it
or not.”
“You’re looking exactly at the part of me
you’re supposed to hate, Peyton: my jealous, selfish, possessive
side.”
Peyton smiled. “I don’t hate you. I never
have. There was a time when I wished you’d never come, but not
anymore. I like to think things happen for a reason.”
The other women sat quietly, listening to
Astrid and Peyton’s exchange.
Peyton continued. “I’ll deal with my issues
one step at the time. But you don’t need to worry about me anymore.
I’m smart enough to know when to cut my losses.”
Astrid smiled, and her eyes, hard and sharp
just a moment ago, softened. “You’re a better friend than I
deserve. The other Astrid’s more like you, generous and
understanding, but I’m not such a noble creature.”
“There is something to work on, then,” Peyton
said lightly.
Astrid smiled. “Do you mind holding my hand?
I can cope with the pain better than her , but it still
hurts.”
The atmosphere in the room loosened up.
Maggie moved the TV set closer and put a Blu-ray into the player.
The women continued chatting as the movie progressed, keeping an
eye on Astrid all the time.
She would rarely join the conversation,
letting her mind wander, thinking about Jack. Why didn’t he
phone? Where was he? What was so important that he couldn’t come
and be with her today?
Every time another rush of pain swept through
her, she would shut her eyes and tighten her grip around Peyton’s
small hand. The same hand she’d seen on Jack’s arm a week ago and
disliked so much was her greatest comfort now.
“Things change, don’t they?” Astrid murmured
and smiled weakly.
“You okay?” she heard four voices almost in
unison as four heads turned in her direction.
“Uh-huh. What time is it?”
Betty glanced at her wristwatch. “Five
thirty. Do you shift as soon as the moon appears or closer to
midnight?”
“When the moon rises. I want to take a shower
now.”
“I’ll go with you,” Maggie offered.
Astrid lifted her hand up, stopping her. “No,
Maggie. Nobody’s going with me to the washroom. I’ll be fine.”
THROUGH THE sound of running water Astrid
heard her phone ringing. Jack! immediately crossed her mind and her
heart gave a strong thump, angry and happy at the same time.
It wasn’t Jack, though.
“Your friend Ingmar, Astrid,” Peyton said
when Astrid came out. “Can you talk to him?”
Astrid nodded and took the phone.
“Hi, Ingmar.”
“Hi, love. How are you?”
“Within the usual parameters for this
stage.”
“Let me see you.”
“I’m not switching to video, Ingmar.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve gotten stuck between
two shapes,” he said, teasing her.
Astrid cracked a smile. “You caught my wolf
in her human form, if you know what I mean. Hey, you’re at the
Blakes’. I can hear Liv in the background.”
“I’m still staying with them. I took a year’s
sabbatical from my job. I’m now working with Liv on her food
allergy treatment research.”
“Oh, I see. I’m almost jealous.”
“I want to stay close.”
“I know, Ingmar. Thank you. That means a lot
to me.”
“No worries, love. Take care. Here’s
Tristan.”
Tristan actually made her switch to video.
“Well, you look okay, that’s all I can say. I’ll ask Gerhard
Falkenstein to come and do a check-up when you’re done.”
“We already talked to him, Tristan,” Betty
said with a smirk. “Either he or Debbie Altman, another friend of
ours, will come tomorrow to check Astrid. I know how protective you
and Liv are of Astrid, but we are too. She’s among her kind now,
she’ll be fine.”
“Hi, Betty. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to
preach. I’m not concerned about Astrid’s safety. It’s just that I
used to examine her to make sure she was okay. Who else is there
with you, Princess?”
“Ellida Morgaine and three Mohegan women,”
Astrid said. From the corner of her eye, she caught Peyton’s smile.
“Uncle James, Eamon and Takeshi are
or not.”
“You’re looking exactly at the part of me
you’re supposed to hate, Peyton: my jealous, selfish, possessive
side.”
Peyton smiled. “I don’t hate you. I never
have. There was a time when I wished you’d never come, but not
anymore. I like to think things happen for a reason.”
The other women sat quietly, listening to
Astrid and Peyton’s exchange.
Peyton continued. “I’ll deal with my issues
one step at the time. But you don’t need to worry about me anymore.
I’m smart enough to know when to cut my losses.”
Astrid smiled, and her eyes, hard and sharp
just a moment ago, softened. “You’re a better friend than I
deserve. The other Astrid’s more like you, generous and
understanding, but I’m not such a noble creature.”
“There is something to work on, then,” Peyton
said lightly.
Astrid smiled. “Do you mind holding my hand?
I can cope with the pain better than her , but it still
hurts.”
The atmosphere in the room loosened up.
Maggie moved the TV set closer and put a Blu-ray into the player.
The women continued chatting as the movie progressed, keeping an
eye on Astrid all the time.
She would rarely join the conversation,
letting her mind wander, thinking about Jack. Why didn’t he
phone? Where was he? What was so important that he couldn’t come
and be with her today?
Every time another rush of pain swept through
her, she would shut her eyes and tighten her grip around Peyton’s
small hand. The same hand she’d seen on Jack’s arm a week ago and
disliked so much was her greatest comfort now.
“Things change, don’t they?” Astrid murmured
and smiled weakly.
“You okay?” she heard four voices almost in
unison as four heads turned in her direction.
“Uh-huh. What time is it?”
Betty glanced at her wristwatch. “Five
thirty. Do you shift as soon as the moon appears or closer to
midnight?”
“When the moon rises. I want to take a shower
now.”
“I’ll go with you,” Maggie offered.
Astrid lifted her hand up, stopping her. “No,
Maggie. Nobody’s going with me to the washroom. I’ll be fine.”
THROUGH THE sound of running water Astrid
heard her phone ringing. Jack! immediately crossed her mind and her
heart gave a strong thump, angry and happy at the same time.
It wasn’t Jack, though.
“Your friend Ingmar, Astrid,” Peyton said
when Astrid came out. “Can you talk to him?”
Astrid nodded and took the phone.
“Hi, Ingmar.”
“Hi, love. How are you?”
“Within the usual parameters for this
stage.”
“Let me see you.”
“I’m not switching to video, Ingmar.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve gotten stuck between
two shapes,” he said, teasing her.
Astrid cracked a smile. “You caught my wolf
in her human form, if you know what I mean. Hey, you’re at the
Blakes’. I can hear Liv in the background.”
“I’m still staying with them. I took a year’s
sabbatical from my job. I’m now working with Liv on her food
allergy treatment research.”
“Oh, I see. I’m almost jealous.”
“I want to stay close.”
“I know, Ingmar. Thank you. That means a lot
to me.”
“No worries, love. Take care. Here’s
Tristan.”
Tristan actually made her switch to video.
“Well, you look okay, that’s all I can say. I’ll ask Gerhard
Falkenstein to come and do a check-up when you’re done.”
“We already talked to him, Tristan,” Betty
said with a smirk. “Either he or Debbie Altman, another friend of
ours, will come tomorrow to check Astrid. I know how protective you
and Liv are of Astrid, but we are too. She’s among her kind now,
she’ll be fine.”
“Hi, Betty. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to
preach. I’m not concerned about Astrid’s safety. It’s just that I
used to examine her to make sure she was okay. Who else is there
with you, Princess?”
“Ellida Morgaine and three Mohegan women,”
Astrid said. From the corner of her eye, she caught Peyton’s smile.
“Uncle James, Eamon and Takeshi are
Similar Books
