter jacket and her head in a kerchief. Her sunglasses for the clear, cold day made her look like a movie star. She opened the door for Kiana, who got in and appreciated the blast of warmth from the heater.

"Hi." Kiana smiled coyly. "You look striking!" She commented shyly.

Tonya smiled at the fluffy squirrel. Her furry, round face and little nose sticking out from the over padded coat looking adorable. She got back in the car, reached into the back seat and pulled out a bouquet of pink carnations, red roses and baby's breath. "These are for you."

Kiana gasped and smiled. "No one's ever bought me flowers before!" She said moved to a happy tear.

"No one's seen what a sweet gem you are." Tonya said, her eyes looking through the bouquet at Kiana.

Kiana's eyes softened and lowering the flowers, leaned over as did Tonya and their lips met in a gentle kiss. Tonya placed her hand at the side of Kiana's face, the squirrel's tiny mouth opened to meet the skunkette's sweet tongue.

"Oh yeah, BABY!" Someone outside shouted. "That's what I'm talkin' about!"

They broke their kiss to see two of the seedier individuals in the neighbourhood smiling and applauding with whistles. "Let's go." Tonya said and put the car in gear.

"Hang on..." Kiana said and rolled the window down. "Wayne! Hank! Behave!" She shouted commandingly at the two.

"Oooo, yesssss Miss Kiaaanaaaa!" They saluted like soldiers and marched off.

"Jerks." She snapped as she rolled the window back up again. "Big mouths. They're also harmless."

"Ones like that are candidates for assaulting people." Tonya said out of studying behaviour.

"They can be dangerous, but they have a moral compass it seems." Kiana said.

"How do you mean?" Tonya asked, her student mode kicking in.

Kiana related to her, an experience. "Mom was coming home one morning from work and carrying a bag of groceries. A new guy we'd never seen in this area tried to take her groceries. She wouldn't let go and she screamed. Wayne and Hank were walking past, arguing with each other about something. When they reached my mom and her attacker, they pummelled him unconscious, picked up her spilled groceries and handed them back to her. Tipping their hats, they continued walking down the street, arguing, like nothing ever happened."

Tonya let out a long whistle. "I'd love to hang out down here and study this. Might make a good paper."

Kiana giggled, "You know where you can stay."

Tonya smiled, "I might take you up on that, you know?" She looked over her sunglasses at her passenger, whose eyes sparkled above the exaggeratedly round squirrel cheeks from her beaming smile.

"Where would you like to go?" Tonya asked, as she drove out of the poor neighbourhood.

"I've always wanted to go to the conservatory." Kiana said excitedly.

"That sounds like a nice, warm place." Tonya said impressed with her new lover's choice of entertainment. She was not a 'mall rat' like many of her peers.

When they arrived, Tonya got their tickets. Kiana went to protest. "You're my date." Tonya smiled. Kiana felt special. Her first, real date! She took Tonya's arm as they went in.

The climate inside was tropical. They checked their winter gear at the coat check and took their receipts. Tonya looked over Kiana, who was wearing a pink dress with lavender trim and sash and simple but elegant matching heels. Her hair was curled and styled, pinned up off her neck so her knitted hat didn't mess it severely. Her tail had a bow at the base.

Kiana held her hands behind her back, twisting her body to and fro. "You like?"

"Oh, yeah." Tonya said amazed. "It's really hot in here, now."

Once again, Kiana taking her lover's arm, they walked around the path through dense brush of tropical plants where colourful birds flew freely from branch to branch and exotic animals crept and hopped.

--

Ethan arrived home, tired and annoyed from Cerise's bossiness. He smiled as he was about to open the door and say the words he's wanted to for a long time. "Hi Honey, I'm home!"

Elise turned around from assembling dinner with open arms, a smile and a greeting kiss.

"I can die a happy fellow. My fantasy is fulfilled." He chuckled and held her tightly.

"What?" Elise said confused, looked over her shoulder at the kitchen and back, then got what he meant. "Humph!" She said with a crooked mouth.

"So, what did the doctor say." He asked immediately.

She smiled and nuzzled his muzzle with hers. "So far, so good. We're all healthy."

Ethan's face filled with joy. "Fantastic!" He picked her up and swung her to and fro, making her giggle.

She slid out of his arms and went to her purse on the table. She motioned for him to come over.

"What is it?" He asked, still happy.

"The doctor gave me a picture of the ultrasound." She said.

"Oh, right on! Let's see the little nipper." He said, holding out his hand.

She handed him the photo. "Aww, that's amazing! We can see them so clear... uhhhh....." His smile turned into an expression of shock.

"Uh-huh..." Elise said. "You're a daddy of two teeny, tiny, little kits."

His smile returned. Looking at the picture, it became very real for him - he's going to be a father! He held his sister "Honey, twins like us!" He nuzzled her. "We did something right for this blessing."

She held him tightly, feeling his love and approval.

"The doctor wants to meet you next time I go."

He rolled his eyes, "A daddy pep-talk?"

"I don't think so." She shook her head. "But sweetie, you have GOT to meet this doctor. And when you do, promise not to laugh."

He smiled, "OK, now my curiosity is up."

He went to the bedroom to change out of his work clothes. "I have some good news, too!"

"Oh?" She popped her head in the bedroom.

"Yeah! Dad's taking a leave and put me in charge of the warehouse. Doubled my salary."

"Oh, honey, that's wonderful!" She said excitedly. "We're sure going to need it, doubling the population around here."

Ethan continued, "The bad news is Cerise is in charge as GM and she's being bipolar today again. I should talk to Al and tell him to bang her harder or something." He chuckled.

"I think Cerise will be Cerise, sweetie. She seems to be made for and thrive off command responsibility." She replied, setting the table.

Ethan came out in cleaner, nicer clothing. "So, what can I help with?"

"All done!" Elise said, putting the food on the table. "Sit, eat and no jokes about my cooking."

After dinner, Ethan insisted on doing the dishes as Elise relaxed. He wiped his hands and looked at them, all prune like, "That'll make for a rough fap at the computer tonight." He grumbled.

"What was that, honey?" Elise looked over from the sofa, scrolling through the TV guide.

"Oh, nothing!" He said innocently.

"You''ll chafe yourself looking at those lesbian pics tonight did you say?" Elise giggled.

Ethan stood there for a moment with his mouth open. "You know too much."

She looked at him with an expression like he was an idiot. "You haven't had a cold since we've been here and you've emptied the tissue box on your desk twice. I'm not stupid." She stuck her tongue out.

"Yeah, well..." He tried to think of a quick retaliation. "Your batteries are low on your toy!"

"And just how would you know?" She raised an eyebrow. Then she got a disgusted look, "EWWWWWWWWWW! I hope you clean it!" She threw a small magazine at him.

He decided now was a good time to duck into the spare bedroom and go online.

He put his gaming headset on and looked around the chat room to see who was all there before going in. He smiled and highlighted just the person he wanted to talk to.

"Hey Al! What's fraggin'-shaggin' tonight, dude?"

"Hey, dude! Alas, not me" He replied.

"Uh-oh, trouble in paradise?"

"Cerise as you well know is all in 'boss mode'. She's taking it too serious and now we're only getting together on weekends." Al lamented.

"Tell me about it! She's been bipolar all day. I was hoping you could cheer her up." Ethan said with fingers crossed.

"I'll do my best this weekend." He said with a chuckle. "Ready to go kick some ass in game?"

"Lead the way, Lieutenant!" Ethan said happily.

"Uhhhh, dude, you're team captain. Aren't you supposed to go first?" Al had confusion in his voice.

"Yep!" Ethan agreed. "But the map says there's mines in this part." He gave an evil laugh.

Al groaned and they entered the level.

--

"Eeeeeee! That's so perfect!" Kiana squealed as she snapped pics of Tonya with her phone.

Tonya had held out an arm and one of the parrots landed on it. She held out the other and another landed. When Kiana snapped the pic, one of the butterflies landed on Tonya's nose to top it off.

Tonya couldn't help but laugh, which made the butterfly flutter his wings, then she sneezed, making the parrots fly off, one with a loud squawk.

"Attention patrons, the conservatory will be closing in fifteen minutes. Thank you." An announcement was heard from surreptitiously placed speakers, making it sound as if the staff was right beside you talking normally, so as to not disturb the wildlife.

"Wow! We've been here for how many hours?" Kiana asked as Tonya looked surprised as well.

"Would explain why my stomach is growling." Tonya said. "C'mon, I'll buy you a nice dinner."

"That family restaurant we met at?" Kiana asked with a smile.

"Please." Tonya scoffed. "There's a French place getting rave reviews. I'll take you there."

Kiana gave a little gasp. "Elise went there. She said it's outrageously expensive."

"Hello! Rich girl!" Tonya smiled, pointing to herself. "You're my date, I'm buying."

Kiana once again felt special. Her first, real date and she was being pampered like she always heard her friends bragging about.

The girls squealed, as did other patrons who had adjusted to the warm, humid tropical climate inside now met the bitter cold outside. "Oh dear!" Kiana said as her nose and eyes watered.

Tonya pulled out a travel pack of tissues and handed her a few. "Always be prepared."

The restaurant was busy and they had to wait for a table. They read the menu while waiting to help speed things up when they were seated. "Ai, yi, yi, yi!" Kiana said, along with "Eeek!", "Ack!", "Gasp!" and a couple of whistles.

"Hun, I don't see any of those things on the menu. Want to let me order?" Tonya joked.

Kiana chuckled. "Just keep in mind that we squirrels rarely eat meat. We just don't have the teeth for flesh, either."

"I'm an omnivore; if I can get it in my mouth, I eat it." Tonya said without looking up from her menu.

Kiana burst out laughing.

"Oh, gawd." Tonya face-palmed with a smile. "I see how your mind works."

They finally were seated and placed their order. The helpful waiter said that if Kiana did have one of the meat courses, they would prepare it 'trés petit', so she would have less trouble with it. She chose a pasta dish instead.

"That's conscientious service." Kiana was impressed. I was at a burger joint and asked for it cut up for me. They said, "Whaddevah!" " She said in an exaggerated accent of the server, making Tonya chuckle.

"The worst for me was in a bar in Ipswich. Far more humans than I hoped to see. Quarter of them wanted to shag me, quarter wanted to kill me and the remaining half made jokes about my species that I was going to spray and stink the place out. Then they started a drunken fight among themselves." She chuckled. "One of the patrons, a squirrel guy in a uniform matter of fact, was there with more civilized human buddies in uniform, grabbed me and said "Let's go!". I ducked under a table and began recording and said, "Hell no, this is worth my bachelors thesis!" And you know what? It was!"

Kiana listened to her story with a look of amazement on her face. "You are so brave!" She said like a 'fangirl'. "I would never go into a dense human population. Well, maybe with my friend Ethan, I would. He's big."

Tonya shrugged. "Few humans are dumb enough to mess with the canines. But you'd be fine. Most are pretty decent. Just don't go into a public house of theirs near docks on a weekend." She leaned over the table and whispered, "Between you and me, I was so scared a peed myself."

After dinner, Kiana and Tonya got into the rental car. Kiana was very appreciative, but sad. "So, this is your last night?"

Tonya gave a big sigh. "Yeah. Just as I was beginning to enjoy myself, too."

Kiana snugged against Tonya's arm and wept softly. "I'm going to miss you."

Tonya put her chin on Kiana's head and stroked her face and chin. "I'm going to miss you, too. You've been very special." She kissed Kiana's little nose between her dampened eyes. "Let's make this a night neither of us will forget."

Kiana immediately gave her a passionate kiss as intense as her tiny mouth would allow.

It was one in the morning when Rick and Eugenia, who drove, dropped Larry off at his hotel. The two well inebriated friends parted sadly and Larry promised to not wait another fifteen years to return.

As Larry staggered through the parking lot, he noticed his rental was in his assigned slot for the hotel room. He did as best as he could to fumble with his keys and stagger softly so as to not wake his daughter, who had to leave by lunch.

He opened the door to the room and tiptoed. There was a dim light from the television on a streaming music station, so he didn't have to turn lights on.

As he entered where the two queen beds were, he saw his daughter snuggled in a ball, spooning a fluffy little squirrel girl. She had her large skunk tail wrapped around her like a blanket and her arm over that. They slept soundly, his daughter snoring as her usual, with her mouth partly open. The squirrel still had a satisfied smile on her face, even though sound asleep.

He left the room quietly and locked the door. He went to the front desk and got a single room for himself for the night.

The night auditor looked mortified, "We are sorry Mr. Sackworth, was your current room not satisfactory? We will rectify the problem immediately!"

He shook his head and waved his hand, "Not that at all. Just daddy came home from a friendship reunion and it seems daughter has a guest of her own for the night."

The auditor smiled, "Of course, Sir." He handed him a key. "Our last room. People are travelling for Christmas to meet family. It's our smallest, but if you need anything, we are at your service 24 hours."

Larry thanked him and took the key. He looked at it and asked, "If I wanted to extend a room, this one or the one my daughter is in until a day or two after Christmas..."

The auditor frowned. "Quite impossible, apologies. Reservations have us booked until the new year."

"Even for an extra thousand dollar tip?" Larry smiled.

The auditor smiled, "Let me see if I can rearrange things for you by morning."

Seven in the morning came far too soon. Last time Larry felt like this, he had been run over by six guys in a scrum for a ball. He went to get some pills from his bag and a change of clothes for a shower when he remembered this wasn't his room.

"I hope I'm not being a pain." He said to himself as he left the temporary room and went upstairs to the one he and his daughter shared. He knocked before entering.

"Daddy's back. Hope your decent!" He shouted as he opened the door slowly, giving the ladies time to duck under the covers if they weren't.

"Oh, hello Mr. Sackworth!" Kiana said with a smile as she sat on a bed, brushing out her tail from the fur drier. "Nice to meet you." She stood and shook his hand.

"I take it that's my daughter in the shower?" He asked as Kiana nodded. "Well, I'm just going to grab my personals bag, some clothes and shower in another room I got last night. I'll be back and want to buy you both a nice breakfast.

"Thank you! You're very generous." Kiana said happily.

He showered, dried, untangled his fur, talked with the auditor at the front desk and went back to the shared room. Even after that time, his daughter and Kiana still weren't ready. When he entered the room, Kiana was brushing Tonya's hair. She was in a chair and Kiana was on the bed, her head tilted back with eyes closed and a smile. He swore he could see all sorts of love hears floating over her head. "Is someone making my kitten purr?" He chuckled and Kiana blushed.

"Morning, daddy." Tonya said without opening her eyes.

"Did your friend mention my breakfast offer?" He asked and pulled his suitcase out to pack.

"Yes and thank you." She said. "We may be a bit, unless you're in a hurry."

"Oh, don't rush. I'm sure you two want to spend more time together." He casually said.

Kiana whispered something in Tonya's ear.

Tonya opened her eyes and turned to her dad, "Why were you in another room? I thought you were going to be out all night with that Rick guy?"

"I was. But his wife brought me back because if she didn't, we would have made another booze run. Then I'd feel worse than I already do." He rubbed his head.

"Then you walked in and..." Tonya trailed off as Kiana gasped and covered her face with both hands, looking as if she was going to die from embarrassment.

"It's all right, kitten. I just went 'oops!', left and got another room." He was amused as he saw his daughter face-palm. "Matter of fact, I think you should spend a little more time with your new friend. It's good to see you distracted from your work, work, work." He shrugged and chuckled, "Like I can talk about that, huh?"

"But, my plane leaves at eleven. You know that, you bought the ticket." Tonya looked confused.

"Uh-huh. But I know you don't have to be back until the first week of the new year for your semester. If you want I can move that return ticket to the 26th or 27th or something. I also only have to say OK to the guy downstairs to extend the room until after Christmas as well as the rental car." He offered. "Consider it your Christmas present. Oh and I'll give you an extra $100 a day to spend on your card." He paused and looked up at her. "That is unless you plan on eating at that French restaurant every night. How big of a tip did you leave? Or was it just that expensive?"

"Maybe a bit of both, heh." Tonya said with a blush, not thinking the restaurant would have posted the charge so quick. She got up from the chair and took Kiana's hands into hers.

"So, what do you think, hun? Would you like me to stay until after Chris.... MMPH!" Tonya was cut off as Kiana threw her arms around and planted a huge kiss on her.

"Hahaha, I'll take that as a yes." Her dad said.

After they had breakfast, Kiana excused herself to use the washroom. Rather than wear her dress again that morning, she borrowed a tee shirt and stretch pants from her new girlfriend. As Kiana walked down the aisle to the washrooms, Larry admired her full figured hips sway.

"Damn, you have good taste." He said.

"Daddy!" Tonya said with shock, "She's younger than me, even!" She smiled, "But that's the first time I've ever heard you talk about another woman."

"Well, Rick convinced me that it was time to move on. So when I get back, I'm going to list the house. I'll get a two bedroom penthouse in town." He admitted as he fiddled with his empty coffee cup, wishing the waitress would come by with more.

Tonya raised an eyebrow, "I've only been telling you this now for how long?" She grinned and sipped the last of her coffee. She was not subtle in making it known that empty cups were not acceptable, even in a crappy, greasy-smelling family restaurant attached to a hotel.

"I have a confession." Tonya said after their cups were filled. "I did have an idea that you might come back to the room last night."

"Shock and awe your old man into stop trying to fix you up with guys?" He said without surprise.

"Yeah. But your reaction is one who has known for a long time. So why did you keep doing it?" She asked.

"A lonely old man's hope for grand kids." He shrugged, but his eyes showed pain.

"That's it? Daddy, why didn't you say something to me?" His daughter said with empathy.

"What, ask my lesbian daughter if she's going to go against her orientation, get married and have kids just to please her old man?" He shook his head. "Have you not learned that everything I've done is about_not_ ruining your life?"

"Auch, no." Tonya sighed. "I mean what my plans for the future may be. I do want to have children. At least one from me and at least one from whomever my wife will be."

He gave a smile that widened into a beaming grin.

She went over and hugged him. "I have the best dad in the world."