The Wolves Den has been going well the past week and thankfully Nancy was right about the tips. While I'm not overflowing with cash they have covered gas back and forth while leaving me a little extra for necessaries.

She's still keeping me at a distance and it's really starting to drive me up the wall especially since I've had Kevin on my ass almost the whole time. I don't know what it is I did to get on his bad side but I wish he'd tell me so we could get past it.

I've make the drinks exactly as Nancy said yet, he's always going on about how I added too much of one thing and not enough of another. If it's not that, then I was moving slow or something else. Maybe tonight I can talk to him.

I walked into my sisters room at Lakeside hospital to see her sitting up watching some show on TV which she turned off as soon as she saw me.

She was looking a lot better even though she still had stitches on her face and arms that I could see along with her right leg was in a cast.

"Hey, guess what?" She said excitedly before I even could set my Venom drink down. I know this time of the morning was early to be drinking but she called me begging that I come over. How could I refuse her?

"What?"

"They're releasing me in a bit." She said smiling. I knew she hated being cramped up in bed all day. Joann has always been very active.

"That's awesome!" I replied matching her excitement. I gave her a hug and took a seat next to her.

"Yeah. They should be in a couple hours. They said I needed to have someone with me sooooo"

"Sooooo? Is there something else that follows that, Joann? Or am I supposed to read your mind?"

"I was wondering if I could stay at your place for a bit. Mom and dad want me to stay with them but I'd rather not."

I pulled back half expecting her to let me know she was kidding. But she didn't. Only looking at me with her pleading brown eyes.

"C'mon I wanna get out of here and if I go to our parents I'll just go home after a day or two and" she lowered her head "I don't want to be there right now. And knowing you, I'll have to cover for you again really soon. If I'm there it'll be that much easier."

I shook my head confused. "Cover for me again? You haven't.

"Really? Then why did Nancy call me asking about you working at Langhurst Realtors? I was tempted to tell her what a real pain in the ass you always were. Instead, I only said you were an annoying little shit."

I didn't think she'd call. Of course she'd call, stupid. You gave her an all-access pass to find out about you. Shit!

"I'm kidding. I told her how you were a true delight to have blah, blah, blah. So, what do ya think? It'll be fun!"

I knew she was still scared to be alone and having her around might also keep Jake, if not away, at least at bay. I really didn't want a repeat of last week with him. Plus it might help her get over some of her issues with me.

"Alright. But you're on dishes! You know how much I hate doing them."

A couple hours later Joann was being wheelchaired out to my car. After thanking the male nurse for bringing her out we headed to Denny's for something to eat before heading back home. He was definitely cute yet i didn't care.

"Mmmmm, this is soooo good." Joann moaned enjoying her ham and cheese omelette. She wasted no time digging into it the moment the waitress sat it down.

" I swear the stuff they pass off as food at the hospital should be illegal. Seriously, most of the recovery is just sheer willpower trying to get out so you can eat real food again."

I rolled my eyes at her talking with her mouth full. She could be a nut sometimes and I really enjoyed her this way instead of us fighting all the time. We still needed to talk about what happened but she deserved today.

"Sooo... you and Jake?"

"We're officially over and I've moved on. He's not very happy about it but I don't care. I answered taking a bite of my biscuits and gravy.

"Moved on, as in?"

"I let out a long sigh not sure what to tell her. I decided I'll just stick to the usual stuff

"Just the same 'ol crap about how I won't find anyone else, calling and harassing me a lot, that sort of thing.

I took another bite "He's in for one hell of a surprise." I thought I said to myself but the look on my sister's face told me otherwise as she stared at me with her fork midair.

"You're seeing someone? How the fuck did I not know about this? Who? When? Do they know about..." she pointed her fork towards me raising her eyebrow.

"No. Believe it or not, Joann, I don't tell everyone about that. We only just met and I'm not sure yet how things will go which is why I haven't told you. Plus, I doubt anyone will meet your expectations.

"My expectations regarding you have gotten really short and simple over the past few years. I think right now the only one left is that he's not married." She replied sarcastically.

Do we really need to get into this now? I dropped my fork onto the plate no longer wanting any more. My face must of looked guilty as she read it clearly.

"Oh Jesus Christ, Luke! Where the hell do you find these guys? Is there a club or something for guys who want to cheat on their wives? One of these days she's going to come looking for you like that one Chinese gal and it's not going to be pretty."

"Already happened. Now would you shut up and stop calling me that? I just told you I didn't want everyone one to know!"

I answered matching her tone. I noticed most of the people in the restaurant was now looking at me like I was some sort of freak on display causing my anxiety level to skyrocket.

"You done?" I just wanted to get out of here.

"Crystal, I'm sorry. It just slipped out. I-I just worry about you is all. So tell me, who is he?"

She doesn't know when to quit! I wasn't sure how to even talk about Nancy but I suppose talking a little about it might help. My brain was still as lost when it came to her as when we met. Maybe Joann could help.

"For starters, she's not a he."

Well that got her to shut up I laughed to myself as I got up to go out for a cigarette. I really need to quit again. Even with a job I can't afford them. After this pack.

About five minutes later Joann was coming out as fast as she could with her crutches. I jogged over to help her with the door.

"I need to learn to do this my- Oh I look like shit!"

Stop looking at yourself in the glass. You just left the hospital, you're supposed to look like shit."

I knew there was no way she would ever drop it so I told her about Nancy on the drive back leaving out the details about her being a werewolf and of course, Jake's wife. It felt good to talk to someone about it even if I couldn't give her all the details.

"I have no idea how you do it, Crystal. Married people was plenty, but now you're fucking your boss whose a woman. Does that mean you're not-

She said giving me that look that made me feel guilty even if I hadn't done anything.

"No! Im still transgender, Joann im just... I don't know! I do know that I'm not fucking her! Didn't you hear anything I just said? She barely acknowledges my existence. It's really irritating! What about you, how you're date go with that guy from work? Does he know what happened?"

"No because I never told him. He's a nice guy but just not what I'm looking for. I want sparks!"

Hearing that reminded me of Nancy's hand on my back which it still missed. There was a lot more than sparks I felt. Did Nancy feel it too? She must have, so why is she acting like nothing happened? It gives me a headache just thinking about it.

We stopped by her place up Dawson Gulch so she could get clothes and some other things she might need. I waited outside as she went inside her small three bedroom house to change. I say small, but it's way too big for one person even using one of the bedrooms for an office. A favorite excuse of my sister.

The weather was perfect today. The was a slight breeze that broke the heat which was probably only about seventy to begin with. I hate hot weather and can't wait till fall, my favorite season by far. All the pretty colors and you don't have to worry about sweat ruining your makeup.

"How she doing?"

An older man's voice startled me that I almost dropped my cigarette. I turned to see one of my sisters neighbors who lived about a quarter mile further down coming towards me from the road. He was still a fairly good looking guy despite his age which must be in his mid sixties. He wore a grey flannel shirt with some old faded blue Wrangler jeans that was held up with brown suspenders. His scruffy grey hair was covered with a old baseball cap that had Snap-On Tools printed on it.

"She's doing well with all things considered Mr...?

I went ahead and put out the cigarette in my cars ashtray before getting out. No longer trusting myself with it.

"Jim Harper but just call me Jim. That mister stuff don't sound right." He stuck out his hand and I shook it

"Alright, Jim it is. I'm Crystal, Joann's sister.

He nodded as if he already knew that. We've seen each other before from time to time so no doubt he figured it out if Joann didn't tell him. His eyes were on her front door so I turned to it.

"I've lived in these parts nearly fifty years and have never seen anything like it. It was one big son of a bitch!

"You saw it? " hoping for any details he might offer.

He nodded with a deep frown still staring at the door. I could tell he didn't like talking about this. He must of felt like I needed to know because he continued.

"A bit. I don't see very well but it looked like a giant wolf on two legs as strange as it sounds. It took off towards my property when it spotted me. I called the ambulance and my wife, Grace to tell her to make sure all the doors were shut.

"Did she see it?"

"Nah. The crazy bat said later all she saw out the window about that time was some young naked guy. She reads too many of those damn romance novels."

"Did you-"

I was going to ask if she said what he looked like but just then the door opened with a struggling Joann trying to manage a large suitcase with her crutches.

"Oh hi, Jim. I see you met Crystal." She smiled at him from the doorway as we both rushed to help her.

He wouldn't let me carry the suitcase, insisting that he do it so we both let him and offered our thanks before saying goodbye.

Tomorrow I would try again at getting her to talk about it.