Breaking Traditions- the Shifter and the Mage

by Madilynn Dale

  The customer finally picks something after staring at the menu for another five minutes. I quickly bag up her pastries and send her on her way. I let out a sigh as she exits through the door and refocus as the next customer steps up. It has been a hectic morning, and I feel drained.

  "You look a little off this morning, Alex," Terri says, stepping next to me. She surprises me and causes me to jump; I am definitely tired and off my game.

  I turn to address her and observe she has flour all over her apron from working in the kitchen. The scent of sugar lingers around her mixed with a bit of cinnamon. It smells sweet and causes my mouth to water. I guess I should have eaten better this morning.

  I continue to focus on the customer in front of me as we converse. "Yeah, busy weekend. I think it has caught up with me. I am also stressed about finals." I move to grab a coffee while Terri steps up to ring up the customer's items.

  "Oh, what did you do? Anything fun?" She asks, turning from the register slightly and giving me a sideways look. I continue to fill the cup to the brim with coffee before answering.

  "Yeah, I went hiking with my girlfriend and a group of friends. It was a lot of fun and completed a couple of errands that I have been avoiding. " I pass the coffee off to the customer, and he walks away.

  "That does sound busy and fun. I bet you were tired after hiking. You don't seem like the hiking type, no offense." She says.

  "Oh, none taken. It has been a work in progress. My magical abilities come in handy at times and make it a bit easier, but I am not in the best of shape for too much hiking. We took an easy trail." I leave out the fact that I am not much of a hiker because I fly instead. I would rather not divulge that information in case it gives me away.

  "Hmm, well stick with it you will get there. Let's do some spot cleaning while we have a moment. I am going to have to decorate some pastries after they cool, so I have a few minutes." She says over her shoulder as she walks to grab the broom and dustpan. Sometimes the way she switches from one topic to another causes me to be thrown for a loop. Nat does the same thing sometimes. It is uncanny how many similarities she has to her mother at times.

  I follow and snag the cleaning spray and a dish towel to wipe down tables and chairs. We both do some cleaning for a few minutes, and she asks about school. I share with her what my plans are and discuss my degree. We then talk about what finals I have in the next few weeks. She is strangely easy to talk to, and it is hard to believe that she reacted like she did when Nat told her about the mating. Is there another side to her that she keeps hidden strictly for other shifters?

  "So, how long have you and James been married?" I ask, taking my cleaning supplies back toward the storage area.

  "We have been married for twenty-three years and together twenty-five. We were introduced to each other by our parents. They played matchmakers, so to speak." She responds with a light chuckle.

  "Oh, that is fascinating. Do you have any children?" I fish trying to keep things light.

  She frowns, and her face pales a bit. "I am going to check on those pastries. Let me know if you need anything."

  She avoids the question and leaves the room quickly. She doesn't even offer me a chance to ask another question as her shifter speed enables her to move faster than an average person. It leaves me wondering if I should follow and apologize for asking or just go with it. Thankfully I am saved from having to decide by a customer arriving through the front door. I let it go and turn my focus entirely on serving this new gentleman.

  The next two days before Thanksgiving go by quickly, and I spend the mornings working at the bakery and questioning Nat's parents. I want to devise a plan to bring them back together, but so far, I am drawing a blank. Terri avoids the topic of children like it's the plague, and James has been in and out a lot. I can tell something is going on with him, but I am not sure what. Neither one of them has been willing to share anything regarding family. They only discuss work-related topics, school, customers, and occasionally things that are going on in the community.

  Something surprising though, has been the number of conversations Stan and I have had. Nat has always claimed he is a quiet person who avoids conversations, but I beg to differ. There are times where we have been working together, and the man won't shut up. From what Nat has told me before, he is very quiet and keeps to himself. He has been working for the bakery for a long time, though, and seems to know a lot. He even confirmed that there was a falling out with their daughter, and she hasn't been back in since it happened. He doesn't go into much detail because I don't think he knows much about what happened. I will take what I can get, though.

  The things I have learned from Terri and James when they do talk have been quite interesting. For instance, Terri loves yellow roses and grew up with a large family of red wolf shifters. She has five brothers and one older sister. They all live in various places throughout the country. She did not attend college but was introduced to James at the end of high school.

  James came from a smaller family of grey wolves and only had one younger brother who lives in Japan. He did attend college for some time to learn about running a business. He was drawn to Terri from the start, but he knew she was not his fated mate. He says that as far as he knows, neither one of them has come across that person. It is somewhat sad that they never had the chance to experience what Nat and I have. I believe they would have had extremely different lives had they found that person, but I am thankful for their marriage. Without the two being placed together, regardless of the circumstances, I would never have met Nat. I am grateful that they are decent individuals, and I have been doing my best to understand them. I hope that it will help me with my plan to reunite them. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to get a little help and ask Stan for some advice?

  My mind is once again a jumble of thoughts as I work next to Stan in the dish pit. The warm water feels lovely on my hands, and the smell of the lemon soap fills the air. We have been working side by side for a good thirty minutes, and we only have a few plates left to clean.

  I revisit my last thought and gather my courage as I turn to Stan. "Hey Stan, I think I need your advice. It involves my girlfriend." I say after I have finished the last plate. It was sitting at the bottom of the sink, which allowed most of the food particles to slip right off.

  "Well, I can try my best, but I don't have a lot of practice with women. My lady died a while back during childbirth. What have you got?"

  I sigh, "She has had a huge falling out with her parents, and I am not sure what to do to get them to reason with each other. She has been distraught since it happened and wants them back in her life."

  He blinks at me, trying to think it over for a minute. "Has she tried to talk with them?" He turns to grab a towel as I contemplate his question.

  "That's one of the problems. They told her never to come around again. What would you recommend?" I unplug the sink and grab a towel for myself before turning back to face him. He is now leaning against the sink deep in thought.

  "Why did they tell her that? Did she do something wrong?" He says, turning to look at me with a raised eyebrow. It makes me wonder if he is beginning to put things together.

  "No, she didn't. She chose to accept her mate." I say, staring down into the dish pit.

  Stan tenses beside me for a second and then places his face in his palm. I guess it was still damp because he makes a huffing noise and grabs another towel. I turn to look at him as he dry’s both his face and his hands. It has given us both a momentary distraction to diffuse some of the tension.

  "I wondered why you smelled familiar. It all makes sense now. I didn't know that was what happened with the bosses. So, you're Natalie's mate? Congratulations! I don't know what to tell you, though." He says, tossing the towel into the trash.

  "I wasn't looking for a fix-all answer, but maybe some advice?" I ask again.

  "I honestly don't have anything for you son. If I think of something, I can let you know, though. In the meantime, take care of that
girl. I miss having her around here. The business was a lot better when she was here." He has a sad smile on his face as he finishes his statement.

  "I figured as much. Several of the customers have been complaining as well. I can't believe she made that much of a difference here and that Terri and James can't see that. I know they miss her, but they are all so stubborn."

  He laughs and agrees with a nod before saying, "That is thick in their blood. I am glad she has you. That Theo fellow was a waste of time."

  We both laugh and return to cleaning the back room. Both Terri and James have been in the front tending to customers while we clean.

  An hour later, as I am finishing my shift and preparing to leave, I take a moment to talk to Stan again.

  "Hey man, thanks for talking with me earlier. I hope you will keep that info to yourself."

  He shakes my hand with a smile. "No worries. I will help you figure something out. We will get them back together again."

  With his words replaying in my head, I leave feeling lighter and filled with more hope than I had before. With Stan's help, I know I can get something figured out to fix things. Now just to mentally prepare for my family to arrive tonight.

  19. Natalie

  Cleaning has been exhausting, but I insisted on the house being clean for Alex's family to join us. Lainee, Stevie, and I have been working diligently to clean and dust. The house was quite a mess. We cheated a bit, though, by using a few spells to enchant the cleaning supplies. We may not have manually clean the old-fashioned way now that we can utilize magic to get the job done. I am not sure why they didn't think of doing that before I arrived, but I am all about using it now.

  The busy cleaning and going in to wait tables has made the last few days move by quickly. It has been a helpful distraction, although I have been less anxious and more focused since our small hike over the weekend. My emotions have also been better. I still have a lot of internal sadness, but it seems manageable now. I am no longer having periods where I feel like I am drowning in a black hole of emotions.

  Work has also been better this week and less dramatic. It is nothing like it has been for the past two weeks. I guess my boss and his drama queen quit seeing each other? She hasn't been at work, so maybe she got fired. I am not sure, but he seemed to be less pissy than usual. It has made doing my job ten times easier.

  As I finish wiping down the counter in the kitchen for the second time, not utilizing the spelled towels, I hear the front door open and close. It is followed by a deep sigh from the person that came in and immediately sense that it is Alex. I do another sweep with my towel and set it down next to the sink.

  I turn around to go to the entryway and meet him, but I stop as he enters the kitchen. He looks tired, and I can see tension coming off of him in waves. I also sense his underlying emotions of fatigue, anxiety, and excitement. It seems like a strange combination, but it must be because of his parents. They are due to arrive any time now.

  "Hey, how was your day?" I move toward him and envelop him in a hug. He rests his chin on top of my head while wrapping me in his arms.

  "Eh, it was okay. Busy. I think I have picked up on what I need to know pretty well. My trainee didn't hover at all today."

  "That's great! So, you like it then?"

  "Yeah, everyone is kind and easy to get along with."

  "Good!"

  "How was work for you? Has it still been less chaotic, or did it ramp back up?"

  "It was okay. We weren't as busy as we normally are, but I think that is because Thanksgiving is tomorrow."

  "I could see that. The house looks awesome, by the way. I take it you and the girls have been cleaning."

  "Yeah, we want things to be welcoming and clean. I don't want your parents to feel put off by a bunch of slobs." I joke, and we move into the living room to sit.

  I relax back into the soft fabric of the couch and look around the room. My mind can't help but assess everything. I want it to look spotless, and cleaning seems to calm me.

  "So, when will your parents be here?" I ask, bringing my attention away from the bookcase across the room.

  He shrugs, "hm, well, I am not completely sure. Dad said he would give me a call once everyone got checked in at the hotel."

  "Do you think they will want to go out to eat tonight or have dinner here? I have a couple of things I can throw together tonight, if so. I know Lainee and Stevie are working late, but Derick and Eddie will be around."

  "I don't know; I can ask them when they call. I like the idea of eating here, though. It seems like a relaxing and chill idea. I could invite them to join, and we could cook here, regardless. I don't feel like leaving the house, honestly."

  "If you insist! I am okay with that. It will let them get a feel for the house before hanging out with us here tomorrow."

  "Yes."

  We sit discussing dinner on the sofa for a short time before his cell begins to ring. I watch as he moves around, trying to remove it from his back pocket. I laugh when he finally gets it free, and he smirks at me before answering his phone.

  "Hello? Great, I was wondering when you would make it in. How is the room? Good! Oh, yeah? Great! Well, we were thinking about cooking dinner for everyone here at the house. Yeah. What time can you guys make it? Oh, perfect. Yeah, love you too!" Alex ends the call and tosses the phone on the couch beside him. He has a pleasant smile across his face as he leans back into the sofa.

  "So, they are all checked in and can be here in about an hour for dinner. Is that enough time to cook a casserole and put together some side dishes?"

  "Yes, I can throw it all together easily. Can you grab the guys and set the table? I want it to look nice, but I don't want to be over the top."

  He pushes to standing, "yeah, I will go grab them now."

  I stand and follow him out of the room toward the kitchen. I have t-minus one hour until the food is served. With my skills, I think I can get this dinner done. It helps that I have been steadily making desserts and treats this week for tomorrow, so I have the post-dinner goodies ready.

  §

  An hour later, I hear the guys greeting someone at the door and assume that his parents have arrived. I turn the burners on the old electric stove to low and check on the casserole in the oven. I stand back from the oven door after opening it to allow the heat to rush out before glancing in. I note that it needs a few more minutes before closing the oven and turning to head toward where everyone is.

  I enter the dining room and see that everyone is standing around chatting. The table is set with mix-matched dishes but looks presentable. The hardwood table is covered with a white cloth that I picked up at Goodwill on Monday. It makes it seem a bit fancy.

  Everyone seems to stand out against the white-painted walls of the room. I see Derick and Eddie standing off from the group but within listening distance. They are smiling as Alex chats away with two young women who are very similar in appearance. They both have the same facial features, but one has bright purple hair, and the other has hot pink hair.

  The couple standing behind them are dressed casually and have pleasant smiles on their faces. The woman is pretty with long brown curls and green eyes. She is slender and petite. Her husband stands next to her and looks like an older version of Alex. Where Alex has dark hair and green eyes, his father has peppered hair and brown eyes. Looking closer at the two, I see that Alex has his mother's eyes.

  Smiling, I make my way toward the group. I catch Alex's eye as I near.

  "Hey Nat, this is my family. These two are my annoying sisters, Casey and Carrie. Behind them are my parents Joe and Stacie."

  "Hi, it is nice to meet you all," I say, walking closer to the group.

  "It is nice to meet you as well, finally! Alex has told us quite a bit about you, Natalie." His mother reaches for me pulling me into a hug as she speaks. I blush in response.

  Pulling back, Joe reaches for my hand and shakes it. "Yes, we are pleased to meet his mate, finally! It's so exciting to have a
shifter in the family! Right, girls?"

  He releases my hand, and I am surrounded by his sisters, who begin pulling me into a hug. I am not sure which one is which at this point.

  "I am glad he finally has someone to love! This boy needed someone." The one with purple hair laughs.

  "Yes, he does! I am Carrie, by the way, in case you were wondering who was who. Our hair color is the only thing that differentiates us."

  "Yeah, sorry, I guess I could have said that too. We are happy to meet you." Casey says, smiling sheepishly.

  "I am glad to meet you all as well! If everyone wants to sit down around the table, I will have the food ready in a few minutes. Derick, Eddie, can you grab drinks for everyone?" I turn my attention to the guys now hiding in the corner of the room and smile. I want them to feel included too. No one gets left out when I am around.

  "On it!" Eddie says before moving around the room, asking everyone what they would like. I smile again and return to the kitchen to check on the food.

  I peek into the oven and see that the casserole is finished. It has a beautiful golden-brown color, and the cheese is oozing out at the sides. It is a simple broccoli and cheese mix thrown together with rice. I grab an oven mitt from the counter and reach in to pull it out. I place it on the stovetop to cool while I put the side dishes in serving ware. I grab several spoons to serve the dishes and place them in the food to be carried to the table. I stack the side dishes along my arm and take them out to the table.

  I smile as I enter the room and place the food in different spots on the table. This will make it easy for everyone to grab a dish and pass it around. I stand back and assess the layout before turning back toward the kitchen.

  "I will be back with the casserole, and then everyone can start fixing a plate."

  I quickly return to the kitchen and grab a few more oven mitts to set the hot casserole dish on. I don't want to leave scorch marks on the table, and I no longer have something to transfer it to since the few empty dishes we had contain sides.