Something different this chapter. Steven spoke, there's so much going on in the sidelines he wanted us to know about it. He also wanted to tell of how Micah and Rosy are together

MG

*****

Steven

Five days.

It had been five days since Jason Reeves was sent from Jazzy and Mitchell's territory and there has been no contact from the Dorringtons or The Board.

I glance at Lana where she is drying a coffee cup with a tea towel even as she keeps an eye on our son who is having a great time playing with the other boys. In the kitchen behind Lana is Mikkarl, he has been silent and withdrawn since he returned from Sasha's territory last night. I watch as he continues to wash plates.

There is something going on with my brother but I have not had a chance to catch him alone to try to talk to him.

"Kyle is enjoying himself," Lana says quietly.

 I glance back to her with some surprise. We haven't really talked much since Bud Lancaster had rang me to tell me I had gotten his daughter pregnant but he didn't want her marrying me. Things had been tense when The Board had learnt of the pregnancy and wanted to interfere. The Board had been divided on their opinions of what was best to do until Micah and Rosy had spoken against a marriage citing how she had been affected. The Board backed off with their opinions leaving the choice of getting married to be decided between Lana and I.

"Maybe ..." My suggestion of Lana and Kyle visiting regularly dies unspoken as I reframe from saying anything that may hurt my chances of seeing my son more often.

"I need to have a talk with you when you have some spare time," Lana says after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence between us.

"I have to watch the Rugrat Brigade at the moment," I tell her. Lana glances towards where the youngsters are playing and a smile softens her face.

"I understand you have work to do," Lana says and I can hear the sincerity in her voice. I am watching her in surprise and catch her as she lifts her gaze from the kitts.

"Kyle loves visiting with his cousins," Lana says. She chews on her bottom lip as she turns her gaze back to our son.

"Even though Dad and my brothers are great role models for him I can see the difference when he spends time with you," Lana says with a rush.

"And?" I ask uneasily. "We agreed a marriage between us isn't a good option. I love my son but you and I are too different, there's too many things that make us a poor match."

Lana blushes deeply and looks down at the floor for a few moments before making a disgusted sound.

"Gawd you have tickets on yourself!" She mutters slanting a red faced look my way. "Now Kyle is older ... well it would be good for him to let you visit or I bring him here more. I think given time you and I can be friends for his sake, just friends, nothing more!" Lana rushes as she looks down at her hands where she is twisting them nervously in front of her.

"Go on," I prompt guardedly.

 "With what's going on," Lana stumbles over the words and falls silent for a short while. "Kitts ... you're alive and will be a good influence and role model, there's no reason for you not to be a part of Kyle's life. I know you're aware I was keeping contact to a minimum ..."

"I'm not sure I trust you," I say coldly as I struggle to keep my anger in check.

I had suspected Lana was trying to keep Kyle from me. I glance at Kyle, he is nearly eleven month younger than Wynn and barely a year older than Kali slotting him into the group of kitts with ease. The sound of soft footsteps coming down from the sleepout has me glancing towards the hallway door, I smile at Rosy as she walks into the lounge room carrying Kali on one hip and a child monitor receiver in her free hand. Rosy lowers Kali to the floor near the boys and takes the cloth wrapped old book Kali holds up to her before walking over to me.

"Twins still asleep?" I ask as she takes a bottle of water Mikkarl brings to her.

 "I'll go bring in the washing," Lana says and picks up a laundry basket on her way past. I watch her leave the room and when I turn back to Rosy I find her watching me closely.

"Something wrong?" Rosy asks. She tucks the book between her upper arm and ribs before she passes the monitor to me to hold while she opens her drink.

 "You know your sister," I tell her with a shrug.

"Lana?" Rosy queries.

"Well?" Rosy prompts after several minutes silence.

"She admitted she has been keeping my son from me," I hiss under my breath as I head into the kitchen. I glance at Mikkarl where he is finishing washing up after Rosy had cooked several batches of cookies for the boys.

"Did you give her a chance to explain?" Rosy asked. There's something in her tone of voice and I glance at her as it dawns on me she has been talking to Lana.

"Are you behind her mentioning me spending more time with my son?" I ask suspiciously.

"Maybe you should try actually talking to Lana sometime," Mikkarl snapped startling both Rosy and I.

"If everyone just bloody well talked to each other it would solve a lot of problems!" Mikkarl flung the hand towel he had been drying his hands on onto the bench before storming out the small side door of the kitchen. I watch him go in surprised silence before turning my attention back to Rosy.

"I'm really starting to worry about him," I tell Rosy quietly. She gives a soft sigh and nods in agreement.

"I take it Lana didn't get to explain how things were to you?" Rosy prompts. "Lana and you first, then we talk about your brother."

 I take a deep breath and I am about to tell Rosy not to bother, that Lana and I will work things out between us but I let the breath out on a defeated sigh. Every time Lana and I had talked it had ended up with both of us yelling at each other.

"How about you make yourself a coffee and we sit in here?" Rosy asks calmly.

"Juice." I say as I turn to the fridge to retrieve a cool drink for myself.

"Grab me another water would you," Rosy says as she pulls a chair out making a faint scraping noise.

"The twins ran you thirsty again?"

Rosy laughs softly at my question and I hand her the bottle of water before sitting down where I can keep an eye on the lounge room as I speak with her.

"I try to speak to Lana but we just end up in a shouting match," I admit.

"Hhhhmmm," Rosy hummed the sound out as she picked at the corner of the cloth that was wrapped around the old book. "Listen and don't interrupt,"

"Lana and I had a long chat yesterday afternoon while most of you guys were over at the gym working out. I won't going into detail of what we spoke about but let me explain her side of things to you. Lana regretted and was embarrassed by her behaviour after you two hooked up, after she went to Bud's she was ashamed of how she had behaved. Embarrassed, ashamed, she rang you to apologise but you hung up without speaking to her and then she found out she was pregnant."

  I am silent as Rosy pauses to take a drink of water, I meet her steady gaze as she looks at me as she holds the lid on the top of the bottle without screwing it on.

 "From what she says the more she brooded over it the worse she felt. Too embarrassed, too ashamed to apologise when Bud made her tell you she was pregnant. I can understand how it became so overwhelming for her. The longer it went on, the worse she felt. She wants to do the right thing, but she's scared to talk about it and scared not to."

"It's a bit late for that now," I say sharply as I remember how Lana had managed to avoid talking to me as much as possible since the day she had left here the first time.

"Stevie I get you were hurt when Lana called ..." Rosy stops and takes a deep breath. Stevie, the word has become her endearment for me when our chats become deep and personal. "It's not too late for both of you to treat each other with respect and try to make some kind of relationship work for Kyle's sake. Show that that little boy the right way to treat a female, you do know he will learn for what he sees you do. You are such a good example for my babies, be that for your own son,"

"Like the great example you and Micah are being keeping Kali's grandparents out of her life?" I hit out feeling uncomfortable with what she had said. It was too close to the regrets I felt over helping parent her kitts while having next to no say with my own son.

I don't miss the way Rosy drops her eyes to the bottle lid she is turning in her fingers, the way her other hand moves to trail her fingertips lightly over the cloth covered book.

"They are no good for my daughter," Rosy says and looks up to meet my eyes."They ... they don't understand her like we do."

"Rosy every kitt has the right to know both parents, both sides of their family. I will abide by the decision you and Micah have made, support you both one hundred percent, but I do not have to agree with your choice!" I snap tightly.

My tirade surprises me, I had felt uncomfortable with their denying the Dorringtons visits with Kali but I also had believed Rosy and Micah had the right to deny them frequent visits.

"Look at the stuff the old woman brings her, once Kali has checked it over she isn't interested in it," Rosy hisses. "The old B... Biddy would try to make her something she isn't! Looking back as an adult I can see all Harry did for me, he was a vegan, he didn't believe in taking the life of another living thing so he could eat. But he knew and understood what I was and in his own way he taught me how to hunt, how to trap, how to fish, how to be as silent and invisible as a human can be! He didn't try to make me something I wasn't! Harry didn't tell me I was a werecat but I honestly don't think he knew he needed to! He didn't know I didn't understand! Look at Micah! He doesn't let Kali have her own way regardless of right or wrong and he does what is best for her! Yes Kali needs to know them but now isn't the time! The old grandmother would just try to shape her into someone she isn't!"

I study Rosy, her body is tense, the look in her eyes hard and intense.

"Talk to them, explain things to them," I urge gently. I break eye contact with her and look down to where she is stroking the cloth-covered book, I wonder if she is aware that she is doing it or if the motion is subconscious.

"You seem fond of that old book," I offer trying to dispel my uneasy feeling from our discussion. I seem to be getting as bad as Micah in wanting to keep Rosy happy, to never let a disagreement or difference of opinion linger in the air between us. I'd never give up having my own opinion but I wouldn't expect her to give up her opinion either.

A sad wistful smile comes over her face as she looks down where her fingers rest on the material.

"I'm getting to know my mother," Rosy says softly. "I get to see what hopes and dreams she once had. It's really nice but really sad because I will never know her,"

 "My parents have mentioned her on the odd occasion," I admit. "Apparently Jeddah Black was something,"

  Rosy tilts her head to the side as she glances up at me, there is a slightly bemused expression on her face for an instant or two before she smiles and shakes her head as she looks down at the book.

"They used to say she was away with the fairies on the mountain," Rosy says. She lifts her head as she looks me in the face, there is the faintest trace of her smile but her expression is serious.

"Jeddah was like me," Rosy says firmly. "She could hear it when Mount Warning cried out, and it spoke to her often."

"You've been reading that book a lot," I mention that I have noticed her preoccupation with it.

"I am rereading it, there is so much in it ..."

The rush of footsteps at the front door plus at the kitchen door has both of us getting to our feet. Mikkarl walks into the kitchen carrying the basket full of dry, folded clothes with Lana close behind. I move to walk into the lounge room, Rosy turns and follows but there is no rush to her movements so it does not surprise me when Micah is the first one to appear in the hallway door.

"We just got word Dorringtons are five minutes out and they have company," Micah says in a low growl as Jazzy hurries in behind him carrying Cameron followed by Mitchell and some of his warriors behind him.

 A low rumbling growl starts to come from Rosy and Micah moves close to her to stroke her cheek with the fingertips of one hand before he leans his forehead against hers.

"We can get through this," Micah murmurs softly to her and I have to wonder if he is trying to convince his wife or himself.

"You can stay in here with the kitts and I will tell them they need to leave," I look away from them and watch as Jazzy reluctantly lets Cameron down to play with the other youngsters. Wynn and Kali reach out and urge him to sit between them where Kali immediately hands him the toy she had been playing with before sending Jazzy a toothy grin. Jazzy smiles down at her, catches herself and sends an uneasy glance Rosy's way but Rosy hadn't seen the attention she had been paying Kali and Jazzy relaxes slightly. I feel the familiar twinge of sympathy for Jazzy, it's been hard for her to let go of her niece, her foster child, but she was always careful not to encourage Kali away from her mother.

"They've turned into the drive way," Chris calls from the front door. "Two ummm no three, cars are with them,"

"I'll go tell them to wait another few weeks," Micah says in a defeated tone as he lifts his head and turns towards the hallway and front door.

"Jazzy, Lana, you stay in here and look after the children," Rosy says as she follows Micah ahead of me. She pauses in the doorway from the lounge room into the hallway and looks back behind her.

"Jazzy, can you keep an ear out for the twins," It's not a question that comes from Rosy but a softly spoken comment that brings a nod and slight smile from Jazzy.

As I walk through the door and outside Rosy is stepping up beside Micah who has turned his head to look her way, she reaches out and takes his hand. I can almost see the strength flowing between them as Micah straightens slightly, his shoulders moving back slightly. I am reminded how much this drama was wearing on my best friend, having to fight for the right to raise the little she-kitt he loved as a daughter.

When the first vehicle stops where the Dorringtons usually park Micah and Mitchell walk forward side by side as Timny and I follow behind them flanked by more of our warriors. I glance at Rosy as we walk past her, she has her feet planted slightly apart, arms crossed and her head tilted back and to one side slightly as she watches those getting out of the first vehicle as the other cars begin parking close behind them. The Dorringtons climb out of the first vehicle and as I notice the fancy dolly in the old girls hands I take note of the frilly dress, the dark curls and the pink ribbon in its hair. A rueful smile curves my lips as I realise how right Rosy had been, Kali may look at that doll but it wasn't something our girl would play with.

 "We've come to see our granddaughter," Thelma Dorrington says evenly but her body language is very aggressive.

Ahead of me Micah braces himself as he and Mitchell come to a halt but the single sharp word comes from behind me with a strength that has Thelma lifting her head.

"No." Rosy doesn't shout or growl but the firmness in her voice puts me in mind of the way she handles Kali at the first signs of one of her temper tantrums, firmly with no room for argument or nonsense.

"We have every right to see our granddaughter! You can not refuse us visitation rights!" Thelma snaps, her eyes on Micah as if he had spoken.

 "Now is not the time," Rosy says firmly as she walks past me to stand between Micah and Mitchell.

 "I will not see my son's daughter neglected!" Thelma snapped. "The newborns are already being favoured over her!"

 "My husband is giving me every chance to bond with our daughter since it wasn't possible before this," Rosy says tightly.

"She is not his daughter she is ..." Thelma snarled but was cut off by Rosy.

"Micah has accepted her as one of our children, she is treated no different to the twins," Rosy says cutting her off in a tight voice.

"Kalika is not his! He has no right! She is my sons' daughter! She is part of our family not his!" Thelma Dorrington yelled.

I hear the low rumbling snarl that comes from Rosy, see her head incline slightly, her hands drop to her sides in tight fists.

 "Kali is my daughter! Your son gave up any right to her when he refused to get me medical help, when he took me while he killed livestock!" The words storm from Rosy in her outrage.

"She is my sons' daughter! I will get a DNA test done to prove it!" Thelma threatens.

"Thelma ..." There is a warning tone in the voice and I glance at the tom that has spoken. Cantrell Yates is regarding the Dorringtons with disapproval on his face and sends an apologetic glance towards Rosy, Micah and Mitchell. Behind him are the Dorrington brothers and Edwin standing well to one side away from the group clearly not wanting to be a part of what is happening.

"Kali is MY daughter!" Rosy yells at them.

"That little kitt is my sons' you can't deny it!" Thelma yells back.

"She is mine," Rosy snarls as she takes a step forward. Micah catches hold of one of her wrists, she tugs against his hold for a few moments then stops resisting.

"Malcolm Inness! Bud Lancaster! Danny Doctrill! Kurt Black! Cantrell Yates! I demand a DNA test is done and I demand the paternal visitation rights be granted to my husband and myself!" Thelma Dorrington said as she stomped her foot in outrage and glared at Rosy.

"What ever technician does the test had better pay close attention to the Mitochondrial DNA, you know, in case the child in question has a mother out there who might want to put a claim in on her!" Rosy says in hot sarcasm.

"Oh and while you're at it ..." Rosy turns her head to glare at the Alphas standing there watching her uneasily. " ..why not do DNA tests on all of my children! Terry! Dacey! Wynn! Kali! Oh and let's not forget the new twins Malachi and Layla!"

There are gasps from all of the unwelcome visitors except for the Dorringtons and I nearly miss the tight, mirthless chuckle from Rosy.

"Oh what? No one tell you one of my twins is a girl?" Rosy fairly snarled at them. "Why do you think Old Bitch Dorrington here is trying to steal my daughter? She thinks there is a spare female kitt up for grabs! News Flash! My husband and I have First Claim to our daughter and if it comes to it my sister-in-law Jazzy has next claim as it was her who fought to keep Kali alive while everyone else was trying to keep me alive!"

"A..."

The sound barely made it out before Rosy turned back towards Thelma Dorrington.

"You'd do well to shut your loud obnoxious mouth before I forget I have young kitts to take care of and rip you into tiny pieces!" Rosy snarled then turned her back on her and headed towards the quarters, she had only taken two steps before stop, turned around and looked at Micah then Mitchell.

"Oh and someone call Doc, I will not have any strangers near any of my children!"

The sound of clapping has me glancing towards the uninvited Alphas as Rosy walks by me without pause. Cantrell Yates is clapping his hands, Malcolm Inness joins in and Cantrell stops clapping to raise his fingers to his mouth and whistle shrilly before clapping once again.

"So speaks the daughter of Jeddah Black!" Cantrell booms loudly.

"Shut up 'Trell," Rosy calls back at him.

Cantrell falls silent, a look of shock on his face.

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Thanks to Borgman for the song, it fits so well