Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Katrina
I probably shouldn’t get angry but I do. We’re at a fancy restaurant, and I can’t pretend that it doesn’t feel good to get dressed up like this. On the other hand, I’m tired of these two trying to control their son. They just won’t stop. I know I shouldn’t speak because when I watch Isaac, I can see that his intention is just to suffer through it until they leave. He plans on just enduring it and that’s that.
On the other hand, I’m not going to have to actually be their daughter-in-law. That gives me some freedom, I think.
“The two of you are the most insufferable parents I have ever met,” I say. “Your son is not your property and he’s not your pet.”
“This is none of your concern,” his mother says.
“Why is that?” I ask. “Why is it that anyone else who has an opinion doesn’t matter to you? You have any idea how many lives your son has saved? Do you even know what he does? I mean, you know the word firefighter but do you understand that? Do you know what it means for someone to rely on you because if they don’t, they’ll die?”
“Of course I do!”
I roll my eyes. “You do not. I mean, is this some sort of panther thing? You think that people rely on you or they’ll die? People may rely on you but it’s not life and death.”
They both look at me in shock and I look at Isaac. He has a faintly amused look on his face. I look back at them and say, “Of course I know about you guys. Isaac and I aren’t just a dalliance no matter how much you wish we were. We’re serious, and you need to get used to the idea. But that isn’t relevant at all to something far more important.”
“She’s right, Mom and Dad,” Isaac says.
“An outsider can’t possibly know what’s right in this?—”
I interrupt his mother. “You need to stop treating him like he has no choices of his own. Shifters are announced to the world, not hidden. You don’t need to manage every aspect of his life to protect him. Real threats, yes. You should protect him from real threats. Him making his own decisions and loving whoever he wants to love isn’t one of them!”
Okay, I’m about to start screaming. So, I stand up and say, “Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s a hot dog stand a few blocks from here, and I’m going there so I can enjoy a nice meal.” I turn around and start walking, and I guess I feel pretty damned sexy and powerful right now. I mean, I just stood up to rich snots (I’m assuming they’re rich) and then walked away wearing a slinky cocktail dress and behaving like a fucking boss.
At least, that’s how it feels to me. I’ll take it, I can promise you.
As I walk I notice there are women staring at me, and these are the kinds of women I’d never ordinarily hang out with. Diamond earrings. Hairdos that probably cost as much as I spend a week on groceries. The only thing I have to compare with them is the slinky dress Isaac bought me for this dinner. All of the women are looking at me with admiration, though.
I guess I have to admit that I feel pretty darned affirmed over that. These are women I would probably never spend any time with at all. They don’t run in the same circles as I do, and my circle is known for envying theirs while their circle is known for looking down on mine. I guess I’m just saying that it feels damned good for a girl like me to impress a bunch of rich girls.
So, I get outside floating on air, and it hits me that I really am very hungry. The hot dog stand is real, thankfully. I’m still fuming and, as I march down the street in my heels, and in my head, I continue dressing down his parents like I did in the restaurant.
I get to the hot dog stand and the smell is wonderful. My stomach growls and I laugh out loud at the absurdity of me in a beautiful cocktail dress standing in line for a hot dog, hopefully slathered in chili and cheese.
I get up to the front and give my order. “One chili dog.”
“Make that two, please.”
I whirl around and catch my heel in a crack. As I start to stumble, Isaac’s father catches me.
I straighten up and fix my dress. I mumble a quick thank you and turn around the other direction again.
“Please, Katrina, I’d like to say, on behalf of my wife and myself, how very sorry we are for how we’ve treated you.”
I'm about to answer but get interrupted by the vendor handing me my two hotdogs. I hand one off to Isaac’s dad without a word and shuffle over to the condiment caddy. He follows me.
“Katrina, I have to say, after you’re display in the restaurant ...”
My eyes flash up to his face and shoot daggers at him.
“I was going to say that I think that you may be the only woman who could match Isaac for strength of character. In fact, I think you may supersede him. He needs someone like you to knock some sense into him from time to time because he certainly won’t listen to us.”
I try to ignore the suggestion that Isaac is unwilling to obey his parents and focus on the positive, which is that Isaac’s dad really seems to like me.“What I’m saying is, well, I’m thrilled that you’re going to be joining our family.”
I stop smearing mustard on my chili dog, which is going to taste awful, but I had to have something to help keep my nerves in check. I look up and see Isaac’s dad smiling at me. “You’re sure about that?”
“You made some excellent points back there at the restaurant. Isaac is a grown man capable of making decisions for himself.”
“Yes, he is.”
“But you must understand that being royalty, we are used to handling the lives of our children even in their adult years. We see it as similar to, how should I put it, ah! It’s like we all work for the same company and we must learn to put the interests of the company ahead of our own.”
“That sounds very sad.”
He nods. “In many ways, it is. Still, things are changing and yes, the world knows of us now so, our subjects aren’t risking death like in older times.”
He sets his hot dog down and takes my hands in his. “Isaac is the crown prince, but his duties are very light currently. So, he can be a firefighter.”
He leans closer to me. “And he can marry a very incredible, spirited woman if he so choses. We are happy to give our blessings.”
I stand there, feeling accepted and loved, and I feel so happy!
And then, my bubble bursts because I remember.
I remember that this is all fake. I’m not really going to be marrying Isaac. I’m just helping him get out of a marriage he didn’t want. I’m just winning him the right to live his own life.
But I’m not winning anything.
Of course, I can’t let Isaac’s dad know that I’m a phony. He just gave me the biggest praise of my life.
I smile. “Does your wife feel the same way?”
He smiles and winks. “I’m the king. She doesn’t have to like it as much as I do.”
I giggle a little at that and say, “Thank you for following me out here.”
He leans forward then and gives me a tender kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.”
I nod and keep smiling.
And all I want to do is cry until I can’t anymore.It’s all fake but now I really, really want it.