Chapter 17 #2
The cubs had no idea what he was talking about, but they parked themselves on the adults’ laps to watch a recording of one of the Christmas shows. Wide-eyed, the siblings began laughing as the bears did their thing. Scout asked a question.
“Which one is Knox?”
Levi pointed at the small screen.
“The one in the middle with the red apron. He’s the best!”
Amid warm snuggling, giggles, and a plethora of questions, Scout and Birdy discovered more about the big shifter and the blond human man who were interested in caring for them.
The video prompted Birdy to ask why Levi wasn’t dancing with Knox, which led to an explanation of what a music teacher did, and that he worked at the big kids’ school.
Knox then told them about his various jobs making furniture, fixing things, and harvesting food from the forest.
When it came to family connections, they learned that Levi’s ‘litter’ included two sisters and a brother who lived far away in a place called Ohio.
Levi pulled up some recent photos on his phone, pointing out the aforementioned siblings, plus parents, grandparents, a brother-in-law, and a boyfriend.
When it was Knox’s turn, he explained that he didn’t know where his sow or littermates were, and hadn’t seen them for a long time.
Scout and Birdy certainly understood how lonely it could be, and snuggled closer to comfort him.
After the cubs saw the addition to the cabin, including new, unused bedrooms, they stayed for supper.
It was an odd experience for the children, since meals had always meant lots of people and noise.
This was a quiet affair with only the four of them, and they observed Knox and Levi interact with touches and an occasional smooch.
That it was two men didn’t seem to bother them at all, as they’d already seen Orrin and Zak do the same things.
With everyone helping, they cleaned up after the meal—leaving just enough time for a little talk. Knox got them started.
“Was today fun? Did you have a good time?”
Birdy let Scout answer first, already knowing what she wanted to say.
“Yes! Can we come back?”
Birdy’s long ponytail danced as she nodded in agreement.
“I like you. You’re nice!”
Levi, now relieved and more relaxed, shared an idea with them.
“We like you, too. Maybe next weekend you can stay overnight, and we’ll do something fun together. What do you think?”
The cubs responded with hugs and growls, talking about their favorite things to do, what they liked to eat, and games they enjoyed playing.
Knox and Levi made mental notes of what the cubs revealed, and then put on their winter gear for the drive back to the Cub House.
When they arrived (booster seats in tow), Orrin opened the door with a damp towel slung over his left shoulder and wet spots on his clothing.
“Bath time. This is Tasha’s night off, so come on upstairs if you want to give me a hand.”
Knox and Levi didn’t mind being drafted, helping the cubs get into their jammies while Orrin finished supervising the baths.
Afterward, they held Scout and Birdy on their laps for story time as if it had always been part of their evening routine.
Whenever something being read made the pair laugh, they looked up to see if Knox and Levi were also laughing.
Without even trying, the little stinkers had wrapped themselves around the mated pair’s hearts, and Levi couldn’t wait to ask Knox how he felt about ‘their’ kids.
When story time was finished, they escorted the sweet cubs to their room, tucked them in, and gave each of them a kiss on the head. Levi paused at the door on their way out.
“Goodnight Birdy. Goodnight Scout. We’ll see you again soon—promise.”
Orrin awaited them at the top of the stairs with a knowing smile on his face. He didn’t say anything until they reached the front entryway.
“I can tell you had a good time together. Will you be seeing them again?”
Knox growled his answer, so Levi spoke for both of them.
“We had a great time with the cubs and would like to have them overnight next weekend if it’s okay. If you know of anything they might enjoy doing or fun places to go, we’re open to suggestions.”
Orrin’s eyes twinkled with delight.
“Wonderful! I thought they’d be a good match.
I’ll send you some ideas early in the week, along with pointers to make this transition time easier for you.
If things continue to go well, you might consider having them over every weekend until you’re able to take them full time.
Oh, and you should probably pick up a couple of booster seats for the jeep.
Eventually, there will be legal paperwork to fill out, a home inspection, and an interview with a counselor from the regional BSA office.
I can guide you through all of that whenever you’re ready and answer any questions you have in the meantime. ”
Knox and Levi left smiling, probably eager to have a private conversation about how things went down today.
Orrin absolutely loved arranging permanent homes for the orphans—the ultimate reward for difficult and often heartbreaking work.
It was even sweeter when he personally knew the families involved, and that he would continue to see the cubs around town as they grew up.
As Orrin turned off most of the downstairs lights and locked the doors, he received a text from Zak saying he was on the way over.
Heart pounding, he acknowledged the message with ‘OKAY!,’ and made his way through the connecting passageway to his own home to greet the man.
They’d have to wait in the Cub House for Tasha to return home (and keep their clothes on), but it was better than sitting there alone.
Orrin had plans for the sexy doctor, even if he had to wait until midnight to implement them.