BORN OF HEROES

— by Jeff Karamales

Chapter 28
 

Cerise was enjoying a cup of coffee with Elias at the kitchen table, looking out at the bright morning that lit the frost on the ground and made it glow when Keena entered.

  “’Morning, Kee,” Cerise said brightly. “Join us for coffee?”

  Keena smiled. “As long as I’m not intruding, I’d love a cup.” She watched as her sister poured a cup and slid it to her.

  “You still take it black, right?”

  Keena nodded. “I don’t know how you can wreck a good cup of coffee by putting all that stuff in it.” She stuck her tongue out and made a face, which caused the other two to chuckle.

  Keena had been sincere in her apologies to Elias and her sister the previous night, and while cautious, the white fox felt that she had been truly sorry.

  “We can’t always be sure that we’re actually getting coffee at some of the places we have to visit, so adding cream and sugar at least makes it drinkable,” Elias said.

  The dark colored coyote closed her eyes with relish as she sipped the hot beverage, then looked at her sister. “You wouldn’t happen to know if the cabin needs anything in the way of supplies would you?”

  “As far as I know, all you’d need to take are a few fresh groceries. Why?” Cerise asked with a raised eyebrow.

  Keena dropped her eyes before speaking, looking into the depths of her cup. “Um, I was thinking about heading up there wi…uh, for a few days. It’s been a while since I was up there last.”

  Looking at her sibling shrewdly, Cerise just nodded. “Fresh meats and vegetables, maybe other things that don’t sit well for long periods like breads. Everything else is either frozen, dried or just happens to last forever. You want me to ask Dona to fly you up there when you’re ready?”

  Keena gave her sister a grateful look. “Would you? It’ll give me a chance to get other things together that we’ll…um, I’ll need.”

  Cerise’s eyes narrowed. “Just remember to pack warm clothes. It’s cold up there, now. The Parkers will have everything else supplied like firewood.” She continued to look at her sister, then couldn’t contain herself anymore. “So, who are you taking up there, Keena. C’mon. Spill it.”

  Keena’s head dropped a little lower. “Um, I was going to take Lemuel up there for a few days.” She looked at her sister, then Elias. “If that’s okay?” she asked suddenly. It was clear in her eyes that she hoped they wouldn’t say no.

  “Lem’s an adult. He can make his own choices. I’m his Captain, not his father. That and he’s off duty until Okami is done going over our ship. You two can do whatever you want.”

  Impulsively, Keena stood and threw her arms around the fox’s neck. “Thank you, Elias!” Then realizing what she was doing, and the nature of their last encounter, quickly let go and stepped back. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

  “Do you still want to bed Elias?” Cerise asked, her eyes flat and unreadable.

  Keena shook her head emphatically. “No. I know it sounds crazy, but I’m not that person anymore. I’m really not. I guess….well, I guess I’ve grown up. I still have a long way to go, but…”

  Cerise stood and pulled her sister into a hug. “Then it’s all right. You really have changed, haven’t you?”

  The other vixen nodded slightly. “I really didn’t have much of a choice, Ceri. I ran into some old… friends about a month or so ago, and it was weird. I wasn’t interested in them at all. To be honest they kind of disgusted me. Was I like that?” Before her sister could answer, Keena continued. “Of course I was. I was horrible, wasn’t I?”

  Cerise smiled. “Moderately so, yes. I’m glad to see that you’ve changed for the better, though.”

  They stood there for several moments before the red furred female smiled. “I need to go get some things and pack! And groceries! Do you know what Lemuel likes?”

  “Just about anything,” Elias said sitting back with his cup. “Though he’s a fiend for red meat and seafoods. He’s not too hot on poultry, though, but he’ll go through a lot of eggs for breakfast.”

  Keena flashed a grateful smile. “Thank you! Both of you!” She gave another round of hugs and left to make preparations, leaving the other two alone again.

  “Well, who would’ve thunk it?” Elias said.

  “I don’t know,” Cerise said. “This could either be really good for her, or really bad for Lem. I’m a little concerned.”

  “Don’t be.” Elias reached across the table and took his mate’s hand. “Lem told me that they spent most of the night together last night,” Cerise jerked and looked at her husband with a shocked expression. “It wasn’t like that. They sat out by the fire pit most of the night and talked. Apparently she told him a lot of what happened between her and Marin and her seeing a therapist. He thinks that because he won’t be around long, Keena will open up to him. It’s what she needs, and he’s great for getting people to talk.”

  “Really?” Cerise still had misgivings. “What if it’s more? I love Keena, but her record is against her this time.”

  “So what if it is? Like I said, they’re both adults. And he knows what she was like. I think that it’ll be good for her.” Elias finished off his coffee and set the cup down. “And I’m really glad I didn’t make it a money wager.”

  “Make what a money wager?”

  “When I said that I doubted that she could ever change. I would have lost.”

  Cerise chuckled. “And here I could have made easy credits!” She looked out the window for several moments, still holding Elias’s hand, absently making love play with her fingers and his. “It’s odd. I was the one that hoped she would change, and you doubted. Now I am the one that doubts and you are confident in this.”

  Elias really didn’t have a reply.

***

  “You just give me a call when you’re ready to come back,” Dona said.

  The hyena helped unload the pair’s bags and sundries. She closed the cargo compartments and made sure the doors were sealed, not because she didn’t trust the others, but she was nothing if not thorough.

  Keena stepped up to the other female and smiled. “Thanks Dona. I owe you one for this. Maybe I can get Daddy to let you give me flying lessons someday.”

  The hyena was unsure how to take the change that had come over Keena Tambor. While hoping it was genuine, Dona remembered her as being a spoiled little brat for the seven years that she’d worked as Rovi’s pilot and mechanic. She would have said no to flying the fox and tiger up here if it hadn’t been for Cerise asking her to do so. As it was, Keena was actually pleasant to be around now, and she hoped that this change in the youngster was permanent.

  “If you turn out to be anything like Cerise, you’ll get your license in no time,” Dona said with a smile and friendly hand on the vixen’s shoulder. “You two have a good time. I’ll have the Dragonfly ready to go should you need anything.”

  “Thanks. Be safe getting home,” the vixen said and stepped back as the hyena climbed into the pilot’s seat.

  The engine was still warm and start-up was easy, unlike the warm-up that had been required before flying out. Dona slipped on her headset and notified Air Traffic Control that she would be returning. Then as the engine reached optimal power output, she angled the rotor blades and lifted the helicopter gently, making sure that she was at a safe height before turning and heading back towards Grandstorm.

  Keena and Lemuel watched the little ‘copter leave before picking up their belongings and supplies and moving them into the cabin. Once groceries were put away, following almost the same routine that Cerise and Elias had months before the pair et about getting situated. It stemmed from coming up as a family when Rovi would bring them out for family vacations when Keena and Cerise were still kits, well before the births of Celia and Gey. Their father always made sure that supplies were put away before anything else. Once the perishables were properly stored, they picked up their personal belongings.

  “I think you’ll like this room,” Keena said as she led the tiger to the large bedroom that she and Cerise had shared as children. “The sun doesn’t come in until the afternoon. If you need more blankets, they’re in this closet. It can get a bit chilly. You get settled in and I’ll go get the fire going before starting dinner.”

  Keena felt more at peace than she had in a long time. She had forgotten just how relaxing it was up here in the woods. It took almost three months of talking to her therapist to realize the reason that she had acted the way she had was because she had been running from the things that she didn’t like about herself. The night life, the continuous stream of bed partners was all distraction, noise and flash to keep at bay the thought of really taking a long look at herself.

  These thoughts ran through her mind as she stood in the doorway leading back out to the main room of the cabin, Keena was so wrapped up in them that she jumped when Lem gently touched her shoulder.

  “Are you all right?” the tiger asked with slight concern furrowing his brow.

  She smiled. “Yeah. Just thinking about what my therapist told me, about running from the things about myself that I didn’t want to face. It’s so quiet up here I can’t help but face things that I’d denied for a long time. There isn’t any noise, any bright lights and loud music to distract me.”

  Lemuel nodded. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll get the fire going, or start supper, but I’m not going to let you do everything.”

  “Well, I haven’t been cooking that long. It took weeks for me not to burn water. I didn’t know you could burn water.”

  Lemuel chuckled. “You should talk to Melise. She could get the head chef position almost anywhere she wanted. I’m sure if you ask her that she’d be willing to teach you a few things.”

  The vixen looked thoughtful. “I might do that. Sometimes it’s still hit or miss. The last two times I tried to make a roast the first one was burnt and dry, the second was cold and still frozen in the center.” He expression was one of sulky frustration.

  “Why don’t I cook, then. You get the fire going,” the tiger suggested.

  “You don’t trust me?”

  Lem smiled. “It’s not that. I just want you getting over stressed by trying to cook and impress me. That and as chilly as it’s getting, I’m thinking a nice soup. It’s easy and filling and the weather is perfect for it.”

  Keena laughed. “Okay. It’s a deal!”

  As both set to their tasks, Keena got the fire going. The seasoned wood caught readily, and she stepped back and watched the fire for a few moments before turning to go help the tiger in the kitchen. Then she stopped and looked at an arrangement of pillows that rested on the sunken tier that faced the fireplace.

  Lemuel looked out and saw her standing there with an odd expression. Curious, he asked her what she was thinking.

  “I just occurred to me that this is where Elias proposed to my sister,” she said, bemused. “I know I didn’t act it at the time, but I’m so happy for her. I wonder if I’ll ever meet someone that will look at me the way he looks at her.”

  The tiger smiled broadly. “You never know, Keena. You just never know.”

— NEXT CHAPTER —

Unless otherwise noted, all material © Ted R. Blasingame. All rights reserved.