Strange Animal

Chapter 12

What a moon, Seth thought as he and Becky woke up in a sticky tangle. They still weren't sure what exactly had triggered her strange reaction to the full moon, but now that it appeared to be fixed, they weren't about to go courting problems again. After they had gone for a long, glorious run, exploring almost every square inch of the vast forest, they had returned to the cave only to collect their things—Seth suspected Becky said a silent thanks as well—and then they had found a cozy cluster of trees to sleep beside.

He had expected the amnesty from her relatives to end as soon as the sun rose, but to his surprise they had been able to sleep undisturbed. They even managed a quick dip in the river without being bothered. A proper shower—and sex in a bed—would be greatly appreciated when they got to a hotel, but for the moment, he was more than content. Becky was happy and healthy, whole again, and that was worth the world to him.

Ken was the first one to approach them when they rejoined the others, and the warmth of his smile could have rivalled the sun. "Did you have a good run, Rebecca?" It was such a simple question, but Seth knew how much it meant to both father and daughter.

Becky nodded shakily, as if she might cry if she weren't careful. Last night had been full of delight and relief, but Seth was sure anxiety would appear all too soon. "The best," she replied, smiling and waving at her assembled relatives.

Before they could start drowning her in questions and affection, Ken handed Seth a set of keys. "Why don't you enjoy the morning?" he suggested, ignoring the protests from his family behind him. "There's a lovely cafe in town—Becky knows it—and I already told the owner I would pay for your breakfast. Go eat and have a stroll and then you can come back and tell us everything before you head to your hotel. How does that sound?"

"That sounds lovely, Dad. Thank you." Becky kissed Ken's cheek and tugged on Seth's arm, pulling him towards the parked cars. "I love them, but if we don't leave now," she said quietly, "I'll be stuck answering questions all morning. Which would mean no shower until tonight."

"You don't have to convince me," Seth laughed. The country roads were a bit bumpy, but between road signs and Becky's memory, he got them to the nearby town easily enough, parking in front of what looked like an old cottage. "Am I even going to be able to fit through the doorway?" he asked dubiously, eyeing the time-warped door frame.

Becky smiled sweetly, pushing on the back of his head so he ducked down a bit. "Pays to be short sometimes." Then she opened the door and stepped inside, where the motif of dark wood continued.

"Ah, you must be Ken's girl!" A bubbly woman bustled over to them. "Yes, he said you'd be in—and with a tall one too," she laughed. "This way. I saved our biggest table for you."

There were a few locals seated at various tables, and the 'biggest' one still didn't give Seth much leg room, but the ambience was cozy. "Is this the same town with the jeweller?" he asked Becky after the woman left to get them coffee.

Becky suddenly became very interested in the extremely simple menu. As far as Seth could tell, there were about six different items in different ratios and sizes. "Seoda? Yes, just down the road. But we—"

Seth reached over and grabbed her left hand, bringing it to his mouth. "Will her store be open yet?" He hadn't been to Europe often, at least not when he had time to shop, but he knew that the hours could differ greatly from American stores.

"I'm not sure. Honestly!" Becky kicked him lightly under the table. "And . . . don't worry about a ring. Really. We can just tell Hunter that there was too much family stuff going on. Then he won't worry and try to get us counselling or anything."

He didn't let her take her hand back. "I'm not doing it because I have to. I'm doing it because I want to. Maybe all of this gave me a bit of a push," Seth admitted, "but it just made me realize how big a part of my life you are, and how much better my life is with you in it. If you just want to consider it a present, we can do that too. It can be a Happy Full Moon present."