"It's quite alright," Moose said, still speaking automatically. "I understand we all have those things we don't like to talk about."
Nadine nodded appreciatively, as the girl began to age out of her teen years. "Thank you," she said, her English accent now quite prominent. "It's not an easy thing for me to talk about. Quill was always just so different, and our parent's death haven't exactly brought us closer together."
Just then the phone went off, and Nadine went to answer it. A moment later she returned. "Speak of the devil, this is your husband. She's looking for you."
My husband? She? Moose wondered, but found himself taking the phone anyways. "Hello?" he asked.
"Hey baby, it's me," the voice on the other line said. Even if Moose had known Grace Littleton, he would have not have recognized her voice. The woman's voice had deepened tremendously since the beginning of her changes, and was now in a rich baritone. "I tried the home phone, and when you didn't answer I figured you were over at Nadine's. My shift's going to run a little long tonight, but I shouldn't be more than a half hour late, okay?"
"That's just fine," Moose said. That's sweet of her, letting me know. She knows how I worry when she runs late, Moose thought. Wait, what am I thinking?
"Alright, I need to go now. Duty calls," Grace said.
"You go get them, tiger," Moose said, before ending the call and handing the phone back to Nadine. "Alright, what were we talking about?"
