To say that Arthur Curtis had an interesting visit with Julie Stovall in her hospital room would be an understatement.
The two were-mers continued to kiss for some time, then Julie truly surprised him by declaring her love for Arthur, and asked if he was her soul mate.
"I–" was all Arthur could say, staring at her.
"Your eyes..." began Julie, staring at him in return.
"What about them?" asked Arthur, wondering what was going on.
"When I asked you that question, they briefly changed color. From seaweed green to misty gray."
"They did?" was all Arthur could say, shocked and surprised.
"Oh, I knew it!" said Julie, reaching up from her hospital bed to hug him again the best she could.
Arthur had to really stop and think about this for a moment. He had feelings for Julie. How strong they were, let alone where they came from to begin with, were questions he was unable to answer.
He knew all about the were-mer tradition of "love at first sight" and "bonded soul mates", but had never met or thought that way about anyone.
Until now.
Arthur Curtis stared at Julie Stovall for a moment, and then said the only thing that came into his mind, "I love you too," he declared, as Julie's eyes briefly changed color from their traditional deep sea blue to a misty green.
Watching everything from the open doorway to Julie's hospital room, Doctor Mera Curry just stood there in awe. It's amazing. Like somehow, Julie's mind reset itself and is now establishing a new love connection with someone else. I'll have to inform Doctors Tachibana and Twist about this, but first I need to talk to that young man.
Mera quietly stepped back into the hallway and waited for Arthur Curtis to leave, which he did a couple of minutes later so as his brother could drive them back to Moon Lake.
"Young man, I'd like to talk to you," said Mera, as Arthur started walking to where his brother said they would meet up when his visit with Julie was done.
"Yes?" asked Arthur, turning to see the red haired lady in the white lab coat approach him.
"Doctor Mera Curry. Arthur Curtis, right? I'd like a moment of your time to talk about Julie Stovall."
"Certainly," agreed Arthur, as they found a nice quiet corner of the hallway to chat in.
"Now then, you're not in any trouble. In fact, if you and Julie are striking up any kind of a relationship, I'm all for it."
"It's kind of taken me by surprise, but thanks," replied Arthur, not knowing what else to say.
"There are a couple of things you should be aware of going into this though," began Doctor Curry. "First off, she can't have any sex or transformations for at least a month. Not that Julie won't be incapable of ever doing so again, just that we want her to have time to completely heal."
"Understood," said Arthur, although his thoughts about the lady had been more romantic than sexual.
"Secondly, Julie is not to go underwater, or even get her head wet until the incisions we had to make into her scalp and skull are completely healed as well."
"Okay," said Arthur.
"And third, don't ever mention the name Eric Anderson around her until you're told it's safe to do so. However, if Julie ever brings him up, as soon as you can without Julie's knowledge, notify Doctor Frances Twist and let her know when, how, and in what context Julie mentioned Eric. Understood?" asked Doctor Curry.
"Yes," agreed Arthur, especially considering that he had no intention of ever mentioning his former rival for Julie to her as it was.
"Then, treat her right, have a great life, and I wish the two of you well," said Doctor Curry, before leaving Arthur to find a phone to contact Tachibana and Twist.
MEANWHILE...
Doctor Frances Twist, along with her wife Samantha, were still standing in front of their next door neighbor's house talking to their friend and sister werecat Martha Anderson while waiting for her sons to come home so their mother could tell them the news that she was pregnant with their deceased father's last child.
"How do you think Nate and Eric will react to the news?" wondered Martha.
"Hard to say," admitted Frances. "At first? With everything that's happened the last couple of months, I'm honestly not sure. In time, they'll grow to love the impending new arrival as much as they love you and each other as part of a family."
"But it's not like you can't tell them. Just break it to them gently, and we'll be right next door if you need anything," added Samantha.
"While it's still all so sudden to me too, I'm just so happy about Wilma," said Martha, referring to her unborn daughter while hugging the Twists again. "But what do I do about Kat?" she asked.
"Kat?" inquired Samantha in return, because so far Martha had only talked to Frances about the junior high school's head girls PE coach.
Frances quickly filled her wife in on how Coach Katherine "Kat" Johnson had expressed a romantic interest in Martha, but the widow Anderson had told her during their one "date" that anything between them would have to wait until she was no longer substituting for Kat's assistant coach, who was away checking on her mother.
"And of course, that was before Martha found out about Wilma," said Frances, concluding her explanation.
"I see," replied Samantha, pausing to think. "I only know her by her reputation, but it's honest and above board. She's never been in any trouble with the school district or the town. Didn't know she was a lesbian though."
"Surprised me too," admitted Martha, "especially when she asked me out. I am interested in the weretigress, but now..." she said, while rubbing her stomach lovingly.
Frances looked at Samantha, knowing that they had both considered Martha "theirs" in a sense, since they were the ones who welcomed Martha into were society and until now, had been the only ones enjoying her feminine charms both with and without fur.
A future with Martha and anyone Martha might become interested in, especially now that she was technically single again, was something the Twists would have to have a serious but PRIVATE discussion about soon.
"Well honey, this may sound cliche, but the best advice I can give you at the moment is to take it one day at a time," replied Frances. "You should definitely let Kat know about Wilma, but beyond that, just take it nice and slow for now. There's no reason to rush anything."
"Yeah," added Samantha. "Even if you weren't expecting, there's no reason to let anyone think you're easy or on the rebound." Even us.
"But should I tell the boys about Kat?" asked Martha.
However, before either of her friends could reply, the ladies heard the honk of a car horn as Ben Twist pulled into the family driveway next door, with Eric and Nate Anderson in the back seat of his car.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Technically, a group of tigers is either a streak or an ambush. However, pride does kind of work better for big cats.—tmw.