As Spencer, Maggie, Evan and Mike Lawson sat down to dinner with Eric Anderson; Spencer started regaling her grandfather with an account of the ongoing chess matches.
When she was finished, Mike looked at Eric in disbelief. "You beating my granddaughter three straight games I'm a bit disappointed in but can halfway understand, because you're both about the same age, although you obviously somehow have more experience at that game than she does," he conceded, "but you're telling me that while the best Spencer does against her father is 50/50, after tying two games straight, you and my son split the next two games?"
"Yes, sir," confirmed Eric, after swallowing his mouthful of food. With his brother away and his parents doing "their thing" (ie: sex), Eric was more than likely going to be spending the night with the Lawsons again.
Not that any of them minded it.
Especially not Spencer, although Evan and Maggie couldn't help wondering if the Andersons would like to make their duet a quartet again, or if they would at least have the chance to form a duet of their own without the kids or Mike around.
"Well, I'm more the action than thinking man type when it comes to games," admitted Mike, "but when you guys have your tie breaker, I'd like to see that. So, what's that pink thing on you honey? A consolation prize?" he asked his granddaughter.
"This?" Spencer asked, holding up her good paw to show the pink plastic ring on her pinkie. "Eric gave it to me."
"We figured that, but what is it?" asked her father.
"A toy Star Sapphire power ring from the Green Lantern series," she replied.
That explanation went over everyone else's head except Eric's. "What's it for?" wondered Maggie Lawson.
If Spencer didn't have to be in her fursona healing from her recent injuries right now, she would have been blushing several shades of red as she replied in a low voice, "a promise ring".
However, with everyone except Eric being weres, they heard her loud and clear. "A promise of what?" her mother wanted to know.
"That I love Spencer, and that there is not anyone else I'd rather be with," replied Eric, coming to his girlfriend's defense.
Maggie turned to look at Eric and said, "I see."
Eric felt like a dead bug under a microscope as Spencer's mom stared at him. "So your feelings for her are that strong?"
"Yes, they are," replied Eric, politely staring at her in return but not backing down; which made the other Lawsons present proud of him as Maggie continued to stare at Eric.
There was a silence in the room until Maggie spoke again.
"Treat her right and we'll have no problems whatsoever," was all she told him, smiling slightly at the end of her statement.
"Yes, ma'am," replied Eric, nodding in agreement.
"And you're staying on your birth control pill until at least after college graduation, if not longer," added Maggie, staring at her daughter.
Spencer's first thought was to yell AW MOOOOOMMMMM!!!!, but she just nodded in agreement.
"I think we still have a couple of stainless steel chains from old dog tags of your father's upstairs. After dinner, we'll string them together to form a necklace you can wear that on. Less risk of breakage or losing it, especially during transformations," Maggie pointed out.
"Thanks mom," Spencer replied with a smile.
"By the way son," began Mike, "any idea who owns that parked black sedan I passed on the way over here?" his father asked, before telling Evan about his previous encounters with it.
"No," replied Evan, growing greatly concerned over the matter, "but we'd better report it immediately," as he pulled out his cellphone to call the Moon Lake Police Department.