Chapter 47

Under Construction

As Kel settled into her new life with Rick and Gwen, she discovered a deep seated sense of contentment she'd never known, the weeks that followed were a joyous blur of work, study and domestic harmony.

Mike had survived Cassy's tropical attacks; apparently being pregnant made her much, _much_more _amorous_and almost insatiable where a certain _ferret_was concerned. She was enjoying the hell out of being his wife, and a week after returning from Hawaii she was released for work. She was positively _glowing as she returned from vacation!_Cassy had worked out a compromise with Lupé--they each took three days; Cassy got Monday Wednesday and Friday, Lupé took Tuesday Thursday and Saturday--all worked out well. When Lupé found out Cassy was with child, the mouse acted like a sister, regaling the Bunny with tales of her large extended family and dubbing Cassy her amiga. Cassy had to admit, this intense Latin mouse had a zest for life that amazed the shy bunny.

As Kel and I were getting ready for work, Gwen sashayed past me, and I inhaled a very intoxicating scent with two sniffs.

"Gwen?" I turned following her down the hall as she paused.

"Mmm?"

I came up behind her, burying my nose in her neck fur and sniffing again. "Mmm, you smell...wonderful."

"Oh?" Gwen writhed a bit, apparently my nose tickled. "Honey, what's up here?"

"Don't know, are you using a new fur rinse? You smell different,"

"Noo," she answered, sniffing her arm. "I'm still using that woodsy fur rinse you like, see?" she held her arm out to me. I ran my nose from her elbow to her wrist, inhaling deeply.

"Wow, this is incredible, You smell all buttery, and honey-sweet...I don't know why, but it's kind of arousing." I grinned, my eyes slightly glassy.

"Weird." Gwen said perplexed. "Well, I have been doing quite a bit of baking, perhaps that is what you are smelling, love!"

"Maybe,_but_whatever it is, I _like_it!" I chuckled giving her a sweet kiss. "Well, we're off love." I said, holding the door for Kel.

"Have a good evening you two."

Gwen softly hummed to herself as she headed back to the bedroom. As she paused by one of the guest rooms an idea struck her. Redecorating may be nice.

"Maxwell P Badger, how the heck are you tonight?" I called out, seeing my boss in the back room. "Rick, how's married life?" the badger grinned.

"Loving it my friend, absolutely loving it!" I beamed.

"Heh, wait till the kits come along..." he chuckled.

"Oh, I can hardly wait Max. Say, how did you know Kath was with child?" I asked while I restocked the beer cooler. Max chuckled.

"Well as I recall, before she went to the doctor, she went through early nesting..."

"Interesting...anything I should look out for?" I asked, pausing to wash out a few glasses.

"Well, for one thing, I couldn't keep my nose out of her fur! Kath smelled like buttered popcorn, just about drove me nuts," the old badger shook his head as he headed back to his office. That revelation hit me like a ton of bricks, and the glass slipped from my grasp.

"Oh my God, she's pregnant!"

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