Page 26 of Bear Strength

“Didn’t he share that in confidence?” I wonder.

“I doubt he’ll mind. He’s not ashamed of it, or anything. But, maybe you’ll understand why he’s so strange.”

And, with those words, I realize the extent of my son’s wisdom. I feel a little embarrassed, so I look down.He’s right. I judged them based on what I saw, based on what others in town were telling me. I never stopped to think for myself that maybe, just maybe they were just like us, with a human story of their lives that might explain why there are as they are.

“Tell me,” I smile, as Dominick leads me back to the sofa.

“Adrian belonged to an old clan of bear shifters. There was a battle and he was the only one who survived, because his mother hid him in the forest. She said she would come back for him, but he waited and waited. When she didn’t come, he eventually returned to their village, only to see everyone killed.”

Hearing this, I gasp, and I see the same sadness on my son’s face.

“He roamed the woods for days, when a poor woodcutter found him. Adrian tried to defend himself, so he transformed into a bear, but he was only a little kid. There wasn’t much he could do. So, this woodcutter took him in, fed him, gave him clothes, but he could barely provide for himself, let alone for a kid, so he sold him to a passing circus. The guy who owned the circus was evil. He made Adrian transform every night, even though Adrian kept begging him. It hurt him. But, this guy justwanted money. Adrian grew up in that circus, and one day, he realized he wasn’t a helpless child anymore. He didn’t want to stay in that place where all he knew was pain and misery. So, he ran away. He didn’t want to hurt the guy. But, he told me he was very close to snapping his neck. Still, he didn’t. He lived alone for a while, and then he met Mason. Adrian said that his life changed the moment their paths crossed.”

“That’s quite a story,” I take a deep breath, letting it sink in.

“He didn’t say it in those words exactly, but I think he feels better when he talks about facts. You know, like stuff that he has researched well and that is grounded in some scientific knowledge or background. That’s probably why he sounds like he’s reading from a chemistry book all the time.”

We both chuckle at the same time, but not because we were laughing at Adrian. On the contrary, this is the moment that I realized how wrong I’ve been to take these men for granted. My son is right. So young, and yet, his horizons are much broader than mine, at least in this respect.

But, fear taps me on the shoulder again, reminding me to be careful. Sure they were nice to him. But, they were still dangerous. Yes, it’s possible that they could be decent human beings, but I can’t let my guard down. It’s too dangerous. Still, I could be nicer to them. That’s always an option. And, one that shouldn’t cost me much.

“I’m happy that he’s giving you a ride on his bike, and not Mason,” I comment, but a moment later, I realize that I shouldn’t have said anything.

Dominick gives me a puzzled look. Of course he has no idea that I was there this afternoon, and that Mason and I had a little chat.

“Adrian just sounds more reasonable, that’s all,” I shrug my shoulders, trying to lessen the importance of my comment. “And, reasonable people are better drivers. Research shows it.”

We both chuckle again at my words, and I enjoy the newly found feeling of closeness with my son. I glance at the watch and realize it’s bed time.

“I know, I know,” Dominick tells me, getting up. “No TV. Bed time.”

“Of course,” I nod. “You’re still grounded, you know.”

“I know,” he smiles back at me, and I realize that maybe, just maybe, things might end OK for us.

CHAPTER 13

Wagner

I finish running all my errands for the day, and I head back to the house. I take the roundabout way for some reason. Needed some peace and quiet, I guess. There’s very little of that left nowadays, especially in this line of work.

Suddenly, something catches my eye. I see an old, run down car, by the end of the road. A back is seen. Then, an ass. A nice looking ass, too, wearing tight jeans.

“Fucking fuck, fuck, fuck!” I hear a woman’s voice curse.

I chuckle to myself. The only time you’d hear a decent woman swear like that is when her tire is blown. And, sure enough, I see her stand up straight, face all red with anger and heat, hands resting on her hips, as she looks down at a flat tire.

I stop a little ahead of her, resting my bike by the side of the road. The noise disturbs her, and she turns to face me. There’s something familiar about her. Her lips. Her eyes. They remind me of someone. A look of misery drops down on her face, and at that moment, I realize who she is. She’s the mom of that kid we’ve been babysitting since last weekend.

“Flat tire, huh?” I approach her.

She eyes me distrustfully. It takes her a while to nod. Perfectly round face. Big dark eyes. Hair up in a slick ponytail. Flawless skin. She’s wearing a tight t-shirt. Her tits are small but they look perky. Her stomach is flat. Probably toned. Those jeans look perfect on her. I’d never say she’s anyone’s mother. Lookin’ like that… The word milf immediately pops to mind, but I must stay polite. Mason would have my balls on a stick if he hears I disrespected this lady in any way.

“I’m Wagner, by the way,” I offer her my hand. “I’m with the gang.” I point at my bike, behind me.

“Danica,” she accepts my hand. Squeezes it firmly, like a man. I didn’t expect that of her. A pleasant surprise. “I think I’ve seen you when I was dropping off Dominick.”

“Yeah,” I grin.

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