Page 2 of Bear Creek Father's Day
Since he hadn’t given her an outright refusal, DeeDee banked her excitement and simply smiled at him.
“It would be helpful if you let us know by the end of May. We’d like your input on the remodel project, allowing time to incorporate your changes and get it finished before you move to Bear Creek. I’d be happy to send you more information once Ireturn home, but please take a look at the resources mentioned in my proposal. In addition, I encourage you to visit at any time and get a feel for the town firsthand. I’m sure a tour can be arranged, and there are a few individuals I’d like you to meet. Meanwhile, please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.”
Zak thanked DeeDee for coming to see him and promised to give her proposal serious consideration. They exchanged a final handshake, and he spent the rest of the day with a head full of what-ifs. Bear Creek had certainly rolled out the red carpet, but he wanted to talk things over with Dr. Stewart and his parents before getting too excited. Still, this could be a one-in-a-million opportunity that he would be foolish to pass up.
Chapter 1
January 4th, present day
A sky-blue passenger van, emblazoned with the Cub House logo and bear paw prints, sat empty in the Tri-County High School parking lot. All the locals knew this was the best place for sledding, and the orphan cubs, along with their adult caregivers, were having a blast tobogganing down one of the shorter slopes. With six inches of fresh snow on the ground, and a sunny, warmish Saturday in which to enjoy it, half the kids in town were also risking life and limb for the thrill of careening down the slopes at remarkable speeds. Every time they reached the bottom of the hill, three-a-half-year-old Kip asked the same question in his stilted speech.
“We go gen?”
Orrin knew Kip, Griffin, and Fort were tiring, but they would literally keep going until they passed out if he let them. Since Tasha, his new housekeeper and assistant caregiver, didn’t have any objections, they turned the toboggans around and pulled the little ones up the hill. Though they only had three cubs at the moment, more orphans were scheduled to arrive within the next week or two, and everything would be so much easier with Tasha’s help. She had joined them just before Christmas, right after the new additions to the Cub House were completed.
Both changes came only after repeated pleas for help and extra space. Orrin discovered later that Dash Hawthorn had personally intervened with the BSA (Bureau ofShifterAffairs) to facilitate the long-awaited decision todo something.The Cub House now had extra space for the larger number of cubs everyBSA facility was expected to care for, a separate (attached) home for the administrator, and an additional full-time employee.
With Tasha to help him with the house and the cubs, Orrin now had scheduled time off every week. He loved his work, but caring for little ones around the clock had left him worn out after two and a half years without a break, and he was grateful to have another adult around to talk to and share the burden. Tasha, unmated and in her forties, was a friend of his parents who had jumped at the chance to make a career out of her passion to help orphans.
At the top of the hill, Orrin stopped woolgathering and refocused on his task. With practiced movements, he and Tasha turned the toboggans around, took their places, and sailed down the hill amid squeals of delight. Sprays of icy snow pelted their faces—coating winter gear and freezing exposed skin, but no one seemed to mind. Several trips later, Orrin mentioned that they might stop atDeliciouson the way home, and suddenly the cubs couldn’t wait to get going. Aiden’s cocoa mixes were the absolute best, and they’d need some to get warmed up after their outing. Like everyone else in Bear Creek, Tasha was already hooked on the chocolates, so she had no reservations about detouring to their favorite candy shop.
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The Cub House, later that evening
Since Saturday was Tasha’s night off, Orrin fed and bathed the cubs before gathering for story time in the living room. They were seated in a semicircle on the floor, facing the gas log fireplace to enjoy the extra warmth as Orrin read. Each night, they listened to another chapter about a house secretly inhabited by tiny people who lived under the floorboards and tended to‘borrow’ things from the giants living above them: an empty matchbox, a sewing needle, a scrap of cloth, a button. Orrin often stopped to explain the purpose of some of the items, and the boys agreed that the itsy bitsy people were very clever indeed.
When story time was over, they trooped upstairs to brush teeth and go potty. Tonight, the little ones were allowed to curl up together in bear form, and Orrin brought them to the new part of the house. There, they found a large, open room with extra soft carpeting, bunk beds along the walls, and a sleeping circle in the middle. An attached bathroom, also new, made it easier to take care of business during the night, and as an extra treat, Orrin chose to snuggle with them until Tasha returned home to relieve him.
After dimming the lights, he shifted and joined the cubs—scenting each one and licking their sweet faces as they settled down. He looked forward to moments like these, as they made him feel something like a real parent. With Orrin’s new townhouse addition just a few steps away, it was now possible for him to dream of having a mate and family without giving up the work he loved so much. His soft, rumbling purr and body heat put the cubs to sleep in no time, and he joined them in slumber soon after.
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The following Sunday…
An extended-cab pickup, laden with household goods, made its way through downtown Bear Creek. Several people waved, though they couldn’t possibly recognize the driver—someone who had secretly visited the town several times in the last year. A bit further east, the truck passed the amphitheater, lake, andThistle Lane before turning right into a drive marked with only a rusty mailbox. A mound of disturbed soil, now covered with fresh snow, marked where a business sign once stood. Quite soon, another would go up in its place, announcing the new doctor in town.
Zak pulled into the plowed parking lot next to three other vehicles whose occupants got out to greet him. One was the good mayor herself, wearing a wide smile of either friendliness or triumph. Zak chuckled to himself, having learned early on that DeeDee Tillman was a sharp, determined woman who knew exactly how to get what she wanted. Otherwise, he’d have been lured elsewhere by other offers for his services.
Apparently, Zak had arrived on one of the few (so far) clear January days, bright sunshine reflecting off the piles of snow that had made every attempt to bury the town. Besides DeeDee, he was happy to see Knox McCoy and his human mate, Levi. They had been one of the first couples he met on a secret foray into Bear Creek, and Knox had supervised the remodel of his new home and practice. Later on, he’d seen both of them in action on the amphitheater stage at Christmastime. The performance had both blown him away and demonstrated part of what made Bear Creek special.
The other couple who’d come to greet him, Dash Hawthorn and Aiden Romero, both owned popular businesses in the area and were deeply involved in charitable endeavors. They had been gracious and welcoming from the very start, truly excited about the possibility of gaining a specially trained physician to care forallthe citizens of Bear Creek.
Neither they, nor anyone else he’d met, had mentioned his quasi-shifter physiology. Zak assumed DeeDee Tillman had put the kibosh on that line of questioning before he ever steppedfoot in town, and it honestly made his move to Bear Creek much more pleasant. Keeping his guard up was exhausting, and given the sheer number of shifters in Bear Creek, he would inevitably run into ignorance, aggression, or discrimination at some point. Perhaps he’d have less trouble if they got to know him first, but with some wonderful folks already in his corner, he wouldn’t have to walk on eggshells aroundeveryone.
Zak was warmly greeted and then asked to bring the truck down the private driveway that led to the house—situated behind the front-facing clinic. There had been nothing special about the home; a fifties-era three-bedroom ranch with a full basement. Now, however, it looked as fresh as yesterday’s snowfall with new siding, roof, and windows. Instead of dirt brown and depressing, it was a cheery sky blue with white shutters. He began handing out boxes, letting each volunteer know which room they belonged in. Furniture and appliances had been previously purchased, delivered, and installed, making the actual move-in a breeze.
Once that was done, Knox took everyone on a quick tour—the house first, followed by the clinic. The remodel had only been partially finished during Zak’s last visit, and he wanted to see how his personal requests had been incorporated into the final design. Along with the others, Zak listened closely as Knox summarized the high points.
“We started with the exterior and then gutted the outdated kitchen and bathrooms. The carpet was replaced with engineered wood flooring, the wiring and plumbing were all updated, and all the walls got a fresh coat of paint in the colors you selected. Except for the mechanicals and storage, the lower level is one large open room with a corner kitchenette.”
Zak was impressed with the transformation. The home was no longer a neglected relic, and Knox’s team had managed to incorporate all the changes he’d suggested, plus a lot more he hadn’t thought to ask for. In the home’s new kitchen, a locked security door led directly into the clinic—an addition Dr. Brewster had built decades ago to his specifications. The space was hardly recognizable now, and set up for the treatment of human, shifter, and ursine patients.
It now featured more natural light, wider hallways, a lab for common tests, an X-ray suite, a secure records room, well-equipped exam rooms, public and private bathrooms, employee break room, and a private office. Zak also had a special treatment room added on to the building for ursine patients with its own entry door and a gated enclosure. Not only could he care for a natural bear here, but there would be times when a shifter patient in bear form needed attention and couldn’t fit in one of the standard treatment rooms. Zak was delighted with the almost-new clinic and said so.
“This isfantastic! You’ve really outdone yourself, Knox. I’m going to love working here, and my patients will certainly appreciate it.”
Knox blushed at the praise and Levi kissed his cheek—proud of his mate’s skills. DeeDee’s broad smile and scent revealed her pleasure as well. She’d promised Zak a modern clinic with everything needed to set up his practice, and it was personally satisfying to see that their new doctor was happy with it.
