Mating Season

one

I smiled as we pulled into my favorite person's drive way. My Grandma was on the porch of her house as we stopped; I flung out of the car and raced to hug her. I hadn't seen her in ages, but we talked almost everyday on the phone. I was never able to visit because of school and I rarely had free time in the summer to make the drive down here. My grams tried to make it to Seattle as often as she could, which wasn't often, but it was enough. 

She embraced me with a large hug and a warm smile. 

"I missed you, Grams," I squeezed her a little harder before letting go to look at her. 

"Oh, Honey, I missed you, too!" She ushered me inside with her hands. "Take your jacket off and come to the kitchen. I have cookies!" She sang the last part as she fled from the room. It was nearing the middle of March, so it was still a little cold but bearable. 

I took off my jacket and sneakers before heading to the kitchen. When I entered, she was pouring two glasses of milk to go with the cookies she promised moments ago.

"So, Dear, how was the trip?

. . . . . . . . . . 

It was dark by the time me and Grams left the kitchen; the cookies were long gone, but we talked for hours. I had headed to the reading nook in the living room when I heard the howling. I snapped my head to Grams when it began. She didn't even spare me a glance where she sat on her couch, scrolling through cable channels. 

"What was that?" I was nervous for her answer. 

Her eyes parted from the television to look at me from the top of her glasses, a cheeky smile as she replied,"Well, those are the wolves, doll. Didn't I tell you it was mating season?" The way she said it made me feel as though she wasn't telling me something.