Chapter 4

As we drove down the road I was somehow even more nervous than I’d been before meeting David’s family. David had already had to ask me to ease up my grip because I was crushing his hand a couple times. It only got worse when I started recognizing where we were. The city and suburbs had given way to sparse countryside and farmland hours ago, and we’d been driving down two-lane highways for quite some time. On the way we passed a number of groups of people working outside mending fences and doing other sorts of winter farm work. They were all bundled up for the weather, but I felt bad that they had to work in the cold. There wasn’t much sunshine either, but least there was very little snow on the ground. Among the workers were mostly centaurs, humans, and minotaurs. Occasionally we’d see a twelve to fourteen foot tall giant towering over the rest ... Unsurprisingly, the ones that caught my eye the most though were the minotaurs ... other than the occasional glimpse at the exiled bull in the city, whom I took great lengths to avoid, I hadn’t laid eyes on my own kind since I’d left. I couldn’t help feeling a little nostalgic. A few of them saw me and pointed as we drove by. I didn’t recognize them, and for the time being I hoped they didn’t recognize me. Not before meeting with my father.

“Turn right up here,” I said, noticing that we were coming up to the road that led to my home town. As the old familiar buildings passed by, waves of memories from my childhood came flooding back, bringing a tear to my eye. I was happy living in the city with David, but I missed my childhood home.

“We’re getting low on gas,” said David, pulling into an old station I used to walk to with father to get slushees in the summer, though it was far to cold to get one now. I sighed, hoping that he was well for the hundredth time since waking up.

“Ruth? Is that really you?” A familiar voice called out, barely audible through the closed window, pulling me out of my thoughts. I saw a very familiar black and white female minotaur approaching. I grinned and got out of the truck.

“Rebecca!?” She nearly tackled me in a hug! My heart felt like it nearly burst as we embraced.

“I was starting to think that you were gone for good!” She exclaimed when we separated.

“For some time I thought I might not be coming back again either.”

“Hey, who’s your friend?” Asked David, coming around the truck.

“This is Rebecca,” I answered. “My best friend growing up. She helped me plan my trip when I left.” David extended his hand but Rebecca had already turned back to me excitedly and didn’t even notice. David looked a little annoyed at being brushed off so quickly, but didn’t say anything.

“What are you doing back in town after all these years?” She asked and the pit in my stomachs came back.

“Actually, we’re going to see my father.” Rebecca’s eyes turned up in a wide smile that made it all the way to her ears!

“You found a mate then, that’s wonderful! Where is he?” My heart suddenly felt like it was going to beat right out of my chest and my tail flicked anxiously. I took a long, shaky breath before gesturing to David.

“Rebecca, this is David,” I blurted out quickly. She looked at him for a second, then back to me.

“Ok...” she replied, clearly confused at my response. I glanced at David. He smiled at me reassuringly and remembering how he was willing to go head to head with his father over me I smiled back. I took another breath, and standing a little straighter I took his hand in mine and laced our fingers together.

“David is my mate,” I said as assertively as I could with how nervous I was. The confusion in Rebecca’s face gave way to bewilderment.

“Oh...” she glanced between us, seeming to be unsure of what to make of my claim. After a minute of silence she spoke again.

“The Ruth that I knew would have never settled.” She was quiet again and I couldn’t tell what she intended with that statement. Fortunately she didn’t make us wait long. “If she chose you as her mate, then you must be a good choice.” I relaxed slightly, relieved at her response.

“Thank you Rebecca, for understanding.” She shook her head.

“No, I don’t understand,” she said quietly, “but I do know that if you’re anything like the brave young heifer I helped leave years ago, I don’t have to.” She looked at David. “However, I hope you understand what you’ve gotten yourself into.”

“Yeah, I do,” replied David, his gaze not wavering at all.

“Good.” She sighed deeply before turning to me once more. “Be careful with your father. He’ll be overjoyed to see you, but this...” she gestured between David and I, “might just put him over the edge he’s been teetering on.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, my anxiety returning.

“He kind of fell to pieces when you left. Mostly keeps to himself these days. I see him in town once in a while, and he’s gotten pretty haggard.”

“I see...” I said, starting to feeling guilty.

“Good luck. I hope to see you again soon.” I smiled weakly.

“Me too.” She started turning to leave.

“Wait a moment,” I called out. After a moment of digging through the truck’s glove compartment I found a napkin and a pen. I scribbled down my cell number I handed it to her. “Here. Whether or not I come back again likely depends on how my father reacts, but I don’t want to be completely cut off again.” Rebecca smiled, and carefully tore the napkin in two, putting the side with my number in her pocket. She took the pen from me and wrote her own numbers on what remained before handing it and the napkin back to me.

“Me neither. Bye Ruth.”

“Goodbye.”

“It was nice meeting you,” David added politely, holding his hand out again. She stared at him scrutinizingly, but after a moment her expression softened and she shook it.

“I really do hope we meet again ... after I manage to wrap my head around this whole thing.”

“That’s fair, it took us a while to wrap our heads around it too,” David said with a chuckle. With that she left and a couple minutes later so did we.

“I’m glad you were able to see her,” David said after we were driving again.

“Me too,” I agreed.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why’d she call you a heifer?” He asked.

“A female minotaur that has not given birth is a heifer. Afterwards they are a cow.”

“You never told me that.”

“In the city such words are almost exclusively used as insults, so I stopped using them shortly after arriving. It’s been so long that I didn’t think to say anything about it.” He shrugged.

“Ok, that makes sense. What about ‘bull?’ You’ve used that before.”

“I suppose ‘bull’ is fine because it doesn’t have the same negative connotations. However, since leaving I’ve come to the opinion that it’s a bit demeaning to use the same naming conventions as livestock, though I admit that’s a bit of a double standard.”

“I see,” David said with a thoughtful look on his face. “If it makes you feel any better, I think of you as a woman. A smart, sweet, beautiful woman that I happen to be crazy about.” I smiled as a warm glow spread through me.

“Yes, Darling. That does make me feel better.”

I directed David to turn down a narrow dirt road that led away from town. After just one more familiar, but nerve-wracking mile we had arrived...

Pulling up to the tiny house that I once called home, I could see that it was very different than I remembered. The lawn and garden that I used to take care of had become overgrown with weeds and the trees surrounding the property were in desperate need of trimming. The wooden siding was filthy and in need of new paint, and the once bright yellow shutters on the front windows hung at an odd angle. I felt tears starting to form at seeing the place in such disrepair, and I started to worry even more about whatever condition my father was in. David drove to where the weeds were a little shorter and parked.

“Well, good thing I’ve got a truck,” he muttered. “Don’t think my parents sedan would have made it.” He turned to me. “Sure this is the place?”

“Yes ... I am sure,” I answered with a heavy heart.

“It almost looks abandoned...”

“I know, but he’s still here,” I said, pointing out hoof prints in the sparse snow, as well as a trail of trampled weeds leading up to the door. I unbuckled, but before I had a chance to open the door David took my hand.

“Hey, you alright?” He asked and I nodded in a quick, jerky manner. “Good. Whatever happens in there, I’m here for you.” I smiled and squeezed his hand.

“I know. Thank you, David.”

We got of the truck and into the cold, wading through the thigh-high weeds to front door. After taking a deep breath I somewhat timidly rapped on the door. Movement could be heard from inside, and I held my breath as the locks rattled. There was a brief moment of silence, then the door flung open violently.

“FOR THE LAST TIME, LEAVE ME ALOOOOOOONE!” bellowed a massive black minotaur, loud enough to cause birds in nearby trees to fly away. Startled, both David and I jumped back!

When he saw me the rage melted away from his face and posture almost instantly. We just stared at each other for several tense moments.

“Hello, Father,” I said quietly. A mix of expressions flew across his face. Surprise, anger, pain, confusion. When his emotional roulette came to a halt it seemed to have settled on relief and joy. His jaw started trembling, and he lurched forward, wrapping me in a hug that made me feel like a small calf again.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” he said in a quiet, wavering voice.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

We stood there in each other’s arms for well over a minute before he pulled away first. Father glanced at David and looked confused until he saw the truck, realizing that he had drove us here.