Page 37 of Homecoming

“I don’t know. I don’t think it makes any difference—Digby, I’m sure she would be just as happy if the pup was yours."

"Maybe that's true but we do have a problem. If what she says about Evelyn is true, that she can’t shift, then how's that going to work in the future? I mean if she'sgonna be stuck as a wolf then... Oh God, it’s late and I can’t even try to understand any of this.” Digby rubs his head and face, gulping on the beer. “I need some rest. I’lltry’nget my head around it tomorrow. I’mgoin’to bed.”

“You’re right, you should go get some rest and Diggs...thisdoesn’t have to change anything—between us.”

“I told you,” Digby sighs, “I need to sleep. Goodnight Dee.”

Digby returns inside the house and notices Zak as he pulls the blanket and pillow onto the couch and turns on the TV. “Hey, what’sgoin’on, brother?”

“Seems QT still won’t let me sleep in the bed with him tonight. He’s still pissed at me: the wedding, medrinkin’,everythin’about me right now. Hell, he just has to see mebreathin’and he seems to be pissed off. See…” Zak shakes his head, “this is why I don’t get involved in relationships, it’s too much damn drama.”

“So are you really gonna call off the engagement?”

“I don’t know. I mean, I love him and I do wanna marry him but… I don’t know.”

“Zak, you gotta sort it out. If you really love him, don’t let him go.” Digby settles himself on the couch next to his friend and pulls the blanket over the pair of them as Zak leans his head against his shoulder.

Digby needs to rest and desperately wants to return to his bed. He’s too tired for long-drawn-out conversations about love, but he can also see his best friend needs him. “What’sgoin’on in your head?”

“I’ve been thinking abouteverythin’and… Diggs, I think I wanna have pups. I’m serious but I also know if I stay with QT, that’s not gonna be possible.” Zak takes a breath and sighs. His heart thumps hard in his chest and he feels trapped—like he can’t get out of the situation he’s become involved in. “You know,bein’around the twins has made me think more seriously about my life. I know now I wanna be a daddy. I want thatfeelin’you have. I need it, but I know it can’t happen if I stay with QT and I don’t know what to do about that. I tried to explain it to him, but he’s not up forlistenin’rightnow,but I guess I’ve gotta choose—do I wanna stay with QT or do I wanna be a dad?”

“Zak, that’s a helluva big decision and really not one you should be makin’ tonight.” Digby yawns and stretches his arms in front of him as his eyes slowly droop toa close. “We’ll work it out but for now, let's just sleep on it.”

Thebrightsunofmorning streams through the large windows of the lounge and Digby wakes. He untangles himself from the woolen blanket wrapped around his legsandsniffs;he smells the lingering scent of sizzling bacon.

“Mm…” he smiles. The thought of Helena cooking food to line his churning stomach makes him drool.

“Uh, Diggs,” Zak’s at the door, “I think you might need to come see this. I think you’ve got a problem.”

“Problem? What problem?” Digby scratches his head, ruffles his hair, and pulls his shorts from where they’re wedged tight around his groin.

“Noreally, you need to come see, like now.”

Zak hurriedly leads Digby to the edge of the lawn where they look towards the entrance at the end of the drive.

“Holy fuck!What in the hell are they stilldoin’here? They were supposed to be gone at first light.Shit.” Digby turns to look at the house. “Oh man, I can’t let Kat… or Darius see them.C’monZak, we need to go sort this shit out. I need them to be gone.”

They hurry along the path toward the large group of sleeping hyenas sprawled around the untouched area of waste ground and Digby frantically searches the sleeping bodies that stink of sweat, dirt, and last night’s alcohol.

There’s a smell ofburnedmeat sizzling on the open fire, mixed with the scent of the outdoors and searching the unconscious bodies scattered around the fire’s low burning embers, itdoesn’t take long before the pair find Mikah.

The shirtless, heavily tattooed man is shaving with soap on a brush using the side mirror of his motorcycle. A small white towel is wrapped around his neck and with his chin pushed out, he slowly draws the razor across his bristles on his cheeks as he tidies his beard. He looks comfortable and not at all anxious about Digby and Zak’s presence, nor does he look in a hurry to go anywhere.

“Gentlemen,” he smiles. “How are we this glorious and sunny morning?”

“What the fuck are youdoin’here?” Digby snarls aggressively.

“I'm, uh, just cleaning up before I get me some coffee and chow.”

“No, Imeantwhat the hell are you stilldoin’here, on this land? You promised me you’d be gone at first light.”

“Oh, did I promise that? Sorry. But we kinda hit a snag.Coupl’amotorcycles need some repairs, so we figured we’d stay here for today, fix the bikes, and then get on our way tomorrow. The highway should have opened up by then.”

“No. No, you can’t stay here for even one more day. You need to go now, and I mean right now! Darius can’t see that you’re still here because I told him you’d be gone already.”

“Uh, sorry man. I wish I could help you with that, but we can’t leave if the bikes are not fixed, right?”

“No, no… No! This is afuckin’disaster. You do know I’mskatin’on thin ice already? You cannot be here, so pack it up and get gone!”

---