Frances and Samantha politely waved to Martha as she headed to the Anderson home and quietly made their way to their own home. For a moment the two of them were quiet before Samantha spoke up.
"I really didn't think Jen would come out as that... well..." Samantha began.
"She is a were, just like us," Frances answered, "and Jeff Decker's murder probably put her under a great deal more strain than she's probably willing to admit. He was a good man and she loved him very much."
Samantha nodded at the memory of the male werewolf who they had been friends with before he left Moon Lake for his career with the Marines.
"I know she's a were and has all the same sorts of desires that we do," Samantha commented, "but she'd said that she wasn't looking for that sort of a hook up at the present time."
Samantha opened the door and let her wife walk in.
"Well... it wasn't a hook up tonight," Frances answered, "mostly burning through the excess stresses that finding herself alone, with a fully grown son to get through college, and coming in to see the pride she's joined all in loving relationships that haven't been cut short. The part of her psyche that committed so firmly to Jeff is going to be depressed that she's lost that and the part of her that is a werecat will want that. It may be a bit of a surprise that all that happened tonight... but it was probably bound to happen."
Samantha nodded and then asked with a sigh, "Can you help her? Get her back on track so she feels comfortable?"
"I'm sure I can," Frances gave a small smile, "what Jen is going through is certainly tough, but easier for her than most other problems one could think of for a person's psyche. I'd think letting her talk it out and get real closure regarding Jeff's death will be the important thing. And I was serious that I wouldn't mind meeting Tad and talking with him regarding how he has taken his father's death... but since neither of us have met him face to face... I can only ask. Whether or not Jen brings him is up to both her and Tad."
Samantha gave a relieved sigh at that. Jen was a good friend, and regardless of how fun the small orgy that they'd had before coming home was, she didn't want Jen to be mired in mourning and withdrawing from things until the stresses from that exploded into something else, as they had earlier in the evening/night.
They made their way through their home and ultimately toward their bedroom when they came across their biggest real surprise for the night. It was Ben coming out of the bathroom from a shower. The two Twist women blinked to their adopted son and Ben actually blinked back with equal surprise.
"Ben..." Samantha said slowly.
"Hi, mom," Ben answered, "Do you need the bathroom for anything?"
"No, dear," Frances told him and held her wife's arm, "We just got back from the pride picnic and figured you'd be with the pack."
"I was there for the official welcome that Tad got... but since I am not seriously involved with anyone already in the pack staying for the orgy really wasn't something that really sat well with me," Ben answered, "and Kenya actually dropped by. She followed all the rules that would go for Moon Lake and regarding how the Pack has allowed for visitors and so on, and well... once I was no longer needed there for sure, I showed Kenya around town and then took her home. I met her Aunt and Uncle and they made a call for me to come for dinner at some point... and ultimately... the time with her felt better than simply being there for the orgy."
"It would sound as though you've really found a real relationship with her," Frances gave her son a proud smile.
"Yeah... I suppose I have," Ben answered with a smile, "She'll be worth it, I think."
Samantha nodded Frances continued to smile to her son as he turned toward his room.
"Will you guys need need anything?" Ben asked.
"We're girls, Ben," Samantha managed a quip, "but no, we don't need anything other than to get to bed so we can go to work tomorrow."
Ben nodded, "Okay then... have a good night."
The adult Twists nodded and let Ben make his way into his bedroom. As the door to his room shut, they made their way into their own bedroom. The clothing they'd worn for the day was soon being discarded in a plastic hamper as they readied themselves for bed. Samantha had her private concerns considering Kenya's age, but she did give her consent for the werepanther to date Ben and had found her to be a good person. So far, it seemed as though Kenya was giving her and Frances more reason to trust her.
"So it would seem that there is a lot of love going around Moon Lake," Frances commented while she was in the master bathroom to brush her teeth, "Ben and Kenya... she was important enough to Ben that some of the pack's activities weren't that important..."
"Yes," Samantha agreed, "quite good for him, and so far she is making our decision to give consent sit much better with me."
"Such a powerful emotion, love is," Frances commented as she finished brushing her teeth and as Samantha came in to do the same.
Samantha nodded and as she collected her toothbrush, she remembered some of the concerns Martha had mentioned earlier in the evening. Love was certainly in the air, but for Eric it was moving fast enough that Martha was worried it was too fast. Samantha could understand her friend's fears, as she had often had many of the same concerns regarding Ben, but in many ways Martha seemed far more nervous concerning Eric and Julie's courtship.
"It is... though it's sometimes scary," Samantha commented, "as apparently things between Eric and Julie are for Martha."
Frances nodded, "It's a surprise on how fast it has progressed..."
"And from Martha's start as a normal," Samantha sighed, "she's not as used to some of the ins and outs of were courtship and particularly weremer courtship. Now... I'm not sure on some of the details, but I'd think the only thing that really makes Eric and Julie's courtship stand out is their age."
"Which is Martha's concern," Frances reminded her, "it's not that they love each other or that they'd have the chance for it... it's that they're both so young..."
"Which to Martha's past as a normal sees as a major concern," Samantha nodded, "and while it can be a concern for weres... our familiarity with our libidos tends to leave us a bit more accepting on the possibility of things coming early."
Frances nodded, "I wish there is a way we could help assure her that things will be okay... that if they are truly in love... that they won't have sex simply because they're horny... that it'll be that their hearts and minds have so thoroughly fallen in love..."
"Melissa probably told her that already," Samantha sighed, "the issue is that it's giving her a great sense of conflict... being scared for her son and his girlfriend, yet proud that he's come so far and that he's found someone that he loves and loves him in return. I'm not sure there is much that we can really do to ease Martha's fears there. We'll just have to let it happen and comfort her as much as we can."
Frances could only sigh, "I know... it just seems so rough for her though... I mean, things start with her repressing WHO she is and compounded by William's mistakes..."
"Thankfully for her, those issues seem to be healing nicely," Samantha commented.
"But as soon as they heal and she begins to truly enjoy being a were..." Frances continued, "BOOM... Eric and Julie's courtship grows extremely serious and extremely fast to where they may both loose control... I just want to hug her and purr until she feels okay."
"I do to," Samantha nodded, "but tonight wasn't an us night... and if William Anderson is truly becoming a better husband... he'll do exactly what we want to do..."
"Foxes can't purr," Frances commented, somewhat humorously.
"You know what I mean," Samantha answered with a chuckle, "that he'd give her comfort."