A Twitch of Tail by R. E. Butler Page B

enough to read early.”
    “I need two?”
    Deloris smiled.  “It’s a woman-thing, trust me.  She’ll want two, plus the doctor’s confirmation.”
    Tahlon thanked her for her help and took the tests to the counter to pay.  When he returned home, he found Tera pacing in the family room nervously, only wearing one of his shirts that fell to the middle of her thighs.
    “I thought you’d never get back!”  She smiled in relief.
    “Aw, I missed you, too, baby.”
    She snatched the bag from his hand and huffed.  “No, I have to pee!”  She turned and bolted for the bathroom, slamming the door shut.
    He looked at Melo who stood at the counter with a cup of coffee in one hand.  Melo said, “She told me that it’s most accurate with the first piss, so she’s been pacing since you left.”
    “I got back as fast as I could.  There must be a hundred kinds of those tests.  I didn’t know which to pick.”
    Melo said, “We already know she’s pregnant.  The cub collar alone is enough to prove it in my mind, but this is for Tera’s peace of mind.”
    A few minutes later, Tera walked out of the bathroom holding a white, plastic stick between her fingers, staring at it.  She lifted her eyes and met theirs, a surprised smile lighting her face.
    “It’s a yes,” she said, and he and Melo joined her, sandwiching her between them as they hugged and kissed her and congratulated each other on their future off spring.  That night, they took their mate out to dinner and celebrated their impending mating and the new addition to their family.
    Tahlon started work on Tuesday morning with the ambush construction company.  He hadn’t really cared for leaving Tera at home alone, but it wasn’t as if he could simply stay with her all the time.  He and Melo had a cub coming, and they needed to provide for Tera and their child.  So even though his tiger was revolting in his mind at the thought, he kissed her goodbye and drove into town to start his first day.
    After a morning filling out paperwork and watching safety videos, he joined Melo and the other ambush members for lunch and then spent the remainder of the afternoon hanging drywall.
    As soon as five o’clock rolled around, Tahlon cleaned up his tools as quickly as possible and headed out to his truck.  Midas stopped him on the way to the parking lot.  “Good work today, Tahlon.  I’m glad you’re joining the ambush.”
    “Thanks, Midas.”
    Midas looked at him and then laughed softly.  “I can see you’re anxious to get home to your mate.  See you tomorrow.”
    Tahlon realized he’d been practically bouncing on his feet when he was stopped.  Tera wasn’t going to be home until six, but Tahlon wanted to be there when she got home.  Melo left work early to go to the grocery, and Tahlon wanted to scrub off the layer of dust in the shower before she walked in the door.
    Two hours later, Tera came into the house, and Tahlon and Melo met her with kisses and hugs.  While they were eating dinner, Tera said, “I mentioned to Dr. Conner about my cub collar and the two positive pregnancy tests.  She said that I needed official confirmation of the pregnancy for the hospital’s insurance, so she had me take another pregnancy test, which of course was positive.  Then I met with Dr. Bledsoe, who will handle the delivery.”
    Melo’s forked clattered against the plate as his mouth fell open in surprise.  “You had a doctor’s appointment without us?”
    She frowned. “Not exactly.  Just the test and a chat.  No exam or ultrasound or anything.  It’s still too early.  I’ve got an appointment in five weeks to have the first ultrasound, and I was hopeful you would both come with me.”
    Tahlon said, “Of course we will.”
    Melo picked his fork up.  “We don’t want to miss anything that’s going on with you and our cub, sweetheart.”
    She smiled.  “I don’t want you to miss anything either.”
    Later that night, as she slept between them,