While Eric raced over to Spencer’s house, Martin and Melissa went out to find Julie. Eric had said something about a wereotter, and unfortunately they didn’t know who it was. Julie only met Brian Walker through a friend. They didn’t have classes together, he was a junior.
“I’m going to kill her,” Melissa muttered. They were driving up and down the streets, trying to figure out where Julie would have gone.
“Calm down dear, I’m sure she’s…”
“DON’T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!” Melissa snapped. Martin drew back, and let his wife fume. She started screaming at him. Venting out all the anger, frustration, and hurt she had been keeping inside for so many months. Julie’s sneaking out, something she never did (in reality she did it all the time), was the last straw.
Martin knew he was to blame, for at least some of his wife’s feelings. When she was finished, Martin had only one thing to ask.
“Are you going to leave?” he asked softly. Melissa took a deep breath and said “no” very softly. Martin felt relief fill his body. He reached one hand across the car to squeeze his wife’s hand. She smiled, and brought it to her face. A tear slid down and connected with Martin’s hand.
“I’m sorry.” she said.
“For what? That was several months, maybe years, in the making. I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. I am glad though that it wasn’t in front of Julie. She’s got enough on her plate.” Martin sighed.
“What are we going to do?” Melissa asked. Martin got the feeling she wasn’t just talking about Julie.
“We can worry about that tomorrow. Right now we find Julie. And I think I might know where she is.”
Melissa looks up and out her window. Martin’s driven them back to their house. He stops the car, and points to the trees behind their house. Then it clicks in Melissa’s head. The two exit the car and make their way to the trail that leads to the lake. They both notice the fresh tracks in the ground, made by small feet. Julie’s no doubt.
“Do you have any idea who this otter is?” Martin asks as they walk.
“No. I didn’t even know there were any wereotters in Moon Lake.”
“A small group, less than ten. I know there are a few around Julie’s age, but I was under the impression they were all females.”
“I guess not. I can’t believe she’s still seeing this boy. Even after she and Eric broke up.”
“From what I heard on the phone earlier, they didn’t officially break up until tonight.” Martin said.
“True. God, what a nightmare today has been.” Melissa said.
“Well, it’s going to get a lot worse.” Martin said, pointing to a backpack they knew belonged to their daughter. Melissa opened it a bit, and saw some of Julie’s clothing, and the bottle of birth control pills that belonged to her.
“At least she’s being safe. Thank god for small things like that. I’m not ready to be a grandmother.” she thought. In the distance they heard something in the water. It sounded like a large object hitting the water.
“Should we go get her? Should I go get her?” Martin asked, his own anger building wit each passing second.
“I think she’ll come to us.” Melissa said. Martin was about to ask how she could come to that conclusion when his wife shouted, at the top of her lungs.
“JULIE MARIE STOVALL GET OUT OF THAT LAKE RIGHT NOW!!!” she called.
In the middle of the lake, Julie and Brian stopped their love making and froze. In the moonlight, Brian could almost see the color drain from Julie’s face. It was one thing when Eric caught them. Julie’s parents, Julie’s mother, catching them was a million times worse.
“I’d better go.” she said, her voice so soft Brian could barely hear her. Brian awkwardly pulled out of Julie for the second night in-a-row. Thankfully this time his arousal all but flew from his body. His penis slides out with ease, soft and lifeless.
Julie mutters goodbye, and swims toward the shore. There, her mother is waiting with her backpack hanging from her arm. Melissa gives her daughter the most disapproving look Julie’s ever seen her have. She takes the tag, and starts to dress. Once finished, her mother marches her back into the woods. There, Julie’s father is waiting and watching.
They walk back in silence. When they reach the house, Julie tries to sneak upstairs, but her mother catches her.
“And where do you think you’re going young lady?” she asked.
“Um…” was all Julie could stay.
“You have a lot of explaining to do. And by the way, Eric called while you were out.” Melissa says.
“He did?” Julia said, suddenly worried Eric might have told her mother about their first fight. All she’d said was that Eric found out she had seen someone behind his back. They didn’t know how long she had been seeing Brian, or how frequently.
“Yes, and he said he would like me to inform you that things between you are over.” Melissa said coldly. Julie’s eyes filled with tears, and she choked back a sob. Her father had remained silent until now. But the sight of Julie’s tears urges him to say something.
“Julie we can have it out tomorrow. Go upstairs, get yourself cleaned up, and go to bed. And stay there.” Martin added.
Julie sped upstairs, leaving Melissa and Martin to drift into their living room.
“Are you alright?” he asks.
“Not really, but I’ll be alright after a good night’s sleep.” she says. Melissa curls up next to her husband on the couch, and the two enjoy their moment of silence. Upstairs, Julie is lying in her bed, tears silently dropping onto her pillow.
“I screwed up.” she thought. Over and over.
Meanwhile… poor Brian was left to ride his bike home, and sneak through the house soaking wet. He hadn’t packed a towel, and his clothing soaked up most of the water. He slipped upstairs after leaving his bike in the garage, and collapses on his bed.
“What did I get myself into?” he thought. He agreed to see Julie again, even though he’d had other offers that were much “safer”. But he still went back to Julie, the second she called. He wasn’t falling for her, was he? She was nice, pretty, and definitely one of the better partners he’d ever had.
“But her parents are probably furious. God what if they tell Mom. She’ll kill me.” Brian thought. He groaned, and tried to focus on something else, sleep, school, anything besides Julie. It was harder than he’d expected.