Sta.sh
Fox 006: Fox, but not Forgotten
by ~LadyQuindecim[AN: This is the sixth in the Fox Tale series. Please read them in order, eh?]
[Creative property of Lady Quindecim]
Part Six: Fox, but not Forgotten
It was later than I thought it would have been when after-school marching practice had ended and I had a ton of homework. I had planned on walking the two and a half miles home, but with all the things I had to carry I nearly jumped for joy when Mags offered to give me a ride. I cautioned myself about getting too close to people, but then remembered my mom's words of this and countless other mornings, that my gender preference does not even have to come up in conversation - it should not matter. I thought about the way Mags and James casually interacted and figured being friends with these people would not be so bad.
"Yeah, sure. A ride home would be great. It is not far, but I just have so much stuff."
"And I don't want anything to happen to that uniform," she added with a smile.
* * * * *
Pulling up in front of my new house, we could see the moving truck blocking most of the street in that I-own-the-road way they do. The truck was mostly empty and some things were on the lawn, but the movers were bustling about. Once we came to a stop (actually in front of my unknown neighbor's house,) I unbuckled the seat belt and put my hand on the door lever but was surprised to hear the car shut off and hear the click of Mags' seat belt unfasten.
"I'll help carry stuff," she explained as I looked at her with the question on my face.
I shrugged. "Okay, you want the tour as well?"
"Sure," she said with a smile.
Trudging up the lawn under my reduced burden, I narrated, "So, first - the house. It looks less... bleh... in the light."
"No, no. This is nice - or rather, it has potential. What is it?"
"Sort of neo-deco-ranch-victorian-tudor, but don't let Mom know you heard me call it that."
"I dunno... it seems kinda... appropriate."
"Well, Here is the entry. It is what Mom does, more or less. Find someplace that needs some help. This one has been on the market for a while because, well..."
"Yeah," Mags agreed with my who-would-buy-it gesture.
"It's not like it is a money-pit as much as a design offence. It does not go with the neighborhood at all."
Mags nodded eager agreement, "So, do you have a big family?"
"No. It is just the two of us, Mom and me. I have a brother, Daniel, but he went to live with Dad when he was sixteen."
"Oh."
We worked our way around the house, looking for my mom as much as anything.
"So, she gets them more or less below market, typically through auction, then we, uh, 'flip it' and either sell it or rent it out."
"So, this is what your mom does for a living?"
"No, not really. She is a researcher. She does research for news agencies and reporters who then turn it into stories and articles and stuff, or not, depending on what she finds. But all that is done through e-mails and phone calls, so as long and she has her mobile, she can work from anywhere."
"Sounds cool."
I shrugged. "Ah, here she is. Hi Mom. Mags gave me a lift."
"Thanks, Mags"
"No problem, Mrs. Shunter. Actually, I wanted to talk to you."
I left them at it while I headed to my room, faintly listening to Mags explain that the band was looking for a Band Mother to help with Football Games and travel to competitions and stuff.
My unmade bed received the burden of my books as my desk was buried in boxes. My chair received my coat and hat. I found the box of linens in the closet and began to extricate my bedding.
"I'll help," I heard Mags announce just before she came into the closet and hung up my uniform with a smile.
"Mission accomplished?"
"Yep. She is going to call my mom tomorrow and find out what to do." Mags took off her jacket, draped it over mine, then looked at my box of sheets. "Mauve, lavender, rose, sage... Nice."
"Uh, glad you approve?"
She laughed. I liked the sound of her laugh, not in a weird way, just that is sounded honest and unrestrained. It came freely from her without concern or reservation. I admired and even envied her evident self assurance. "Which are we putting on?"
I grabbed the rose ones, thinking that they would be the most girlie. "These." I had not used them in two, maybe three moves.
We made my queen sized bed and covered it with my dark grey comforter. Mags flopped side-long across my bed in an unabashed stretch, exposing a fair bit of midriff, then grabbed one of my pillows and curled around it onto her side. She patted the bed, inviting me to sit. She was so casual. I knew this did not mean anything, not to her, but it was too intimate for me. I have been too reserved for too long with my friendship and intimacy.
I closed my eyes for a moment, then looked at her, hopeful my eyes were not going to water. "Maybe later. It's been a long day."
"Sure. We'll have to have a housewarming band party." My new and best, as it were, friend hopped up and came over to me, kissed my cheek and put her arms around me.
It took me a moment to participate, wrapping my arms around her in turn, and I held on perhaps a moment too long and sighed a bit too deeply but it felt so good to just relax without concern for judgement. Admittedly, her hourglass shape was more than enough to stir my blood, but the person that wore this body was something different; friendly and comfortable like I imagine a sister would be.
I let her loose and had not realized I had started crying.
"It has been a long day for you. And stressful, I imagine," she tiptoed to kiss the top of my head. "But you're family now. If you need anything, call me."
Before I could even ask her for her number, or say "sure" or anything, she reached into my pocket to pull out my phone.
"Oh, that was a phone in your pocket. I thought you were just happy so see me," she joked as she put her number in my phone.
I laughed and wiped away the tears as she called herself from my phone to get my number before putting my phone back into my pocket.
"I mean it. Call me if you need anything. School, family... life. I listen and I may even have some advice, but I don't judge - not my band family anyway."
I nodded and moved a box off my desk.
"I'll see myself out so you can get to your homework. See you tomorrow, Chole," she smiled and headed out, leaving me with shameful thoughts of imaging wrapping my arms around Fox.
[You have been reading the sixth installment of the Fox Tale Series by Lady Quindecim.]
[If you received this text from a source other that DeviantArt, please let the author know via e-mail to lady.quindecim@gmail.com]
[I hope you have enjoyed this installment]
