"So," began Alex Ramsey, as they walked out of the back door of his house to walk his boyfriend home.
"Interesting night," replied Nate Anderson, holding Alex's hand as they started up the hillside that separated his subdivision from Alex's.
"I must admit that I'm surprised. Not that there wasn't any reason for them not to do so, but my folks have certainly taken an interest in you, and us," Alex quickly added.
"I take it I'm the first guy?" wondered Nate.
"The first that I ever brought over to my place, let alone the first that I ever made sure my parents met," admitted Alex. "You're special stud," he said, grabbing Nate's hand while using his pet name for him.
"You are too handsome," replied Nate, while giving his boyfriend a quick peck on the cheek.
"So, where do we go from here?" asked Alex, stopping at the top of the hill to look at Nate.
"I-" began Nate, trying to phrase his reply just right. "Dad's death threw everything into The Twilight Zone for a while. I like to think everybody's lives are starting to get back on track now for the most part. Eric's found his calling, and a girlfriend in the process."
"I think they might be more serious than that Nate," observed Alex.
His boyfriend simply nodded and said, "Mom might still be an issue, and depending upon substitute teaching gigs, money will be tight at times until she passes her recertification this Spring to get that full time teaching gig this coming fall. Professionally, I still don't know what I want to do with my life beyond high school graduation, though I think I should have some kind of plan before entering college. But the ONE thing I know more than anything else in life is how I feel about you," he added, before Nate leaned over and gave Alex a very emotionally charged and passionate kiss.
The two lovers put their arms around each other and held their beaus closely, before they had to stop for an air break.
"I love you too Nate," replied Alex, before giving him another brief kiss.
Nate smiled and put his arm around his boyfriend. "Finish walking me home handsome?"
"With pleasure stud," answered Alex, kissing him on the cheek again before they resumed walking down the hill toward Nate's back door.
Everything was peaceful in Moon Lake that night, as the stars gave way to the first hint of a new dawn.
Those weres that wanted to be out and about at night were, while those who had obligations and responsibilities the next day slept.
"Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today..."
Martha Anderson wasn't sure what was going on. She knew she was in a chapel, attending a big event with just about everyone else she knew in Moon Lake. Samantha, Frances, and Ben Twist were sitting in the front row. There was a woman Martha didn't recognize next to Ben, but the two of them looked happy together.
Sitting next to the Twists were her own children. Nate with Alex and Eric with Cassie, but something wasn't quite right. Everyone looked a tad older than Martha thought they should be. Not majorly old, just by a few years. Eric and Cassie looked like they had just graduated high school instead of being Freshmen while Nate and Alex looked like they were in college now instead of being high school juniors.
Then suddenly everything grew quiet, and Martha couldn't figure out why.
"Err, do you need me to repeat the question?" the preacher asked.
"What question?" asked Martha in return.
"Whether or not you take Katherine Johnson as your beloved spouse and mate?" replied the preacher.
Martha looked and saw the junior high Girls' gym coach was standing next to her in a wedding gown, smiling at her.
That was when Martha suddenly realized that she was in a matching wedding gown, and attending her own wedding.
"I-" began Martha...
She suddenly sat upright in bed, not bothering to turn on a light because despite not currently being in her fursona, Martha's werecat vision allowed her to see in the dark just fine.
The digital display on the clock radio said it was only a little after 3, and she didn't have to get up for the day to resume her substitute gym teacher duties under "Kat" Johnson at the junior high until 6.
Martha turned and saw the empty space next to her in the bed where her husband William should be if he was still alive.
She leaned across the empty space, still smelling a slight trace of his fading scent as Martha cried herself back to sleep.