Page 79 of No One Like You

“Megan, that makes two of us.”

Megan watched Tasha’s hand move down to touch herself and then come back up with visual evidence of just how turned on Tasha was.

“As much as I really want to take care of that for you, I still can’t, you know, because of the marriage thing. I do have an idea though.”

Tasha was panting, and Megan could only assume that it wasn’t from their recent exertions. Megan continued, “I think that now would be an excellent time to see how big that shower is.”

“Hell, yes.” Tasha jumped to her feet, grabbed Megan’s hand, and Megan felt herself being dragged toward the shower.

As much as the two of them enjoyed their shower, they had to eventually bring it to a close. It was time to get ready as they had a big surprise for Sophia today. Megan checked on her daughter and found her sleeping soundly, sandwiched between two cats. While Tasha showered, she put out food and fresh water for Nocturne and Julius. Tasha fixed human breakfast while Megan showered and the cats ate. Megan got Sophia up and moving while Tasha made a run for three hot chocolates as neither of them felt like they needed coffee after their morning.

Sophia’s mood brightened up with the hot chocolate. “Hey, sweetheart. Tasha and I have a surprise for you.”

“What is it?”

“If we tell you, it won’t be a surprise, will it? Once you finish your breakfast, we’ll get our coats on and go for a drive.”

It was a short drive to a scouting fundraiser tree lot. As she parked, Megan said to Sophia, “Sweetheart, would you like to help us pick out a Christmas tree?”

“Yes, Mommy!” It took extra effort to get Sophia unhooked as she was very excited.

Megan and Tasha strolled hand-in-hand through the tree lot, watching Sophia bounce excitedly from tree to tree. Megan leaned in and asked, “Are you sure that you’re okay with this?”

“Me? I’m fine. I hope that the cats don’t go crazy. You’ve seen those videos, right?”

Megan laughed. “Oh, yeah! I’m hoping that as well. You’re an atheist and I don’t want to…”

“Baby, it's okay. Like I said, I may not believe, but this,” Tasha gestured to themselves and Sophia, “this is what I care about. Look at that girl. She is over the moon about this. Spending time with you and her, with friends, that’s what is important to me. The 25th of December was just a random day picked to compete with an ancient pagan holiday. This tree that we’re picking out is a recycled Germanic pagan tradition. I don’t care about none of that. I care about that big ol’ smile on our little girl’s face.”

“Sorry, I just wanted to be sure. And I liked that you said ‘our little girl.’”

“I appreciate that. I do. And you know… ever since I saw you walk into that holiday party in that green and silver dress, like Brigid herself, I’ve started to think that the problem is that men screwed up religion, as usual, and that goddesses are real and where it’s at.”

“Who is Brigid?”

“Are you sure that you’re Irish? She’s the ancient Irish goddess of poetry, healing, wisdom, and the forge. Absolute badass who of course got christianized into a sappy saint.”

“I don’t have your classical background, but you’ve definitely got some goddess in you.”

And I’d like to put some goddess in you, too. Okay, down girl.

“Don’t you forget it! Hey, munchkin! Did you find a tree that you like?”

“Yes, Mama Tasha! I think that this is our tree!”

The tree seemed fresh enough to last a few weeks. There was a bit of a bare patch, but placing it in a corner would fix that problem. They talked to the nice Scout mom in charge and got the tree loaded on top of the car. They also purchased a stand and some light strings.

Once home, Megan and Tasha maneuvered the tree into place, much to the interest and amusement of Nocturne and Julius. Within minutes, the lower branches of the tree were decorated with the four golden orbs of the two cats. “I hope that doesn’t become a problem,” Megan said to Tasha.

“You and me both! I’m hoping that they get bored of it soon.”

As a family, they strung up lights and hung some wooden ornaments. The tree looked good, but a bit barren. Sophia suggested that they cut out paper snowflakes and hang those. Megan and Sophia worked on that while Tasha did some freelance work close by. By the time that they were done, the cats had settled in on the couch with Tasha, so Megan and Sophia hung up the snowflakes while Tasha supervised from afar.

They spent much of the rest of the day on the couch, Tasha working, Megan and Sophia reading, Nocturne and Julius snuggling the humans.

CHAPTER 47

BABA O’RILEY

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