Chapter 15 #4
"No, of course I didn't actually do any of that.
I smiled, and thanked him and worked my ass off to get the killer recommendation from our fossil of a lab director, not just an insult, he was a horseshoe crab shifter.
He might've had his biases, but he also has a reputation for training excellent scientists.
So his good word helped me nab this posting at the Coastal Lab and I took Linc with me as a parting shot across his bow, so professionally it worked out for both of us. "
I shove her shoulder and she smirks at me. "That's not the part I was asking about, I know you're a brilliant scientist and you swept Linc off his feet. How did you go from pouring coffee on his effigy to mates?"
"Oh, that?" Trudy tosses her hair over her shoulder. "That was simple. I took my vengeance on our boss first, that did wonders for my mood. And then—"
"Wait, vengeance?" I demand before she can brush past the details.
"Oh, nothing bad. Sugar makes the best poison, Gillian.
I got myself a fancy latte and a bearclaw for the drive back to the lab and delivered a couple big boxes of lukewarm decaf coffee and several dozen day-old plain donuts and whole wheat bagels from the discount rack for the office.
When they all complained, I pretended to be oh-so-concerned for everyone's health.
Never got singled out as the only 'lady scientist' present to do menial errands again. "
"Wow. You're diabolical."
"I am, thanks for noticing." She winks at me.
"And when I was feeling less ragey about the situation after lunch, I asked Linc to let me run another round of specimens so I could learn the process.
He was ever so helpful. He even apologized for thinking I couldn't stand up for myself with the boss and explained that he ran the specimens without me because Helicanth called to say he wanted the results at the morning report and there wouldn't have been time to finish running them if he waited.
Then he offered to buy me dinner to make up for talking over me.
And I let him go all out. Seafood feast on the waterfront.
He kept the shells from the oysters we shared that night, you know?
He says he knew from the moment that revenge decaf hit his lips that I was it for him. "
"And when did you know?" I'm hanging on her every word. As if her love story might validate how fast I'm getting pulled into Winny's current.
"I knew when I had the urge to give him my shells after I finished eating them," Trudy says with a soft smile.
"Like your other side knew it was fate?" I ask, breathless and hanging on her answer.
"Oh. Wow.” Trudy barks a laugh. “I wouldn't describe it like that.
My octopus saw a worthy mate and a fine hunter and I saw a guy who could apologize and own his mistakes.
I chose him. He hasn't given me a reason to stop choosing him since.
But we're different like that. You trust your gut more than I do.
And your gut is telling you to go hunt down her favorite prey and leave it at her door, huh? "
"Kinda?" I admit sheepishly.
"And she’s a raven?" Trudy asks. “Or a bear like her nibling?”
"Avian. A raven."
"And she seems serious about you?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Static ravens mate for life. So, I'd tell you to be careful with your hearts, but I think maybe if you want to give her your shells, tell her what it means. Whatever you want to call it, don't let love slip through your grasp. It can be the most elusive of prey."
"We've only had one date," I protest, more to convince myself than my sister.
Trudy shrugs. "Fate or not, love doesn't have to be forever to be worthwhile.
" She gestures at the sunset hues suffusing my face and I know there's no point in denying the truth of her words.
"You love her. Logic and time don't factor into matters of the heart.
Love her while she's yours. Solstice is an auspicious time to declare these things. "
“Yeah.” I nod.
Trudy winks at me. "You're going to need a sturdier bed in this new apartment, I'm taking you shopping tomorrow."
"What? What about work?" I ask.
"I've got PTO to burn and you're on part-time hours anyway.
I'll call in for us both, then I'm taking you to get your apartment situated, don't argue.
You won't take my money for a mortgage downpayment, you barely let me help with zeroing out the medical debt that I got you into.
Linc and I are doing this for you. And no looking at the prices either.
I pick the stores, you pick the pieces you love, okay?
" She narrows her eyes at me. "Don't try me, Gillian, I'm diabolical when crossed. Ask Helicanth about his coffee."
I chuckle despite myself and relent. "Fine, I wouldn't put it past you to sneak into my new kitchen to replace all the coffee with decaf or the creamer with oatmilk or my shrimps with imitation crab, you're a menace."
Trudy nods. "I am. Thank you. Glad we're agreed.
You can invite your girlfriend to lunch and shopping with us too if you want.
No pressure if you aren't ready to introduce us, but I want to meet the shifter who makes you turn such a smitten shade of pink.
Promise I won't scare her into flying away, I'll be on my best behavior. "
"Um, I'll think about it. But just so you know, she can't fly, so no avian flight jokes, please?"
"Oh, sure. Sorry. Anything else?" Truday asks.
"Don't tease us about kids? She doesn't want them. Loves being an aunt, but not parenting."
"Oh. Is that a problem for you?"
"Not really?"
"You sure about that? You're such a natural with the kids, and at school, I thought..."
I take a deep breath and let it out slow.
"I do like kids. But I don't know, I don't think I want my life to revolve around them at home and at work?
From the moment I presented as an omega, Mom made it seem like that's all I was good for, and it's not.
So. I don't think I want it. When Winny said she will never want to be a mom with me, I thought I'd be sad, or upset, but I was just relieved.
So relieved. Like I needed an excuse to say no to something I never wanted for myself? "
"Oh." Trudy turns a melancholy blue-green
"So no aquatic cousins on my side, sorry?" I shouldn’t need to apologize for this, but I need Trudy to spell out that she supports my choices.
“Never apologize for who you are and what you want in life.” Trudy waves me off. "And no worries about any shortage of cousins, that's actually what last night's dinner was about. Linc's older sister is having her first kid in the spring."
"Oh, wow, congrats. They've been trying a while, right?"
"Yep. Besides, if you're dating a member of the local raven flock, I have a feeling my kiddos will be inheriting a whole passel of feathered cousins-in-law," she winks at me.
"Yeah, Marina's already well acquainted with one of them who has a bear cub form as well as a bird side."
Trudy shakes her head. "Of course this means my kids will be playing more with the same cub who nearly ate Marina. You're going to make me glad I've got surplus arms to spare, aren't you?"
"Maybe?" I shrug sheepishly as the timer beeps on the fish sticks.
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Trudy reaches past me to dump the food onto Trip’s plate and gestures toward the finished round of seconds. "Come on, Linc's good, but he's not a miracle worker, we better get this back to the table before the kids riot."
I grab two of the plates and follow her back to the table where the kids are indeed getting restless and the familiarity of the evening routine soothes away my lingering nerves from our conversation.
Trudy's approval is a warm glow of reassurance in my chest that carries me through my doubts over the next few days of moving chaos as I pack up my things and pick out furniture and discuss plans with Winny to make our new place feel like home.