You Wound me! Thursday Writing Prompt By Lu-Man “Oh you wound me brother!” Roxy cried in mock pain the feline raising her tanned paw dramatically to her forehead. The gentle sounds of chatter and clinking glasses and silverware continued unabated. The other furs in the restaurant didn't even take notice. The tiger sitting across from the lioness furrowed his brow in disbelief. Bry arched an eyebrow and tilted one ear back that said 'really?' He definitely wasn't buying it. “Brother?” He asked incredulously his striped brow furrowing. “Yes, my own dear sweet brother thinks so ill of me that I would ask him all the way down here for money.” She continued her theatrics, looking towards the ceiling in mock scorn. “As if I would treat him so callously.” “First off, you're not my sister. You're me ex-fiancee'.” He growled, holding up a single golden reddish furred finger. “Secondly”, he said, holding up his second finger, “the last time we spoke, and I believe it was about a year ago, you asked for money and you said and I quote 'I'll come back rich this time. I promise. And when I do, I'll pay back everything I owe.'” “So, the diamond market isn't as lucrative as I thought it was.” She growled. Furrowing her brow, and folding her ears back in disappointment. This was not going as planned. She had hoped he'd be thrilled to see her a little more. “Third,” he said dramatically holding up three fingers, “the four times we have spoke in the past eight years have always been about money.” He replied. “But, what about Christmas? I called you on the phone and we talked for nearly two hours.” she replied. “You called for cash to get air-fare to see your folks. Or so you claimed.” “Oh, I did go see my folks that year...” she trailed off, looking genuinely wounded. “Yeah. After you blew nearly four thousand dollars at that casino. You ended up having to take a bus and completely missed Christmas by two days.” “How the hell did you..” she asked. A look of genuine shock on her face. She reeled back for a moment, her ears splayed. “Checking to see if your investment was well spent?!” “Your mother called and raised hell. She thought I was being cheap.” He growled looking down on the lioness. “Hey, I didn't lie! I did go see my parents that year! I was there for the important stuff.” “Getting presents and getting drunk on New Years is not 'the important stuff'.” He repeated her words in an almost sing-song voice. “People around you actually do like you and care. We kind of want to be in your life too, ya know.” “I'm sorry, but..” “You thought you had a sure thing.” He sighed. He had heard the line a thousand times before. 'I have a sure thing this time, I swear.' Bryan could almost quote the entire pitch from memory by now. She looked down. “You wound me, Bry.” She replied with genuine hurt. Her tail twitched in annoyance. Her fur gleamed gently in the dim light of the restaurant. Momentarily the years and fights were gone. The painful arguments and betrayal, the lying and hiding funds. The countless times spent bailing her out of one scheme or another. It had all vanished, in that moment he remembered why he loved her once. Why they had fallen for each other so long ago. “You remember the time,” he said, a touch of nostalgia tinting his voice, “that we went down to see that guy perform, what was his name, the guy with the accordion. It wasn't Weird Al, it was....” “Freaky Pete! Yes, I remember that night.” She replied, a smile creeping into the corner of her muzzle, her ears turning up slightly in the memory. “It rained so hard in the middle of that show. And he was standing there on a stage of practically apple crates and ply wood singing to a bunch of tables outside of some cafe. I swear by the end of the performance the owner was willing to pay him to stop.” “That's him! Freaky Pete and the squeezebox of love. It was the first time I've ever heard someone do Rick Astley on the accordion.” “What I remember, is you standing in that expensive suit in the rain. You took me by the paw and still danced anyway.” He smiled. “Well, his singing wasn't good. But the song is still holds power if you do it right.” He gently touched her chin “Besides, how could I pass up a chance to dance with such a beautiful girl?” The smile at the corner of her lips grew as she looked towards him. “I thought you forgot.” “I will never forget.” He said gently. “It's why our relationship is so special, 'sis'. You always did bring color into my life.” The hurt was still in her face, on her muzzle, in her ears. But the memory was there too, the love the life the laughter. “So, why did you want to meet up?” “I need some cash for a project.” Roxy replied. He nodded. “What is it this time?” “They found gold in Australia. I need a good amount for prospecting tools and to hire a crew. We can get you your money back probably in six months.” She said, her eyes lighting up at the thought of adventure. It was the same look he's seen time and time again. The thirst for adventure, painted on her face. It was the money, and the chase of it she loved. He could see it all there again. “I'll give you the money on one condition.” He said. “What?” “You don't mine the gold.” “Well, I mean we'll have a crew for that.” “No mining at all. You buy a restaurant with the money instead.” “Wait, what?” She replied, confused. Her head tilted ever so slightly, almost canine in quality. He always loved that about her. “I have a couple connections in the country. I can make a few calls and get you some names of good managers who can show you the ropes.” “But, I don't understand, why a restaurant? Isn't the money in the gold?” Roxy replied, tilting her head in confusion. “No, the money is in the people. Whether they find the gold or not is irrelevant. The money is always in the people. For example, they will need to eat. They will desire a clean place to do it in, especially after...” “Spending all day panning and mining. My God, you're brilliant.” She cried and reached across the table and kissed him on the nose like she used to do all the time. “You're gonna make my wife jealous if you keep doing that.” He said, his ears folding in a blush. “Thank you, thank you! I don't know how I could ever repay you.” “Well, for a hundred thousand dollars you better repay me.” He replied as he filled out the check. “Excuse me?” She replied. “You heard me right. I'll transfer a hundred grand to your accounts tonight for the equipment and building.” “What's that you're filling out then?” She asked. “This is for the meal.” Bryan replied as he set the check on the table. The sun had long since dropped below the horizon when his black Lexus began to pull up the long drive. His large home stood like a castle in the distance, the peaks of the roof reaching up into the darkness of the sky. His wife stood in the doorway, her arms crossed and her tail tip waving just so in that 'I'm mad at you' tone, just as she said she would be. That's why He married that tigress. She was always a woman of her word. “Who is Tracy?” She asked holding it out to him as got out of the car. “Tracy? Oh, Roxy! Yeah that's my ex-fiancee. Remember from the luncheon you left us at a few months back?” “Dear, that was over a year ago.” She said, gently scratching him behind the ear. He murred deeply and tilted his head against her paw. “Oh yeah it was. I guess I lost track of time.” He replied smiling. “Come on, open the darn thing.” She said. He took a claw and carefully opened the top. Inside was a letter. “Dear Bry You have no idea how hard it was to come to you asking for that money. But you changed my perspective on things. The money wasn't in the gold at all, it was in the people. The diamonds too, as well as the countless other things I've failed at. I've changed my perspective a bit. Changed my fortune too. Enclosed you'll find a cashiers check for the money that I've owed you. Thank you so much, and its terribly busy this time of year. But I will be by to see you in a few weeks when these three restaurants finally slow down some. Tell your wife to give you a kiss for me. Thank you. Roxy” “She said for you to give me a....” He was cut off when his wife grabbed him and embraced him in a deep passionate embrace. “That.” He replied in a deep blush, his ears angled backwards. “Was that from her?” “No,” she purred, “that was from me. This is from her.” With that she gave him another deep passionate kiss. “She called to see if the letter arrived today.” He nodded holding up the check. “Yeah, she said she was going to pay me back the....quarter of a million dollars?” “Guess that's everything the she owed you, with interest.” She replied. “Guess so.” He replied, still a little disheveled from the two passionate kisses he received. “Come on, I got dinner waiting by candle light. I even put that record on you like” she said, holding him close. “We can sit, in the living room by the fire place, drink wine and listen to music, and then who knows?” He smirked down at her. “I always did love a woman with a scheme.”