Island Stripe Pride - Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Did one just blurt out that she had to go to the woods behind the school to search for her sister who’d apparently Wolfed out during Phys-Ed class? Was that something that was done? If it was, she supposed Maccon City would be the place, being the hub of all Werewolf activity in the Northeastern United States. Still, she should probably keep her mouth shut.
Sigh.
Her one win of the day, while the manager droned on about her lack of initiative and irresponsible actions that led her to this point in her life, was that Joelle was safe and home now.
“Miss Flint, I find myself obligated to tell you that had you had a better grasp of the situation…”
Just what she needed, she seethed inside. Another mansplaining session from some jackass who thought having a dick made him smarter than her.
Her mind wandered back to her sister. Maggie was so proud of her. Joelle had learned to spot the signs, and once her Change began, she’d run off before anyone could see her in her fur. Apparently, another girl pushed her during soccer warm-ups and her Wolf objected. Loudly.
She’d destroyed her clothes in the process and couldn’t sneak back on campus without being seen. Thank goodness she’d managed to grab her backpack, which held her cell phone before she’d taken off, but of course it died before she could say exactly where she was hiding.
Anyway, that fiasco took up quite a bit of time. Then she’d had to go speak to the human principal who was not in on the whole Maccon-City-is-basically-a-Wolf-Shifter-town thing and explain to the man why her sister shouldn’t get detention for skipping class.
Sigh. What a day. And it wasn’t even six yet.
“I assure you,” she interrupted the little cretin whose name she hardly thought worthy of remembering, “I know all about responsibility. Now if you are done being all condescending for the moment, I think it is my turn to talk. Now, I made the payments. I have the cancelled checks right here,” she shoved them at him.
“These were not cashed here. Look at this number in the back,” he held it up to her, “These do not match our bank’s depository accounts. I am sorry, Ms. Flint, but there is nothing more to be done.”
“What are you saying? Use small words, because I am dangerously close to losing my shit,” she growled, and watched his face blanch before he continued.
“I am saying your loan has been sold. It will be up to the new owners to tell you when you must vacate. Now, if you want to see law enforcement with those check stubs, be my guest, but I am telling you from what I know those checks were deposited in offshore accounts. And to be honest, Miss Flint, if I were a police officer, you would be the first person I looked at as a potential thief.”
“Thank you for your honesty, Mr. really? Your name is Cox?” she laughed, reading his nameplate, “Well, again, thank you for the chat, and while you are at it, Mr. Cox, why don’t you go fuck yourself!”
Maggie slammed the door on the way out, and while it closed with a satisfying thwack, she still left the bank in a daze.
Her drive home was much the same. Thank goodness for her reliable little Camry, since she had no idea how she got back to the inn. Couldn’t recall a single traffic light or stop sign.
“Fuck. Fuck. FUCK!” she screamed and slammed her hands on the steering wheel before sobs overcame her.
What the hell were they going to do now? Hands trembling, she grabbed the Macconwood Pack Alpha’s business card and dialed the number.
“Mr. Maccon? It’s Maggie Flint. I need your help.”
A few hours later…
“Hey sis. How’d it go? Snag a date on the way home?” Joelle asked between mouthfuls of mac and cheese.
It was the young Wolf Shifter’s favorite go-to-dish, and she was becoming quite good at preparing it from scratch. Complete with diced pieces of crispy uncured bacon and delicately seasoned panko breadcrumbs toasted on top.
The succulent aroma made Maggie’s stomach growl, and Joelle giggled as she passed her older sister a bowl. But could she keep anything down? That was the real question.
“OMG, this smells good.”
“Well?” Joelle waited.
“Well, what?”
“You and a man. A real one. On a date. Is it happening or what?”
“Jo-Jo, really? A date? Is that all you can think about?”
“You know, most girls my age are already having sex-”
“Joelle April Flint, please do not tell me you’ve been having sex of any kind. After the day I’ve had, I really don’t know if I could handle that right now,” she growled the words.
“Ew, like no way, Mags,” Joelle looked at her like she was nuts, “First of all, sex sounds really gross. It’s like smelly and squishy and penises are ugly as hell.”
“OMG, Joelle, really?”
“They are! They’re like veiny and weirdly shaped.”
“How do you even know this?”
“Dick pics are a thing, Mags. Get with it. You have seen one, right?”
“OMG! Yes, okay, yes! I have seen a penis. Shut up about it, and let me eat in peace,” she rolled her eyes.
Lord save her from teenagers who knew more about sex than she did. Maggie got up to grab some seltzer and lemon slices. She was parched after all that ridiculous crying. But after her chat with Rafe Maccon, who’d assured her he was going to look into it, she felt slightly better.
“I only meant that you deserve a night out, Mags,” Joelle said with her mouth full, “And you are kinda old to be a virgin, even if you promised yourself to have sex by the time you turned thirty. Which is in a few weeks, right?” she added helpfully.
“I should never have had that conversation with you,” Maggie shook her head.
“Awe, don’t say that. I mean, I’m not making fun. Just looking out for you,” Joelle said.
“I know Jo-Jo. You are the best sister I could ask for, you know that?”
“Yeah, well, I am still sorry about today.”
“No worries at all. Now, no more talk about my sex life-”
“You’d need to have sex to have a sex life. What? I am just sayin’,” she ducked her head, and ignored Maggie’s grumbles.
It wasn’t like being a virgin was her fault. Blabbing to her sister wasn’t the most responsible thing to do but, she couldn’t help it. Really, she couldn’t. See, Maggie was the kind of girl who when she drank too much became a confessor of all sins, real and imagined.
One of her father’s past hotel guests had a little tradition of sending a bottle of coquito during the holidays, and this year Maggie had been the recipient. After the two sisters had Christmas dinner and exchanged small gifts, she’d taken a sip or twenty of the white stuff.
Okay, in all honesty, she’d wound up guzzling most of the delicious coconut and spiced rum concoction. In Joelle’s company, of course. They were all each other had. Especially after Susan O’Doyle refused to acknowledge Joelle as Maggie’s sister.
That little scene after her father’s death, had caused Maggie to sort of disown her remaining, and oftentimes callous, parent. She was better off without her. Joelle was her family now, and Maggie found herself slipping into the role of big sis with ease.
That Christmas night she’d revealed her deepest, darkest secret to her sibling while the two of them watched old movies munching on popcorn. Twenty-nine-year-old Maggie Flint was still technically a virgin.
“Well, the cat is out of the bag,” Joelle said and pursed her lips, “Aren’t you gonna eat? I used pancetta this time,” she said proudly, nudging a plate of pasta at her sister who was still contemplatively sipping her seltzer.
“Thanks, Jo-Jo,” Maggie had dropped her bag and keys by the door while she got her drink.
She took the proffered plate and scooched next to her little sister on the couch in front of the TV.
“Maybe you should use a dating app or something. Sex can be a great stress reliever.”
“What?”
“That’s what Ms. Johnson from Health class says.”
“OMG, Jo-Jo! No more sex talk while we eat! Please and thank you,” she growled again.