Love & Lattes - Songs for a Fox Ep. 06

Welcome back, my lovely reader~

If this is your first visit to the L&L series, STOP go read the first one 'Love & Lattes: A bunny's bounty' to get the best experience. This is a direct sequel and I STRONGLY recommend reading the first one so you're not lost.

Take your time, I'll wait for you to catch up. :3

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And with that out of the way...

Welcome back, my lovely reader!

They say your graduation day is something you never forget, but they say a lot of things, don't they?

For our handsome fox, he may very well wish he could forget it, given the situation he's about to find himself in! Well, I'd hate to spoil it here in the intro, so I'll leave it at that!

Let's jump right in!

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Episode 6:

Graduation Day

The day finally arrived for Joseph, the school had rented out one of the local auditorium venues from a nearby college for the event. Ivory had made her way there with her little paper invitation in paw.

She was worried she may have underdressed for the occasion since she had never attended a graduation other than her own. She opted for her go-to, a snug pair of blue jeans that she knew he enjoyed seeing her in along with a comfy flowing blue blouse that hugged her breasts just enough to show them off but didn't really overdo it. She had pulled her curly blonde locks into a small bun behind her head and jabbed a few green hair sticks into it to hold it together.

The attendant at the door collected her invitation and handed her a small ticket with an assigned seat number on it. Apparently, they were grouping into seating based upon the last name of the graduates, so that family members could more easily find one another after the ceremony was over. Joseph had explained everyone got five invitations but he had no one to give to but her and his mother, so he gave the other three away to students with larger families.

Ivory found her assigned seat and sat down. Her eyes scanned over the large crowd of people, a few thousand more than likely, no wonder they opted for seating in this way. 'I wonder how many people here are actually dating a graduate like I am, talk about awkward...' She huffed as she thought to herself, looking at the only empty seat in the row next to her.

The awkwardness turned up a notch when she saw a tall elegant vixen stride through the crowd. She weaved through the masses with practiced skill her large flowing sundress flitting along as if she were in a breeze of wind, her tail skillfully darting out of the way of others. She commanded a presence that seemed to make anyone that saw her acknowledge and move aside as if out of the sheer aura of demanded respect.

A small collection of children had gathered playing near the entrance to the stairs and when one tripped towards the stairwell she darted a handpaw out, catching the small cat boy by the back of his shirt. She crouched down and wagged a finger, saying something gently and the little kit nodded before quickly moving back into the seats with his family.

Ivory felt her heart rate pace up, she had thought she recognized the body language and hair coloring but when the vixen took a seat next to her in the seat beside her it removed all doubt. She smelled so plainly of Joseph it wasn't even funny, or maybe it was more he smelled like her. She shared the same reddish-brown hair and fur colors as he did, with only a faint bit of white starting to show through the color and at the tips of her ears.

Ivory felt herself shifting to sit up straight, attempting to look like she was staring straight ahead but looking her over out of the corner of her eyes. She was easily a foot and half taller than Ivory, her flowing white dress came all the way down to her ankles and she could see the heavy swell of her breasts inside the material. 'So that's why you like them so much, huh Joe?' She thought to herself while analyzing the older fox.

"Here to see a younger sibling graduate?" The vixen spoke in a voice that sounded confident but also soft and gentle. Ivory flicked a brown ear in her direction feeling herself tense at the question, wondering if she could pretend she didn't hear it.

The fox gave a knowing smile and folded her handpaws into her lap across the small white purse she had been carrying. "Apologies, I suppose I should not humor the subject. I'm sure you can smell him on me." The vixen cut her large chestnut eyes to Ivory's icy blue ones. It was like staring into Joseph's eyes only a little more hardened with age and experience, also something else was in there, something scary. "I can smell him on you too of course..." She spoke the words in a soft growl.

Ivory blushed at the look and slumped back into her seat with resignation and sighed, "Yeah... Joe said you wanted to meet, but I didn't expect somewhere so... public."

"For the record, this was not a convoluted trick to meet you, I only found out this morning I was going to be able to attend and thought I would surprise Joseph. I didn't know you would even be here, so please do not think me underhanded in this matter." The vixen huffed the words out while looking the cat over.

Ivory could feel her sizing her up and felt her cheeks warm, her multi-colored ears flicking. "So... uhm... I'm Ivory. It's nice to meet you?" The cat awkwardly hissed the words with a grin, showing her teeth in a forced smile.

The fox huffed through her nose and gave the cat a smile. "Please relax, Ivory. Joseph is a grown man now. I can't and won't attempt to derail his relationship decisions unless I feel you are grossly a terrible feline. Also, please call me, Josephine."

Ivory perked her ears up at the words, feeling a little relieved that she wasn't about to be put through the wringer. A smile crossed her muzzle at the vixen's name. "Ah... so he is named after you then?"

"He is... his father wanted to name our first child after me. I would tell you to call me Joe for short, but I feel that would be incredibly awkward for both of us." The Vixen gave the cat a small grin.

Ivory snorted back a laugh and huffed, "Y-yeah... maybe just a little..." She smiled and awkwardly cast her eyes away for a few seconds before looking back at the older fox. "So... what do you want to know?"

Josephine shook her head gently and perked her ears up. "Several things, but for now, let us just enjoy this. It's Joseph's day and I do not want to mar it with my personal probing and what have you. For now, all I ask is you do as you planned when coming here. Support my little fox and be there for him. What I don't already know, I'll happily request of you later."

She blinked at the vixen a few times and gave a quick nod in response, feeling an odd sensation go up her spine at the 'already know' part. It was just as well there were no questions though since the ceremony began a few moments later, the school's band playing loudly and everyone's cheering would have made any attempt at conversing difficult at best.

The ceremony lasted a couple of hours from start to finish and once the graduates had thrown their caps, everyone made their way to their family's seats to meet and disperse out of the auditorium. Joseph huffed excitedly, he had been thinking about Ivory waiting and watching him the whole time and was eager to see his lover after the long ordeal.

He checked the seating chart to find his family's row then looked up and froze in place, his tail fluffing out and his mouth gaping slightly seeing his mother standing there next to Ivory. "Son of a-" He muttered to himself, half considering just turning around and going to his car to avoid the situation. He saw his mother point at him while speaking to Ivory and he swallowed hard, realizing he had been spotted, so he resigned himself as he walked over to the two.

"Hi, Mom... I thought you weren't gonna make it?" Joseph huffed the words awkwardly as he stood before his mother and his lover.

"Yes, well, I managed to secure the time to do so last minute, I wanted to surprise you my little fox. Seems I was the surprised one as well." The older fox gave him a soft smile before cutting her eyes towards Ivory.

Ivory simply huffed and put a handpaw on her hip, "W-well... congrats. I mean this is your day, right? Let's not stress about the details, we should celebrate." She tried to speak the words in a cheerful tone. Though she doubted his mother would like to hear how she originally intended to celebrate with him.

"Oh, that sounds lovely, how about we all go get some lunch. It will be my treat." Josephine spoke the words excitedly, the other two looking questioningly at one another at the prospect.

"Is... that okay with you, Ivory?" Joseph asked curiously with a worried tone in his voice, he didn't want her to feel like she had to be cornered into this.

"It's cool with me, I promised Josephine I would talk to her at length anyway. Might as well get it over with." The cat responded while flicking her tail sharply.

"Goodness, you two are talking like it's a massive burden to be sided with me. If you would rather not I can just go home." The vixen sighed the words, her large ears folding downward.

"What?! No that's not it, Mom!" Joseph huffed the words in a panic.

Ivory saw right through the act and purred, "Drama queen..."

Josephine shot a glare towards Ivory and the cat felt her blood run cold, it was that look only a mother with years of experience could pull off, but there was something else there, something dangerous.

Ivory hissed and averted her eyes. "S-seriously though... it's no big deal... so don't act so dramatic!" Ivory grumbled the words out while keeping her eyes away from the older fox's.

"Is that right?" Josephine looked to her son for confirmation and the younger dog quickly nodded in response.

"Of course, Mom! Did you bring your car or take the bus?"

"I brought my own car dear, you go with your little girlfriend... erm, Ivory. I will meet you there," She huffed the words as the trio made their way out of the auditorium.

Plans were made outside and they split off to separate vehicles. Once Joseph and Ivory were in his car he sighed out sounding exhausted, "Sorry about this, baby..."

"It's okay, it was going to go down eventually, right?" Ivory purred the words as she fastened her belt into place.

"I suppose that's true, I still would have liked to have warned you," The fox lamented the words as he fastened his own belt and started the car up.

Ivory perked her ears up in thought. "Joseph... let me drive."

He blinked at her for a moment and unbuckled himself. "Yeah? I mean I don't mind but are you sure?"

Ivory grinned, showing her teeth. "Positive..."

With some direction from Joseph, they found the visitors lot his mother had used. Ivory made damn sure Josephine saw her behind the wheel of her son's car and made sure to follow behind her the whole way to the little Italian place she had chosen, grinning the whole while in the rearview mirror.

Once they arrived Ivory made sure to park the car right next to Josephine's and killed the engine before unbuckling and placing her palms gingerly in her lap and giving Josephe a smile.

The fox looked at her curiously before getting the clue and moving around to the other side of the door to open it for her. Ivory gingerly stepped out of the car and pocketed the keys herself. "Thank you, my dog," She purred the words, plenty loud enough so the older vixen heard them, her ears flicking up sharply at them.

They made their way arm in arm to the restaurant, Ivory giving the fox a grin when he broke away to get the door for her. She gingerly walked in ahead of his mother flicking her tail in a haughty manner. Joseph swallowed a lump in his throat and gave his mother a small smile as he kept the door open for her. Josephine snorted through her nose showing her obvious irritation at the cat's display before walking in.

It was a nice day so they decided to take an outside table on the deck of the restaurant. Several awkward moments passed before a server came to get them drinks and take their orders. Once they were in and Ivory had ordered a rather expensive seafood dish, the three of them sat in silence for a few more moments before Josephine broke the silence.

"Joseph, my little fox, would you be a dear and go get us some extra napkins?" The vixen huffed the words while giving Ivory a cold look.

The younger fox blinked at the request and cut his eyes towards Ivory who nodded her head, "Yeah, that sounds good. Take a few minutes getting them too, MY dog..." She clenched her teeth as she hissed the last of the words.

"Look I don't think you two sh-" He almost yipped as both his mother and his lover gave him a death glare. "Yep, napkins, got it!" He barked the words and quickly excused himself.

Josephine folded her arms on the table and took a few moments to let her son move clear from earshot before snapping her eyes open and showing her sharp canines. "Where do you get off showing me such disrespect?!"

"Where do you get off acting so dramatic and manipulating your son?!" Ivory spat the words back huffing out and showing her own sharp teeth.

"I did no such thing!" The vixen barked the words her cheeks hot under her fur now.

"The whole drooping your ears and looking hurt in front of him?! What do you call that?!" Ivory snarled the words and drummed her fingertips on the table.

"I was simply miffed at the thought of-"

"Oh come off it, you were playing him and you know it!" The cat hissed the words and leaned back in her chair crossing her arms over her chest. "I know a con when I see one, Josephine."

"Well, I'm sorry if I wanted to see my son on such a big day!" The vixen huffed the words and looked away, her teeth grit as she snarled, it was obvious she was trying to reign her anger in.

Ivory sighed and closed her eyes, silence falling between them for several moments before she spoke out. She didn't bother opening her eyes as she spoke, "Look, Josephine... I'm not into the whole cloak and dagger shit. I love your son, love me or hate me, I love him." She clicked her tongue before opening her eyes, seeing the fox staring at her with her full attention, her eyes reading her like Karen's used to do, only hundreds of times more astute.

"When I see someone manipulating my fox, I get irritated, simple as that. You just happened to be his mother," She hissed the words, having to pull her gaze from hers once again.

"I understand. I was not trying to come off as manipulative," Josephine spoke the words as the edge in her voice seemed to fade.

Ivory held a long silence before hissing, "I did not want us getting off on such a poor footpaw. In that regard, I apologize for my childishness earlier."

Josephine gave her a flat look, "Are you apologizing because you mean it, or because you think it's what I want to hear?"

"I don't mince my words, fox. If I say I'm sorry, I mean it!" She snapped back with a hiss.

"I see... I believe you then. I also apologize for coming off as manipulative towards my little... your... our fox," She growled the words, looking away and scratching one cheek.

"So are we cool?" Ivory asks the words point-blank.

The vixen looks into her eyes and nodded, "Yes, young lady. I believe we are."

"What's this 'young lady' business? You're not that much older than me are you?"

The fox smiled and flicked an ear up, seeing the cat take the bait. She wanted to know her age and had surmised this would be a good way to draw it out of her. "A good question, I'm thirty-four."

Ivory quickly did the math and huffed, "Wow... you got started young, we're only nine years apart. We could have been in the same school together, theoretically."

"If the institute encompassed both an elementary and high school, yes I suppose that's true." Josephine nodded, satisfied that she had her answer.

"How old is his father?" Ivory asked the question and saw a distant look on the vixen's face, she knew instantly she had treaded into a sensitive area.

"His father was five years older than me. We met when he was twenty and conceived Joseph about a year later." The fox looked rather forlorn as she spoke the words, crossing her arms over her chest and averting her eyes.

"Pretty sure that's illegal everywhere..." Ivory huffed the words flatly.

"Well, he did take responsibility and marry me. He was also good to me and Joseph. He wasn't a perfect dog but he did his best for us." Josephine shrugged as she spoke the words.

"Yeah? What happened?" Ivory knew she was pushing the issue but that was exactly the point. She wasn't going to let her have all the questions in this little talk of theirs.

The vixen cut her eyes to the cat's as if acknowledging her actions, "So Joseph hasn't mentioned anything? I suppose that makes sense." She flicked her eyes up slightly before speaking, "Maybe you should ask him instead of me."

"I could, but maybe I wanted to hear it from y-" Her ears snapped upwards as her lover's voice interrupted her from behind.

"Dad was a drunk and a scumbag, one night he had a little too much and got intimately familiar with an interstate wall while doing over one hundred miles an hour, guess he forgot what breaks were for," The fox huffed the words as he dropped a large stack of napkins into the center of the table and took a seat.

"Joseph, must you speak so ill of your late father? He provided for you, did he not?" The vixen huffed the words scoldingly at her son.

"He sure did, Mom. Provided me and you with more than enough bruises and emotional baggage to last a lifetime." He snarled the words rather sharply at his mother.

"That was only when he was drinking my little fox, and I did my best to take that burden myself." She spoke the words sadly now, her ears folded as she looked upon her son.

"Yeah and that makes it better?!" Joseph barked the words angrily, "If he hadn't beat me to it, I would have eventually put him down myself for hurting you!" He was now snarling.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." Ivory raised her paws up and both the dogs looked over at her, half glaring. "Look, I got all the info I needed on the guy and you both sound better off without him. Let's just move on, okay?"

"Fine." Both the dogs growled out in an eerily similar tone.

An awkward silence filled the table once more as the three of them sat there. Ivory finally broke the tension with a playful tone in her voice, "Any more questions for me, Mom?"

Joseph snorted back a laugh at the nickname and Josephine simply frowned in response, "You really are a playful and sassy little thing, aren't you Ivory? Please call me Josephine... or Joe for short." The vixen grinned as she spoke the last of the words.

Ivory grimaced at the idea of the nickname and rolled her eyes, "Fine... Josephine... any more questions?"

The fox tapped her fingertips together gently, "Hmm... how did you two meet?"

"We met at work, I've been working with Joseph for over a year and a half now." The cat spoke the words with no hesitation.

"Ah... at work... wait are you the girl that hurt him so much before? The one that made him cry?!" The fox's ears perked up, her voice taking on a protective edge like a mother about to defend her kit.

"W-wha? No! I don't think so anyway?!" Ivory spoke the words and looked back at Joseph curiously.

"No mom! That was uh..." The fox rubbed the back of his head looking away.

"Really... you cried over Karen?" Ivory prodded him curiously.

"W-well... I mean, I loved her, I know it sounds-" The fox huffed the words apologetically before Ivory cut him off.

"Stop. Joe, it's fine... you're allowed to love whom you want, loving me now doesn't change that." The cat purred and moved a handpaw to his, holding it gently with a smile. She felt him grip it and smile back at her weakly.