Kehl let out grunt that I took to mean, doesn’t matter. “They Lo denaii. They bite. They claim. Purr-roo haves mates.”
It just wasn’t that cut and dry though. “What if one of them suddenly announces he didn’t mean to, panics, and takes off after the, uhm, claiming?” My face heated but it felt good to confide in him. Maybe he’d have answers.
Kehl blinked at me like I’d just told him something wild. “Tell him go?” he asked. “No want him mate? Him bad the sex? No want two mates, make him go?”
“What? No! It wasn’t like that.” It was my turn to stare at him. Scowling down into the bowl of raw eggs, I muttered, “I love Elm. I think I’ve always loved him, deep down. He hurt me, leaving like that. He didn’t even try to explain.” Realizing I was getting misty eyed, I quickly wiped the tears away on the sleeve of my hoodie. “He just left me. Again.”
“Him leave first time? Him bad male?” Kehl cocked his head, brow furrowing in confusion.
A short laugh choked out of me. I shook my head. “No. Actually, if you can believe it, my parents were responsible for us being apart the first time.”
I still struggled with that one. With no way to resolve it and get real answers with my parents gone, it would always bother me to some extent.
“What mama, da say, you say you want the Elm?” he rumbled out.
“I lost my parents to a drunk driver last year.” Wondering if he understood, I elaborated, “A bad accident with cars. I don’t know if you know what those are. I never knew they were the reason why Elm and Cy avoided me. It’s a long story, but I’m being forced out of my home- my, uh, hut, the one my parents lived in, and this was supposed to be my last Thanksgiving there. Elm and Cy’s parents grow produce and sell it. They have a store. I met up with them for what was probably going to be the last time at their store getting food to make Mom’s favorite dishes, to have one last Thanksgiving there before I had to move.”
Kehl let out a low rumble. Pulling the pancake pan from the stove, he turned back to me, took my hands in his, and crouched down so we were eye to eye. “What need? Need Kehl do things help? Get hut back? Who take?”
A small smile tipped my lips. “I really wish it was that easy.”
“New mates.” Kehl shook his head and grimaced sympathetically. “Not goot, you males not be with they Purr-roo.” Pointing to his head, he made a grr face. “Make males not goot in head, be ‘way from mates long time.”
“Wait… are you saying us being apart could literally hurt them?” Please let that be a figure of speech.
My hopes were dashed when he nodded and rumbled, “Mate sick. Need mate.”
Standing, he motioned for me to tug my hoodie aside. Knowing what he was looking for, I exposed the bite marks on first my right shoulder, left, and back of my neck.
“Who make this?” he wondered with a grunt as he studied the bite on the back of my neck.
“Cypress,” I confided.
“Not look Lo denaii bite,” he muttered as he settled my hoodie back in place.
“How long do you think I could possibly be stuck here?” I wanted an honest answer and Kehl seemed like the type that wouldn’t bullshit me.
“Portal not stadebull. It come, it go. No way know. Rek not lie. Could be long time, maybe not. Portal not goot. Some Lo denaii get stuck other side, not come back.” He paused for a minute before adding, “Kehl no go to huedmans Urf. No want be stuck.” Motioning to his face, he let out a soft growl. “Face scare huedmans come to village. Rek call Kehl fecked face.”
“Rek’s an asshole.” I made a face to convey just how deeply I felt that. “No one really cares what he thinks.” Studying Kehl’s face openly, I told him, “I think you being so big scares the ladies above anything else. You’re a big guy compared to a human man.”
“Kehl face scare Purr-roo?” He turned away as he asked the question, like he didn’t want to see my face when I responded.
“No.” It really didn’t. “The first thing I noticed about you was your height, then your eyes,” I admitted. Eyeing his furry back, I asked, “Do I put you off? Am I weird to you?”
Kehl whirled back around so fast it startled me. “No!”
His reaction made me smile.
“Can you walk me through cooking the eggs? I’ve always wanted to play pioneer woman.” Peering around him, I pointed to his pan. “This one is about ready, I think.”
Kehl spun back around and plated his mega corn cake pancake thing.
I hooted like we’d just scored a touchdown and fist pumped the air when it came out golden brown and just crispy enough.
Kehl looked at me like he was just now realizing he was in the presence of a dingbat, then smiled appreciatively at the cheer.
“Kehl help Purr-roo make eggs but Kehl not do that, that thing Purr-roo do, eggs cook good,” he rumbled.
