Page 105 of Healing Fate

“They haven’t even been gone twenty-four hours yet. So no. Have you heard from Tarron?”

She sighed. “No. I always worry when he’s away. Gives me panic attacks or something.”

“You mean gossip attacks, right?” Birdie said.

Her snowy white hair and sharp blue eyes were mesmerizing. Something about her made it feel as if she were an old soul who had seen much in her life, but there was a spark of mischief in her eyes that made her seem far younger.

“Don’t you pay her no mind,” she told me. “She just likes to fish for information. That’s all. Kills her when he’s away and she doesn’t have the latest and greatest of Force gossip at her disposal.”

“I can’t wait to meet her Tarron. He sure sounds like quite the character,” Tabitha added.

“Was there something I can do for you ladies this morning?” I finally asked, curious as to why they were even here.

“Not at all. We just wanted to stop by and check on you,” she explained.

“That’s right. Altruistic and all. I wasn’t fishing or anything,” Nonna insisted, but even I knew better despite the fact that the other two women started laughing. “I mean it. How are you holding up, Lucy?”

I smiled. “I’m fine. Thank you for asking.”

“Well, we brought you some coffee,” Tabitha said holding out an extra cup.

Nonna looked around and then spotted a table in the corner. She cleared it off and dragged it over to the center of the waiting room while Birdie gathered four chairs then pulled a tablecloth from her purse and covered the small table.

Next, Nonna pulled out a small flower arrangement from her bag along with four small plates and silverware.

Tabitha gave me a sheepish look before she took out a Tupperware container of muffins and another of fresh fruit.

Before I knew what was happening, we had a full tea party of sorts in the middle of the waiting room.

I shook my head.

“You guys had all of this in your purses?”

Micah’s grandmother gave me a sly smile.

“A lady is always prepared for anything life throws her way.”

“Oh, is that right?” I teased with a laugh.

They chatted the morning away having my side in stitches from laughing at their stories. I learned that Birdie was the matriarch of Westin Pack at one hundred and twenty-six years old. I could hardly believe it when she confessed it. She looked amazing, and while I knew that wolf shifters tended to look younger, be healthier, and even live longer than humans, I’d never met someone that old before.

There were so many external factors that often led to our kind dying prematurely, especially in today’s world. I was fascinated just talking with her and hearing the stories of her life and how things had changed. Her parents had been first generation born in San Marco. I was in awe just listening to her speak.

“Well, you are certainly an amazing lady, Ms. Birdie.”

“Nothing amazing about me. Just a lot of stories from a long life lived.”

The three women stayed and chatted, just keeping me company until Marshall showed up with a scowl on his face.

“This is where you’ve been hiding all day?” he said gruffly.

“Well, I had to check on my guardian angel and make sure she’s okay while Micah’s out of town.”

He shook his head. “It’s time for lunch. Are you ditching me for that too?”

The three women laughed but Tabitha rose, said goodbye, and left with him.

“He’s one of the good ones,” Birdie said. “Your Micah is too.”