Meanwhile in the Talbot home, Leon lead Peter quietly into the garage. The garage was a bit larger than what many would have expected from just looking at the house, and had amenities that were typically only found in an actual mechanic's workshop. It had a lift and a lower level, to allow work to be done on the underside of a car without having to lay on one's back and being cramped for movement because of the car's positioning. This was largely due to the fact that the company that Leon ran with his brothers DID their work out of the Leon family garage. And there, seated in the work area was a 66 Mustang that the Talbot Restoration Company had been working on.
"The car's looking good, dad," Peter said to his father.
"It is, isn't it?" Leon smiled at the latest vehicle that he and his brother's had been working on. It took a lot of work for all of them, but as Karen Yuletide had guessed earlier, it was something that allowed him to blow off steam and even relax when werelion politics got a bit too stressful. "It won't be too long before we'll be done with it and be ready to test it out and make sure everything works."
Peter slowly nodded. The company didn't keep the cars that they restored, but he knew that Leon had worked into every contract that the company signed that they would be allowed to test drive the vehicle once the restoration was completed, just to make sure everything worked. If the car was damaged in the test, the company would start over and the buyer would owe nothing for the job. It had lead to Leon being careful, but Peter knew that his dad did still have fun with the projects.
"So who ordered this one, again?" Peter asked.
"Some guy from Boise, actually friends with a business tycoon we did a job for two years ago," Leon answered, "I think he's done work as a plumber and saved up enough money to get this thing redone after it sat on his dad'd driveway for years collecting dust and rain."
"Well... it is looking good," Peter said to him, "and you said you had new parts? How far are you guys from being done?"
"Well... we got the engine in and all the wiring is hooked up," Leon mused, "about all that's left on the outside would be to put on the chrome hubcaps, the lettering and trim, and the frame for some of the lights. Quite decorative and will give it a nice luster. The last things will be to get the seats in... but they needed major work that your Uncles and I couldn't do on our own. So... we have a while until they come back in."
"You still within your budget?" Peter asked.
"Pretty close... but yeah," Leon nodded and motioned to a series of boxes that were sitting on a long work bench, "Come on, I'll show you the parts..."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Meanwhile, Karen found herself helping Regina clean up with the dinner that they had eaten. The meal had been good and quite filling, but a part of Karen's mind dwelt on something that Regina had mentioned earlier regarding werelion marriages and getting used to it. Regina had even offered to provide some help for her, and as they had a few moments alone, Karen was hoping for whatever advice Regina would have for her, though she wasn't quite up to simply coming out and asking for it.
"Well... I'd say you definitely made a good impression, dear," Regina said calmly as they stacked the used dinner plates by the sink, "I could tell you impressed Leon with some of your answers."
"Thank you, ma'am," Karen answered politely, "I was really hoping to make a good impression."
Regina flashed an understanding and even sympathetic smile to Karen and was soon washing the dishes and cutlery they had used to eat. After a few moments, of nervous silence, Regina finally came to the issue that Karen was hoping to get answers to.
"Though you're still nervous on how open werelion society is," Regina said calmly after a few moments, "aren't you?"
"Yeah," Karen said slowly, "I can tell that Peter loves me... and I'm more than willing to be his lioness for that reason... maybe even eager to be his lioness for that..."
"But you're afraid that you're only a passing fad and that he'll move on and use the openness of werelion society as an excuse to be with other lionesses," Regina surmised.
"I suppose you could put it that way," Karen commented.
"I had the same fear when Leon and I first married," Regina commented, "he'd only been a werelion for about a year and I was afraid that he wouldn't see me as important. But, that's the farthest thing from the truth. Leon has always been tender with me and affectionate with me. While he has enjoyed some of the other lionesses in Moon Lake... he always returns to me and I've seen it in his eyes that he loves me far more than them. I'd wager that you see the same in Peter, if you're willing and even eager to be his lioness even with your concerns."
"I suppose," Karen commented while Regina scrubbed some of the dishes, "but what leads to it? Why would werelions condone it even when the male truly loves the one he marries?"
"A lot of that is going to relate to the base natures of were-beasts," Regina said while she scrubbed the worst of the food debris off the plate, "our libidos are higher than normal humans. It's not out of control, but it is there and we're far more willing to engage in even recreational sex on levels that even happily married normals wouldn't engage in with each other..."
Regina placed the plate in the sink to soak and moved onto the next plate, letting a little water drip onto the counter before she started on the next plate. Karen stood by quietly as Regina continued.
"And with werelions, that will also connect into what could be called "pride-bounding" and keeping us all together in a way," Regina continued, "regardless the mess that Elizabeth Brookshire's decided to pull with you... there is a sense that our prides must be able to function together, even if it ends up working in a way like a mundane lion's pride does... with the males working in coalition to protect it and its interests. But that doesn't change how important you will be to Peter and how important I am to Leon. When Leon and I decided to have our cub... it was just us, separated from the pride to assure that Peter would be Leon's and my child. Our marriages are open, but when things are important... it will always be the one that we love that we come back to. When you and Peter get around to having children... Peter won't impregnate someone else and leave you with someone else's kid... He will impregnate you and be with you EVERY step of the way."
Regina looked out a small window that was over the sink with a somewhat wistful look before she continued.
"There were some times when I was pregnant with Peter and when Peter was young that I had to chase Leon into the garage to do his own work, because he wanted to be there to help me," Regina smiled, "and Peter's uncles are the same way with their wives and their cubs. And Peter will be the same with you... Yes the marriages are open... but the love between you will be the controlling factor in all things."
"That's good," Karen commented.
"It is," Regina commented, "and it's that that helped me accept the idea. That no matter who else Leon spent his time with... that I would be the most important and no matter who I spend my time with... Leon would be the most important to me."
"You...?" Karen gasped in surprise.
"The marriages are open both ways," Regina answered, "it's not where Leon goes out and sleeps around with other females and I'm just sitting here waiting for him to come home. I would be just as free to engage in some recreational fun with another male if I want... and if I wished, I'd even be free to join Leon and any other lioness he's with for some girl on girl action... if I wished."
"But the love you have..." Karen wondered.
"Always keeps Leon first in my heart and the most important lion to me," Regina assured her, "the rest is just pride bonding to keep us united. Nothing more than that. Leon will always be the most important to me, and I to him. Peter would never think you undeserving of him or less than that. You will always be the most important thing to him."
"That would be good," Karen spoke as Regina finished her work with the dishes, "As I have seen that Peter loves me."
Regina came forward and actually hugged her.
"I'm pretty sure he does," Regina said to her, "and with the impression you made... Leon and I would more than welcome you as a daughter-in-law."
"Thanks," Karen answered, "that'd be nice... and... when it comes, I'll try to be the best lion I can be."
Regina only smiled again.