Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem

"...Alright."

A deep, rumbling growl echoed through the woods again. Tarquin quickly turned to

Evan, desperate for a distraction.

"How on earth are you making that growling noise?"

"Growling? Oh! Not me-it's him!"

With a theatrical flourish, Evan yanked the sheets aside, revealing the truth.

Tarquin's heart skipped a beat. It was a bear-a real, hulking bear!

Evan was perched on its shoulders, clutching its ears and kicking his little legs in excitement.

"This is my new friend, Benny! Benny, say hi to my dad!"

The massive black bear looked seriously unimpressed. It let out a thunderous roar, right at Tarquin.

The sound rattled Tarquin's bones. It was like the bear was venting all its pent-up frustration directly at him.

Tarquin's lips twitched. Was he really the easiest target here? Did Benny the Bear think he was just a pushover?

"Alright, let's get moving," the old man cut in, already turning away. "Your grandma said we need to wrap this up quick. She and Elysia are waiting for us to get home for dinner."

man started to scurry off, Tarquin called

Bernard turned, "Yeah?"

at Evan. "Evan, did you tell Bernard about...that

blinked, suddenly remembering the scarred

concern. He hopped down from Benny's back and ran

do you know an old man

"Huh?"

Evan demonstrated a few moves right there in front of Bernard. "He showed me

darkened instantly, the lightness vanishing

that? He

was just a chance meeting. Evan quickly summarized the important parts, then looked up

"Do you want to see him? If don't,

furrowed, silent for a long moment as

Bernard sighed heavily. "I'll

"Will you be

neither nodded nor shook his head. "If he wants a real fight, so be it.

let's finish what we came

man picked up the

fight to the death...nobody wins

face tightened, but he just said, "Let's

took off after

they reached

men