didn’t have to explain. Cameron knew her stress habits. She left them to chat and exchange relieved greetings, while she went across the open space to her bedroom. The scratching started as soon as her shadow crossed the gap beneath the door, making her smile.
The boys weren’t used to spending so much time without her. Mac listened to the scratching for a moment. It sounded as if both of them were up and around. When she opened the door she leaned down to pick them up.
“Hey guys! I guess you missed me, huh?” They were both licking her face and sniffing her hair in between licks.
“Yeah, I’ve been through some strange smells today. One of those is probably stress, and another is a bit of fear, but that’s okay. I’ve got you two.” Eventually they both had enough attention, and she went straight for her dresser after putting them down. Sweat-shorts and a support-tank were the runway fare for tonight, along with bare feet. As soon as she’d changed she felt the weight lift off her shoulders. She was home.
She grabbed the boys again and carried them with her down the hall so Leigh and Kirk could see them for a bit.
“Okay, I’d better put them back in my room so we can hash all this stuff out, make whatever plans, adjustments, and arrangements that need to be made, and I can finally relax and go make a highly anticipated phone call.”
Once she’d confined the ferrets again, she grabbed some snack food from the cupboards in case anyone wanted anything. It wasn’t until then that she realized how hungry she was herself. She hadn’t stopped to eat since she’d left the house around noon, and it was nearly nine. If she didn’t have some protein, her blood sugar would start to drop. She added a hunk of cheese and a kitchen knife to the tray she was loading up, along with some small bottles of orange juice, and took it over to the six-seater table they were using.
“Alright. I’ll tell y’all everything that happened today, and then you can ask your questions. I’m incredibly exhausted, so just let me finish before you ask me anything. I want to get it out in the right order. You can eat while I talk.”
Thankfully they remained silent throughout her recitation, everyone nibbling on their own thing. When she was done, she cut off a large block of cheese and started chewing on it. Kirk spoke first.
“Why don’t I go with you for whatever running around you have to do from now on? Maybe it’s sexist, but most guys will leave a woman alone if there’s another male with her. You can defend yourself better than I ever could, but it’s all about perception.” Mac nodded and took a swallow of her orange juice.
“You’re right. In an ideal world a woman wouldn’t have to do that, but the world is far from ideal. Besides, I could use the help. Some of the stuff we’re going to need will likely be heavy or awkward, requiring two people to lift it.
“How much of the garden stuff did you get done today, Cameron? Is there enough to keep you and Leigh busy for the day tomorrow?” Cam nodded.
“I grabbed all the stuff that was ripe, and started pulling some weeds, but I think it’s going to take two of us a couple of hours for that. I didn’t start until about four, since it was so hot. I only got the trailer partly unloaded, though. I couldn’t really get in there to lift the cement bags. We’ll have to empty it before you leave tomorrow, if you’re planning to use it.”
“I’ll need it. I’m heading in to Huntsville to the OPP, and then I’m going to clear out whatever toilet paper and tampons I can find. I have feed, chickens, and goats to buy, too.
“If you have favourite brands of stuff, Leigh, make sure Kirk knows what they are so he can pick up as much of that as possible. I doubt you guys are as stringent on animal-testing as we are, so we probably don’t have what you like, but you can take a look at the supply areas and see.
“Maybe make a list as you go through, because
The boys weren’t used to spending so much time without her. Mac listened to the scratching for a moment. It sounded as if both of them were up and around. When she opened the door she leaned down to pick them up.
“Hey guys! I guess you missed me, huh?” They were both licking her face and sniffing her hair in between licks.
“Yeah, I’ve been through some strange smells today. One of those is probably stress, and another is a bit of fear, but that’s okay. I’ve got you two.” Eventually they both had enough attention, and she went straight for her dresser after putting them down. Sweat-shorts and a support-tank were the runway fare for tonight, along with bare feet. As soon as she’d changed she felt the weight lift off her shoulders. She was home.
She grabbed the boys again and carried them with her down the hall so Leigh and Kirk could see them for a bit.
“Okay, I’d better put them back in my room so we can hash all this stuff out, make whatever plans, adjustments, and arrangements that need to be made, and I can finally relax and go make a highly anticipated phone call.”
Once she’d confined the ferrets again, she grabbed some snack food from the cupboards in case anyone wanted anything. It wasn’t until then that she realized how hungry she was herself. She hadn’t stopped to eat since she’d left the house around noon, and it was nearly nine. If she didn’t have some protein, her blood sugar would start to drop. She added a hunk of cheese and a kitchen knife to the tray she was loading up, along with some small bottles of orange juice, and took it over to the six-seater table they were using.
“Alright. I’ll tell y’all everything that happened today, and then you can ask your questions. I’m incredibly exhausted, so just let me finish before you ask me anything. I want to get it out in the right order. You can eat while I talk.”
Thankfully they remained silent throughout her recitation, everyone nibbling on their own thing. When she was done, she cut off a large block of cheese and started chewing on it. Kirk spoke first.
“Why don’t I go with you for whatever running around you have to do from now on? Maybe it’s sexist, but most guys will leave a woman alone if there’s another male with her. You can defend yourself better than I ever could, but it’s all about perception.” Mac nodded and took a swallow of her orange juice.
“You’re right. In an ideal world a woman wouldn’t have to do that, but the world is far from ideal. Besides, I could use the help. Some of the stuff we’re going to need will likely be heavy or awkward, requiring two people to lift it.
“How much of the garden stuff did you get done today, Cameron? Is there enough to keep you and Leigh busy for the day tomorrow?” Cam nodded.
“I grabbed all the stuff that was ripe, and started pulling some weeds, but I think it’s going to take two of us a couple of hours for that. I didn’t start until about four, since it was so hot. I only got the trailer partly unloaded, though. I couldn’t really get in there to lift the cement bags. We’ll have to empty it before you leave tomorrow, if you’re planning to use it.”
“I’ll need it. I’m heading in to Huntsville to the OPP, and then I’m going to clear out whatever toilet paper and tampons I can find. I have feed, chickens, and goats to buy, too.
“If you have favourite brands of stuff, Leigh, make sure Kirk knows what they are so he can pick up as much of that as possible. I doubt you guys are as stringent on animal-testing as we are, so we probably don’t have what you like, but you can take a look at the supply areas and see.
“Maybe make a list as you go through, because
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