At home, they started unpacking his things. He didn't have a lot, and they would have to buy a few things for him.
"I guess I'll have to get a job now." Jacob said, sighing at his lost sense of financial security.
"I'll help, of course." Cerise said, rubbing his back.
She got up and walked to the kitchen.
"Coffee?" she asked him.
"Yeah, in that big blue cup." He said.
She smiled at how well he knew the house and her things already. She took out the mugs, and looked into the coffee jar. She was all out.
"Jake, it looks like I'm going shopping now." She said, walking towards the sitting room.
He was unpacking photos of his family; he was staring at one of his mom. She sighed and walked up to him. She stood behind him and he leant back on her legs.
"You miss her, I know." She said, rubbing his head.
This was the first time she had ever seen a photo of Sarah. Billy and the twins were right, she did look a lot like her, but Sarah had long, thick, strong hair, hair that Cerise envied, even from here. He sighed and put the photo on the fireplace mantel.
"Why?" he asked.
She had to think for a spilt second what she needed again.
"Coffee's all out. Do you need anything?" she asked, taking her Audi keys.
"No," he said getting up. "But I forgot a few things; I just need to go get them." He said, grabbing his Rabbit keys.
"Okay, I'll see you soon." She said, kissing him on the lips.
He grabbed her around her waist and she threw her arms around his neck and pushed him back. He broke the kiss and she started at her.
"It's almost five." He said.
She looked at the clock.
"Coffee, right." She said, tearing herself away from him.
He opened the door and she went out. He locked the door and walked to his car and got in. They drove off to their separate destinations. Cerise got to a grocery store and walked in to go get the coffee. She looked for the best coffee there was and took it off the shelf. She read the label and from the corner of her eye, saw a man staring at her. He was tall, tanned and looked exotic. She looked up at him, but he was gone. She went to pay and she saw the man again, this time at the cigarette counter. She got her change and walked out. The man left the counter and walked after her.
"You're imaging it, Cerise. He's not following you." She said, getting into her car. She locked the doors and saw him standing at a nearby tree, just waiting, for something. She reversed out and drove away. She looked behind her and the man was gone. She stopped at the first traffic light and looked behind her, and he was gone. She sighed a huge sigh of relief.
"Me and my imagination." She laughed driving off.
She drove the winding rode up to her home, and stopped outside. She got out, coffee under her arm. Jacob wasn't back yet. Maybe there was a jam on the Rez road. She locked her car and walked towards her door. As she held the key up to her slot, something told her to look down her driveway. She turned and looked down the steep driveway. The tall, tanned man was walking up the road. She hurried to open her door and rushed in. She locked it behind her. Maybe it was one of the other wolves in Jacob's and Sam's pack. Maybe they were looking for Jake. She put the coffee down and grabbed her phone. She dialled Jacob's number and it rang. He picked up after two rings.
"Hey, what's up?" he sounded calm and cheery.
"Jake, some guy's following me." She breathed, already in full blown panic.
There was a short moment of silence, and then he spoke.
"What does he look like?" he asked.
She looked out the window; he was getting closer to the door. She turned and hid again.
"I don't know, kind of exotic, Egyptian, or Islamic, I guess." She said in a near whisper.
"I'll be there now." He said.
Before he could hang up she spoke.
"Drive carefully." She said.
"That will take too long, I'm running." He said.
"Wolf?" she asked as the door bell rang.
"He's here." She whispered, almost inaudible.
"Whatever you do, don't open that door." He said.
She felt the unbearable urge to open the door.
"Bye Jake." She said, almost under a spell.
She pressed the red button.
"Cerise, CERISE." He shouted.
He looked at his dad.
"Go, hurry." Billy said.
Jake dropped everything and as he was running out the house, he phased and in two bounds, he was into the woods.
Cerise lifted her head to the door knob and unlocked it.