Michael and Amanda, Chapter 33

XXXIII

Ophelia threatens Michael

As they drove along, Amanda lay her head on Michael’s shoulder and hummed along with a

song on the radio. Before Michael realized what she was doing, Amanda started scent marking

him again. When he looked at her curiously, she just smiled at him dreamily causing him to

slowly shake his head.

“I don’t know why you’re doing it but, I don’t care if you do, Amanda.” She marked him again.

“I’m doing it because I want everybody to know that I’ve claimed you as mine and I don’t

share.”

“But, you’re not in heat.”

“Michael, a Humanimal doesn’t need to be in heat to mark the one they love. They just have to

love that person.”

“I see. Well, I’m honored that you love me.”

**********

About 30 minutes after they left the Panthera home, they arrived at Michael’s apartment.

Amanda looked at Michael curiously. “Are you inviting me to stay with you tonight, Michael?”

“No, Sweetie. In case you’ve forgotten, you drove your car here last Friday morning. If you don’t

drive home, I’ll have to pick you up in the morning.”

Putting on a bit of a pouty face, Amanda said, “You mean I can’t sleep with you tonight?”

“As a small reminder, my dear, we’re in Catlanna and about 15 minutes or so from your parents’

home. If you stay here, your mother will have a conniption fit.”

Amanda got a wry look on her face and said, “Follow me home, please. I don’t know if my

mother will be at my apartment and I don’t want to deal with her tonight, especially after our

conversation earlier this evening.”

Michael sighed and looked at her. He said, “All right, Amanda, but, if your mother isn’t there,

I’m leaving immediately. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Michael transferred Amanda’s luggage to her car. She cranked her car, pulled out of the parking

space, and headed home with Michael right behind her. About five minutes later, they arrived at

Amanda’s apartment complex and outside of her building. Amanda parked her car and Michael

parked next to her. She got out with a big smile on her face as she reached Michael. She put her

arms around him and gave him a big kiss. After she pulled away from Michael, Amanda’s eyes

wandered to the third floor of the building and she noticed the light in her kitchen was on.

“Oh, God!” Amanda said, dejectedly.

“What’s wrong, Sweetheart?”

“The light’s on in my kitchen and I know I turned it off before I left last Friday morning.

Somebody’s in my apartment. There’s only one person I know who’d be so bold as to enter my

apartment without my permission and that’s my mother.”

“Wonderful,” Michael said, sarcastically.

“Michael, what are we going to do? Oh! We could go back to your apartment. Mother doesn’t

know where you live.”

“No, Amanda. You have to face her. I’ll be with you. I’ll be carrying your luggage for you.”

In a scared little girl’s voice, Amanda replied, “Okay, Michael. Thank you.”

Michael and Amanda climbed the stairs toward her apartment. Just as they reached the

second-floor landing, Angelique opened the door to her apartment. Michael was wondering if

she kept her ear to the door to know whenever someone was approaching her apartment. As

usual, she was as naked as the day she was born.

Angelique motioned Amanda over. She whispered, “Amanda, there’s a fox vixen in your

apartment. She said that she’s your mother, not that it’s any of my business.”

“Yeah. That sounds like her. Did she say anything else?”

“Not to me. She was muttering that she’s going to rescue you from ‘that human’.” Angelique

looked at Michael.

Amanda looked at Michael with a worried face. “What are we going to do, Michael? I believe

she’s going to try to have you arrested.”

“Well, if she does, she does, Amanda. The only way to defuse that situation is to be waiting for

the police to arrive and not resist them. So, come on. Thank you, Angelique.”

“Good luck, Michael. You’re a nice guy. I hope you’re successful.”

**********

While Amanda was putting her key into the lock of her door, it opened quickly. She and Michael

were looking into the angry face of Ophelia Fuchs as she glared at Michael.

“What are you doing, human?”

“Carrying Amanda’s luggage for her.”

“What do you intend to do with my daughter?”

“Take her luggage into her apartment for her.”

“And?”

“Mrs. Fuchs, I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re asking.”

“What else do you intend to do?”

“Kiss her goodnight and go home.”

“Oh, no you aren’t! You aren’t going to kiss her at all. In fact, you’re going to spend the night in

jail for attempted kidnapping. How does that sound, human?”

“It doesn’t sound very fun, ma’am. I guess you’ve already called the police.”

“You bet I have. Now, what are you going to do? Run?”

“No ma’am. I’m going to sit on Amanda’s couch and wait for the police to arrive.” Michael

entered Amanda’s apartment and sat on the couch. Amanda walked over to the couch, sat beside

Michael, and took his hand in hers.

Ophelia looked at the two of them in shock. That was the last thing she expected. Before she

could close the door, they could see the flashing lights of two police cars outside the apartment

building. The front door of the apartment building opened and steps could be heard climbing the

stairs. About the time it took for the steps to reach the second-floor landing, they heard a door

opening.

Michael and Amanda smiled as they heard a male voice saying, “My Gawd! Lady, what in the

world are you doing opening your door while you’re naked!?”

“I’m sorry, officer. I never think about putting on clothes. Are you going up to 3-C?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, ma’am, but, yes we are. Now, if you’ll excuse us and please

put some clothes on.”

Michael smiled as he heard Angelique’s, “Humph!”

**********

A few seconds later, Amanda could see a lynx in a police uniform with red corporal slash marks

on the sleeve standing in the open doorway of her apartment. She recognized him as Corporal

Ilves. “Good evening, Corporal Ilves.” She said as she looked at Ophelia.

“Miss Fuchs? You live here?”

“Yes, sir. How are you doing this evening?”

“I’m here to arrest a human for attempted kidnapping.” He looked at Michael. “Are you the

human in question?”

“Well Corporal, I guess I am.”

“Why are you sitting on Miss Fuchs’ couch?”

“Because I’m visiting her before I return home to get some sleep before going to work

tomorrow.”

Corporal Ilves looked hard a Michael for a couple of seconds. Then, he turned his face toward

Ophelia. “Mrs. Fuchs, why am I not surprised that you’re the one who called in the attempted

kidnapping call. Do you remember what I said the last time you filed a false police report?”

“But, but, but officer, he did try to kidnap her. He took her to his parents’ home instead of here.”

Corporal Ilves stared at Ophelia for several seconds before turning to Amanda and asking her,

“Miss Fuchs, did this gentleman take you to his parents’ house against your will?”

“No, Corporal. He wanted me to meet his baby sister. She was upset because she thought that

Michael,” she indicated Michael, “didn’t love her anymore. After meeting his baby sister, his

mother invited me to dinner. I called my parents and told them about it.” Ophelia winced when

Amanda said that.

Corporal Ilves glared at Ophelia as he said, “Mrs. Fuchs, that isn’t attempted kidnapping,

especially since your daughter called you and told you where she was. Now, turn around.”

Ophelia turned around and Corporal Ilves snapped the handcuffs onto Ophelia’s wrists.

Even though Michael was enjoying Ophelia’s discomfort, he couldn’t allow her to be arrested.

He stood up and said, “Corporal, could I speak with you in private for a moment.”

Turning to the patrol officer, a maned rat, who had accompanied him to the apartment, Corporal

Ilves said, “Donald, hold Mrs. Fuchs while I talk to this gentleman.”

“Yes, Corporal.”

**********

Michael led Corporal Ilves outside and closed the door. Corporal Ilves said, “What do you wish

to talk about, son.”

Michael smiled after hearing himself being referred to as “son”. “Corporal, I know you told Mrs.

Fuchs that no one could change your mind if she filed another false police report. However,

perhaps this isn’t a false police report. Perhaps, it’s a misunderstanding.”

“What?”

“A simple misunderstanding.”

“Son, that woman called the police to have you arrested for attempted kidnapping. Do you know

how long you’d be in prison if you had been convicted of that crime?”

“10 – 15 years?”

“About that, yes.”

“Well, as you now know, it wasn’t attempted kidnapping. Is there any reason why you couldn’t

call your precinct commander and tell him that Mrs. Fuchs misunderstood what I did and, as a

result, thought I was trying to kidnap her daughter rather than her having dinner with me at my

parents’ home?”

Corporal Ilves stared at Michael for several seconds before he said, “Michael is it?” Michael

nodded. “Michael, why are you protecting her?”

“It’s a long story, Corporal. The condensed version is this. She thinks humans are evil because of

what we did to your animal ancestors 20,000 years ago. I’m trying to show her that I’m not like

that. I doubt she’ll change her mind about me because of this but, it might plant a seed in her

mind.”

Once again, Corporal Ilves stared at Michael for several seconds before he finally turned back

toward the door and said, “I can’t believe I’m doing this again.”

Corporal Ilves opened the door and walked back into the apartment. He walked up to Ophelia

and turned her around. “Mrs. Fuchs, do you wish to be arrested for filing a false police report?”

“No, Officer.”

“All right. This is what I’m going to do. I’m going to call my dispatcher and tell her that it was a

misunderstanding. You didn’t realize that this man had asked your daughter to accompany him to

his parents’ home for dinner. Is that acceptable to you?” Ophelia hemmed for a second before

Corporal Ilves added, “Or you can accompany me downtown and spend the night in a jail cell.

It’s your choice.”

Ophelia looked at Michael for a second before saying, “Yes Officer, it’s acceptable.”

Corporal Ilves turned Ophelia around and removed the handcuffs. “You should thank this human,

Mrs. Fuchs. If he hadn’t convinced me to release you, I wouldn’t have had a second thought

about arresting you. Perhaps you should rethink your attitude toward him.”

Just at that moment, the sound of a car’s brakes could be heard outside. A couple of seconds

later, the front door to the apartment building was heard opening and closing. Then, footsteps

moving quickly could be heard on the stairway followed a few seconds later by a male voice

saying, “Oh my God woman!” Michael smiled when he recognized the voice. The footsteps

could be heard once again and a male fox was seen rushing toward Amanda’s apartment

doorway. Mr. Fuchs had arrived.

“Amanda! Michael! Are you two all right?”

Amanda smiled wanly and said, “Yes Daddy. We’re all right.”

Jacob turned his look on Ophelia and she wilted under his glare. “Ophelia! What have you

done?”

Corporal Ilves stretched his arm in front of Jacob and said, “She called in an attempted

kidnapping on this gentleman here.” Corporal Ilves indicated Michael. “However, he told me

that she must have misunderstood what happened because he had invited Miss Fuchs to have

dinner with him and his family.” Turning to Ophelia, he said, “Isn’t that right, Mrs. Fuchs?”

Ophelia meekly nodded her head. “Well, since everything seems to have worked out, I believe

we can leave. Come on, Donald.” He and Officer Donald Panya left.

After a few seconds, everyone in Amanda’s apartment heard, “Lady, I don’t care if you are

technically inside your apartment, you can’t answer your door naked. Now, please put some

clothes on.” Michael, Amanda, and Jacob all smiled when they heard this.

Jacob turned to Ophelia and said, “Ophelia, go get in the car. We’ll discuss your actions tonight

on our way back home.”

Ophelia said, “What about my car?”

“We’ll leave it and have it brought home tomorrow. I don’t want you near this apartment for at

least another month.”

“But . . .”

“Now, Ophelia! I’ll be down in a couple of minutes.”

A short while later, they heard, “Good night, ma’am.” That was followed almost immediately by

Ophelia growling her displeasure.

“Michael, why did the police not arrest Ophelia?”

“Because I asked Corporal Ilves not to.”

“But, she was going to have you arrested. Don’t you realize that an arrest for attempted

kidnapping is all but a guarantee of a conviction?”

“I know, Mr. Fuchs. But, I believe that, if I hadn’t stepped in, you might have held it against me

that your wife was arrested when I could have prevented it.”

“I believe you’re hoping that Ophelia will finally accept you and your relationship with

Amanda.”

Michael stared at him in shock for several seconds before saying, “Where did you hear about

that?”

“I didn’t, Michael. I see how you two look at each other. You two remind me of Ophelia and me.

I know she seems hard to love but, believe me, Michael, I do love her and she loves me. She’s

just a bit bitter because of the genetics that caused Amanda to look the way she does.”

“Yes, sir. I can understand that. I wonder if there’s any way that’ll make her eventually accept

Amanda having a relationship with me.”

“The only thing I can think of would be you saving her from a fate worse than death.”

Michael laughed and, after putting his arm around Amanda’s waist said, “Well, I hope that

situation never occurs but, if it does, I’ll do my best to do just that.”

Jacob laughed, kissed Amanda’s cheek, and shook Michael’s hand. “Well, I’ve got to talk to

Ophelia again. Sooner or later she’s got to understand that you won’t hurt Amanda, Michael.”

“Is my face turning blue?”

Amanda looked at him curiously and said, “No. Why?”

“Good. That means I’m not holding my breath.”

Jacob laughed and Amanda slapped Michael’s arm while she said, “Don’t encourage him,

Daddy.”

Jacob left Amanda’s apartment and they could hear him walking down the stairs. A few seconds

later, they heard him saying, “Good evening, Miss. I’m glad to see you’re wearing more than

your fur.”

Michael and Amanda heard Jacob continue down the stairs and they heard someone walking up

the stairs. A few seconds later, Angelique appeared at the doorway. “Amanda,” she said, “is

everything all right with you?”

“Yes, Angelique. Why do you ask?”

“I’ve never heard so many people walk to your apartment in one night. I’m surprised the manager

hasn’t arrived to give you a written complaint.”

Amanda slapped her hand over her mouth and said, “Oh, dear. He did say that too many people

or being visited too late at night could be grounds for eviction.”

Michael said, “Maybe I should leave.”

Angelique said, “Amanda, what that old reprobate didn’t tell you is that your neighbors have got

to request you be evicted before he can do that. The worst he can do is give you a warning. Oskar

and I received numerous warnings when we first moved in. We were making too much noise

during our lovemaking he said. Our neighbors, most older couples, always looked at us and

smiled enviously. One even said, ‘Excuse me, ma’am. Do you and your husband make love all

the time?’ When I said yes, she said, ‘I remember when my late husband and I were like you

two. Our neighbors used to complain to us to keep it down. Enjoy yourselves while you can.’

Then, she walked back into her apartment.”

About that time, they heard Oskar’s voice saying, “Angie, where are you? Please tell me you’re

dressed if you’re out here.”

Angelique looked toward the door and said, “I’m visiting Amanda, Oskar. Yes, I’m fully

dressed,” she said as she looked at her bathrobe and smiled, “I’ll be down in a couple of minutes,

baby.”

Michael smiled and said to Amanda, “If we ever get married, I hope we’re like these two.”

“I can all but guarantee we will, Michael. I know I won’t get upset if you want to make love all

the time.”

Angelique smiled and said, “I better get back to Oskar. I don’t want him to start looking for

someone to replace me.” She gave Michael and Amanda a hug and a wink. Then, she left.

Michael looked at his watch and jumped when he saw how late it was. He said, “I’ll see you

tomorrow, Amanda.” Then, he took her in his arms and kissed her goodnight.

**********

Jacob got into his car and sat there for several seconds before he inserted his key and cranked it

up. Ophelia looked at him nervously but didn’t say anything. She knew that when he was ready,

Jacob will speak. She was afraid of what he was going to say to her.

As they drove toward their home, Jacob was quiet. In fact, Ophelia thought about how he was

rarely this quiet and it was usually because she had said or done something that had angered him

and he was trying to calm down enough to where he could carry on an intelligent conversation

with her. Finally, he spoke.

“Ophelia, I can’t believe you did that again.”

“Jacob, . . .”

“Ophelia, don’t try to exonerate yourself by saying that you were doing it for Amanda’s sake.

You and I both know that isn’t the case. You hate Michael for no other reason than the fact that

he’s human and he loves Amanda without question. In fact, I believe you’d hate Michael if he

was a Humanimal and loved Amanda without question.”

“Jacob, you know . . .”

“Ophelia, don’t bring up that tired argument again. I know what humans used to do to our feral

ancestors. Sweetheart, that was over 19,000 years ago.”

“What about the slavery, Jacob?”

“That ended over 17,000 years ago.”

“But . . .”

“No buts, Ophelia. Just admit it. Michael loves Amanda and makes no demands on her and you

can’t stand that. You honestly believe that the only way anyone would ever love her would be if

she wasn’t the kind of girl she is. Michael refuses to ask or even expect sex from her. He even

told me that he respects Amanda and her future husband too much to ask her to share her body

with him.”

“What!? Are you serious? Is he homosexual?”

Jacob laughed and said, “What!? Why do you ask that?”

“Jacob, he’s a human male. Everybody knows that human males only think women are good for

one thing, two if you include bearing their children.”

“Ophelia, I believe that’s the most bigoted thing I’ve ever heard you say and you’ve said some

very bigoted things since we got married.”

“How many humans have you known, Jacob?”

“Not many, Ophelia, maybe 10 counting Michael. Why?”

“Every woman I’ve known has said almost every human male they’ve known has tried to get

them in bed. You know that secretary that works with Amanda, Bertha? She’s said she’s slept

with three or four humans.”

“Ophelia, Bertha also said that she approached those humans about sharing a bed with her, not

the other way around. She also said that any human males that approached her complimented her

on her fur pattern and then left.”

“Well, it still shows that I’m right about human males. Those males had to be fantasizing about

sleeping with a Humanimal woman or they would have turned Bertha down.”

“Maybe those humans thought that Bertha was attractive and were honored to know that she

thought they were attractive, too. Most Humanimal males I know have told me that bear women

are some of the best lovers they’ve ever had.”

Ophelia sat there in shock. How could Jacob say such a thing to her? Did he have conversations

with other men about the kind of woman that was the sexiest? Didn’t he care about how she

would interpret such a statement? Ophelia said, “Jacob, when have you had these

conversations?”

“Clients, Ophelia. We go to Bruno’s to discuss contracts and they comment about the women

they see in there. Most like rabbits and hares and comment about the sexual prowess of those

kinds of women but others talk about women that most people never consider as being overly

aggressive sexually, like bears, wombats, koalas, and humans. I don’t bring up that line of

conversation; the clients do.

“But, that’s neither here nor there, Ophelia. I want you to leave Michael and Amanda alone. Stop

trying to run Amanda’s life and, especially, stop trying to determine who she can and can’t date.

If she wants to date Michael and he’s receptive to the idea, then she can date him as far as I’m

concerned.”

“Yes, Jacob.”

**********

After driving five minutes to get home, Michael opened the door to his apartment just in time to

hear his telephone ringing. “Hello.” He said.

A deep feminine voice said, “Michael?”

“Bertha? What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing. I was just wondering how it went with Amanda down in Jaguarville.”

“Are you serious, Bertha? Why are you asking me that?”

“Well, I heard a rumor that you and Amanda had shared a bed while you were down there. Is it

true?”

Michael paused for several seconds deciding how to answer this question. Should he admit to the

truth or should he attack it head-on and put Bertha on the defensive OR should he put the ball in

her court, so to speak? Finally, he said, “Bertha, where did you hear that rumor?”

“A little bird told me.”

“A little bird?”

“Okay, a big bird as in the President of a Corporation type of bird.”

“Mr. Blaidd!? Why would he tell you that?”

“Well, he didn’t actually tell me, Michael. He was visited by Mr. Fuchs and I overheard Mr.

Fuchs tell him that he had given you permission to sleep with Amanda, in a sexual sense. So, is it

true?”

“Bertha, can’t you wait until Amanda comes to work tomorrow and ask her?”

“I guess I could but it would be so much fun to get the drop on Wanda and Michelle. By the way,

speaking of Michelle, did you hear that Albert and she are getting to be hot-and-heavy. She’s so

out of her shell now that she’s wearing miniskirts and tight-fitting blouses to work just so she can

show them to Albert. She’s even stopped having lunch with me and Wanda so she can have lunch

with Albert.”

“I’d heard a rumor that Albert had finally convinced her that he’s not such a bad guy. I guess the

rumor is true.”

“Not such a bad guy? Michael, he’s sleeping with her 5 nights a week. If she isn’t careful, she’s

going to wind up carrying a half serval/half caracal kitten.”

“If that happens, I hope that Albert is a gentleman and does the right thing by Michelle.”

“Right thing?”

“Marries her, Bertha, marries her.”

“Michael, he doesn’t have to marry her. I never married the father of my youngest, Kaunis.”

“No offense, Bertha, but you don’t know his name.”

Bertha was silent for a couple of seconds before she said, “I know, Michael, but, even if I had

known his name, I doubt I would have married him if he had asked. Besides, I’m thinking that he

was married.” Michael looked at her in shock. “Don’t misunderstand. He never said he was and I

didn’t know him. So, he could have been married. He was just a one-nighter and that’s all I

intended for him to be. I don’t even want him to support me and her.”

“I understand, Bertha, but Michelle might be different.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“Well Bertha, I need to get to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow at 0400 when I go to Mr. Blaidd’s for

the weekly meeting. Good night.”

“Good night, Michael.”

Michael hung up just as Bertha said, “Wait, Michael, you never did answer . . . Damn.”