Melissa Stovall was overseeing the computer updates at Moon Lake High School. Things were going well, so far, but she knew better than to start planning her off work hours before a big assignment like this was completed.
Yet the concerned mother couldn't help wondering how things were going back at her house between Julie and her boyfriend Eric Anderson. Were they just hanging out having a good time together, or were they en route to declaring their love for each other, consummating their relationship on a more intimate and physical level, which would result in both teenagers losing their virginity to each other while Eric became a new were-merman and a future member of their pod when he eventually married Julie?
"Hey boss!" called out one of her employees.
"What is it Jack?" Melissa asked, getting her mind back on professional business.
"Turns out the data lines in the old wing can't handle the new specs. We're gonna have to replace them," said the head electrician of Stovall Systems.
"Wonderful. What are we looking at?" she asked.
"Provided our supplier in Seattle has it in stock, an hour each way to fetch and bring the new cable back, pushing completion back to at least 1 or 2 pm, provided nothing else goes wrong."
"Okay. Make the call to see if we can get it. If so, have them call me directly and I'll arrange payment while you send someone out for it. In the meantime, let's start reorganizing the agenda to work around the situation the best we can."
"You got it boss," said Jack, while reaching inside his back jeans pocket for his cellphone.
Never count your tadpoles before they've hatched, mused Melissa. I just hope everything is going much better for you Julie.*
MEANWHILE...
Kenya Adaeze was showing her boyfriend Ben Twist around the Moon Lake College campus. The two lovers walked hand in hand, enjoying each other's company like they've done so their entire lives, despite how recently they first met and started their relationship.
But as they neared the Administration building, Ben stopped in mid-step.
"Is there something wrong, dear Benjamin?" asked his girlfriend.
"Possibly," admitted Ben. "Except for having you in it, I have absolutely no idea what I want to do with my life after high school graduation."
ELSEWHERE...
"Young lady. You're ending this nonsense and coming back to Alabama with us immediately!" said the gruff voice.
"Yes father," replied Jennifer Harper, almost on the verge of tears.
Doctor Frances Twist took a drink of water to clear her throat after imitating Jenny's father, as the hand puppet she used to represent antagonists in therapy sessions now sat lifeless in her lap. Meanwhile, Jenny's fiance Harry Jenkins was consoling his future bride. "You lasted five seconds that time. You're getting better."
"I know you both mean well, but no one, and I absolutely mean NO ONE within the Harper family has ever been able to stand up to my father."
"And why is that Jenny?" asked Frances, looking at her patient with great concern.
"Because... because my father has this way of... intimidating people to do whatever it is he either wants or thinks is best, regardless of whatever you want or whatever is actually right," admitted Jenny, as she reached for another tissue from the box Doctor Twist provided her.
"And why is that Jenny?" asked Frances, applying the question to a new aspect of the problem before them.
"Why what?" asked Jenny in return.
"Why does it always have to be how your father wants it? Surely there have been times when your mother, yourself, or one of your siblings had a better suggestion than his, but your father still went with his own anyway," pointed out Frances.
"Yes..." agreed Jenny, remembering several instances right off the top of her head.
"So why does he do that?" asked Frances, rephrasing the question.
"I..." said Jenny, closing her eyes and concentrating.
"Take your time. I think you know the answer. Even if you're too afraid to stand up to him at the moment, down deep inside you at least suspect, if not know the truth," advised Frances.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, Jenny could swear she heard her werevixen fursona say, "Come on sister! Tell her!"
"You've seen it every time Grandpa Harper came over. Tell her!" advised the voice Jenny recognized as her more mousy, pre-transformation personality.
"It's just the three of us here," said Harry, holding his fiance's hand, not knowing Jenny's thoughts.
"If you know the answer, please tell me so I can help," pleaded Frances, as she saw a tear start to leak out of Jenny's eye.
"B-because..." began Jenny, thinking back over her childhood, such as it was.
"TELL HER!" the alternate sides of her personality urged Jenny.
"Because my father was raised by a patriarchal bully and that's the only way he knows how to be a parent!" blurted out Jenny, before realizing what she said.
"Really?" asked Harry, as what Jenny had just said began to sank in.
"My grandfather raised my dad the same way he raised us kids. It's the only way he knows how, despite how wrong it is, and will never admit that he's wrong even if God himself walked right up to my father and told him to his face!" said Jenny, unable to stop herself until the thought was completed.
"WOW!" added Jenny, collapsing back in the office chair she occupied. "I feel a whole lot better," she added with a smile.
"Good," said Frances, smiling in return. Although the explanation is what I feared, and will make dealing with Mister Harper more difficult than if he was just a stubborn jackass. "Now that is what we have to overcome for you and Harry to have your happily forever after," she added, while discreetly taking a glance at her wristwatch and seeing that they still had well over a half hour left in today's session.
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*Between the previous episodes "Marco...", "Clearing the water", "...POLO!", "At Last!" and "YES!", it certainly has.—tmw.