Page 50 of The Grizzly Situation

“Are you okay?”

“I… think so. Still kind of tired. Brent—I mean Mr. Lockhart—told me not to wander off, though.”

“That sofa in the great room is amazing to nap on,” she informed me with a conspiratorial wink.

“Maybe I will,” I replied, suddenly exhausted.

“I take it the boys are still asleep?”

“I… Yeah, I think so.”

“I could check on them while you get some rest.”

“What? No!”

She stepped back. “What’s wrong? Are the boys not doing well?”

“They’re fine,” came a deep voice from the doorway.

Brent was home! I got up and rushed to him, throwing my arms around his waist, then realized what I was doing and tried to move away, but he held me still.

“We need to talk,” he said, his voice so gentle. “Come with me.”

He kept an arm around my shoulder and led me to the bedroom where the boys had been, but walked by them and into the one I’d slept in. As soon as he opened the door, the two bears popped up and surged forward, headed for me. When they got to where we stood, they practically danced around us.

“Stop!” Brent ordered. And just like that, they did. He knelt down and rubbed a hand over their noses. “I am so proud of you.”

And the bears… smiled? “What’s going on here?”

“Can you shift back for me?” he asked. “Just focus and it’ll happen.”

As I stood there, watching the scene, the bear’s bodies shuddered. The thick, dark hair receded back into their skin, which was becoming paler. I gaped when I realized what I was seeing. The bears were becoming the kids! As soon as this… transformation took place, two naked boys stood up and stared at me.

“Momma, did you see?” they asked at the same time.

My head was spinning. I thought I would fall over, but then Brent was there, beside me, holding me up.

“How?” I asked.

“Come sit with me and I’ll tell you everything,” he promised. “You’re about to become privy to a secret very few humans know.”

Humans? What the hell was that about? He helped the boys get dressed in blue jeans and light blue shirts, then we all went back to the great room. As soon as we entered, he asked Amelia to start something light for dinner, then ushered me to the couch where he pushed me back onto it. Chaim and Benjy were there, sitting in big leather chairs that flanked the sofa, both staring at me. Their kids snuck through the room and headed upstairs.

“Okay, I’m sure you have questions,” Brent said.

“Gee, you think?” I demanded. “What the….” Then I realized the boys were there, looking at me expectantly. “Heck did I just see?”

“Momma? Are you mad at us?” Eddie asked, worrying his lip with his teeth.

I turned to him and could see the fear in his eyes. I’d done that, and it was up to me to fix it. “No,” I promised. “C’mere.”

I opened my arms and both of them rushed to me, then sighed when I embraced them. They were little boys, andshouldn’t wonder if I was mad at them for whatever I’d just witnessed.

“We’re sorry, Momma,” Jack whispered, burying his face into my side.

“No, no, no,” I crooned. “You surprised me, that’s all. You both did so well,” I told them, even though I had no idea what the hell I was talking about.

They peered up at me. “Really?”