Shifter Story

Twenty years ago…

“Mommy, I need to go potty,” Shelly cries from the back seat.
She’s five years old and she holds a squirming kitten in her arms.  Her face is pale and white.  The only color she shows are her deep green eyes .  The only sound in the entire car, besides the engine, is the kitten’s cry.  Shelly’s mom, Jolene, drives frantically down the highway without even making a rest stop.  They’ve already been on the road for an hour and a half, driving down the 101 towards Astoria, Oregon. 

“Too bad, you’re just gonna have to hold it!”

“But I can’t,” Shelly cries. 

“Don’t you start that crying!  You know what happens when you do!”

But Shelly can’t stop.  She knows how much trouble she’ll be in if she pees her pants. 

“Stop it!” Jolene yells.

Her cry turns into a high pitched squeal, Shelly’s eyes swell with tears streaming down her cheeks. 

Jolene steers the car onto the side of the highway, just north of Longview, Washington.  She gets out of her car and jerks the back passenger seat open.  She grabs Shelly by her small shoulders, shaking her.

“Don’t you dare do that!  Don’t you dare do Satin’s magic!”

The shaking only makes Shelly cry even more and before she knows it, she shifts into a kitten; identical to the one in her lap. 

“Fine, you want to be an animal, be an animal.”

Jolene snatches both the kittens up by the collar and tosses them in a dog kennel in the trunk.  The kittens snuggle up with one another the remainder of the trip.

 

Duane is sitting on the porch, smoking his cigarette when Jolene pulls into his driveway.  It’s an unannounced visit.  Jolene gets out of the car and marches around to the trunk.

“Jolene?” He says. “What in the hell are you doing here?”

“I thought you might still be living here,” she says. “I came to drop something off for you.”

Jolene yanks the back hatch open and grabs the dog kennel with the twin kittens still huddled inside.  Duane looks at it, confused.

“Um…you shouldn’t have?”

“One of them’s your spawn, Duane!  I got pregnant with one of your demon-children!”

“What are you saying?”

Rolling her eyes at Duane, Jolene sets the kennel down and pulls out one of the kittens.  She sets them both down on the grass and in an instant, one of them shifts into a five year old little girl.

“Jesus Christ!” Duane reacts instantly, covering Shelly with his jacket.  “Are you telling me she’s my daughter?”

“You’re the only man I ever slept with after my husband.  This whole time I thought she belonged to him, it turns out she had been yours the entire time.”

Jolene proceeds to walk back to her car.

“Mommy, wait!” Shelly stammers to her feet, reaching for her mom.

“You can’t just leave her here!” Duane shouts.

“She’s your responsibility now, Duane!  What in the hell am I supposed to do with the spawn of Satin?  She’s where she belongs , if not in hell!”

Duane is aghast by Jolene, shaking his head.

“You’ve got to be kidding me, Jolene!  I can’t take care of a child!”

“Mommy, don’t go!” Shelly cries.

Jolene ignores her cry and gets in her station wagon and pulls out of the drive way.

“Mommy!” Shelly screams. 

Over and over, Shelly cries out for her mom, pleading with her not to leave her.  Without a kiss, without a hug and even without a wave, Jolene pulls out of the drive way and disappears around the corner.  Shelly drops to her knees, her tiny little body shakes, reaching for her mom.

Duane just stands in the yard, feeling useless and overwhelmed by the sudden surprise on his doorstep. 

Present time…

Shelly sits at her desk, staring at her mom’s Facebook page, asking herself if she should send a friend request.  She ponders over the thought, with the cursor frozen over the icon.  Would she even accept?  Would she even know it’s her? 

Looking through her mom’s profile page, she found out that she went and had three more children with her husband.  A girl, a few years younger than Shelly, and twin boys. 

“Aren’t you coming?” Molly interrupts her thoughts.

“Yeah, in a minute.”

Shelly quickly exits out of Facebook and shuts down her computer. 

It’s Thursday and Molly and Shelly are at a Karaoke bar on Capitol Hill.   They weave their way through the crowd, drinks held high in the air, looking for a table to sit down at.

“Have you heard anything from your lover-man?” Molly shouts over the noise.

“He’s flying in from Atlanta tonight, but he was still dealing with his mom when we talked on Skype during lunch today.  She’s still fighting him on trying to get a piece of that money his father left him.”

Molly shakes her head.

“I don’t know why she’s even concerned; I mean she’s getting remarried to another billionaire anyway isn’t she?”

“Yeah, but as long as Nick is still the beneficiary, she’s gonna continue to hound him over that money.  I honestly don’t know how he’s going to get them off his back!”

Molly and Shelly sit at a table.  Up on stage, a guy dressed in leather and a sparkly shirt is doing a bad karaoke jam to American Pie.

“God, this is a long song,” Molly says. “And he’s not even halfway through it yet!”

“Wake me up from my alcohol coma when he stops!” Shelly says.

“So any chance you and Nick are going to consummate this relationship?”

Shelly looks at Molly, shaking her head.

“Molly, we haven’t even gone on a proper date yet.  We had one kiss and that was it!”

“Oh come on, Shelly!  He calls you on Skype just about every day at work.  I sometimes listen to your little conversations.  You are definitely toying with the idea.”

A smile sneaks across her lips, stirring the ice in her glass.

“Okay, I’ll admit that I have thought about it.  Making love to that man would be absolutely amazing!  But I’m giving it time.  I don’t want to rush it like I did with Steve.  That entire relationship was a complete train wreck.”

“Yeah, but Steve was immature, hormonal and reckless.  Nick is obviously more tamed.”

Shelly sighs, ”Yes, but still.  I don’t want to risk having nothing in common in our relationship, other than sex.  You know what I mean?  I don’t want that to be the only reason we have a good relationship.”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that, Shelly.  He clearly has feelings for you.”

Shelly whips her gaze at Molly.

“You think so?”

“I know so.”

Molly pulls out a selection of music to choose from from a thick catalogue. 

“So what shall we sing tonight?”

 

Once the guy singing American Pie finally finished his song, Shelly and Molly get up on stage.  The guitar intro to, “Man!  I Feel Like a Woman!” by Shania Twain starts playing.  The crowd cheers.  Molly and Shelly do their best to sing along with the lyrics, but the music is completely off key. 

“The best thing about being a woman, is the prerogative to have a little fun and,”

The crowd goes wild as they get more into the song.  Guys are hooting and hollering, the women are cheering them on.

“Oh oh oh go totally crazy, forget I’m a lady, men’s shirt, short skirts…”

The crowd sings with them, “Man!  I feel like a woman!”

When they finally finish their song, two young gentlemen approach them.

“Can we buy you ladies a drink?”

Shelly replies, “Oh no thank-“

Molly quickly nudges Shelly in the arm.

“That’s so thoughtful of you!”

One of the guys disappears to the bar the other one joins them at their table.  He’s young, probably in his mid-twenties.  He has a nice smile and is dressed nice.

“You ladies were pretty good up there!”

Shelly and Molly look at one another, laughing.  Shelly holds up her glass.

“A little liquid courage always helps!”

Molly proceeds to hit on the two guys in the bar, while Shelly sits back and watches.  She’s in no mood to talk to other men at the moment.  She’s too caught up in her thoughts of Nick.  The way he kissed her the last time she saw him, how tempting his lips were during lunch.  Shelly was longing for those lips, not the lips of a stranger.

The two men are Kyle and Wesley.  Both Seattle University students.

“So are you ladies college students, or what?”

“We work at Williams Ad Agency.  Shelly here is a copywriter.  She’s the one that comes up with slogans like, ‘Tricks Are For Kids’ and things like that.”

The two guys look at Shelly, their eyes widen.

“That’s so cool!  What about you Molly?”

“Oh,” Molly laughs. “I’m just a measily little assistant for Mr. Williams.  Not a bad gig except he’s going to make me go hunting with him.”

“That’s cool!   So do you ladies want to dance with us or what?”

“Sure!” Molly eagerly jumps to her feet and grabs Kyle by the hand.  He leads her to the dance floor.

“What about you, Shelly,” says Wesley. “You look like you could use a bit of fun.”

“I’ll take a pass, thank you!”

Wesley looks a bit disappointed, but kindly accepts her refusal.  They both sit, silently, as they watch Molly and Kyle dance together.  On stage someone is singing Jamiroquai’s “Virtual Insanity”. 

“You know it’s a bummer about Karaoke, is that there are some people who just don’t sing the song right,” says Wesley.

Shelly laughs.

“I guess it’s a good thing most of the people here are a little drunk.”

The music fades off and everyone claps for the guy up on stage.  The DJ makes an announcement.

“Alright, ladies and gentlemen, we have someone here would like to make a special dedication to someone in the audience.   We’re gonna let him sing it for her.  Everyone give him a round of applause.”

The entire room claps for the gentleman getting up on stage.  His back is to the audience.  Shelly sits at her table, sipping on her drink and waiting for the gentleman to start singing his song.  The intro to Exile’s “Kiss You All Over” starts playing.  The man starts bouncing to the music as if he were in a 70s band.  One person claps and hoots.  When the guitar starts playing, the gentleman turns to face the audience.  Shelly’s heart skips a beat when she realizes it’s Nick up on stage.  Her mouth drops open, she looks aghast.  He starts singing, looking seductively into her eyes from across the room.

                The very lyrics, “When I get home baby, I’m gonna light your fire,” sends a tremor throughout Shelly’s entire body.  The crowd cheers as he finishes the first set of lyrics of the song.  The electric guitar starts playing and he climbs down off the stage with his wireless microphone.  A spotlight follows him through the crowd.  He keeps singing as he approaches Shelly. 

“I don’t know what I’d do without you, babe, don’t know where I’d be.  You’re not just another lover, no, you’re everything to me…”

Molly is ecstatic!  Nick gently pulls Shelly up out of her seat and takes her in his arms.  He’s singing and dancing with her.  The crowd goes wild for them.  As the song creeps up on the main chorus, Nick kisses Shelly on the cheek. 

                People in the audience sing along with him, quietly. 

                “I wanna kiss you all over,” he sings. “and over again!  I wanna kiss you all over, til the night closes in.  Til the night closes iiin!”

                When the music finally fades out, everyone cheers wildly for Nick and Shelly.  Their lips tenderly touch as he holds her tight in his arms. 

                “I’ve missed you,” he says to her.

                “This is a nice surprise!  How did you know I was here?”

                Nick chuckles, “I saw Molly post this place on Four Square.  So I thought I’d surprise you with a song.  Did I stink?”

                “If you did I don’t really care.  That was the most romantic thing anyone’s ever done for me!”

                Nick slips his arms tighter around Shelly, his lips soft and moist against hers. 

                “Hey Nick, that was so cute!” Molly interrupts. “Come on over and join us!”

                Without even giving him time to respond, Molly drags Nick over to the table by the arm and introduces him to Kyle and Wesley.  Wesley waves at him awkwardly, then whispers to Kyle he’s gonna get more drinks. 

                “Wasn’t that just the most romantic thing you’ve ever seen?” Molly says to the table.

                “It was pretty sweet,” Kyle says.

                “Hey, Molly, do you mind if I borrow my girlfriend for a while?” Nick says to her.

                Molly smiles at him, knowingly.

                “Of course, take your time.  She’s my ride though, so make sure you bring her back in one piece.”

                “I’ll bring her right back.”

                Nick takes Shelly by the hand and they leave the karaoke bar.  They don’t even make it halfway to his car before Shelly pulls him close to kiss him.  Their breath is hot and shallow, their hands can’t stop wandering over each other.  Nick pulls them into an alley and braces Shelly up against the wall.

                “This is so dirty,” Shelly laughs as he kisses her neck.

                “I’ve missed you so much.  I’ve been thinking about kissing you all week.”

                “Yes!” Shelly is breathless. “Me too!”

                He slips his hands up under her top, caressing her breast as he kisses her. 

                “God, I want to make love to you so badly, Shelly.”

                “I told myself,” Shelly breaks between kisses. “That I would make myself wait for you, but I don’t think I can.”

                Nick stops and pulls away, gazing upon her.

                “You want to wait?”

                “Oh God, no!  Not anymore!”

                Shelly tugs on his shirt and pulls him close to her once again.  His hands snaking down to her backside. 

                All of a sudden Shelly notices the two guys from the bar walking away.  One looks like he’s carrying Molly over his shoulder.  The other is rushing down the street.

                “Nick,” Shelly nudges him away.

                “So you do want to wait?  I’m okay with waiting.”

                “No, I think Molly’s in trouble!”

                Nick looks to where Shelly is pointing to see the two guys walking further down the street.  Nick takes off, running after them, hollering at them.

                “Hey!” He yells out!

                They don’t hear him or they ignore him.  He’s still running after them and finally he catches up to the two guys as they put Molly in the backseat of their car.  She’s unconscious.

                “Where do you think you’re taking her?” He says to them.

                “Back off, fruitcake,” says Wesley.  “this one’s ours.  Go back to your girlfriend!”

                Nick yanks on the guy’s shirt and shoves him out of the way.  He reaches for the back door to try and get Molly out.

                Kyle sneaks up behind him and yanks him away from the car and punches Nick in the face.  Suddenly, a raccoon bites Kyle on the ankle.  It bites deep and hard.  Kyle cries out, trying to kick the raccoon off his leg. 

                “Get it off me!” He cries to Wesley. 

                The raccoon lets go just as Wesley is about to kick it.  It stands up on its hined legs, its eyes glowing.  Nick stammers to the ground, trying to maintain focus.  He sees the raccoon on its hined legs, its threatening glare frightening Wesley.  Nick quickly opens the back door again and pulls Molly out of the backseat.  He carries her all the way back to his car.  The raccoon takes off behind Nick. 

               

 

                Shelly sits on her stoop on the back porch of her apartment, sipping on coffee and recapturing everything that just happened.  From Nick showing up at the Karaoke bar, surprising her with a song, then Molly nearly getting kidnapped by a couple of college guys.  It happened so fast. 

                Nick comes out and joins her on the porch. 

                “Some night,” he says.

                Molly is passed out on Shelly’s bed inside.  Nick was able to carry her inside and let her sleep off the roofalin.

                “Yeah it’s been a roller coaster.”

                “The nerve of those guys.  I hear about this type of behavior all the time, but it’s never hit close to home like that before.”

                “I knew those guys were up to no good when they started talking to us.  Something about them just screamed red flag.”

                Nick’s hand gently caresses Shelly’s shoulder.  His hands gently mover to the side of her cheek.

                “I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”

                Shelly looks at him. 

                “Me too.”

                “It’s too bad we can’t really finish what we started in the alley back there.”

                “That doesn’t mean we can’t continue where we left off.”

                Nick pulls her close, his lips locking on to her s.  He pulls her close, his hands slipping under her top.  He pulls her over, she kneels on the step below him, her hands braced against his shoulders.  She can’t stop kissing him, pulling him close.

                “Oh God, Nick, I can’t help myself,” She says.

                “Me neither,” he groans.  “where can we take this?”

                Shelly knows it’s silly, but she leads Nick back into her apartment, into the bathroom. It’s the only other room with a door.  She pulls him inside, slamming him up against the door.  She yanks of his shirt, he pulls up the hem of her skirt.  He drops to his knees, his mouth hot against Shelly’s belly button.  Shelly arches her head back, quivering with every kiss he gives her. 

                She’s unbuttoning her top, every button revealing a piece of her flesh one by one.  Nick looks up into her eyes, and over her petite little body. 

                “Christ, you’re so beautiful,” he whispers. 

                He reaches up for her breasts, cupping them as he kisses her navel.  Shelly responds to the angst and desire of her body, her leg drapes around Nick’s shoulder.  The hem of her skirt is hiked up high enough that he can see the lining of her panties.  They’re attached to a garter. 

                “Holy shit,” he whispers. “How did I get so damn lucky to have a hot girlfriend!”

                Shelly laughs, her breath heavy and intense.   His mouth is hot against her, she cries out his name.  Her hands reach for the strands of his hair, and she loses control of herself completely.  He feels so good between her legs.  So heavenly.  She looks up at the ceiling, she can feel her eyes glowing. 

                Shelly’s phone ringing interrupts their heated passion.  Nick stops immediately.

“You can ignore that, can’t you?”

                Shelly wants to ignore it more than anything at this moment, but she can’t help but think it might be work calling.   She straightens her skirt out and slips back into her blouse.  She goes out to the living room to answer the phone.  It’s Duane.

                “Hey dad,” she says, breathless.

                Nick sneaks up behind her and kisses her on the cheek.  He goes into the kitchen for more coffee.

                “Shelly, it’s your old man. “

                “What’s up dad?  I’m kind of busy.”

                “I just thought I’d be the first to tell you.”

                “Tell me what dad?”

                There’s a pause.

                “Your mother passed away last night.”

                The shock comes at Shelly like a ton of bricks.

                “My mom’s dead?”

                Nick catches his breath, a sympathetic gaze melting over his face.

                “I’m so sorry, honey.”

                “How did you find out?”

                “A friend of mine in Aberdeen told me.  Said she died of breast cancer.”

                Shelly is silent, searching for the right words to say, but she can’t come up with anything.  She just looked up her mom and was about to contact her. 

                “There’s going to be a funeral for her on Sunday.  I thought you’d like to know in case you wanted to attend.”

                “Of course,” Shelly nods.  “I’ll be there.”

                “I’m so sorry, Shelly.”

                Shelly nods.

                “Thanks, dad.”

                Shelly hangs up her phone.  She looks up at Nick.

                “I heard,” he says. “I’m so sorry.”

                He takes Shelly into his arms, kissing her on the forehead.  The shock still settling in for Shelly.

                “Were you and your mom close?” He finally asks.

                “Not really,” she replies. “She gave me up when I was five.”

                Nick steps back, surprised.

                “Oh.  I’m sorry.”

                Shelly shrugs.

                “I don’t meant to bum you out with my baggage,” she says.

                “You’re not bumming me out.  Why did she give you up?"

Looking at Nick, Shelly didn't want to lie to him.  So she told him the truth the best way she knew how, without telling the whole truth.

"My mom had an affair with my dad while she was married to the Mayor of Aberdeen.  She discovered that I wasn't the mayor's daughter and she was afraid everyone was going to find out the truth during re-election.  So she gave me to Duane, my dad."

Nick purses his lips, wrapping his arms around Shelly.

"I'm so sorry."

Shelly shrugs.

"It was a long time ago."

"So you're going to her funeral?"

"I should," Shelly replies. "She was my mom after all."

"Need some company?"

Shelly smiles.

"I was hoping you'd ask."