Now That We're The Same, We're Together Forever

“You’re positive you want to do this? It’s not just a person that could trigger your anger, you know?”

“Keep asking me and I’m gonna say no.”

“Are you sure you wanna go in there?”

“Shut up.” I pulled my hand out of his and walked up to the house behind Quil. Jacob jogged to catch up to me. Quil unlocked the door and let himself in.

“Mom! I’m home!”

“Hey, Quil. I’m in the kitchen.” He went into the kitchen but I went upstairs with Jacob.

“Clothes. How many?”

“As many as you want. Only you can predict how long you’re staying with me.”

“Your dad won’t mind?”

“He understands practically everything about our situation. He won’t mind at all.”

“Right then. Most of it.” I pulled my suitcase out form under my bed. It was still half full so I pretty much stuffed what I unpacked last week back in there. I was sure I’d get whatever I needed after school on other days. Jacob stood by watching me run back in forth in my room.

“So what are you wearing tonight?”

“I don’t know where we’re going tonight so I have absolutely no idea what I’m wearing.”

“So difficult.”

“I’m difficult? I’m not the one having trouble figuring out where I wanna go to dinner.”

“We don’t have to go to dinner.”

“We’ll I’m sensing that you’re coming up with some master plan for tonight so I’m just going to go with it.”

“Good.” I zipped up my suitcase and grabbed my journal out of the desk drawer.

“I’m done.”

“Are you sure? You’re not forgetting anything?”

“Nothing.”

“Not even something that barks?”

“Toby!” Jacob nodded his head.

“You can’t forget the greatest thing you mom ever gave you.” He was telling me but I was already out the door. He grabbed my suitcase and followed after me. I went down the stairs quickly, paying attention to my feet so I wouldn’t trip. I walked out the front door, almost slamming it behind me. Jacob caught it so it wouldn’t make a loud noise.

I ran to the backyard and Toby was sleeping in the grass.

“Toby!” his head popped up and he stood up. He started barking. “Hey, Tobs. I’m so sorry. I will never leave you again.” I unhooked him and picked him up in my arms. “Come on, baby, Jake is waiting for us.” He barked happily. I laughed. I walked back to the front where Jacob was waiting leaning against his car. Toby started fussing in my arms, so I put him down and he ran to Jacob like a little child. Jacob picked him up and pet his head. Toby had other plans to lick his face.

“Hey, Toby.” Jacob said.

“He really does like you.”

“Good cause I’m not going anywhere.” He leaned forward to kiss my forehead.

“Except away from here. Let’s go.” He handed Toby to me and walked to his side of the car. I opened my door and got in sitting Toby down in my lap. Jacob started the car and backed out quickly. “Billy is going to love you.”

“He needs someone to keep him company during the day. We had never considered a dog before.”

“Probably because your dad already had one.” I grinned up at him. Toby barked.

“Ha ha. Toby will be good for him though. Now he won’t complain about how he gets lonely when we’re out doing werewolf things.”

“There’s still the matter of Toby liking him. I told you he was picky.”

“Well if he likes me why not my dad?”

“He might smell a little different. Your father isn’t you.”

“But I’ve still got a little bit of him in me.”

“But you have your dad and mom. That’s how everyone is. Half mom, half dad.”

“Thanks for the lesson on genetics.”

“My point is Toby won’t like Billy just because there’s a little bit of him in you. Toby loved my mom but hates my dad.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Said the blind man who picked up the hammer and saw.” Jacob laughed.

“I’ve never heard that one before.”

“My mom used to say it all the time. I guess it’s sticking.”

“I’m starting to like your mom already.”

“That wasn’t ever hard. My mother was incredibly easy to like. She was always and upbeat person.” I said looking at my hands.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m okay.”

“I shouldn’t have brought it up. That was so stupid of me to do that.”

“Jacob, I said it was fine. I’m a little better about it now.”

“That’s good that you’re not sulking.”

“She would have wanted me to enjoy myself here.”

“I think she would have, too.” Jacob pulled up into his driveway and stopped the car. We both got out and he went to the trunk to get my suitcase. I walked up the walkway and put Toby on the ground. I opened the door and let Toby run inside. He barked.

“Whoa! Who’s this?” I looked up at Jacob and smiled.

“Apparently Toby likes your dad.”

“That’s good. Let’s get in there before he thinks he’s a stray though.”

“Nobody could ever think my dog is a stray.” He shook his head and walked in behind me.

“So, Dad, I see you’ve met Toby.”

“Toby?” Toby barked in Billy’s arms.

“Yeah, he’s Rory’s.”

“Ah, yes. The famous Rory, that I have not seen since she was a baby.” I reached my hand out to take his.

“You knew me when I was a baby?”

“Yup. And I’ve known your father for even longer than that.”

“Dad, you never told me.”

“I didn’t think I mattered. You guys were only two years old and wouldn’t have remembered it anyway.”

“Jacob definitely wouldn’t have remembered.” I said. Billy and I laughed.

“I love her, Jacob. I definitely approve.”

“You say that like you have an opinion in the matter.” Jacob smiled.

“I know that I don’t but don’t you think it’s a good thing that I like the girl.”

“I think it’s very important to be loved by the other person’s parents.” I said, a little weird that Jacob didn’t think that.

“Yeah, well…that isn’t working both ways is it?” I didn’t answer. My dad was still a touchy subject.

“So how long are you staying?”

“Dad, you just told her you love her and you’re going to send her right back out the door?”

“No, I was just wonderin’. Seeing as in no time Calvin is likely to call and I’m gonna need to know what to tell him.” I looked at Jacob.

We hadn’t given that much thought. I thought.

The most he’s probably gonna do is call.

That’s not true. He know where I’m most likely to be. Any second he could pop in and demand I come with him.

Would you?

Go with him? He nodded.

“Jacob, are you crazy? That would just pull me farther from you and I don’t think I can do that. Math is bad enough, don’t you think?” Billy looked back and forth between the two of us. I was still looking at Jake waiting for my answer.

“Well, I can see you guys need to talk so I’m gonna call Sue and ask if I could come over for dinner.”

“Good idea, Dad, because Rory and I were going out tonight.”

“As soon as we’re done talking.” Billy rolled himself into the kitchen. “You seriously think I would run away from you? How could you think that?”

“I don’t, but what if he had literally dragged you away, like you said, and you didn’t have a choice.”

“He wouldn’t do that if he know how I feel about you. You said he was a werewolf a very long time ago. This must have happened to him. Whether it was with my mom or Karen.”

“How do you know if it was with Karen? It could have been with your mom.”

“How did my parents not stay together if it wasn’t with Karen?”

“Just because somebody’s imprinted doesn’t mean that they’re going to get married. Quil imprinted on a two year old. And for now he’s doing the best he can to be the best almost kinda, but not really big brother he can be.”

“If we really want to know what happened with my parents we can read it in my mom’s diary later.”

“Are you sure you want me to do that with you? I figured it was something you wanted to do by yourself.”

“I know I want to do this with you. There aren’t any secrets from you.” I hugged him. He kissed the top of my head.

“I love you.” He whispered.

“The feeling is mutual. Where are we going tonight?”

“The beach. Seeing as you didn’t go last week, we can go today. Just the two of us.”

“What would we do?”

“Walk around. Sit and talk. Whatever your heart desires. The sunset is really cool this time of year.”

“When do you wanna go? And do not say whenever you do because I’m tired of deciding everything.”

“I’m gonna have to stop at the store and get some snacks. And its 4:00 now. Sunsets at about 7:30.”

“We’ll leave in an hour. Since your listing off times.”

“Fine.”