“Well, I’m not really sure if I look or smell any different, but I do have some news to tell?—”
“Oh, honey! Did you get that new grant you wanted?” Pa asked, clapping his hands in excitement.
“Or a promotion? Can you get a promotion when there’s only two people on your team?” Ba asked, sliding up beside Pa to wrap an arm around his waist.
“Well, I did get that grant, actually, but no. Something else happened.”
“Well, don’t bury the lede, dear boy! Come! Sit down! Tell us everything,” Ba commanded, guiding Pa to sit with him on the love seat and gesturing for Cameron and Shay to sit on the couch across from it.
Cameron’s butt immediately found the all too familiar groove in the couch where he’d sat for countless family meetings. Faces of him and Shay throughout the years surrounded them on all sides. Even a week before, the sight would have left Cameron with an ache in his chest. His smiling, innocent face in childhood contrasted starkly with the few photos of him in college. While he’d never told his parents how bad things got with Thomas, they must have sensed something was amiss because they didn’t argue when Cameron only provided them with a few photos from his college years.
Now, after his whirlwind run-in with Emory, a small part of him–most likely his octopus–wondered if he could have that childish happiness again someday.
Shay flounced over, drawing Cameron’s attention away from the wall of photographs. She sprawled out on the floor in front of Cameron with a wide grin on her face. “Yes, Camy, do tell us about this amazing grant which, like the rest of your job, is the only exciting thing you ever have to share with us.”
“Shay,” Pa chided, “Cameron is clearly trying to tell us something unrelated to his wonderful job. Also, Ba and I don’t care if he likes to discuss his work. At least he calls to chat.”
“I call to chat! It’s not my fault all you want to talk about is my nonexistent dating life!”
Cameron rolled his eyes at their bickering and glanced over at Ba. He looked steadily back at Cameron, not joining in on Shay and Pa’s back and forth either.
Pa was a handsome man. Tall, which was typical for seahorse shifters, and distinguished, with his salt and pepper hair, long-nosed face, and sturdy build. His Pa was a little softer, bothin body and spirit, and a little flightier compared to Ba’s seriousness. Pa and Shay had always gotten on like a house on fire, feeding off of each other’s frenetic energy. Cameron and Ba were quieter and a bit slower to trust. Cameron had always appreciated the softness Pa brought out in both him and Ba.
Cameron wondered momentarily about Emory’s family. Did he get along better with a certain parent? What was it like running the family business?
His pa let out a loud gasp, yanking Cameron’s attention back to his family.
“Did you see that? Look at his face!” Pa exclaimed.
“Oh, I saw it. I saw it the second he walked in,” Ba said, an air of calm settling around him as he grinned at Cameron.
“Saw what?” Shay asked, whipping her head back and forth between Cameron and their parents.
“Cameron has found his mate,” Ba said easily.
Shay flipped around, placing both of her hands on Cameron’s knees like she used to do when they were kids.
“No shit?”
Cameron found he was already grinning like an idiot. No doubt his octopus’ mood was bleeding through. He’d been doing a happy dance for the past several hours. Maybe that was how his ba had figured it out. “Yeah, I…I think I did.”
“Oh, Cameron!” Pa threw himself across the room, gathering Cameron up in a rough side hug on the couch.
“Is he an octopus?” Shay asked excitedly.
“No—“
His pa gasped again. “Is he a seahorse?”
“No, he’s?—“
“Is he not a sea creature?” Shay asked, her eyes going wide.
“No, I don’t think?—“
“Ah, so a land creature then. Unless he’s avian?” Ba chimed in.
“I don’t think he’s avian?—“
