Wild Runaway – Bonus Scene

Four years later…

“Hold it higher, sweetheart, or you’ll get the paws dirty.”

Rose lifts her arms and hoists the bunny she’s holding into the air.

It’s almost as big as she is, but she won’t let me carry it back. I’ve been taking Rose out trapping ever since she could walk, and this is the first time she’s caught something herself.

“I’m gonna use the pelt to make a blanket for the twins,” she says.

The proud smile hasn’t left her face the entire walk back to the cabin.

“Or maybe I’ll make a coat for Lily’s doll.”

The entire way home, she’s been coming up with different ideas for what to do with the bunny. I like listening to her talk, my proud daughter.

The cabin comes into view between the trees, and Rose breaks into a run.

“Mommy, Mommy!”

Birds fly out of the trees and small animals scurry away in the undergrowth as she races past.

The cabin juts out into the clearing with the extension at the back and the second story. But with our growing family I’m beginning to wonder if it will be big enough.

At the sound of Rose’s shouts, the door bangs open and Lily, her younger sister, hurries out. She’s followed by the twins on their unsteady legs wanting to know what all the fuss is about.

And last of all Trish, my wife, follows them onto the deck, her blonde hair falling over her face. No matter how many fancy clips I buy her, the golden tendrils manage to escape somehow.

She’s looking good, her body as curvy as when I first met her. Her eyes are glowing, with no sign of the fear that haunted her when we first met.

Lily gives a squeal when she sees the rabbit. My four-year-old daughter hasn’t shown an interest in trapping like her older sister, which is fine. I kept waiting for a son to pass on my forest knowledge to, but with four daughters, I realize that may never happen. Rose loves the forest and has a keen eye for hunting. Lily loves animals too much. She’d rather pat the bunnies than trap them.

Which is why our place looks more and more like a zoo each day. Along with the chickens and goats, we’ve got bunnies, cats, a dog, and a wild fox cub that keeps hanging around and that I’m sure Lily’s feeding.

“Dadda.” Violet, one of the twins, stretches out her arms as I come up the stairs. She’s my daddy’s girl, and she squeals as I hoist her over my shoulder.

“I’ve got breakfast ready.” Trish kisses me on the cheek, and I catch a whiff of her chamomile shampoo. She goes to move away, and I grab her around the waist.

“Not so fast.”

Her eyes sparkle as I pull her back toward me and kiss her mouth. Our bodies collide, and I feel the familiar stirring whenever I touch my wife.

I’m thinking of all the ways I want to take her when a warm body squeezes between us.

“Momma.” Iris reaches up her little hands, looking anxiously at Trish.

She’s a momma’s girl that one, following Trish around everywhere and getting jealous if I take too much of Trish’s attention.

Trish lifts Iris onto her hip, and I slide Violet off my shoulder and onto mine. The twins reach for each other and I nuzzle into them, making them giggle with my bristly whiskers.

“Hey,” shouts Lily, not wanting to be left out. She dances around our legs, wanting to be picked up. The twins start squealing, and Rose slings her rabbit down on the outside table and dances around with her sister.

It’s noisy and chaotic, and I join in the laughter. Trish hands me Iris, and I twirl my twins around while the older girls try to catch me.

I catch Trish’s eye, and she’s beaming at us. We’ll have our adult time later, once the kids are in bed. But for now, my girls have got my full attention.

I sink onto my knees, and four sets of little arms and legs climb onto me. I buck like a wounded animal and they squeal with delight, trying to stay on my back.

It’s noisy, it’s chaotic, and it’s everything this reclusive mountain man never knew he needed.