59 – Sleeping and shrieking
“So Bemy was telling me about some of the things Shifter men do to court women. Food and clothes
and stuff. You had to have known this whole time!” Iin. Megan smirks.
“I figured if it was meant to be you would already know and if it wasn’t… Then why force him to go
through the rejection? Besides, I only knew about him buying you a dress, Darrien has been filling me
in about your meals together though. Did you really throw money at him?” She asks. I frown.
“Darrien wasn’t even there for that part. He left when we went to dinner.” I point out. Megan
shrugs.
“Just assume all the guards gossip. Except maybe Aaron. He barely even talks. I think I’ve mentioned
before that Shaun is a gossip. He told Darrien and Darrien told me.” I groan. So much for privacy. I
think Aaron might be my new favourite purely for his apparently unique. skill of keeping his mouth shut.
“I get the feeling I’m going to end up being embarrassed by all you guys a lot in the future. Well since
I’m already bright red I might as well just blurt out whatever. How am I meant to respond to Bemy?” I
ask. Megan tilts her head to the side.
“Respond?” She questions.
“Yeah like if the guys have their three main courting things what do female Shifters do? The whole thing
seems important to him so I’d like to know. At very least I don’t want to be unaware of my actions,
regardless of what I choose to do.” Megan nods at me.
“That’s a smart attitude and yeah it would be important to him, particrly with how much attention his
rtionships receive. I never bothered with… my ex. Bemy always did grumble about that. So the
women have three traditions also, aside from epting the man’s courting stuff. First one is to give the
man a gift. Something that he can keep to remind him of your affection. Second one is to show that you
care for his family, it’s a lot like the one men have expect more about caring than protecting and
providing. Last tradition is a public act of some kind to demonstrate yourmitment and eptance
of their courting.” We both eat another brownie before continuing.
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59 – Sleeping and shrieking
“So… the whole public demonstration thing, I’m not so sure I can do that just yet.” I start. Megan
shrugs.
“There’s no rush or time frame, Bels has only managed two of the three for you right now anyway.
You’ve already well and truly taken care of the whole caring for his family one, literally just making
brownies with me today would have counted, not to mention everything else we’ve done together. So
hey you’re already a third of the way there.” She concludes.
“Huh, that hadn’t urred to me. That’s… good I guess, although it would have been nice to know
before I somehow unwittingly reciprocated.” Megan shrugs and settles down lower into her pillows,
yawning.
“So that just leaves, a gift right? What kinds of gifts do people usually give?” I ask.
“There’s no specific thing really, it’s pretty personal to each couple. Something that the woman feels
represents them maybe, a reminder of a date they’ve been on, a personal item of their own, something
they know the man has been wanting for a while. Handmade gifts are
fairlymon.” She suggests. I consider.
“What about something the guy can wear? Wouldn’t it be best if it was something he could keep with
him all the time?” Megan scrunches up her face.
“Doesn’t work, gifts like that tend to get ruined when we shift. There’s a reason most Shifters don’t
bother with jewellery except for special asions. Even wedding rings and stuff are usually only worn
on special days.” Megan is sounding increasingly tired and yawns again. We discuss a few ideas for
gifts but nothing sticks out at me. We fall silent for a bit as I continue thinking about it. I’m about to ask
her about spelled gifts when I realise she has fallen asleep. I grab the te of brownies off herp and
carefully ce it on her bedside table. I don’t want to wake her. She definitely needs the rest. I settle
back and check my phone. I have a message from Darrien than I didn’t notice.
Darrien- I’m going to bed now but my phone is turned up. Please tell me if she needs anything. I can be
there in less than ten minutes. Is she okay?
Ryann- She is doing alright. She’s just fallen asleep now. I don’t want to risk waking her. Please get
some rest. I promise I’ll call if we need you.
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59 Sleeping and shrieking
Darrien responds immediately.
Darrien- Thankyou
Ryann- Sorry, did I wake you?
Darrien- nah, couldn’t sleep. Too worried.
Ryann- Well she’s fine. There’s nothing you can do right now. Rest and take care of yourself.
I’ll see youter.
This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.
Darren doesn’t answer. Hopefully he’s getting some rest. I begin aimlessly scrolling on my phone, I
slept plenty earlier and I haven’t been awake nearly long enough to get back to sleep now. I begin
googling gift ideas for Bemy when I hear a muffled yellinging from downstairs. I nce at Megan
but she doesn’t stir. I try and tune it out but my curiosity takes over and I find myself carefully climbing
out of Megan’s bed. As I open her door I can hear the muffled yelling is actually more of a piercing
shriek. I step into the hall and quickly close the door behind me before Megan wakes. I feel a little guilty
as I creep down the stairs, but
1. on. If you shriek people are going to hear it. I justify my nosiness by telling myself that I’m just
worried that whoever this is will wake Megan. The voice has to be a woman. I know Bemy had a
meeting with Tristain’s mother. It’s been a while though, surely she’s not still here? I’m frozen in the
hallway trying to decide if I should listen at the door or just head into the kitchen. Bemy’s office
door swings open with a bang and an older woman backs into the hallway. She has bleach blonde
hair pinned up in a French twist but the hair is frazzled and there are flyaways all over falling out of
the hairstyle. She is wearing a ck dress and heels and looks almost too skinny to be healthy.
She is fairly tall but that might just be her heels. She continues screeching at Bemy.
“I don’t CARE who killed him, this is YOUR fault. NONE of this would have happened if YOU didn’t
ORDER your sister to break up with MY son. She NEVER would have left him. He was PERFECT!”
Bemy looks flustered. I can’t imagine this has been an easy discussion for him. Telling a woman that
her son has been killed because he attempted to murder his fiancé probably won’te across well.
Although I find it strange that this woman wasn’t at the wedding. Was she nning to miss her own
son’s wedding? Or maybe I just didn’t see her in all the chaos. Either way I can’t watch this anymore. I
interrupt.
“Excuse me, but you’re wrong. Bemy never ordered Megan to break up with Tristan, he
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59 – Sleeping and shrieking
never said a single negative thing to her. I was the one who told Megan that Tristan was already in a
rtionship with another woman, Megan chose to call off the wedding as she was not able to ept
being cheated on. I am so sorry for your loss, but it was your son who made the decision to attack
innocent people and it was the result of his own actions that he ended up being killed. Bemy wasn’t
even there. Now, I’m sure that if you need to discuss the matter further Bemy would be happy to
make another appointment with you, but right now you are clearly emotional and I think it is time that
you leave.” I work to keep my. expression and tone calm.
The woman turns on me, her face red, her eyes teary.
“Who are YOU to tell me to leave?” She demands. I hesitate a moment before answering.
“I’m someone who was actually there when your son died. And I am someone who is here to take care
of my friends. You are clearly in pain, I suggest you go find someone to talk to and that youe back
another time when you are in control of yourself. Right now you need to leave.” She meets my gaze
and I hold it. She manages only a few seconds before her eyes drop
in submission.
“Fine. But I’ll be back.” She shoves me with her shoulder as she passes and lets herself out. the front
door, mming it behind her. I race behind her and lock it.