With Tag doing the explaining, things took much less time than one would expect, mostly because he tended to leave out things that were too complicated for him. But, the basics of the situation, that Eric had begun turning into a reindeer and had agreed to become a member of the tribe in order to stay with them, made enough sense to Michael that the specifics didn’t really matter. He was honestly just glad that Eric was safe and being treated, especially if the treatment was under the watch of doctor Otso.
Off to the side of the room, Theresa was still fretting and glancing around nervously, taking in the odd collection of magical creatures milling around the workshop. Other than Tag, Bix, and Clyde, at least a dozen reindeer other had been peeking into the room regularly to check in on Eric’s condition, the elves were hard at work picking up toys and wiping reindeer blood from the floor, Tom and Lars were curled up in the corner in full-on werefox form, and of course the werewolf doctor was still regularly checking on the still-sleeping Eric.
Needless to say, it was a lot to take in. Theresa was beginning to understand why Tom and Eric might have been trying to shield her from everything, but now that their little secret was out in the open she knew she’d have to come to terms with it. Most of all, she knew she’d need to thank to a lot of people. To thank the doctor and Bix for doing so much to save her son’s life, and to thank Clyde and Santa for getting him back to the workshop safely. And of course, she’d need to make her apologies, especially to Lars and Tom for her reaction when she had first seen the extent of Tom’s changes.
Not exactly how she had wanted to spend her vacation, but it would have to be done. And she knew where she’d have to start.
“Mr. Bix? A word?” she timidly asked the big reindeer, who was quietly speaking with Tag nearby.
“I told you. Just Bix,” he grunted, but he nonetheless looked at her with interest. “I’m very happy our son is recovering so well, but I’m sure this is all very difficult on you, rouva.”
“…’Our son’. Seems so strange to think of it that way, but after all you did for him…” she started to say, but Bix cut her off with a wave of his hoof.
“I did it for him because he is my son. And you offered your own blood first because he is your son. Neither of us are heroes, only parents.”
Theresa blushed, feeling completely overwhelmed by Bix’s forwardness. He’d completely upstaged her with his kind words, leaving her unable to come up with any follow-up that sounded remotely sincere.
“You came here because you are worried about him, yes? And after what happened tonight, I’m sure you are more worried,” Bix continued. “ I confess, I am worried about him being on the sleigh team, after an incident like this…”
“Honestly, it’s not his injury that worries me… He could get in a car crash or something like that no matter where he lived,” Theresa sighed. “It’s just… I don’t even know. Why a reindeer? Why here? Why did he make his decision so quickly? I’ve just got so many questions…”
“What is wrong with reindeer?” Tag asked curiously. “I thought you Americans thought reindeer were cute, ei?”
“Hush, son. This is no time for typeryys,” Bix growled, making Tag back up a few steps. He turned back to Theresa and continued. “But, I think I understand what is behind your worry. You think… He is going to leave you behind? Not just you, but human beings. Live up here all his life, never seeing anyone but deer and foxes and snow. I understand that worry. My son Tag, he likes humans a bit too much, and I worry he’ll run off one day and spend his youth courting human females.”
“Hey, isä, I wouldn’t-“
Another of Bix’s glares was enough to silence Tag again.
“But, even if Eric is now a reindeer and my son, and even if I hated humans, I could never demand that Eric never see his mother again,” Bix finished, his eyes misting over a bit. “Tag, he’ll never see his mother again. I couldn’t ask the same from Eric. You have my word that he will go down to America to see you as much as he can, and our homes are open to you whenever you like. If he ever refuses to visit you, I will personally drag him to your home by his ear. Does that help calm your worries, rouva?”
Theresa felt her heart fluttering a bit, thoroughly impressed with Bix’s unexpected eloquence. God, where was this man when I was looking to get married the first time, she thought to herself, glancing over and seeing Michael and Doctor Otso chatting on the other end of the room. She looked back to Bix and Tag and she carefully chose her next words.
“It… It helps. It doesn’t change everything, but I think I can get used to this new arrangement, in time,” she managed to say, and a small smile formed at the edge of Bix’s muzzle. “I’m sure that after a few more visits up here, it’ll feel just like a home away from home. And I-“
“Aha, I love to hear this!” Tag exclaimed, running up and pulling Theresa in a loving hug. “If my isä is also Eric’s, then his äiti is also mine, ei? What am I to call you, rouva? Mama, mom, mommy?”
“Älä keskeytä ihmisiä, typerys!” Bix snapped sharply as he grabbed Tag by the antlers and pulled him away from Theresa. ”Do not listen to him. You do not need to have anything to do with Tag, Miss Theresa. He is typerys, but he is my problem, not yours.”
”Not at all. He reminds me a bit of Tom, when he was younger. Much younger,” Theresa replied fondly. ”And, please. You can call me ’Tess’, it you like. Come visit me in California with Eric, both of you.”
”Wonderful! Now I really have to learn to turn human, or I won’t be able to go to the beach and see all those human vaadin!” Tag cheered, bouncing around on his hooves with joy at Theresa’s offer. ”Look, I will show you!”
He thrust his hoofed hand in front of Theresa’s face and closed his eyes. The hoof slowly began to shift and change, until he had a human hand at the end of his arm, which lasted for a good ten seconds before snapping back to a reindeer hoof.
”You see? Isä says I am too dumb to learn to turn human, but I bet I’ll have it down by summertime!”
”T-that’s very impressive, Tag. I’m sure you’ll do just fine,” Theresa replied, still a bit overwhelmed by the younger reindeer’s unending energy. ”But... Just a little suggestion? Humans have five fingers, not six. Keep on practicing a bit, okay?”