They continued on, passing Jackson Square, commenting on a few of the paintings various artists had resting against the wrought-iron fence. They were just about to cross Decatur to get to the river when Joseph heard someone call his name and saw Beth waving at him from in front of Café Du Monde.
He waved back, telling Cal, "Now you get to meet the rest of my family."
"I sort of know him," Cal said, pointing to Brian, who was standing right behind Beth.
"Right. He told me." Seeing a break in traffic, Joseph and Cal crossed the street.
After hugging Joseph tightly, Beth turned her attention to Cal. "I'm Beth, Joe's niece."
"Cal, Joe's, umm, boss."
Beth snorted. "Right. Do bosses always hold hands with their employees?"
"I hold your hand," Brian pointed out.
Leaning in, Beth whispered to Cal, "I let him think he's my boss, so I guess he's right."
"Beth," Brian growled.
"Oh hell, he heard me." Beth laughed, putting her arm around Brian's waist. "So, Uncle Joe, what brings the two of you down here?"
"We went out to dinner to celebrate catching some people who were vandalizing one of the Rebuild sites."
"I heard about that," Brian said. "Glad you got them."
"Thanks. And why are you two here?"
Beth waved her hand at the café. "I was in the mood for some beignets?"
Brian chuckled. "You might as well tell him. He's going to find out soon enough anyway."
"Okay, okay. I really did want some. Believe it or not they help calm my stomach."
It took Joseph a second to catch on. Then he grinned ear to ear, picking her up and twirling her around. "Congratulations!"
When Cal looked puzzled Brian told him, "She's pregnant." His smile was almost as broad as Joseph's.
"Wow. Great. Congrats. When is it due and…" He stopped, looking at Beth then Joseph.
Beth must have caught the questioning look on Cal's face because she said softly to Joseph, "You told him."
"About me? Yes. So he might presume you're a shifter too, or at least have the gene."
She nodded, turning her attention back to Cal, linking her arm with his as she said, "Why don't we go down by the river where it's quieter."
"And where no one can hear us too, I presume."
"Exactly."
The two of them led the way with Joseph and Brian right behind. When they got to the sidewalk beside the river, Beth made a bee-line to one of the benches and sat down, patting the place beside her to let Cal know he should join her.
After he was seated, with the other two standing almost on guard in front of them, she explained she was a full shifter too, just like Joseph.
"So your baby will be one?"
"I doubt it, since Brian's purebred human."
Brian laughed. "That makes me sound like a dog."
She snorted. "Not hardly, my dear. Anyway, Cal, our kid will carry the gene but unless he or she finds someone else who has it too, they will be the end of our line."
"That's sad."
Joseph nodded. "It is, but it's the way our lives are, and why there are so few of us around now."
"So your mother and father both had the gene. Was she a full shifter?"
"No, but she married one, which is why I am." Beth sighed. "Before you ask, he's dead. Shot by some hunters one night when he was out for a run."
"I'm sorry," Cal said, shooting a stern look at Joseph. "See, what did I tell you?"
"I know, I know. And you were right."
Beth cocked an eyebrow. "Right about? Fill me in, Uncle Joe. I hate loose ends."
"He told me I was being stupid, not allowing myself to love a human because they'd die before me. He pointed out, and rightly so, that there was always a chance I'd be killed long before he died."
"Not a happy thought, but a true one," Beth said. "If I'd followed that 'rule' then I'd never have married Brian."
"And no little Brian or Beth would be coming into this world to make their mark on it. Hopefully a positive one," Brian added, smiling at his wife.
"Exactly!" She stretched and reached for his hand, allowing him to pull her up. When Joseph rolled his eyes, she said, grinning, "He has to start sometime. It won't be long before I won't be able to do it on my own."
Cal looked at her body, one eyebrow raised. "You're not even showing so it should be quite a while, unless—"
She laughed. "It will be. If I were a true wolf, this kid would come in about two months, but since I'm a shifter and thus as much human as wolf, it will take almost the full nine months. Maybe a bit less but not enough to make people wonder, thank goodness."
"Yeah, it might be hard to explain why our child was perfect when it appeared way before a regular human baby would." Brian kissed her temple then said, "Shall we leave these guys to whatever they were doing and go get your beignets?"
"You bet. And a dozen more to take home with us."
"Women," Brian grumbled, but it was obvious he was just teasing from the loving look on his face when he put his arm around her and they walked back toward the café.
"So you're going to be, hmm what? A great-uncle?" Cal said when he got up.
Joseph smiled happily. "I think that's what it's called. Fantastic, isn't it?"
"Definitely fantastic." Cal wrapped his arm around Joseph's waist. "Now we'll have a kid around to spoil rotten."
Joseph looked at him in surprise. "You sound like you like the idea."
Cal shrugged. "Well for damned sure we're not going to have kids and I don't have any brothers or sisters, so yeah, I do."
"I think you'd be good with kids."
"If I didn't lose my temper when they annoyed me, yeah, I probably would I guess."
"Cal," Joseph said softly as they began walking, "do you realize that in the last month or so you've rarely done that unless there was a real reason to?"
Cal nodded slowly. "You're right, I haven't." He smiled at Joseph. "I guess I have you to blame. You make me happy, keep me calm."
"Maybe it's me. Maybe it's just that you needed someone who cared."
"And I found him, didn't I?" He smiled. "You."
"Yes, you did. And I found you, thank God." Not giving a damn if anyone was around to see them, Joseph cupped Cal's face with his hands and kissed him deeply.
"Damn," Cal whispered when they finally broke apart. He looked a Joseph and a smile played over his lips. "I think we should head home before I take you right here, right now, and the hell with whoever might be watching."
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