"It's coming down to the wire folks," quipped Spencer Lawson, standing over her two favorite guys. "Visiting challenger Eric Anderson and home favorite Evan Lawson are tied at one game apiece. Now, in the deciding game of our competition, both are down to just their Kings and a pawn, although Eric still has a Knight while Evan still has his white square Bishop."
Eric couldn't understand why she was continuing with the announcer charade, but appreciated his girlfriend's enthusiasm. Her grandfather Mike had fallen asleep in his chair while watching the game out of boredom, and Evan's wife Maggie had gone upstairs after whispering something in Evan's ear that Spencer knew got her father aroused just from the increased scent of pheromones in the room.
But just as Evan reached a hand out to move whatever piece he was about to, the Lawsons' front doorbell rang.
Everyone just looked at each other. Even with everyone but Eric being a were, no one was expecting company at that hour.
With a nod to Spencer, who assumed a defensive position between Mike and Eric despite still having her right arm in a sling, Evan reached into the main drawer of his desk and pulled out a handgun.
He stood up, paused just long enough to stick the weapon in the back of his pants' waistband, and left the den.
"That's been in the desk the whole time?" Eric asked Spencer when they were alone.
"Yes. Dad's got weapons and other security measures hidden throughout the house," she said proudly, while trying to use her acute were hearing to listen to what was happening at the front door.
A moment later, Evan came back into the den and announced, "Eric. It's for you," as everyone saw his older brother Nate enter.
"Is everything all right? Mom and Dad okay?" Eric asked anxiously while rising to his feet, because he couldn't think of any other reason for Nate to actually be calling.
"As far as I know. What I actually wanted to do was talk to you for a moment," revealed his brother.
"Really?" said Eric in disbelief. Then he turned to the Lawsons and asked if they could borrow the kitchen for a bit.
Evan agreed, and the two Andersons left the room.
Alone, father and daughter talked, but other than being polite and asking to talk to Eric after confirming he was still there, Nate never said anything to Evan.
Then both heard the front door open and close while Eric came back into the den, but he was now holding his travel bag in one hand.
"I'm truly sorry, but I have to go," he said apologetically, while kissing Spencer on her muzzle.
"Why? What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nate had some kind of a fight with Kenya. I think they broke up tonight," revealed Eric. "So now suddenly he wants to hang out with me and trade notes because of my experience dumping Julie Stovall." When did I become the wise sage? he wondered.
"I see," was all Spencer said, while both silently pondered how this new development might affect them considering the possibility of asking Kenya to be the one to help them induct Eric into were society.
"I hope things go well with your x-rays in the morning. Want to come lock your door behind me?" suggested Eric.
"Sure," agreed Spencer, following Eric out of the den just as her grandfather woke up.
"What's going on?" Mike Lawson groggily asked his son.
"The Martians have just landed in Grover's Mill, New Jersey," said Evan jokingly.*
"What? Again?" replied the elder were, trying to wipe the sleep out of his eyes, but alert enough to get the reference.
_______________________________________________________
*The setting for the classic October 30, 1938 radio adaptation of H. G. Welles' The War of the Worlds.