Witch Hazel Chapter 5 part 7

Witch Hazel 

Chapter 5 part 7

“It was a great party,” Leo said, putting on his coat. “And good to see you for a bit. Been enjoying life, I see.”

“Yeah, it was a good night to hang out,” Roggy said. “You’d better get home to your family and tell them the news.”

“Oh, it’s going to be a surprise,” chuckled Leo. “I can’t wait to see Benita’s face when she finds out.”

It was fairly early or at least too early for the mainly nocturnal werewolves to be leaving the house. It was a cool September morning when Leonardo ushered Benita out of the house and into the truck, not even 8 AM and she hadn’t gotten so much as a biscuit from the kitchen.  He’d been reticent about their destination and his motives, too, which was contributing to her grouchiness. 

“There’d better be donuts waiting for me is all I have to say at this point.”

“We can get donuts while we’re out.” Leonardo fiddled with the heat, turning it down from where Benita had adjusted it to her liking. “You have me melting in here, woman. It’s only 50 degrees out.”

“But they’re not the actual reason we’re out? 50 degrees is freezing, leave the heat alone. It’s not my fault you’re a polar bear.”

“You think I’d leave Karisme and the kids alone for a simple donut run?” He didn’t put the heat back on and got a dirty look for it. “You’ll see when we get there.”

“I hate surprises, Leonardo.”

“I’m not trying to surprise you, I’m just thinking you’ll understand better if you see first.”

“Now I’m twice as worried,” Benita threw her head back in a huff. 

Benita saw that they were at the end of a dead end street and she looked at the big house on the one side, the water park on the other. It was too cold for the water park and the house looked empty. She didn’t see a car in the drive…. though she supposed it could have been in the garage.

Leonardo got out and came over to help his wife out of her side. “I have the key,” he mumbled, digging through the pockets of his jacket. He pulled it out of a side pocket with a triumphant grin, “Ta da! Are you ready?”

“Ready for what?” Benita asked, voice heavy with irritation and the unspoken demand for an explanation.

“To tour the house,” he gestured to the building.

“This house?” she muttered in disbelief. “Leo, you’ve gone mad. We can’t afford this place, hell I don’t even see a for sale sign. Are we trespassing?”

“I want you to keep an open mind,” Leonardo said sternly. “I want to show it to you.”

“I think we should go home. This is a waste of our time.”

“I said an open mind,” he threw his hands up in exasperation. “I got the keys honestly. Will you please just trust me?”

It wasn’t working for him too well. Benita was digging her heels in hard because she didn’t want her adorable but idiotic mate to get her attached to a huge, beautiful home they couldn’t pay for. “You dragged me out of my warm bed, out into the cold without even a coffee, for a house that’s…. that’s…” she struggled to find the right words in her indignation.

“For a house that’s beautiful and perfect, that you need to see if you’ll ever stop being a stubborn mule’s ass.”

Benita glared. “You’re not going to let me get out of this, am I?”

“No,” he said flatly, tossing his jacket back into the truck. “We’re going to stand here until you give in.”

“Fine.” An agitated wave to the door indicated her impatience to get the pointless tour over and done with. Leonardo beamed and took her hand, leading her up to the double doors.

“See? Look at how spacious it is,” he said.

Benita looked around at the foyer and the living room beyond. The huge windows let in so much light, it was spectacular. It seemed newer but she couldn’t be sure. “It seems like it’ll take a lot of work to make it nice,” she scrambled to find reasons to dislike it. She couldn’t encourage her man when he was set on something so foolish. 

“Yeah, some staining and wallpapering,” he nodded. “It’s not unlivable though. The master bedroom is through there,” he pointed to the door by the stairs. “It has its own bathroom. I want you to see the kitchen first though.”

Benita chewed on a nail as she followed him in but her hands fell to her sides when she saw what a big room it was.  “Leo,” she murmured faintly. “Tell me the truth. What are we doing here?”

“Most of the appliances are decent,” he said, suddenly and conveniently deaf. “And they have a big stove for canning. I’m sure you’ll be glad to have that when next year’s harvest comes in.”

“Sweetheart, you brought me here so I’d get my heart set on this beautiful house that’s way out of our budget.”

“Shh, we’re not done yet.”

Benita stood outside in the cool morning breeze. They’d been all over the house. She’d seen a little laundry room, a dining room, the master bedroom and bathroom and the big two car garage with plenty of room for Leonardo’s tinkering hobbies. They’d walked up the elegant curved stairs to the second floor where she’d looked up at the vaulted living room ceiling and then they’d inspected the other three bedrooms, the nursery and the third bathroom. Then he’d brought her back downstairs to show her the patio and back yard, where she currently stood half frozen with worry.

“Do you love it?” he asked.

Benita tried to find fault with it. She tried to convince herself it wasn’t worth the trouble or that she would be miserable keeping up with a house this size. “Yes, Leo. I do love it,” she admitted wearily. “To what end though?”

“Don’t get mad, let me explain before you freak out,” he said and Benita felt more worry rising up in her esophagus. “But we own it now.”

“WHAT?!”

“You mean to tell me you bought this huge house without even talking to me first?!” she yelled. “Not even a passing, ‘hey I’m buying a fucking mansion when we live on a cottage budget!’”

“Sweetheart, that is the opposite of ‘don’t freak out’.”

“I’ve been given the spot as Berenguer’s second. I’ve moved up in the pack.”

“What?” His poor wife was growing more confused by the moment. “What about Rogelio? What about your father?”

“My father has retired to his first love, the sea. Rogelio has little interest in anything beyond chasing skirts and ceded the position. Berenguer owns a lot of property in town and offered this house as an incentive so I could focus on the pack and worry less about my financial stability and family.”

“What if Roggy changes his mind? What happens to us if you lose your place as second?”

“Calm down, it’s in the contract. This is ours no matter what happens in the future. If I lose my place in the pack or if I die, we’re not losing our home. You’ll always be taken care of.” 

Those words chilled her. Death? Death was a possibility?

“If the position is so dangerous, I’d rather live in a two bedroom shack than know you might die,” she said.

“It’s only dangerous if a conflict breaks out,” he said. “It’s been fairly peaceful. My job as a police officer is far more dangerous.”

“It’s going to be ok,” he said, hugging his mate as he saw tears pickling her eyes. She sniffled a little into his arms but accepted the embrace gladly. “I’m not going anywhere. We’ve got a long, happy future together.”

When his wife had some of her composure back, he pulled out his phone and called Berenguer. “It’s all settled, the wife approves,” he said. “Let’s call the moving trucks!”

“T-today?” exclaimed Benita, but Leo only grinned. “And can you have them pick up donuts on their way over?”

Benita huffed. “I’m not packing anything.”

“Of course not, dear, you’re too far along for that,” he kissed her cheek as he put his phone back in his pocket. “You’re going to eat your donuts and watch us men do the heavy lifting.”

“WAAAAHHHH!!!” screamed Rosalinda in her auntie’s arms. “WAAAAaaaaAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”

The horrible noise about summed up their moving experience thus far.

One of the trucks that was supposed to bring their belongings had been in a terrible crash and fallen off the road, over the barrier and into the sea. They’d lost a lot of their furniture and had fallen on the generosity of the pack. 

Leo was just grateful he’d decided to take his family in his truck instead of riding in the van. That was one near catastrophe that made the hair stand up on the back of his neck. The driver had offered them a ride in the truck, knowing they’d have to come back for another load anyway. Not even an hour later the truck was dashed against the cliff rocks an the driver was dead. What the hell had happened?