It finally seemed like everything in Moon Lake was getting back to the way things were before the Andersons or Lawsons moved to town. Aside from Sean Walker’s little intrusion, everyone felt at ease.
Martha and William were getting dinner ready when Nate came home. They both looked at him as he walked through the front door, and announced he was going to the bathroom to get cleaned up. The scent that blew over from him was female, and canine.
They had briefly, very briefly, discussed Nate’s odd behavior at breakfast that morning. They weren’t sure what happened, but something occurred between their son and his girlfriend.
Nate came back downstairs after he washed up, and checked his phone messages. He’d shut his phone off after leaving Kenya’s house. He half expected to see something. There was something, but it was from his mom about when dinner would be.
“Is Eric coming back for dinner?” Nate asked, helping his father set the table.
“No, he’ll be back around eight. Said something about helping Evan deal with something.” William said. He was entirely sure what Eric had said. He’d been talking a mile a minute. Whatever was going on over there had Eric very excited, or wound up. It was hard to tell which it was.
No one was complaining out loud, but inside, everyone was groaning at the sight of more leftovers. They’d hardly gone through half of what the refrigerator had in stock. Nate had to admit though, his mom was getting pretty creative with how she reused it. He would have never thought to put it on pizza, which was tonight’s meal.
“Have any plans for the week Nate?” Martha casually asked. She was fishing for information, wondering if Nate had anything set up with Kenya. Or if he was sneaking away to see another female were. She never took him for the cheating type, then again no parent does.
“Not really. I’m going out Thursday night, but otherwise I’m just going to be hanging around here.”
“What’s happening Thursday?” Martha pressed.
“Not sure yet.” Nate shrugged. His parents looked at him, and it wasn’t because he had a long string of cheese hanging from his mouth. Nate, unable to speak with his mouth full, raised an eyebrow at them.
“You’re going out Thursday night, but you don’t know what you’re doing?” William asked. Nate sucked the string into his mouth and then answered.
“Well, sort of. I’m going out with this nice girl I met…”
“What girl?” Martha interrupted.
“I met at while she was walking her dog. Name’s Liv… something with an ‘M’, can’t remember. Anyway, she asked me out for Thursday. Didn’t say what for, but I don’t really mind.” Nate maintained his nonchalant tone throughout. Meanwhile his parents both had their jaws dropped to the floor (at least in their heads).
“What’s she like?” Martha was just dying to know more.
“She’s… outdoorsy. Wants to be a graphic designer, goes to school in Seattle, is a year older than me, and her dog’s name is Brady.”
“You really go for the older women, don’t you?” William chuckled. Nate never really thought about it before, but he did. Not that he intended to have a preference for either or. That was just the way things had worked out.
“She’s only one year older Dad.”
“And… does this mean you and Kenya are…?” Martha didn’t beat around the bush. Nate, trying to remain impartial to the whole crappy situation, shrugged in response. When his mom probed him for more information, Nate explained things.
He left out a few things, like Kenya being an “escort”, and the engagement ring. But he told them she lied to him about seeing someone else, and had made a more serious commitment to the other guy than him.
“I’m just mad at myself. First real relationship I’ve had, and I blow it sky high.”
“You did not. Sometimes these things work, sometimes they don’t. No one’s first girlfriend/boyfriend is perfect.” Martha said. She mind drifted to Eric and Julie (who incidentally was plotting to get him back). They’d had a good start, but when the chips laid out, it became obvious they weren’t right for each other.
“I guess.” Nate said.
No one broached the subject after that. Eating in relatively silence for ten minutes, Eric’s return surprised them all.
---------------------------------------------------
A little earlier…
Eric and Spencer, after Walker was carted away, went upstairs to the latter’s room for some “alone time”. They sat on the floor together, playing chess and talking. Neither felt entirely comfortable doing anything with the police and Spencer’s folks downstairs.
“So, ready for school tomorrow?” Eric asked, moving his knight forward.
“Eh. I guess.” Spencer remained indifferent when it came to school. Which was a stark contrast to Eric, who genuinely enjoyed going. Their views on school were really the only thing they didn’t agree on. That, and who would win in a fight, Professor X or Brainiac.
Setting one of her pawns up to be “sacrificed”, Spencer went no to say that she hadn’t missed much. The week before a holiday is always boring.
“True enough.But do you ever wonder what you’re going to do after high school?” Eric asked. Spencer took a second to look down at the ring hanging from her neck. After high school, it seemed like a lifetime away. In a way it was.
“I dunno. College probably. Why, do you have any plans I should know about?”
“Well no. I’m definitely going to college. Whether it be here in Moon Lake or somewhere else I don’t know yet. I mean, I love this place, but I don’t know if I want to spend the rest of my life here.” Eric admitted.
The prospect of spending his entire life (which could be well over two hundred years after he became a were) in one small town seemed like a waste. There were plenty of places he wanted to go, and things he wanted to do outside Moon Lake.
Spencer understood what Eric was getting at. As much as she liked the town, she didn’t want to live the rest of her life in one tiny corner of the world. What a waste.
“Don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of time to sort that stuff out. Besides, there’s no law that says you have to go to college right after high school.” Spencer reminded Eric. He smiled and leaned over the board to kiss her.