CHAPTER 30: Life's mess's
The next morning, I could hear alarm clocks going off all over the house, I just snuggled into Susan, Susan what are you doing here, in my room? She just rolls over; told you don't care what others think. We use the facilities, and head for the gym.
We all help to move the equipment to the walls so we have an open space in the middle. Miss Watts shows up, and lends a hand. She is kind of surprised that I am the teacher. After the moving of the equipment, we all change into Karateka's and start our routines. Dad is still a no show as we start our routine.
"Mom I believe dad's not coming, could you go get him please"? "With pleasure son", she says this with a wicked grin on her face. I then help Miss Watts with her positioning and form. She is actually pretty good with picking up the form. Grandpa is not as good at picking up the form, but grandma helps him. Dad and mom return a few minutes later, dad's rubbing his butt, and mom has a satisfied look on her face. Dad looks at me with murder in his eyes, but I can see the laugh behind it. I speed up the routine for the new commers. By the time we are done we are all ready for a swim.
My mates and I just throw our Karateka's in the laundry hamper. Miss Watts is very unsure about all this, and uses one of the private shower rooms in the locker room. Once we get off the loose fur, we all jump into the pool. Mom is the only one wearing a bathing suit. Miss Watts doesn't join us in the pool. And I try something new, I try to swim like an otter. I get very frustrated as it's not as easy as it looks, I have no grace or flow. We crawl out of the pool, and use the body blowers, we then bush our fur down and head for the house.
We are all still naked and Miss Watts blushes as she see's dad's naked front side. but her expression turns to one of horror as she sees his back. Dad has a bullet scar on his left shoulder, and three diagonal lines on his back., starting from his right shoulder going to his left hip. Mom has a bullet scar on her left side front to back, a through and through. I'm sure I can get the story out of them later. Miss Watts has made us all breakfast, oatmeal, fruit, toast, juice, and coffee.
We eat like we are all starving. "Pat, grab a bowl and join us". "No… I couldn't". "Pat we all think of you as family come join us at the table". With trepidation she fills a bowl, and sitting at the table starts to eat. We banter back and forth, and generally have fun at the table. Soon it's time to go.
Peter heads for the hospital, Miss Watts stays behind to clean, and the rest of us head for the station. When we arrive at the station, the squeal from Clawhauser was deafening. I ran across the lobby and doing two back flips, landed on his desk and gave him a hug. He's a little shocked, but hugs me back. The rest of the family slowly walk up to the desk. "Morning spots", "morning ben", "Morning you, cute little cheetah, you". Vivian says this, as she pinches his cheek. Clawhauser turns red. We all laugh. "So, who is everybody"? My siblings all give their names, and we procced to banter for a few, before we head for the gym.
In the gym we all start our routine again for the second time that day. Skye and Jack soon join us. I notice jack is rock solid in the way he does his routine, and wonder how good he is. Skye flows but it seems to be more halting. We start to spar and I can see she is not as good as last time. I step back and putting fist to palm, ask her if we could talk. She gets a look on her face and motions me towards the looker room. I set grandma to sparing with Fangmyer, as I follow Skye to the looker room.
As we enter the locker room, and the door closes, she turns to me. "What do you want to talk about Daniel"? "Skye don't take this wrong, but I notice your fighting is off, and you seem to be troubled. Can you tell me what's going on"? I send calm and love to her. Skye deflates a bit, "Daniel I don't think you will understand, it's adult things". "You mean like the love you have for Jack"? Her head snaps up, and she gets the deer in the head lights look. Skye, "I told you, I can feel and read emotions, you trying to deny it won't make it go away. It will only eat you up from the inside. It's starting to affect your fighting form".
"But Daniel he's my superior, how can I have feelings for him"? "Skye do you think my parents started out loving each other? In fact, they both hated each other, mom thought he was selfish, arrogant, con mammal, and a very bad dresser". She gives a small chuckle. "And dad thought she was a dumb hick from the sticks, with an outdated set of dreams, and ideals. But once he got to know her, he couldn't help but fall for her high ideals, and he helped her to do what was right, and along the way they fell in love. Love Skye, knows no boundaries, it just is".
"But what if he doesn't love me back"? "Skye you well never know, unless you tell him. Skye how much worst can it be? If he doesn't love you back you can forget it, and move on. Yes, you will hurt, yes you will cry, but is it that any worst then what you are doing to yourself now"? "Daniel, Vixens are usually the ones to make the first move, but I'm scared". "If it gets so unbearable, you could always transfer out, and he never has to find out". "No, I won't do that to Jack". "Then tell him".
As I exit the looker room, Jack raises an eye brow to me. "Just having a talk to Skye about her fighting form". I look over, and grandma has finished with Fangmyer, "Jack your turn in the ring". Jack takes off his jacket and enters the ring with me. Jack has a different style than me but he has the lag, and I know he has the same problem as Skye. I step back and ask jack if we could have a word in the locker room.
He grabs his jacket off the chair, and we head for the locker room. "Jack, I know you have a different fighting form than me, but I also know I could have wiped the mat with you. What has got you so worked up that you can't think straight"? Jacks facial expression never changes, but he deflates inside. "Good poker face Jack but it doesn't work with me, I can read emotions, remember"? Now he deflates on the outside as well. "Remind me never to get into a poker game with you". "Out with-it Jack, I think I know what this is all about. Jack if it helps, I can see the working bond you have with Skye, and I think you want it to be more".
Jack, raises his head, and looking me in the eye says, "I love Skye". "So why don't you tell her"? "She's a fox, I'm a hare, we aren't even the same species". "Jack do you think that love has boundaries? Love has no boundaries, it just happens, jack. Look to my parents, moral enemies at one time, but now they have a bond in love that is unshakable. Don't let Skye be another regret in your life. Tell her Jack". "But our jobs…"
"Jack my parent go out every day knowing that they may not come home together, or maybe at all, but that doesn't stop them from trying to make the world a better place. Their jobs do not interfere with their love for each other. And their love doesn't interfere with their job. They both have a love for the job, and some days it's all they can do. But their love brings them together, that's all that maters in the end Jack, Love".
I leave Jack sitting on the bench, as I exit the locker room. Everyone has finished sparing, so we head home. "Daniel, asks grandma what were you taking to Jack and Skye about"? "Just how there fighting forms are off". "It has nothing to do with the fact that they love each other"? It's my turn to look at grandma. "Daniel, I may not be able to read emotions, but the subtle clues were there. Did you get through to them"? "I believe I did, but only time will tell".
Jack and Skye get into his black sports car, and head back for the office, both embarrassed by what I had said. Both of them were taking sly glances at the other. Both still not knowing what to say. They worked the rest of the day in silence, still taking sly glances at each other across the room. Skye slowly firms up her resolve, and at quitting time come over to jack.
"Jack, can I have a word with you in the conference room"? "What's this about Skye"? "You'll see", was all she would say. As the door closes, Skye spins around and pinning Jack to the door, kisses him. Jack is totally surprised, and when Skye lets him go, she has tears in her eyes, "I'm sorry Jack, but you had to know".
With that, she turns away. "Oh, no you don't you little vixen", with that Jack tackles her to the ground, and rolling her over, plants one on her muzzle. As their muzzles separate, Jack looks into her eyes. "Don't you ever turn away from me again Skye, I love you".
"Jack, I have been waiting for you to say that for so long I had given up hope. I thought I would never hear you say those word, Jack I love you too". The office grows cold as the night falls, except for the conference room where it is very steamy indeed.