Page 50 of Stay for Forever

“Maybe it’s mating season and he’s trying to attract a female.”

“Mating season ends in mid-March,” I tell him as I crawl closer.

“Maybe you should keep your distance.”

“I’m not abandoning an injured animal in the wild when I can help him.”

“I should have known better,” he mutters.

“Stay back,” I warn when I hear him trampling through the bush.

“I’m not going to let you face an animal without me by your side.”

“Keep it down. You’re scaring him.”

“Me? I’m scaring him? He’s the one with the beady eyes who’s going to spray us any minute.”

“He won’t unless he feels threatened. Besides, he needs to turn around to spray us.”

I drop to my stomach and begin to crawl on my belly toward the skunk. “Hey, little guy. I’m here to help you. Are you stuck?”

“Here,” Mav says, “I have my Swiss Army knife.”

“Stay back,” I warn him again when he stomps my way. He couldn’t make any more noise if he tried to.

The skunk chirps loudly before turning around, lifting his tale, and spurting his poison at me. I close my eyes as I scramble backwards out of the shrubs as fast as I can.

“Love a duck,” I swear as I gasp for unpolluted air.

“What do I do? Do I need to take you to the hospital?”

“I don’t need a hospital. I need a shower.”

“And you need tomato juice.”

“Tomato juice is a myth,” I say as I mount my bike. “I’m going home.” At least I managed to save my eyes from the spray. Otherwise, I’d be too blind to walk, let alone bike home.

“What are you doing?” I ask when Mav pedals next to me as I hurry home.

“I’m ensuring you get home safe.”

I don’t have time to argue with him. I continue to pedal until I reach my house. I don’t bother putting my bike in the garage. I drop it on the ground and hurry inside. My dogs rush toward me, but when they get a whiff of me, they scatter. I can’t blame them. I stink to high heaven.

I jump in the shower with my clothes on. They’re as polluted as I am. As soon as the clothes are good and wet, I shed them. I hear the bathroom door squeak open and yell out, “Not now, my sweet things. Mama needs a shower.”

“How can I help?”

I scream and wrap the shower curtain around my naked body. “What are you doing in here, Mav?”

“I’m helping.”

“I don’t need your help. I have a mixture to get rid of the stench.” I wave my hand toward the bottle.

He chuckles. “How often have you been sprayed by skunks that you have a mixture prepared?”

More than I ever want to admit, so I don’t. “Shaddup.”

He climbs into the shower fully dressed. “I told you I don’t need your help.”

“I don’t care. You’re getting it. Now, turn around so I can rinse your hair with whatever witches’ brew you’ve prepared.”

I stay frozen where I am. If I move, I’ll have to unwrap the shower curtain and expose my body to him. Sure, he’s seen it before. But not while I’m dealing with a skunk attack, and he’s fully dressed.

“I didn’t take you for a chicken.”

No one calls me a chicken. I drop the curtain and step under the water to wet my hair.

Dang it. When am I going to learn to not accept a challenge?

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