"She's doing well."
"Are they still living in Oregon?"
Ethan nodded. "Yes."
"Does she have the big family she always dreamed of?" she asked eagerly.
Ethan snorted as he grinned. Big was not the way he would describe the mob that was his family. "Yeah, there are ten of us."
Kathleen chuckled. "Your father must be going insane with so many kids."
"Nah, he likes it. Mike and David swear they're going to keep going until they have a thousand kids. Fortunately, they've decided to take a break for a while."
He bit his bottom lip, stopping himself before he told her they planned to have more later. He wasn't accustomed to speaking with humans, and he knew his comment would have only confused her.
"Honey, that's not a break, its menopause. Trust me, I know."
Ethan couldn’t help but laugh. He'd forgotten how blunt, and open, Kathleen was. "I guess so."
"Mike and David are still around?" she blurted.
He nodded as he thought of the asses hiding in the alley across the street. "Yeah, so are Jack and Doug."
"I can't believe it. I don't know how I lost touch with everyone, but I guess as the years go by..." she broke off as she glanced down at the paper before her. "Ah well, such is life. So how about yourself? What have you been up to?"
Ethan bit his bottom lip. How was he supposed to tell this woman he hadn't been doing anything but living with Mike, Jack, Doug, and David in the house they’d built behind his parents’ home? He didn't have to be up to anything. He didn't have to do anything but lounge around, enjoy his life, and help keep his unruly brood of brothers and sisters under control. He could do other things; he simply didn't want to.
"Ah, not much," he hedged.
She grinned as she pointed at him. "That's your mother."
"Huh?" he asked in confusion.
"She always used to bite her lip when she felt uncomfortable, or nervous, or when she was deep in thought," she explained with a wistful smile.
"Yeah, she still does."
Kathleen’s eyes came back to his. "Well, you have to be up to something. College?"
"I graduated," he lied. He hadn't felt like being bothered to go away to school. His father, mother, and his friends told him he would enjoy the experience, even if he didn't need the education, but he didn’t want to go. "I do odd jobs here and there." This was at least true.
Kathleen nodded and took a sip of her water. "I'm sure you'll find your way someday."
"Yeah."
Ethan glanced out the window. Mike and Jack remained hidden within the shadows of the alleyway, but he could see them.
"What about you?" he asked, returning his attention to her. "The last I knew you were going to France, to ah… take pictures?" he recalled.
Kathleen leaned back in the booth. "That was my ex-husband, he was the photographer. My daughters and I went with him."
Ethan barely remembered her daughters, and he couldn't recall their names. He knew one was two years younger than him and closer to his sister, Isabelle. The other was very young the last time he'd seen her.
"I'm actually between jobs right now." Her voice grew distant and thoughtful as her forehead furrowed.
Ethan realized the paper she was reading was opened to the classified section. He frowned as he wondered what it must be like to have to work and worry about how to pay bills, and survive. He was grateful he would never have to know.
"What about your mom and dad?" she asked, pulling him out of his wandering thoughts. "What are they doing now?"
He forced himself not to bite his lip as he met her steady gaze. "Dad's a lawyer," he lied.
"Never thought I'd see that," she said with a rueful smile. "I never thought your dad was the type to settle down, at least not until he met your mom."
He shrugged as his gaze traveled longingly toward the window. He was growing more uncomfortable by the second; he just wanted to be back outside, where he was free. And where Jack and Mike were waiting to bombard him with questions, he realized.
"Well, I thought I would say hi and see how you were doing. I have to get going now," he said.
He was very adept at lying. He should be, he had been doing it his whole life, and he thought nothing of letting them roll off his tongue now.
"Oh yeah," she said quickly. "Of course. Tell everyone I say hi, and tell your mom..." her voice trailed off as her eyes became distant again. "Tell your mom I miss her."
Again, Ethan felt a twinge of sorrow. His mother had given up her friends, more so than his father. He suddenly understood the wistful look that crossed her face when his dad, David, Doug, Jack, and Mike recalled stories of their younger days in high school and college. Without thinking, Ethan took her hand and squeezed it. She seemed as startled by the gesture as he did. He'd never touched a human being to offer them comfort, but this woman looked so sad he needed to give her some solace.
"I will," he promised.
She patted his hand before releasing it. "Are they still living at the same place?"
"Yes."
She nodded her eyes still sad and distant. "Maybe I'll give her a call."
"I'm sure she would like that."
He turned to leave. "Ethan."
"Yeah?" He paused to look back at her.
"Are they still as in love as they used to be?"
"Even more so," he said honestly.
She beamed at him as tears filled her large eyes. "That's wonderful.”
Ethan left before she started to cry. He didn't deal well with humans under normal conditions; he sure didn't know how to handle an emotional one. Not that his sisters didn't get erratically emotional sometimes, but they were stronger and tougher than any human could
