Healing Ties (Ties, Book 2) | ✓

Chapter 21

Fanner heard the sound of a child squeal, and a moment later a man with dark brown hair and a short beard entered the cabin carrying Jasper upside down. Hamish followed behind them.

Upside down, Jasper's slightly wavy brown hair hung down far enough to brush the tips of his ears. He watched Fanner with big, brown eyes that lacked any whites.

Simon let out a breath of laughter and shook his head. "Yore really did find him. Incredible."

"I know. After all our searching, Yore just stumbled upon him by accident. Fanner, this is Simon. My husband."

Simon lifted Jasper so that he was right way up in his arms, cradled against his chest. "It's nice to finally meet you, Fanner. Danya has told me a lot about you."

"Oh, um! He told me about you, too. Just not, I mean. Not— Because— Um." Fanner swallowed and looked away, trying to breathe normally. He was okay. This was Danya's husband. He wouldn't get cross at Fanner for stumbling over his words.

"Well, at least you got a little warning about the situation before I got here. I imagine it's still quite confronting, though."

Fanner nodded. He couldn't speak. Simon seemed kind. Everyone here did. The more his anxiety abated, though, the more Fanner could feel exhaustion pressing in behind it. He had given up most of his sleep to heal Yore just a tiny bit last night and the fear he had felt over the last few days, and today in particular, had drained more from him than even the most intense physical demands could have.

Simon set Jasper on the ground as he went to have a murmured conversation with Danya. He brushed a hand against Danya's face and Fanner looked away, giving them their privacy.

Jasper was watching him. No, he was looking at the plush dog.

Fanner held it up. "Is this yours?"

Jasper didn't respond, but his eyes followed the toy.

Fanner held it out to him. "Do you want it?"

Jasper tensed as Fanner's arm moved, then he went back to staring intently at the toy.

"He wants you to throw it," Hamish said as he sat down against the wall next to the door, giving Fanner plenty of space.

"Like...?" Fanner pulled his arm back and made a slow throwing motion, though he kept hold of the toy.

Hamish smiled as he let his head fall back to rest against the wall. "Yeah. Like fetch."

Fanner gently tossed the toy and Jasper caught it with ease. He picked it up in his mouth, approached Fanner on all fours, and dropped it in front of him. Fanner tossed it again, a bit more forcefully this time, and Jasper dashed off after it.

This time when he brought it back, Jasper lay down on the bedding in front of Fanner and half buried his face under his toy. Fanner wanted to stroke his soft little ears, but that was probably a strange thing to do to someone else's child when you'd only just met them.

Jasper twisted a back leg to scratch at his side. Even his knees and hips weren't quite human. They weren't quite canine either, though. "I have fleas."

"Oh!" Fanner said. "Well, I suppose that would be an issue when you're covered in fur."

Jasper lifted his toy off his face so that he could look at Fanner. "You shouldn't eat fleas, you know."

"Oh, um..."

"Or... poop. Or a lettuce. Or, um... or a dead thing. Like a little mouse, or a lizard, or um... something."