Fox Afield (Madison Wolves) Read Online Free PDF
Author: Robin Roseau
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"Do you and Lara kiss, like Mom and Dad do?" Cory asked.
"I haven't seen your parents kiss," I said. "But I imagine the way I kiss Lara is very much like the way your mother kisses your father."
"If girls marry girls," Casey asked. "Who do the boys marry?"
"Boys marry girls, too," Cory said. "Only some girls marry girls. Most girls marry boys."
"I'm sorry," I mouthed to Daniel. He laughed and said quietly, "If we had a problem with this topic, you wouldn't have met them."
"I think when I grow up," Casey said, "I am going to marry a girl." She was gazing fondly at me when she said it.
I turned to Casey and said, "When I was your age, I wanted to marry Jimmy Longtail. He was a fox that lived near where my family and I lived. He was much older than I was, and I thought he was amazing."
"Why didn't you?" she asked.
"He didn't want to marry me," I said. "He wanted to marry my older sister."
"So did they get married?" Casey asked.
"No, honey," I said. "They didn't. Sometimes life doesn't work out the way we want it to."
"But what happened?" Casey asked.
"Oh, I can't tell you that," I said. "If I tell you all my stories now, I won't have any stories to tell you the next time I see you."
I was able to deflect her more dangerous questions for the rest of the ride, amusing both children with other stories that were safe to tell.
The car came to a stop. The car didn't have a rear seat door on my side, so I waited for my opportunity to exit. The enforcers from all three contingents took their places first, then Daniel exited our car and I saw Lara emerge onto the sidewalk. Ysabella climbed out, then the kids dashed ahead of me, leaving me to exit last. Daniel offered me an apologetic look, but I smiled and turned to Lara.
I could tell she was tense; her jaw was set and her back was straight. I smiled at her, then turned to Casey and took her hand. I turned to Daniel. "I do not know my schedule," I said. "But I am a science teacher. I teach a unique program focusing on the natural sciences, especially geology, biology, botany and wildlife management." I glanced down at the children. "I am more than happy to spend time with young ones and share what I know."
"That is very gracious," he said. "And while you may have tried to coach your words carefully, they heard every word and will be pestering me in three, two..."
"I really like science class," said Casey enthusiastically. "What is wildlife management?"
"Well," I said. "I don't have time to tell you now, but maybe next time, all right?"
"When?" she said, looking at her father. "When, Dad?"
"Michaela and Lara are on their honeymoon, honey," he said. "We mustn't presume too much. But maybe there will be a little time together next weekend."
* * * *
"I asked you one simple thing," Lara told me when we settled at the table. "One little favor. And what do you do? You did the same thing you do to everyone. You were cute and charming and had them eating out of your hand. I can't take you anywhere."
I leaned my head on her shoulder. "You were busy practicing handshake diplomacy. I was practicing child diplomacy. I think I did better than you did. Are you angry with me?"
She kissed the top of my head. "No honey. What did you think?"
"I think we can trust Daniel," I said quietly. "How's your hand?"
"Fine," she said. "Would you have stabbed him?"
"Only to maim," I replied.
Ysabella was directing the seating. She had Daniel and herself across from Lara and me, but she put Brooke next to me and her children next to her with Casey closest. Elisabeth ended with the seat on the other side of Brooke from me. Greg sat next to Lara with Wendy across from him. It wasn't necessarily well-balanced, but it allowed for conversation.
As she usually did, Lara ordered for me. Elisabeth and I shared Brooke, making small talk and generally getting to know each other. Brooke seemed bright and very considerate. She told us of Colorado and asked us of Wisconsin. We compared favorite
"Do you and Lara kiss, like Mom and Dad do?" Cory asked.
"I haven't seen your parents kiss," I said. "But I imagine the way I kiss Lara is very much like the way your mother kisses your father."
"If girls marry girls," Casey asked. "Who do the boys marry?"
"Boys marry girls, too," Cory said. "Only some girls marry girls. Most girls marry boys."
"I'm sorry," I mouthed to Daniel. He laughed and said quietly, "If we had a problem with this topic, you wouldn't have met them."
"I think when I grow up," Casey said, "I am going to marry a girl." She was gazing fondly at me when she said it.
I turned to Casey and said, "When I was your age, I wanted to marry Jimmy Longtail. He was a fox that lived near where my family and I lived. He was much older than I was, and I thought he was amazing."
"Why didn't you?" she asked.
"He didn't want to marry me," I said. "He wanted to marry my older sister."
"So did they get married?" Casey asked.
"No, honey," I said. "They didn't. Sometimes life doesn't work out the way we want it to."
"But what happened?" Casey asked.
"Oh, I can't tell you that," I said. "If I tell you all my stories now, I won't have any stories to tell you the next time I see you."
I was able to deflect her more dangerous questions for the rest of the ride, amusing both children with other stories that were safe to tell.
The car came to a stop. The car didn't have a rear seat door on my side, so I waited for my opportunity to exit. The enforcers from all three contingents took their places first, then Daniel exited our car and I saw Lara emerge onto the sidewalk. Ysabella climbed out, then the kids dashed ahead of me, leaving me to exit last. Daniel offered me an apologetic look, but I smiled and turned to Lara.
I could tell she was tense; her jaw was set and her back was straight. I smiled at her, then turned to Casey and took her hand. I turned to Daniel. "I do not know my schedule," I said. "But I am a science teacher. I teach a unique program focusing on the natural sciences, especially geology, biology, botany and wildlife management." I glanced down at the children. "I am more than happy to spend time with young ones and share what I know."
"That is very gracious," he said. "And while you may have tried to coach your words carefully, they heard every word and will be pestering me in three, two..."
"I really like science class," said Casey enthusiastically. "What is wildlife management?"
"Well," I said. "I don't have time to tell you now, but maybe next time, all right?"
"When?" she said, looking at her father. "When, Dad?"
"Michaela and Lara are on their honeymoon, honey," he said. "We mustn't presume too much. But maybe there will be a little time together next weekend."
* * * *
"I asked you one simple thing," Lara told me when we settled at the table. "One little favor. And what do you do? You did the same thing you do to everyone. You were cute and charming and had them eating out of your hand. I can't take you anywhere."
I leaned my head on her shoulder. "You were busy practicing handshake diplomacy. I was practicing child diplomacy. I think I did better than you did. Are you angry with me?"
She kissed the top of my head. "No honey. What did you think?"
"I think we can trust Daniel," I said quietly. "How's your hand?"
"Fine," she said. "Would you have stabbed him?"
"Only to maim," I replied.
Ysabella was directing the seating. She had Daniel and herself across from Lara and me, but she put Brooke next to me and her children next to her with Casey closest. Elisabeth ended with the seat on the other side of Brooke from me. Greg sat next to Lara with Wendy across from him. It wasn't necessarily well-balanced, but it allowed for conversation.
As she usually did, Lara ordered for me. Elisabeth and I shared Brooke, making small talk and generally getting to know each other. Brooke seemed bright and very considerate. She told us of Colorado and asked us of Wisconsin. We compared favorite