WARNING: This story may contain content of an adult nature. If you are easily offended or are under the legal age to view adult content in your area, please exit now. This text is intended for adults only and may include scenes of sexual content or graphic violence. Reader discretion is advised.

Yerba Maté
by TaintedThylacine and IndigoNeko

Chapter 2

Saturday, August 22nd, 2015

“I’m sure I don’t have to remind you of the rules,” Daniel stated, his car coming to a stop in front of Nadia’s house and parking.

“Si, Daniel. I won’t forget. I will be on my best behavior. You act like I’m a matona.” Chris smirked as she hopped out of the front of the car and went to the rear passenger door to get her guitar out.

“I don’t think you’re one of them. Just being a dad and reminding you. Anyway, have fun, call me if you need me. Be home by dark,” Daniel said, watching his daughter walk up to the open garage. He waved to the other girls there.

“Hey Chicas. So what’s on the list for the day? Are we going to try out that song Nadia has been working on?” Chris asked, walking up to the table that sat against one of the walls and setting her case on it before opening it and slinging her guitar over her shoulder.

“That’s what I thought that we were doing. I mean that’s one that I’ve been memorizing,” Ashlyn boasted as she stepped up to the mic next to Chris’.

“I made a few changes to the bass line for the song by the way,” a raccoon girl said as she looked up from the bass guitar that she was tuning.

“That’s fair. I don’t know bass like you do. And Ash, I hope you’ve been practicing your spanish. Last time was bad, stripey-butt,” the opossum that was sitting behind the drums spoke up, snickering.

“Bite me. I thought that was going to be a solo for Chris. You know; the only one that can speak it,” Ashlyn said, poking her tongue out before turning to Chris. “Ready?”

“Uno, dos, tres!” Chris counted before strumming the opening notes of the song that Nadia had been working on, ‘Another Year of Cats.’ It was clear that the band had been practicing their parts of the song, only a few missed beats and wrong words, then came Chris’ solo.

Taking a quick breath, Chris dropped the pic that she had been using and started plucking the strings and singing: “Una ingenua araña acurrucada en algún lugar del tiempo. Un ganso miserable, sin advertencias, sin signos. El día del juicio y llega un gato solitario. Finalmente, todos cometen crímenes.”

Chris leaned back from the mic as she caught her breath, claws still working the strings and frets with a surprising amount of skill. A few moments later, Ashlyn leaned back in and started singing with Chris again. The yapok pulled one of the spare pics that she had taped to the mic stand and started strumming again. They played out the rest of the song before everyone but Milly stopped playing, finishing out the song with a few haunting notes from her bass.

“You know, one day I’m going to look up the meaning of those lyrics,” Ashlyn mused, looking to Chris, who was giggling.

“Na, I think this is better left a mystery. I mean, they are pretty good lyrics. Weird, but they fit for a song about a spider, goose, and cats.” Chris paused a second, turning on her heels to look at Nadia. “How high were you when you wrote this song?”

“So, so high.” The opossum laughed, “but really, I wasn’t. It was just a silly idea that came to me one night in the shower and I started running with it.” She stretched her arms a little, running through a few arm flexes.

“You say that like any of us believe you,” Milly said, rolling her eyes. “We know how you like to sit there and eat enough sugar and sweets to kill a kid with ADHD and then watch weird old movies that no one’s heard of.”

“My muses work in weird ways.” The opossum smiled as she started tapping out a few beats as they stood around chatting.

“So, one more time, or something else to warm up?” Chris asked, picking up the pic that she dropped and putting it back on the sticky tape on the mic stand. After a little deliberation the band picked out their next few songs and started playing the first of them.

__________________________________________________

A few hours later the kids started wrapping up, having tired voices, arms, and fingers. “So Chris, what’s this about you having to be somewhere? Something about a date?” Ashlyn asked, leaning in and nudging the yapok.

“How did you... Go blow a didgeridoo,” the water opossum huffed, flustered as the other girls laughed. “I made a new friend and I’m going to go hang out with her. They have a hella big pool.”

“Well that would explain why you made friends,” Nadia said, working on getting her drums moved out of the way. “Shame on you for using people like that.”

“I’m not using her for the pool. She’s pretty cool for a sheltered girl.” Chris shrugged as she put her guitar back in the case, getting it zipped up before putting the pics in a pocket to the side.

“Who are you and what have you done with our Christina? What bruha has done this to you?” Milly spoked up, walking over to Chris and poking her in the side, getting a squeak out of her.

“Your mom did it. She put a spell on me,” the yapok teased as she turned to face the raccoon, tapping her on the nose before shouldering her guitar case. “I will see you loco chicas later.”

“Have fun on your date,” Nadia said as they all walked up to the edge of the garage, waving Chris off.

“Bite me, rata con bolsa,” Chris turned and walked backwards as she lovingly flipped her friends the bird. “Love you too.”

__________________________________________________

As Chris was walking down the street from Nadia’s house, she pulled her phone from her pouch and fiddled with it, finding the number in her contacts titled ‘Noodle’ and hit call. She listened to the phone ring as she walked.

A moment after the phone started ringing, Julia took her foot off the pedal that controlled her sewing machine, then walked over to the office phone and picked it up. “Stouffer residence, Julia speaking,” she said.

“Hola, it’s Chris, or Christina. I was just calling to make sure that it was still ok for me to come over and hang out with Elizabeth. I just finished band practice and I thought I would double check before I got there,” Chris asked as she adjusted the strap on her guitar case; soon starting to see the house starting to come into view.

“Oh, yes. When can we expect you?” Julia asked.

“In just a few, I’m just down the street, walking up it now. I can see the house now.” The yapok huffed a little, breathing a bit from having to carry her guitar. “I bet if you look out the window you could see me.” She joked.

“Oh, I’ll have Charlotte open the front gate for you,” Julia said. “See you soon.”

“Peace.” She said, hanging up the phone and slipping it back into her pouch. In just a matter of minutes she was at the wrought iron gate in front of the driveway, which was just starting to open as she arrived. She stepped through the narrow gap as it continued to open and made her way up the driveway to the house. She was in a bit of awe as she got a better look at the victorian-style house, which was three stories tall. After climbing the front steps and reaching the front doors she reached out and started knocking.

One of the double-doors at the front entrance opened inwards, revealing a tall, teenaged doberman pinscher wearing a classic black and white maid’s outfit. From inside the house could be heard a series of rapid thumps, followed by the slap of feet against polished marble. A moment later, Elizabeth appeared at the front door as well. The little stoat was wearing a simple, but elegant pale green summer dress.

“Hola, perrita,” Chris said, nodding to the doberman and smiling as she saw Elizabeth rushing up to the door. “Man, I feel a little underdressed,” the yapok muttered looking down at her grey tank top with a skull and crossbones, black, skinny jeans, and sneakers.

The maid smiled at being called a puppy. “That’s okay. I’m Charlotte, by the way,” the canine said, stepping back into the foyer.

“Come on in! Do you have your swimsuit on under that?” Elizabeth asked as she turned back around and started walking into the foyer.

“Yup,” the yapok replied, following them into the foyer. “I got a change of underwear in my bag, and something that might be a little better to go walking in the park with and all that,” she added with a little nod. She looked around the house and took in the sight of the marble floor and grand victorian-style staircase.

“Sorry, I was just finishing up some sewing,” a female voice came from deeper in the house as Charlotte closed the front door behind them. A moment later an adult stoat in a pantsuit walked in from the room to their left. The woman tugged at the bottom of the navy vest over her pale-blue blouse, straightening it as she walked over to them. “I’m Julia Stouffer. You must be Christina. Or do you prefer Chris?” she asked, holding one paw out.

“Nice to meet you señora,” the yapok stated, reaching out and taking the paw and giving it a shake, “and yes señora, I do prefer Chris.” She paused before asking: “Does everyone dress nice like this all the time?”

“Usually not on weekends,” the older stoat replied, “but I had a video-conference with an associate in France this morning, as well as some shopping to do. Anyway, you’re welcome to stay until evening if you like. We’ll be having dinner in a few hours. Is your father going to pick you up at a specific time, or did you plan to call him when you want to go home?” she asked.

“Well, I can call him or just walk home,” Chris answered with a little shrug. “He or my other mother will come and pick me up if they think it’s too late or something when I leave.”

“Sounds good. I have to finish the project I’m working on. Charlotte will keep an eye on you two while you’re swimming. You two have fun,” Julia said, nodding to the yapok before turning around and walking back into the library room she had come from.

“Do you have any dietary considerations I need to be aware of for dinner?” Charlotte quietly asked.

“Anything, as long as it isn’t beef. I’m fine with anything else,” Chris absently replied as she watched the older stoat walk into the side room. The yapok peered into the library, eyes going wide at the sight of all the books, tail twitching a little. Several comfortable-looking pieces of victorian-style furniture sat in the middle of the library, perfect for lounging on while reading.

“Would Caesar salad, baked potatoes with sour cream and chives, and rosemary-lemon chicken be okay?” Charlotte asked as Elizabeth started walking through the open doorway to the right into an entertainment room. A huge flat-screen television in a victorian-style picture frame and a long low shelf with several DVDs occupied on one wall and a pale leather sectional sofa with a coffee table and a few chairs were pushed up against the opposite wall. Curtained windows filled the wall along the front of the house and framed landscapes covered the rest.

“That works for me, and it sounds yummy,” the yapok answered, giving a little nod to the doberman in the maid uniform before turning and following the little stoat hybrid, looking at the details of the house and a bit humbled by it.

“Excellent,” the maid said as they followed Elizabeth through the entertainment room and into the large kitchen, which was filled with brushed-steel appliances and glass-fronted cabinets along with a huge kitchen island. Everything had quartz-flecked white stone countertops, and the floor was finished with the same polished marble as the foyer.

“You two have fun. I’ll be watching through the window while I prepare some stuff for tonight’s dinner,” Charlotte said, remaining in the kitchen as the little stoat continued from the kitchen into the dining room, walking towards the glass-paned french doors that led out to the back porch. The dining room had a long ornately-carved oak table, matching chairs, and a curio cabinet filled with fine china. More framed landscapes hung on the walls.

“This place is amazing,” Chris mumbled, looking around as the two slipped out the back door. “Is there any place that I should put my guitar case and clothes? And what about your suit... are you pulling a me and got it on underneath?”

“Um... you can put it wherever. And yes, I’ve got my swimsuit on under this,” the stoat-hybrid said, taking hold of the hem and pulling it up over her head as she stepped down off the patio onto the cement walkway around the pool.

Chris smiled and let out a wolf whistle as she watched Elizabeth pull her dress off, setting her guitar case on one of the pool lounge chairs. The yapok’s shirt was the first thing to come off, then she started wiggling out of the tight jeans that she had on, making sure that her suit bottom didn’t go down along with the pants. “I’m ready to learn, Profesora,” she said.

Elizabeth raised her eyes at the ‘profesora’ comment, walking over to one of the pool chairs, folding her summer dress and setting it down. The little stoat was wearing the white bikini that she had worn the first time they met, along with a thin black necklace with a stopwatch. “What’s profesora mean,” she asked as she took the necklace off and set it to the side as she sat down at the edge of the pool, letting her feet dangle into the water.

“It’s spanish for teacher,” Chris said, standing at the side of the pool next to Elizabeth, squatting down and looking over to her.

“Okay, you looked like you were doing pretty well last time, after you started using your tail. Looks like your feet are made for this; built-in swim fins,” she commented, glancing down at Chris’s webbed toes before looking back up to meet the yapok’s eyes. “So, the big thing is to move your tail left when your left leg pushes down, and move it right when your right leg pushes down, and use the muscles in your tail to make it sort of ripple behind you. Also, raise and lower your arms in time with your legs. You make a scoop with your paws to pull yourself through the water, then straighten your paws as you bring them forward. Oh, and try to keep your muzzle pointed forward, lifting it slightly and to the side in time with your arms in order to breathe. I’ll do a lap so you can see what I mean,” she said, waiting a moment to see if Chris had any questions.

“That shouldn’t be too hard. Get the wiggler in rhythm with my kicking, muzzle up, and use my paws,” the yapok summarized, smiling and sitting down on the edge of the pool, her feet dipping into the water. “Show me,” she requested, pulling a few hair clips out of nowhere and using them to pin her bangs out of the way.

“Kay,” the little stoat said, setting the stopwatch down and sliding off the ledge and into the shallow end of the pool. “I’ll go slow at first,” she said before pushing off the side of the pool and doing a slow, deliberate breaststroke down the length of the short course pool. Even with as slow as she was going, Chris had to walk to keep pace with the tiny stoat. Once the little stoat reached about halfway down the pool, she sped up quite drastically, going about one and a half meters per second towards the end of the pool, reaching the end and doing an underwater somersault before kicking off the wall and heading back.

Chris was surprised that such a small stoat could swim with speed and grace like that. She tilted her head a little as she took in the sight, making mental notes of Elizabeth’s form. “You sure that you don’t, like, have some otter in ya?” she asked with a little giggle, slipping into the water as she got ready to swim a lap.

“Nope! I’m one-hundred percent slinky,” Elizabeth said as she reached the edge of the pool and pulled herself out of the water, dripping water everywhere. She grabbed the stopwatch and stood up, watching Chris carefully. The yapok took a moment or two and a few deep breaths before lurching forward in the water, remembering what she had been told, moving her tail in sync with her flipper kicks, paws cupping and then cutting through the water, her muzzle lifted and tilted. She did have the slight advantage of being able to hold her breath.

Chris sucked in a breath as she got to the other end of the pool. “So, how was that, Profesora?” she yelled.

“Good, but you’re going to have to focus on moving that tail. Make it dance like a snake,” Elizabeth replied loudly, turning around and demonstrating by waving her own sopping-wet tail as she shook her butt at the yapok in the water. “Keep the motion going all the way to the tip of your tail. You’ll need to work on your hand-paws once you’ve got that down. Then I’ll show you how to kick off the wall and how to do a clean dive to start. I’m going to start timing you, slowpoke,” the little stoat said, holding up the stopwatch.

“A little bit like gym class...but I did kinda like that. At least this teacher is cute,” Chris muttered to herself before getting ready for another lap. “I’ll show you a slow poke. I’ll make you look like a perezoso. I’m ready when you are.”

__________________________________________________

Half an hour or so later, both Elizabeth and Chris were standing near the edge of the pool when Charlotte opened one of the french doors and stepped out, carrying a short stack of towels.

“Not bad,” Elizabeth was saying, “Especially for your first time. Way better than me when I started swimming about a year ago. Of course, I was still recovering then... Oh, thank you Charlotte,” she said as the maid set the towels down on one of the un-occupied pool chairs.

“No problem, dear,” Charlotte replied with a smile, turning around and walking back inside with her thin tail swaying behind her.

“Recovering? From what?” Chris asked as she walked over to the chair, working on getting the hair clips out of her bangs before making them disappear. “That is if you don’t mind me asking,” she said as she picked up one of the towels and started to dry her hair a little.

“Umm... I have aplastic anemia. I’ve just been doing better the past year or so than I was when I was a cub,” Elizabeth explained as she snagged a towel and began wicking her fur off as well.

“I know what anemia is. The aplasta-something, thing not so much,” Chris said, as she started drying the rest of herself. “Then again, the medical world is full of hard words. Like my parasomnia thing,” the yapok added, patting her tail dry.

“Yeah, it is. It just means that my bones don’t make enough blood. Regular anemia is with red blood cells, but aplastic anemia is when it doesn’t make red, white, or the other ones... platelets? Something like that. I couldn’t go to school as a cub cause I could get sick, and I was really weak,” the little stoat explained.

“Wow. That sucks,” the yapok commented as she wrapped the towel around herself and picked up her guitar case and clothes.

“What about the para-stuff you mentioned?” the little stoat asked as she finished drying herself up as well, draping the towel over her neck.

 “Parasomnia. It isn’t that bad. It just messes with my sleep and stuff. I feel like I should hug you, and I don’t normally hug people. So, you said something about a park?” The yapok changed the subject away from the medical talk.

Elizabeth blushed; she liked hugs, but didn’t feel like she knew Chris well enough for that. “Umm... A-Atfalati Park,” she stammered. “It’s across the highway, down Sagert street. Let’s go take a quick shower to get the chlorine out of our fur, and then I’ll ask Mother if she can drive us over there,” the little stoat said, picking up her dress and the rest of the towels before hopping up onto the patio and over to the doors that led to the dining room.

“A shower... that would be nice,” Chris said, following the smaller girl. “This place has got to have a nice shower. I guess that you get the shower first?” she asked, poking her tongue out as they made their way into the house through the french doors.

“We can just use my shower. You can go first. I don’t mind,” Elizabeth said, walking around the big table and through the kitchen where Charlotte was mixing an enormous bowl of salad.

The yapok’s nose and whiskers twitched as they walked past the kitchen and into the foyer. “Man that smells sabrosa,” she commented before pausing a moment. “And umm, I’m... I’m fine with the showering together and all that,” she said, a little hint of blush tinting her ears. “Not that I want to see you nude or anything. Boy I need to learn to shut up.” She said looking at the staircase. “So, I guess you get a workout heading up and down these things.” She said changing the subject.

“I meant like... a gym shower. In our swimsuits, weirdo,” Elizabeth said, glancing over at the yapok, then up at the stairs. She ignored the stairs, going over to a closed door next to the library entrance. She pressed a small button to one side and the door slid sideways into the wall, revealing an accordion gate that also slid to one side. Inside was a small room that was only three feet to each side. “As for the stairs, I usually take the lift after a swim. Too tired,” she said 

“Oh, it takes one to know one you little bola de piel,” Chris murmured, following the stoat over to the elevator. “I knew you meant that. Like a gym shower,” she said, acting like she had been joking and stepping into the lift, “and this place just gets cooler all the time. And ummm... I sometimes say things... I kinda don’t have that filter that tells me that I shouldn’t say something. Ya know?”

“Umm... Okay. You mean like, you just say anything that pops into your head?” Elizabeth asked, looking slightly puzzled as she pressed the button marked ‘3’ on the side of the lift. A moment later, the accordion gate slid sideways across the front of the lift and it began to rise, going swiftly up to the third floor where it stopped with a small ding. 

The gate and door slid open once again, revealing a small landing next to the main stairwell. She stepped out, going past the stairs and down the hallway. As they went past the first door, she said: “This is my bedroom.” 

As Chris stepped into the room, she took a moment to look around the room. She found a spot next to a dresser where she propped her guitar case, taking time to make sure that it would slip or fall, treating it like it was made of glass. She took her bag containing her clothes and stuff with her as they went into the bathroom.

“And this is the bathroom,” the little stoat said as they reached the second door. The bathroom wasn’t particularly large, but the bathtub was definitely oversized, and had a pair of sliding glass doors across the front of it. A full-body fur dryer was tucked behind the door next to the bathtub.

“Wow. This is nice,” Chris muttered, glancing around the bathroom. “Nicer than the little one that we have at the apartment. Is there a certain way that you like the water, more hot than cold, really steamy?” she asked, walking up to the shower and sliding the door open before reaching for the knob.

“As long as it’s not freezing, I’m fine,” the little stoat said, setting her dress and the extra towels on the counter, then taking a few moments to really take a look at the yapok while she was bent over and messing with the controls. “How old are you, anyway?”

“Gotcha,” the yapok said as she started adjusting the cold water knob a bit. “And I’m like twenty... I’m just small,” she joked, giggling and stepping into the shower. Chris had the water a little more on the hot side, hot enough to make steam, but not hot enough to be scalding. “I just turned twelve, in July.” 

“Oh. I turned nine in March,” Elizabeth said, stepping into the shower behind the yapok. “Here’s the shampoo,” she said, picking up the bottle and handing it to Chris.

“Thank you,” the yapok said, taking the shampoo. She squeezed a little into her palm before handing it back to the little stoat, before lathering her hair.

Elizabeth did likewise, but skipping the whole hair thing and going straight to the rest of her fur. She didn’t have long head-fur, but her fluffy tail took just as long to take care of.

“You know... that duster you got must make a good pillow,” Chris commented. She worked on finishing up lathing her short fur before reaching for the shower head, taking it off the wall and rinsing the suds from her hair and then her body.

“I wish. But no, it just looks pretty... at least in winter. All white, but for the black tip. I hate my summer coat,” Elizabeth said with a sigh, rubbing shampoo through it.

“Well, I’d still snuggle it... and hey it’s not naked like mine,” Chris said, wiggling her tail at her new friend before spraying it down. “You know, they make some good fur dye. Well, in your case fur bleach. I can make recommendations if you need,” she added, washing her legs off.

“I tried some. Even with the silver highlighter stuff, I can’t get my brown fur white enough. It just looks light-grey compared to my tummy-fur,” the little stoat complained, snagging the shower head after the yapok was done with it. She started rinsing out her own fur, starting with her head.

“Well, you know we could dye you some other color,” Chris suggested, giggling. “I think that you would look good in purple or royal blue. I have a friend who does fur and all that for a living. I will talk to her and see if there is something that she knows, or can get something that will work,” she said, standing there brushing her wet bangs out of her face, as the other girl rinsed off. 

“I suppose I can try it again, but there’s no way Mother would let me dye my fur purple,” the little stoat said, snickering as she finished rinsing out her tail. “You can hop in the fur dryer if you’re done.”

“I think that I will wait for you. I’ve never really used a fur dryer,” Chris said, watching as Elizabeth finished rinsing off.

“Okay,” Elizabeth said. After hanging up the shower head, the little stoat stepped out of the shower and into the fur dryer and slid the door closed, hitting the button on the inside to start it. The thing turned on with a deep hum, followed by the whoosh of hot air rushing through the tube. It was much quieter than Chris would have expected. The little stoat stood there for perhaps half a minute, her fur and tail whipping around in the strong air currents, before tapping the button again to stop it and stepping outside.

“Just press the button to start it once you’ve closed the door,” Elizabeth instructed, reaching across the counter for a broad brush, then began running it through her fur to smooth it out and get out any tangles. “Don’t get blown away.”

“Oh God, you sound like abuelo talking about taking me and mom skydiving,” Chris groaned, stepping in and closing the door, then pressing the button. She let out a little squeak as she felt the rush of air, causing her to wiggle a little as the dryer did it’s thing, though it was drying her hair more than her fur, soon she stepped out, smiling. 

“That thing is pretty cool,” Chris remarked, running her paws through her hair a little as she opened her bag, pulling out a wooden brush. The yapok ran the brush through her hair and a few spots of fur here and there. “Umm... you mind if I take the bathroom to change and I meet you in your room?”

“Sure,” Elizabeth agreed, taking a few last brush strokes through her tail before setting the brush back on the counter. Quickly twisting the handle and pulling the door open, she stepped out of the bathroom and into the hallway, closing the door behind her with a quiet click. With the door closed, the bathroom was completely silent, but for the sound of a drop of water falling from the shower head.

Now that Chris was alone, she slipped out of the bathing suit that she had on, taking a moment to run her paw through some of the fluffy spots before pulling out the underclothes that she brought, slipping into them and then started on getting into the skinny jeans. Once she was dressed she gathered up her things, putting the damp bathing suit into a ziplock bag before tossing it into her bag and heading out of the bathroom.

Elizabeth stepped down the hallway and into her room, closing the door behind her and twisting the lock on the handle. She sighed in relief. Something about being near the older girl was getting her worked up. Tense, but not scared. It was definitely strange. She gave herself a quick shake, then stepped over to her closet, pulling it open. After a moment she let out a sigh. “Dangit, I left my dress on the counter,” she muttered, pulling out a training bra and a pair of underwear, slipping off her bikini and dropping it in the hamper before putting on fresh underclothes. She walked back over to her bedroom door and opened it before heading over to her computer and starting Minecraft once again while she waited.

“You know, now I feel really overdressed,” Chris said a few seconds later as she stood at the door, tapping on the frame. “I guess you weren’t kidding about liking Minecraft, I like gaming but I haven’t forgotten to get dressed,” she giggled.

“Huh?” Elizabeth said, pausing the game. “Oh... I left my dress on the counter in the bathroom, is all,” she said, standing up and walking over to the door. “Be right back,” the little stoat muttered, darting down the hallway and snagging her teal sundress. She pulled it over her head as she walked back down the hallway to where Chris was standing. “Let’s go see if Mother can take us to Atfalati Park,” she said, walking back over to the lift.

“Works for me,” Chris muttered, grabbing her phone from her bag and wedging it into her pocket, leaving the bag in the bedroom. “Your mom seems pretty cool,” the yapok said as she stepped into the lift with Elizabeth. “Kinda like my mom, but fancy... or fancy dressed... you know what I mean.”

“Well, Mother is kinda strict, but other than that I guess she’s pretty cool. She makes clothes and stuff and sells the designs to stores like JCPenny and Nordstrom,” Elizabeth explained as the lift took them down to the first floor where it stopped with a ding. “She makes a lot of our clothes, like this dress and the maid outfit Charlotte was wearing earlier. Charlotte’s cool too, but kinda weird; she likes to wear costumes a lot. Sometimes she goes to big costume parties... conventions or something,” she said, walking into the library.

“I have a friend that she needs to meet sometime. She does the same thing: she goes to the conventions and stuff... although I don’t think that she does the costume thing, but she takes like a million photos,” Chris said, following the little stoat into the library, looking around and purring loud enough that she thought the whole house could hear. “So does your mom just do one kind of fashion, or would she do stuff like what I wear?”

“Umm... Mother makes a lot of stuff, especially dresses. It’s mostly Victorian, 1930s, and Modern styles though. No punk rock, but she got some gothic stuff. So if you like black dresses, she could do that for you,” Elizabeth said as they made their way through the library to the office. After tapping on the door, the little stoat turned around and made a shushing motion, then pushed the door open.

The flutter of a powerful sewing machine greeted them, along with the sight of a large room that was half business office and half crafting room. One of the walls was covered from floor to ceiling with shelves holding hundreds of rolls of fabric. Another wall had dozens of dresses, shirts, pants, and other clothing hanging from it, like some kind of art display. Half a dozen mannequins stood around the room in various locations, some dressed, others not. Julia sat in front of a massive sewing machine in one corner. As the machine spun down, Elizabeth asked: “Mother? Could you drive Chris and me over to Atfalati Park for a bit?”

Julia jumped, glancing over at the two cubs standing in the doorway, then blinked. “Uh... Sure. I guess I could use a break, myself,” she said, standing up and stretching her arms towards the ceiling. It was immediately obvious, even with the vest she was wearing, that the older mustelid didn’t just have one pair of breasts. More like two or three.

“Wow,” the yapok breathed. It was clear that Chris was a little surprised at the sights in the room. “Some of these look really cool, like I would wear them cool,” she muttered before looking at the older stoat, getting a better glance at her this time. “You can make some really nice looking clothes ma’am.”

“Thank you, dear,” Julia said with a smile, glancing at the wall that she used as a fashion display. “If you see anything you’d like on the wall there, I’d be happy to make it for you. All you’d need to buy is the material. And of course, I’d need your measurements.”

“Well, I kinda have odd tastes in fashions,” she said, glancing at some of the different pieces. “Though I might be convinced to try a gothic dress or something like that.” The blush returned to her ears when she thought about wearing a dress. “And measurements... Most of my clothes are small or mediums, though some of them have a special made tummy zipper.” It was clear she didn’t know that a lot more went into clothing sizes.

“Ah. We can get your measurements later then, if you’re really interested,” Julia said, leading the two cubs out of the office and shutting the door behind them. “For now, I could definitely use a stroll around Atfalati. But first, I need to change real quick.” With that, Julia left the two of them, quickly walking through the library and up the stairs towards the master bedroom. 

Meanwhile, Elizabeth led Chris through the entertainment room and kitchen, quickly entering a keycode into the pad next to a door in the kitchen. She pulled the door open, revealing a garage where Julia’s burgundy Lexus sat.

“So, I have a question. It’s kinda a weird one and might step over a line, but...” Chris took a deep breath as she followed the smaller stoat into the garage. “Does your mom have like... more than one set of boobs?” she asked, blushing a little.

Elizabeth paused, stopping near the back car door. “Uhh... Yes. Three of them. Why? Is that bad?”

“No, no not at all,” Chris replied, shaking her head. “It's kinda ho- interesting,” she added, catching herself. “I just was wondering if I needed to get my eyes checked and everyone is unique. I mean I have a pouch,” she explained, poking her belly.

“Really?” Elizabeth exclaimed. “That’s kind of cool. Does that mean you’re a marsupial? Like a kangaroo or something?” the little stoat asked as she pulled the back door open and hopped in. She crawled all the way across to the far seat, where she sat down, fitting her tail into the tail-groove that ran down the middle of the seat cushion and pulling on the seat belt.

“Yes,” Chris answered, nodding and slipping into the car, wiggling and getting her long tail into the gap between the seats, the rest wrapping around her leg out of habit. “Yapoks are marsupials, and we are also called water opossums,” she explained, lifting her shirt a little, “and this is a pouch.” She said pointing to a small furred ridge.

“Weird,” the little stoat said, leaning forward slightly to look at it. Then she leaned back as her mom pulled open the front car door, now wearing a white polo shirt and a brown skirt that matched her fur. “Wow, that was fast.”

“I already had all my clothes out, since I’d planned on changing earlier,” Julia explained, panting as she turned the ignition. She tapped the garage door opener hanging from the visor. The big door behind them opened up, and Julia slowly backed the car out of the garage.

Chris wiggled a little as she readjusted her shirt and buckled up. “Pouches come in handy. I could jump in the pool with my phone in there and it wouldn’t get wet,” she boasted with a little nod. She looked over her shoulder as the car backed up, out of habit helping her mom backing up.

Julia pulled out into the semi-circular driveway, one of the large wrought iron gates opening automatically as she passed the front door of the house. A moment later she’d pulled off of the small side street and was making her way out of the suburban neighborhood. Another minute later they were driving down Martinazzi Avenue.

“I don’t think that I have been out this way before,” Chris said, looking around. “I’m kind of a home-body... and if it’s, like, not in walking distance, it’s too far.” She snickered.

“I like this area. It’s got lots of trees,” Elizabeth said, staring out the window on her side as they continued down the street, eventually turning onto Sagert street.

“I kinda miss climbing trees,” Chris said, glancing at some of the bigger pine trees they passed.

“I’ve never climbed any trees. Oh, there’s a preschool on the other side of this bridge here,” she said, pointing as they drove over the bridge that crossed the highway. She only knew of the school because her best friend had gone there.

 “I skipped the whole preschool thing. Did I miss anything?” the yapok asked.

“I dunno. I didn’t go to preschool either, ‘cause of the anemia,” Elizabeth replied with a shrug.

“Oh. I think that all we missed were naps and snack times.” The yapok paused a moment. “Man, we missed the fun parts of school. Now it’s all maths and grammars and stuff. Math is evil. I don’t know how, but I know that it is.”

“Math isn’t evil; just annoying. Alex was really good at it, and shi showed me a few things to make it easier. Like with multiplication and division and fractions and stuff. I can show you too if you want,” the little stoat said as they finally reached the park, where Julia pulled the car into a parking spot in front of the baseball diamond.

“I’ve been told that I’m smart; that I just need to apply myself,” Chris said with a little shrug. “Oh wow,” she exclaimed, leaning forward and looking out the front window of the car. “This place is big... and nice looking. I think I could get lost here and be happy.” the yapok said, unbuckling her belt and getting out.

“There’s a bunch of trees on the far side of the park, past the tennis courts, with lots of trails through them. Mother and I walk through them sometimes,” Elizabeth said, also unbuckling her seatbelt, pushing the door open and hopping out.

Julia did likewise, turning off the car before stepping out of the car. “If you two want to go through the trees, that’s fine. Do you want to take the left path?”

“Sure,” Elizabeth said, coming around the front of the car and stepping up onto the cement sidewalk that ran from the parking along the east side of the park.

“That works for me. And don’t worry I won’t pee on any of them,” Chris joked, nodding and following the little stoat. “I like this place already. You weren't kidding about it being really pretty.”

“Nope!” Elizabeth said, pausing at a curve in the path that ran around the baseball diamond, waiting for her mom. After a moment, Julia caught up with them, keeping a decent pace with her walking shoes, the older stoat’s skirt and polo shirt rustling slightly in the light breeze. The three of them set down the path, making their way through the trees that ran along the east side of the park until they reached the wooded area near the tennis courts.

Chris stopped long enough to pull her phone from her pocket and switched it to the camera. “I’m going to have to tell mom about this place and see if I can drag her out here,” she said nodding and snapping a few photos.

__________________________________________________

Almost an hour later, Julia’s burgundy Lexus pulled back into the Stouffer’s garage, the large door closing behind them as the car came to a halt and Julia turned off the ignition. “Well, that was fun. I definitely needed a break,” the older stoat said as she pulled the door open and stepped back out. “I’ve got to get back to work now though. You two have fun. And let Charlotte know if you plan on going swimming again,” she added as the two cubs hopped out of the car.

“Yes, ma’am,” Elizabeth acquiesced as she gently shut the door, then followed her mother into the kitchen. “So, what do you want to do now?” the little stoat asked the yapok following her.

“Thank you ma’am... and umm... you said something about video games?” Chris asked with a little grin. “I want to see if this Ori game is as good as everyone says.”

“Okay,” Elizabeth agreed, heading into the entertainment room next to the kitchen. She flopped down on the plush sofa in front of the enormous television hanging on the wall and reached down to the coffee table, pulling open a drawer in front of them and pulling out a remote and a wireless xbox controller. The little stoat tapped a few buttons on the remote, turning the television on and changing the channel. The new game screen for Ori and the Blind Forest was already showing, as if the game had been left running.

“Father got me this game console after Alex moved, so we could play games together online. There you go,” the little stoat said as Chris picked up the controller. 

“So, this Alex. Was she like a super good friend?” Chris asked.

“Yeah,” Elizabeth said sadly, leaning up against the yapok with a sniffle. “The best.”

Chris let out a soft squeak and looked down at the stoat hybrid, there was just something about her that just made the yapok want to hug her; without thinking she put her arm around Elizabeth before turning her attention back to the game. The opening had Chris smiling at how cute it was, though she probably wouldn’t admit it. Soon that changed, it was clear that she was already into the game as her eyes had started going a little misty at the sadder parts.

Elizabeth watched as Chris made her way through the game, staying silent except for the occasional bit of advice when the yapok got stuck on a puzzle or missed something important. Another hour flew by with the two of them sitting in front of the television.

A rap at the door frame leading to the kitchen interrupted them. Julia stood there, one hand on her hips. “Think you two are almost ready for dinner?”

“I could eat a plateful... or more,” Chris answered, turning to Elizabeth’s mother and nodding. “If it tastes as good as it smells, I think I might end up chubby if I hang out here. Shall we?” she asked, pausing the game and turning to Elizabeth. The little stoat nodded, yawning and sitting upright.

“Okay. It should be ready in about five minutes then. I’m going to call Charlotte down,” Julia said, walking back into the kitchen.

A few moments later, Charlotte walked in from the foyer, ducking past the television on her own way into the kitchen. This time she was wearing a skirt and polo shirt much like the one Julia was wearing, having changed out of her maid outfit earlier. “Hey you two. Playing Ori, huh? I love that game. It’s almost like an anime story or something,” she said before stepping into the kitchen, not waiting for a response.

“So that’s what you look like when not in a maid’s get-up,” Chris muttered, looking Charlotte over as the doberman made her way into the kitchen. “And yes, she was telling me about the game the other day and I wanted to play it. I really like it,” the yapok said loudly, getting up and stretching before offering a paw to Elizabeth. “You know Ms. Charlotte... I have a friend that you might get along with a lot. She really likes anime and stuff too.”

Charlotte peeked back into the room. “Oh?”

“Yes. She, like, has an addiction to buying miniatures from some fantasy world called Warhammer, and she can talk for hours and hours on animes, video games, and stuff. Sometimes we joke that she needs a muzzle,” the yapok explained.

“Huh. Maybe you could introduce us at some point,” Charlotte said before ducking back into the kitchen, where Julia was in the process of finishing the chicken and potatoes that Charlotte had prepared earlier. Charlotte began pulling down bowls and plates, then took out the bowl of salad from the fridge and poured some of the home-made caesar dressing over it before mixing it up.

“I can do that,” Chris said nodding as she and Elizabeth made their way through the kitchen and into the dining room. “But, if she tries to get you to play Magic: The Gathering, run,” the yapok advised with a smile, her nose twitching at the smell of the food.

“Yeah, I’ve heard about that. I avoid it like the plague. I already spend too much money on stuff as it is,” Charlotte said.

Elizabeth took a few moments to pull some pre-wrapped silverware out of a drawer in the china cabinet in the dining room and set the utensils on the table before sitting down. A few moments later, both Julia and Charlotte walked into the dining room, each carrying a tray with multiple plates and bowls.

“What would you like to drink?” Charlotte asked, heading back into the kitchen after setting down the tray on the table as Julia began to set the plates and bowls in front of them.

“Umm... I don’t guess that you have a Monster?” the yapok asked with a wistful smile, taking a seat. “Any kind of juice is okay. After dinner is there anything that I can do? Like help with the dishes?” 

“Juice it is,” Charlotte said from the kitchen. “Cleanup is simple; just put your plate and silverware in the dishwasher when we’re done.”

Julia finished setting the dishes out and then took the trays and headed back into the kitchen again to assist with the drinks. A moment later both of them rejoined the two cubs in the dining room, setting down glasses of dark red juice next to the plates at everyone’s places.

“Pure cranberry juice, with a dash of sugar,” Charlotte said as she sat down.

“So this is, like, the strong, pure stuff?” Chris asked, looking at the juice before taking a little sip. Her face scrunched up a little at how tart it was. “Okay. That’s strong, but good,” she said, licking her lips. “I need to remind mom to get some blackberries from my aunt.”

“You mean like, picking wild blackberries? Or does your aunt have a farm? There’s a blackberry farm down the road past Atfalati park,” Elizabeth said, unwrapping the fork and knife before cutting up the roast chicken breast in front of her.

“She does. I’ve spent a few summers working there,” the yapok replied, nodding. “I might look like a punk and all that, but I know my way around a hoe.” Chris paused a moment, smiling at herself when she realized what she said. “And I know a little about animal care. She’s been teaching me to ride horses,” she said as she unwrapped her silverware and took a bite of the Caesar salad.

“That’s cool. I’ve never actually seen a real horse,” Elizabeth said, taking a bite of chicken.

“Well, I’m sure that I can talk to her and we can go to the farm, maybe spend a night out there.” Chris paused, taking a bite out of her chicken and chewing a moment before swallowing with a shiver of delight. “She has a horse that you could ride. She is, like, the sweetest mare ever,” the yapok added, looking at the older stoat. “I’m sure she has a horse for you too.”

“That’s okay; I’ll pass,” Julia said with a smile. “I had an uncle that owned a ranch down in Texas before he passed away. I went riding a few times down there when I was younger.”

“I can understand. Riding can be a little rough when you’re not used to it,” the yapok said happily as she reached for her juice. “But I’m sure that my aunt would be okay with a little family trip, if you wanted to come. Fresh fruit, fun, and all that, and a lake that’s bigger than the pool here.”

“Maybe we can take you up on that some time,” Julia said before picking up a fork and starting on her own salad. “School’s starting back up in a few weeks though. Elizabeth said you went to Byrom. Are you going to be going to middle school this year?”

“No ma’am. I’m going to be in my last year; fifth grade,” Chris answered, nodding. “And there is a lot of time till school starts. Mom and I tend to go there for half a week; a little vacation. I’ll ask about you all coming too. We can take over the guest cabin... or camp.”

“I can’t take a vacation like that right now, not with the contract I’m working on right now, but... I think it would be good for Elizabeth here to get out and about for a few days. I’ll see what my husband thinks about it. If it’s only a few days, that shouldn’t be a problem,” the older stoat said.

Elizabeth didn’t say anything, looking back and forth between her mom and the yapok sitting next to her. She wasn’t sure whether to jump for joy or cower in fear. All she knew was that this was definitely not something she’d planned on for the end of summer. Especially spending time with someone she had literally just met.

“Well I go back home to my mom’s tomorrow afternoon, so I can talk to mom and auntie, and then I can let you know,” the yapok said, nodding and smiling.

__________________________________________________

Chris was hanging out the window as she waved goodbye to her new friends; she really hadn’t wanted to leave. “Bye!” she yelled, waving to Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Julia as her step-mother drove the car past the wrought iron gate and out of the semicircular driveway.

“So sweetie, did you have fun?” Naomi asked as she started heading down the road. It wasn’t that far from the Stouffer’s residence to her and her husband’s house, but she had come to pick her step-daughter up regardless; she had no intention of returning home immediately.

“I did. I think that I could get used to coming out here and all that,” Chris answered with a little nod.

“That’s good to know. So... mind if I take you to get a snack or a drink and talk about things?” the lutrine opossum asked as she continued down the road past the driveway that led to her house.

“I could go for some snacks and a Monster,” Chris replied, watching the houses going by.

“Okay then. There’s a donut shop nearby.” Naomi replied, keeping her eyes on the road as she drove through the suburbs on the way to the donut shop, taking a few turns before finally reaching Boones Ferry road. She turned right once traffic was clear, heading towards the Tualatin Commons.

“I didn’t know this was here. Now I know where to go to get fat,” Chris said as the two soon pulled into the parking lot of the Donutland Donuts. “Not that between mom and grandpa, like, I need help there.” She laughed as the car came to a stop and the two got out.

“There are a lot of places out here that I bet you would like,” the lutine opossum said as she got to the door, opening it for Chris. “It would be fun for us to have a proper mother daughter dinner date.” The two marsupials walked in, stopping at the glass display case.

“Oh! I want the maple bars,” Chris spoke up, looking up from the display case, practically drooling.

“They are really good,” Naomi agreed, the two walking to the checkout counter. “Can I get two of the maple bars and one of the bear claws.”

Chris wandered around the store, looking at the different treats and sweets that they had on display. She was glad that this place wasn’t in walking distance for her, otherwise she really would end up getting fat. She caught herself thinking about everything that had been happening. It was a lot to take in, but it looked like her dad might really be trying, that he might be making some positive changes.

“You ready, Chris?” Naomi spoke up, snapping the water opossum out of her thoughts. The yapok nodded as the two started heading back to the car, sitting down to unwrap their snacks. The two sat in mostly silence as they enjoyed the treats, it wasn’t until Naomi finished her bear claw and started the car.

“So, you said something about talking to me about something? I mean you did bribe me for my time.” Chris said, glancing over to her step-mother and buckling her seatbelt before they started backing out and leaving the parking lot.

“You’re not in trouble, if you were, I would tell you right off the bat,” Naomi replied as she made sure that the way was clear and turned onto the road. “I just wanted to have a little talk, you know, ask how you feel about us. You know, how are you feeling about being part of the family.”

“I like my little brother and sister, they are just the cutest... Don’t tell anyone I said that. As for Drew and Brandy,” the yapok said, slouched back into her seat and sighing softly, “I don’t think they like me. It might be just me, but it feels like I don’t fit in with them. Daniel is trying, but it's going to be a long road before I feel like I could call him or you mom and dad.”

“I can see where you’re coming from. I won’t lie and I won’t sugar coat any of it. I was hurt when he told me all of this, finding out that he had done something like that so early when we were dating. Though I think I was more mad at him for not telling me about you; that he had another daughter, especially one as nice as you,” Naomi explained, reaching over and patting Chris on the leg. 

“I fully intend on giving him a chance. I mean, I like to think that this is what I’m doing. No offense, but I didn’t come here for my health,” Chris muttered before taking a deep breath. “What he’s doing is a start, but I’m worried that he won’t follow through with it. Like, I’ll get close to him, and everyone and then he does it again.” She leaned against the door, resting her head on the window.

“I can’t even begin to imagine how it must feel.” Naomi’s paw moved from her step daughter’s leg up to her shoulder, rubbing it the best that she could as she was driving. “You’re probably getting sick of hearing this, but it’s going to be okay. I have a feeling.”

“You and him both can tell me that all you want to, but I’m not going to believe it just cause you keep saying it. He’s missed a lot of things in my life, and just saying that you have a feeling, or him swearing that he will be there, don’t mean anything,” she said as her step mother’s paw moved back to the steering wheel. “I want him and you to show me. That’s all that I want is to be shown that you two care as much as you say.”

“And we will be more than happy to show you just that. All you have to do is just give us a chance,” Naomi said cheerfully. “As for your older brother and sister, just give them time, I’m sure they will warm up to you. If not, tell me or Daniel and we will handle it.”

“Deal.” Chris nodded as the car finally pulled into the driveway of the home.

__________________________________________________

“Thanks, angel,” Terrence said, unbuckling his seatbelt and leaning over to kiss his wife.

“You’re welcome,” Julia replied with a smile as she put the car in park, unbuckling her own seatbelt. The ferret and the stoat both pulled open the car doors and stepped out of Julia’s car.

The garage was rather dark, and Terrence looked up at the overhead lights. “That’s the third time that light’s gone out in the past six months. I’m going to call Tim and see if he can check the wiring on it,” he muttered.

“I can give him a call on Monday,” Julia said, resting her paw against the small black panel next to the door that led to the kitchen. The small LED at the top flickered green and the door unlocked with a click, slowly swinging open. 

“Okay,” Terrence agreed, following his wife into the kitchen. He set his briefcase on the kitchen island, undoing his tie and taking off his blazer. “Did you all have dinner?”

“Yes. We had dinner two hours ago,” the stoat confirmed.

“That’s what I figured. I got a sandwich before I left the airport,” the ferret said, yawning.

“It’s not that late,” Julia chided.

“I know. Just didn’t sleep well,” Terrence muttered. “The hotel’s air conditioner was noisy.”

Julia leaned over to the small intercom pad above the kitchen counter next to the telephone and tapped the button for Elizabeth’s room, saying: “Your father is home. We’ll be down in the living room.”

A moment later Julia heard the rapid thumping of her daughter running down the stairs at breakneck speeds as she followed her husband into the living room. “Do you want a drink?” she asked as he sat down on the sofa.

“No, I think I’m good,” he replied.

Julia raised her eyebrows. That was unusual; the first thing her husband usually wanted after getting home from one of his business trips was a glass of scotch or whiskey. “Everything okay?” she asked.

“More than,” Terrence replied, undoing the knot on his tie and taking it off. “We finally convinced Greg to take over the Seattle office’s financial management. He’ll be moving up there next month, along with James. I guess the two of them are getting serious. Plus we hired another financier to manage the Sacramento office-”

The ferret let out an oof as his daughter darted across the room and jumped onto his lap, making quiet dooking noises. “Oh my God, Elizabeth. I swear you get heavier every time I get back from a business trip. You’re going to break my ribs if you do that again,” he exclaimed, wrapping his arms around her. He turned back to his wife, continuing, “Anyway, since we’ve got financiers for all our offices now, that should cut down pretty drastically on the number of trips I need to make.”

“You’re not going to any more conferences?” Elizabeth asked, eyes going wide as she heard the last of her parents’ conversation.

“Not for a while, princess,” Terrence replied, leaning over and kissing her forehead. “So, your Mother told me you had a visitor come over today. Why don’t we head upstairs. I’ll slip into something more comfortable and you can tell me all about her. Then we can come back down here and watch a movie or something,” he suggested, lifting his daughter off his lap.

“Okay,” Elizabeth said, straightening her nightgown.

“So with Greg moving up to the Seattle office, does that mean you’ll be taking over his share of work?” Julia asked, leading the way up the stairs to the second floor.

“Yes. I’ll probably be spending a little extra time in the office each day,” Terrence said, following his wife and daughter up the stairs, blazer and tie slung over one arm. “How are you feeling, princess?”

“I was feeling pretty weepy today. I miss Lexi a lot,” the little stoat-hybrid answered as they reached the second floor, walking over to the master bedroom.

“Well, I can’t do anything to bring Alex back, but I can at least help you feel a bit better,” Terrence said, reaching up with one hand to undo the buttons on his dress shirt as he followed his daughter into the bedroom. “Maybe we can get you a phone or something to keep in touch...”

Julia glanced down the hallway, noting that Charlotte’s door was still open. From the sound of conversation coming down the hallway, apparently Hikari was still here. She made a note to remind Elizabeth to keep her voice down and turned the lock on the bedroom door, giving it a push as she stepped into the bedroom as well. The door shut behind her with a quiet click.