by Allie York
My costume was laid out on the bed in my room, and Harris was being uncreative and going in his scrubs. At least the costumes matched. He was in his loose scrub pants and an undershirt when he found me in my bedroom, perfecting my hair in the full-length mirror. His strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind, he locked his green eyes with mine in the mirror, and those pesky butterflies stirred in me. I knew without a doubt that I was falling hard, I just hoped that Harris was falling with me.
Chapter Fifteen
Harris
The entire drive to my Mom’s house was spent in silence. Ozma blushed every time I looked at her, but I was too busy trying to decide how to tell her how I was feeling to really appreciate how cute it was. The weeks since we met had been a fucking dream. Ozma was with me every chance we got and we had a blast together. When I got to be in one of my shitty moods, Oz put me in my place, and I was pretty good at calming her attitude back into check. I was ready to tell her that dating wasn’t doing it for me anymore. I was done playing the dating game, I was playing for keeps. There on the couch I pushed a boundary, and Ozma trusted me. She willingly returned the favor, but it was clear when that tongue of hers touched me that I would have a hard time holding back with her. The way she smiled when I jerked her hair made me think I wouldn’t have to hold back much. Maybe she wasn’t quite as innocent as I thought.
Cars spilled out of the drive and lined the street, just like every year on Halloween, but this year would be different. This year my aunts wouldn’t get to ask me when I was going to stop working so hard and find a good woman to settle down with. I found one, and planned on keeping her.
I adjusted my lab coat, opening the door for my ‘kitten’, and helping her climb out of Jolene, “Your costume sucks,” She stood on her toes to kiss me and I adjusted her ears.
“You’re a cat solely because I’m a vet. It works, now come on.” I was eager to show her off, have her meet my mother, and take her to work with me later that night. Ozma rolled her eyes, letting me drag her to the house.
Cob webs were expertly hung from the porch lights and the music thumped through the walls, strobe lights were flashing and lit pumpkins lined the walk, “Can we talk a second?” Ozma’s voice took on that sweet, quiet tone that I loved so much. I pulled her to me and waited, “Earlier, when we… when we were on the couch, was it… was it okay?” She’s joking right?
The red on her face and eyes darting all over made me realize she was serious, “Ozma,” I pinched her chin and tipped it up so she would look at me, “I will never get enough of you, but if all I get is that moment, I will die a happy man.” Oz turned to the door, avoiding my gaze, but I spun her back, “That being said, I am having a difficult time not trying to find a wall to shove you against and fuck you senseless right now.” Her brown eyes dilated and her mouth fell open as I knocked on the door. Something about the girl made me want to beat my chest and act like a damn animal.
Mom jerked the door open, dressed as a witch, and squealed, “Harry! You two made it!” Ozma was pulled into a hug that had her going stiff and awkwardly patting my mom on the back. I’d embarrassed her and my mother was attacking her, “So, you are the pretty little thing keeping Harry from Sunday dinners. Rose has so many great things to say about you!”
Ozma looked from Mom to me, still blushing, “I didn’t realize I was keeping him from anything, but it’s great to meet you, Mrs. Oswin.” She recovered quickly from her embarrassment and I got a death glare for not telling her about the family time.
“Oh no, you don’t! You call me Gloria, now come in and party!” the door closed behind us and we both froze. The sight was a little crazy. Tons of people were gathered in my mother’s house. Rose’s friends, Mom’s friends, and some of mine were packed in like sardines. Jax held his beer up in greeting from across the room and I offered him a chin tip. Porter and Rose were next to him and Lyric had her back to us, talking to my sister. Then I saw Rick at Porter’s side and looked back down to Ozma. I was still a jealous fucker where all that was concerned, but we kept the peace at work, and I knew Ozma was all mine. My jealousy was unwarranted, but again, she made me an animal. Him popping up everywhere wasn’t helping.
“Ozzy!” Rose accosted my kitten, taking her by the hand and leading her into the deafening noise and flashing lights. I was left to navigate alone to find a drink and the rest of my family. I knew my mother’s sisters would be there and her little circle of card playing friends, I figured I might as well face that mess first. Actually, I wanted to brag to them.
I found them in the kitchen refilling trays of snacks and all the women dropped what they were doing to hug me and chat, “Where is this mystery woman? Gloria said she’s beautiful.” Aunt Judy looked just like my mother, but was a year older and dressed as Raggedy Anne.
I grabbed a knife and started cutting carrots into sticks and laying them in neat lines on the tray, “Of course she’s beautiful. Rose kidnapped her, but when you happen upon a blonde cat, that’s my girl,” I winked at my aunt and she giggled.
“Your girl? So, this is a serious thing? Missing Sunday dinners sounds serious.” Clara, Mom’s best friend, arched her eyebrow at me and I laughed. Her Day of the Dead makeup made it a comical gesture. Clara and Maddie might as well have been my aunts as well. They were friends with Mom in high school, and were her only friends through her pregnancy with me. They stuck with her all the way to having me four days after graduation.
I popped a grape in my mouth, “I hope so.” All four women froze and looked up at me, “Don’t look at me like that. You asked if it was serious, and I hope that Ozma is as serious as I am.” Clara’s over-expressive face had me biting back laughter again.
“Well, now I can’t wait to meet her. We were starting to think you were in the closet or something. We haven’t seen you with a woman in too many years. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with a woman,” Maddie, the fourth of the cackling hens turned on me. “The smile on your face says someone is in love.” I choked on my grape. Not that I wasn’t in love, but that was not a conversation for a bunch of middle aged women to have with me. It was for me to tell Ozma via a game of Hangman and then make good on my promise of finding a wall suitable for fucking against.
“Maybe I am. Maybe I’m gonna sweep Ozma off her feet and make her marry me. Then we can have a white picket fence, two-point-five kids, and live happily ever after. So, yeah, I love her.” After years of them teasing me, it was so nice to finally be able to say that. I’ve wanted a family as long as I could remember, but it was one of those dreams that had to wait for vet school and a career. But with vet school behind me and Ozma in front of me, maybe little Oswins could be on the table. It was the honest truth and I loved the grins I got in response. It also felt good to unload that after such an intimate day with her. If only I had said all those things to her instead of my mom’s friends. I had to tell someone, I just told the wrong three someones.
“If your Ozma didn’t know it already, she does now,” The three women were all looking past me to the doorway, and I whipped around to see a very stunned Ozma standing with my sister, red faced and chewing her lip. Rose covered her mouth, but her eyes were smiling.
“Ladies, this is my girlfriend Ozma. Aunt Judy, Clara, and Maddie, they’re my mother’s partners in crime,” I tried to look apologetic, but Ozma wouldn’t even look at me. Damn it. She plastered on a fake smile and moved toward the ladies. We went through introductions and Ozma kept her composure.
“So, you’re Rosie’s boss, too? That doesn’t make things awkward, does it?” Judy handed Ozma a cup of green punch and went back to pulling grapes from the bunch.
“Uh, no. It doesn’t seem to. We love Rose at the boutique, she is the best at customer service,” Ozma still hadn’t made eye contact, but I draped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her into me. The women chatted about the boutique’s success for a while longer while I silently begged them to leave. I finally caught Aunt Judy’s attention and she got the h
int. They left to deliver trays, dragging Rose with them, and left us alone in the kitchen.
Oz crossed her arms over her chest, moving away from me, and leaned against the counter, “Ozma, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-”
She held her hand up, stopping me, “I know you didn’t mean it. It’s fine. I just don’t like being put on the spot like that. If my mom were around she would be asking when I was getting married. I get it.” Oz looked devastated. Tears were gathering at the corners of her eyes, and it broke my heart. She thought I had said it to get them off my back, that I was trying to get a rise out of them. I had meant every damn word I said and then some, but the hurt all over her face meant she felt it too. Not that I was happy about her being upset, but her anger meant I wasn’t alone in my feelings, “I promised your sister that I would fix her dress. It tore,” I moved to where Ozma was against the counter and caged her in with my arms, blocking her with my body.
She tried to push past me, but I didn’t budge, “Please listen.”
“Move, Harris,” Her voice was quiet and she swiped angrily at a tear.
“I was trying to say I didn’t mean to put you on the spot,” Ozma’s eyebrows crinkled and her tongue darted out to wet her lips. “Oz, I am definitely in love with you. I kind of thought telling you would scare the shit out of you, so I kept quiet. I had a big plan to tell you later, but my aunt ruined that one.” Ozma’s perfect lips twitched into a small smile, flashing me those dimples, and her brown eyes went wide.
“You’ve called me Oz all day,” I could barely hear her over The Monster Mash thundering around us. I told the woman I loved her, and she was worried about the nickname. Finally, her dark eyes met mine, “It does scare the shit out of me, because I love you too.”
I smothered her against my chest, pressing her softness into me, and kissed her head right between the cat ears, “Let’s go enjoy the party and then get the fuck out of here. I want to get this shift over with and then spend all day in bed with you tomorrow. We can go by your place, pick up Ziggy and some clothes and then you’re going home with me.” Oz tipped her head up to settle her gaze on me. I had crashed at her place plenty of times, but she had never stayed with me. I told myself it was out of convenience, but the truth was I may have been waiting until I knew for sure.
“Did you just tell me what I’m going to do?” Ozma’s tone was teasing, but I saw my mistake immediately. Unfortunately for her, I don’t give a shit about my mistake.
“I did. Now, go help Rose then get your sexy ass out to the party so we can go save some dogs and I can take you home with me,” Damn those dimples. I smacked her ass lightly as she left the counter and her face flushed red.
“Ozma?” A man’s voice cut through the music, saying her name, and breaking our spell. I tucked her under my arm and we turned to face the voice. Ozma went still, rigid against me and my mother caught my eyes before the man did. The worry etched in her face had me stepping slightly between Oz and the man.
My kitten pushed around me, “Dad?” The word came out tight, strained. Oz started toward the man, but the look on my mother’s face told me to keep her close, so I grabbed her hand. The party moved on around us, but in the kitchen, there was anything but a party atmosphere. Her father had just sucked the life out of the room, “What are you doing here?”
“Gloria’s a good friend of mine. What in the world are you wearing?” I scanned Ozma’s costume, truly appreciating the way the fabric hugged her lush curves.
“I’m a cat,” Oz pointed at the ears on her head, sounding less confident by the second.
“Right, but do you really think you have the body for an outfit that tight? It’s something your mother would have worn,” Ozma froze and my mother’s eyes went wide. The anger boiling in me hit a point of no return.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” My arms went around her waist, pulling her back to me. No one, not even her shit excuse for a father, was going to talk about my Oz that way. “Actually, I don’t care who you are, get the fuck out!” Mom shook her head discreetly at me and I tried to piece together what the hell was going on. All I knew was that I wanted to get the fuck away from the guy and Oz was going with me.
“Douglas Greenlee. Who the hell are you?” The asshole smiled, like I wouldn’t beat his ass and enjoy every second of it.
“Harris Oswin,” I grit my name out, “Hey, Kitten, why don’t you go help Rose with her dress. We gotta get to the clinic soon.” I kissed her head and loosened my grip, nearly shoving her from the room.
“Clinic? Are you a doctor too?” Douglas stepped to block the door, keeping Oz from leaving. My mom, Oz and I were trapped in with the guy and I was growing more uncomfortable by the second. The innate need to protect what’s mine kicked into overdrive.
“Harris is a vet. Their emergency clinic opens soon, and we work tonight.” Ozma almost whispered. The sassy woman who yelled in my face was shrinking under her father’s judgment and it made me want to tear his arms from his body.
“At least he can support you when that store of your fails,” Douglas smirked and I moved in front of her, ready to defend the hell out of her since she had obviously lost the ability to do it herself. “You look like you take care of yourself too. Better than I expected you to find, Ozzy.” Before I could get to him, she touched my arm.
“We should go, Harris.” Her small hand squeezed mine and the red in my vision vanished. “I don’t want you to be late.” Every ounce of fight was gone from her voice. Mom’s scared eyes met mine, and I had no idea how to handle the situation.
“It was good to see you again, Ozma. Nice to meet you, Harris.” Mr. Greenlee looked his daughter over, snarling his lip, “I’ll see you Thursday, Gloria.” With his hands in his pockets, he turned out of the kitchen and I left Oz in the kitchen to make sure her father left. I wanted to be sure the fucker was gone before I went to deal with the mess in the kitchen because I had figured out what was going on, and I was going to kill my mother for not alerting me.
As soon as I watched him drive off from the curb, I stormed back into the kitchen, “I’m so sorry Ozma, I truly didn’t know, and I had no idea he had followed me,” My mother was talking at Ozma, not to her, because Oz had zoned out completely.
“Your dear friend, Mom?” I growled. My mother spun to face me, “He’s your fucking patient and he followed you home.” I caught myself getting loud and clenched my fist. “I’m not even going to address that he’s my girlfriend’s dad, and that is a huge conflict of interest. When you get back to the office, you find another fucking doctor for him, got it? He knows where you live, so you take out a restraining order and get him the hell out of your life. Why didn’t you fucking tell me?” I was talking to Mom, but could see Ozma wiping her face with trembling hands.
“I didn’t know your girlfriend was his daughter, Harry! I didn’t make that connection!” Mom’s tears started and she swiped at them, “You know I’m careful. I thought my answer when he asked me to dinner took care of it, I was wrong, and I’ll take care of it. Ozma, I-”
“He’s not stable,” My kitten stared at the floor, “I’m so sorry, he came here like that.” I ate up the space between us, moving past Mom to get to Oz. She tried to push me off, but I pinned her arms to her side and hugged her to me, “Harris, stop.” Ozma growled against my chest. Mom said something behind me, but I ignored it. I’m sure it was something about respecting Oz’s wishes, but I wasn’t listening.
“Don’t you dare apologize, Kitten. You didn’t bring him here, and if I find out you believe a single thing that asshole said,” I dropped my voice so only she could hear me, “I’ll spank you for it.” I felt her laughing. “Let’s go.”
We told everyone goodbye, and I made Mom promise to take care of the Douglas Greenlee situation Monday. She had another patient fixate on her a few years before and it ended with Mom going through a million legal hoops and the man ultimately being committed to a psych ward. Douglas Greenlee wasn’t big, or intimidating, but he was
manipulative and scary on a whole different level. Showing up at the house was a power play after Mom turned him down.
I let my aunts tell Ozma how pretty she was before we left, and climbed in Jolene. Ozma pressed herself against the door, getting as far as she could from me and leaned her head against the window. The defeat was killing me. She was conditioned to crumble under her father’s judgment, but I wasn’t allowing it. My job in life was to support her, build her up, and watching her fall apart killed me.
I reached under the seat and pulled the lever to kick the seat back, “Get over here.” Ozma looked at me for a second before rolling her eyes and going back to staring outside, “Oz, you can listen or I’ll make you. Get. Over. Here. Now.”
“You expect me to crawl over there and sit in your lap, Harris?” A bit of her spark showed and I smiled.
“That is exactly what I expect, but I want you straddling my lap, not sitting in it. Last chance.” I kept my tone and face serious. If I hinted at any weakness, Oz would dig her heels in and I would be done for. After a second of hesitation, she unbuckled and climbed over the gearshift. I jerked her the rest of the way and positioned her knees on either side of my hips. Ozma still wouldn’t look at me and had a death grip on the door handle. I took both of her hands and put them around my neck, running my hands from her hips up her back to her hair.