Page 7 of Wild Claim

Mina fidgeted, then gently patted the top of the carrier. That soft gesture made my stomach churn with confusion. Why would she care if I was uncomfortable?

“Thomas is safe with me.”

“Well, good luck with that,” Gladys said. “Sometimes it’s easier to care of animals than people, isn’t it?”

I wanted toroar. Mina didn’t have to take this—she could give as good as she got. But all I could do was sit there, wings twitching, as Gladys hurled insult after insult. Each word stung more than the last, and my frustration coiled tighter with every blow.

Mina looked down at me. “I don’t know about that, but Thomas makes things pretty easy.”

“Well, if you change your mind,” Gladys said, “Roger and I would be happy to have you. We wouldn’t want you spending Thanksgiving all by yourself.”

“That’s very kind. I’ll let you know.”

“It’s wonderful that you have something to keep you busy, but I must be off.” Gladys turned to leave, and for a moment,I thought we were in the clear. But then she pivoted back, carefully moving around a mason jar display of homemade cranberry sauce.

A sly grin tugged a corner of her lips upward. “Oh, dear. One more thing. Have you considered talking to someone? A professional, I mean. Sometimes I think you push people away on purpose. We just want to help, you know.”

Something in Mina’s face crumpled.

Hell, no. I draw the fucking line in the sandhere.

I pecked at the carrier’s latch. It gave way, and I tumbled out, landing in an ungainly heap of feathers. My talons scraped against the concrete as I scuttled toward the cranberry sauce display. With a well-aimed peck, I sent the pyramid of mason jars crashing to the ground. They burst open on impact, splattering their contents across Gladys’s pristine shoes.

Gladys shrieked. Her face was a mask of horrified disbelief. “You stupid bird!”

I let out a triumphant gobble.

“Thomas!” Mina said, trying her best to scoop me up.

But I spotted the cranberry vendor placing a water bucket on his table and, before Mina could stop me, I dashed towards it. With a mighty jump, I knocked the bucket over, sending a tidal wave of water and cranberry bits cascading over Gladys.

The woman stood in stunned silence as her hair and makeup ran down her face.

For a split second, I almost felt bad.Almost.

Mina rushed toward me as she scooped me up as best as she could. Her hands were firm but not rough, and I could feel the tension in her fingers. “I’m so sorry. He must have been spooked.”

“Spooked?” Gladys sputtered. She wiped a hand across her face and only smeared her makeup further. “You need to control that beast. It’s dangerous.”

Mina held me close to her chest. I could feel her heart pounding. “He’s just a turkey. He didn’t mean—”

“Didn’t mean? Oh, please!” Gladys cut her off, her voice sharp enough to cut. She glared at me, and I met her gaze with my best not sorry turkey stare.

“He’s just... spirited,” Mina said. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“You’d better,” Gladys said as she wrung out the hem of her ruined dress. “This isn’t over.” With that, Gladys stormed off, leaving a trail of dripping cranberry carnage behind her. The crowd that had gathered to watch the spectacle dispersed, but I saw some of them smirking at Gladys’s expense.

Mina let out a long sigh and loosened her grip on me. I expected her to be angry, but she seemed relieved.

“Thomas,” she said softly. “Why do I feel you understood every word?”

I cocked my head to the side and gave a low gobble, as nonchalant as a bird could manage.

She smiled then, and it was the kind of smile that reached her eyes. Mina guided me back into the carrier and latched it shut. I nestled into the straw, feeling damned proud of myself. The unhinged banshee deserved it.

“Come on, troublemaker. Let’s get you home.”

Mina rolled me back to the parking lot. She loaded her tote in the back and hefted the carrier into the back seat. A few moments later, she slumped into the driver’s seat. She didn’t start the truck right away. Instead, she just sat there, staring at the steering wheel.

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