Zella stopped. "Yes?"
"I think you've had enough time to absorb everything," Zeph began.
Zella fidgeted with her fingers as she placed them protectively together. "I have."
"Great, then I think it's time we have a little talk." Zeph's voice went from firm to demanding. "Number one, what the hell were you doing sitting at that counter?"
"I always sat at the counter," Zella stated, "I talked to Xiam and Iri that way when they were working easier."
"Yeah, but it was still a counter," Zeph argued. "You never sit at a counter. I taught you that, didn't I?"
"Yes." Zella said softly. "Since it was Xiam's place, I figured it would be fine."
"Well apparently that wasn't the case," Zeph continued, "I never said there were any exceptions to sitting at a counter, did I? I mean, what did I say? Do you even remember?"
"Counters are free for anyone to sit," Zella responded. "A guy could come up, sit next to me and talk with ease. In a table or booth, they couldn't get away with that."
"And?" Zeph pressed.
"Only girls looking for someone sit at counters," Zella said in shame, "It was like I was asking for it."
Oh that had to hurt. Zeph lost his composure a moment as he lost himself in her sad expression. Head hanging low, he could only see the shame and sadness in one of her eyes. He closed his eyes for a second, found his composure and continued his act. He couldn't become soft. "Why didn't you get up and leave then? You weren't stuck to the counter, were you?"
"No, I told him I wasn't interested," Zella said.
"Yeah, but does that ever work? You should have moved." Zeph crossed his arms in a gesture of superiority. "The simplest things I taught you and you didn't even bother following them. Why'd I even waste my time teaching you?"
"I'm sorry!" Zella looked away, her head still bowed. "It just happened."
"Well there's really no way to change the past, is there?" Zeph asked rhetorically. "So from now on, the rules are as follows. You obey me everywhere you go. You tell me or take me everywhere you go. You don't talk to anyone that I say you shouldn't. And most of all, you follow the most simple rules before this happens again."
Zeph watched her nod in agreement, as a small sniffle had escaped her. He looked at the ground in front of her, seeing tear drops. The guilt speech was complete, he couldn't do it anymore. He felt his throat growing tight, he must have hurt her so much...
"Fine, let's continue walking then go home." Zeph watched Zella walk obediently by his side. He continued to have a stern look on his face, but inside, he felt so low. It wasn't her fault, I shouldn't have to treat her like this. To treat her like this would be like treating me like this. It was Xiam's place, he was right there somewhere, she would have been fine. Without messing with her, she would have told anyone off well enough who bugged her. If they kept bugging her too long, she would have moved or called for Xiam. It wasn't her fault, it just wasn't. He glanced briefly at Zella at his side. Her head still hung down in shame. She shouldn't have to look like that. He saw the way her tail drooped down against the ground, lost his stern look and stared at a nearby tree.
He couldn't take it anymore. "That's enough walking Zella, let's go home."
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Zeph called out from the staircase as he saw Zella head for the front door.
Zella stopped and looked back, annoyance all over her face. It had been two months since Zeph came to live with her and he was always hounding her about where she was going. "Muin wants to take me out somewhere and talk sister to sister. Okay?"
"Where?" His irritating question came.
"I don't know. Do you want me to call her up and ask her?" Zella's voice was sharp toward him, he had treated her as more of a child than he did when she was a child.
"No, I guess I can trust in that," Zeph agreed. "I'll watch you head over to her house though."
"I'm not gonna escape," Zella insisted. Couldn't she get away for two damn seconds? "She just wants to take me out before…" Zella didn't catch herself in time. Oh great, he was going to notice that slip-up.
"Before?" Zeph pushed. "Before what?"
"Before I get too big and noticeable," Zella said knowing he'd get it out of her one way or the other.
"No way, you're not talking to any guys just to get one quick thrill before motherhood," Zeph growled.
"I didn't say that's what I would do!" Zella growled back. "Stop treating me like such a kid! I know what happened was wrong, I know it was all my fault but you need to start trusting me somewhere along the way." She felt Zeph's eyes go up and down her. Not like a normal male looks at a woman, no, he was being overprotective and making sure nothing yelled 'come get me'.
Zeph sighed hesitantly. "Fine, but no talking to guys."
"Fine, I won't talk to any," Zella muttered. "Now may I go Guardian Zephyr Smilliat?"
Zeph pointed to her trenchcoat. "So what are you hiding beneath that?"
Zella looked at her coat. "I'm not hiding, it's cold."
"Cold enough for a jacket, not a trenchcoat."
Zella gave in and took off the coat. Damn.
"…" Zeph seemed to have trouble forming words as he saw Zella in her strapless sequined red dress along with one of her silkiest shawls draped around her shoulders to hide the bareness beneath. She was even nicer in that then she was in her blue-tiered dress the other night. Zeph quickly regained his faculties and held his finger up to make a point. "You…" He pointed straight at her. "No guys, none, whatsoever!" he demanded.
"I already agreed to that." Zella just gave Zeph a second look. He still looked kind of different, never looked that way before. "How do I look?" She chuckled as she saw the expression on Zeph's face. "Hello? Zeph Smilliat, are you there?"
"You look nice." He coughed and shook his head. "It looks suitable if you don't go near any guys." He crossed his arms. "Remember, if anyone comes near you-"
"I'll call you right away. I promise, Muin and me are gonna be fine. You worry way too much." She giggled. "Are you sure you like this? You keep staring at me."
"I'm not staring at you, just go before I change my mind!" Zeph suddenly yelled at her out of nowhere as he stomped up the stairs.
He waited to hear the front door slam before he headed to his room. That hadn't gone as expected, no doubt she was angry with his outburst, but he had to get out. He went over to some books that had been piled up in the corner, gathering dust. He grabbed the first one on top and blew off the dust. He rubbed the remainder of the dust off and looked at the title. Understanding and Ignoring Female Attraction.
Zeph started in the table of contents, looked up which page he needed to read, He needed to refresh his memory again. Down, down, down…here we go. Clothes. To show off the female figure, women often wear clothes that will attract the opposite sex. It is important to note that clothes are just clothes. They have no power over you. "No power over me," Zeph repeated. They are simply cloth with certain colors. Pink, Red, Blue, Silver is also considered an attractive color at times when paired with another bright color. "Simply cloth with a certain color." They are simply tailored; there is no magic to their charm. Just remember: They are just clothes. They are only clothes. "They are only clothes," Zeph repeated. "Simply colored cloth, it's just cloth, it's got no power over me." He set his book back down. "It was just cloth. It holds no power over me." Convinced he was now fine, he set the book back down.
-----
"That was lots of fun," Muin said as she accompanied Zella into the house. "I'm gonna miss doing that stuff, but well, we'll be mommies though. A whole new adventure," she chuckled.
Zeph came downstairs and saw Muin and Zella. "Only an hour?" He smiled. "Good."
"We got tired," Muin admitted. "That and for a little while Zella got too nauseous and irritable."
Zella just shrugged. "No one's perfect." She nodded at Muin. "Good night Muin, I'll think about what you said too."
"You should." Muin smiled. "I already gave mine names. If it's a boy, it'll be named after Zaria. If it's a girl, I'm calling her Cooey," she laughed. "Having names already picked out makes it funner than calling it an 'it' all the time."
Zella agreed. "Still, I don't know if the name Oogi is what I want to call it."
"Oogi?" Zeph frowned.
"No, if it's a boy," Muin reminded her. "If it's a girl you could call her Niggy or Noggy or something. Oh, maybe Nignog?"
"Nignog?" Zeph's face squished together and he held out his tongue like he'd just tasted something rancid.
"Well yeah," Muin grinned. "Since you have no clue who the daddy is, it's up to her. My vote goes for Oogipoc and Nignogella."
"Girl or boy, it's not gonna be named either of those," Zeph disagreed as he crossed his arms. Those were dang nerd names.
Muin humphed. "That's Zella's decision, not yours." She nodded at her sister. "He may be protecting you, but don't let him tell you what to do for the baby. That's not his jurisdiction. Okay?"
Zella smiled. "Alright Muin, good night."
Zeph watched as Muin headed out the door then just jumped off the staircase. "Zella?" He frowned. "You're not really gonna call it Oogipoc or Nignogella are you?"
"I haven't really thought of names." Zella confessed. "I'm just going with it right now." She felt her stomach. "I get too nauseated to think about it too much at this point." She looked over at Zeph and smiled. "I know. They aren't the best names."
"That's an understatement," Zeph said. "You should name it something a lot nicer than that. Something that's fitting."
"Well, I did have a girl's name I was thinking about a little bit," Zella admitted. She smiled. "I always liked the name Carressela. It's pretty and it…" She seemed to fade off a bit. "…it was my real mother's name."
Zeph smiled gently. "Carressela?" He looked at Zella's belly. It still wasn't growing that much. "Carressela what?"
"Carressela Saga Sauvage…Cattral," Zella decided. "And the Cattral name continues anyhow." She smiled. "I'd rather she have that, Saga will stick too hard. Still, as a middle name I think it's fitting."
"I think you're right." Zeph smiled. "That's very fitting. No ideas for boy though, huh?"
Zella shrugged. "Not really."
"Well maybe you'll come up with something soon," Zeph replied.
"I'm sure I will." She grinned at Zeph. "If you've got any ideas let me know."
Zeph laughed. "What, wouldn't I be passing my jurisdiction?"
Zella just laughed with him. "You're allowed to for that." She started to head for bed. "I'll ask Xiam too, he might have a good name."
A name. Zeph looked at his watch. It wasn't really late but if Zella was ready for bed, he better keep his biological clock in sync with hers. I never even dreamed I'd have a kid. He started to lock the front door. I'm a Guard, this feels so weird. A Guardian that's a dad? He started to head up the stairs. It's not supposed to be this way. Although, maybe it won't be too bad? He started to think. This kid will be smart. It'll definitely have some skill. He grinned and sauntered down the stairs. If it's anything like me, he'll be a real Tiger. "Yeah, a Tiger."
"A what?"
Zeph looked back in surprise. He had got so would up in his own feelings he hadn't realized Zella was coming down.
Zella stood beside him side by side "Why are you talking about Tigers?"
Think fast. "I was thinking of a boy name," Zeph lied. "Tiger? What do you think?"
"Tiger?" Zella chuckled. "That's weird, I've never heard of anyone named Tiger before." She chuckled. "Goodnight, Zeph."
Zeph watched as Zella went back up the stairs. That was a close one. I can't believe I said that out loud. Tiger? He thought about it and grinned. Actually heck, that is good. It's unique, no one's ever been named Tigyr around here. He walked to his room as he continued to think. Tiger has a strange ending though for a name. Tigyr? I don't know. Traditionally the father chose the first-born's name. He opened his door and stepped into the silver abyss of his room. He turned the light on and stepped over to his bed. I can't raise it, I can't see it, and it's going to be hard just to get the chance to name it.
The path he should take was supposed to become clearer as time passed by, but it was only becoming foggier.