Okay, whether Claire Robertson decides to be a tigress or a wolf, there is very little doubt tonight will be the big night she enters were society. It just remains to be seen what and by whom?
MEANWHILE...
Martha Anderson really needed to lie down for a bit once she reached her bedroom, but she found herself unable to even take a catnap.
There was just too much on her mind.
The new life growing in her womb, and the possible new life she had waiting for her elsewhere in Moon Lake.
Even before receiving the news about Wilma, Martha was uncertain whether or not she wanted to reenter the dating scene, thinking it was still too soon after losing her husband, with it being still over 2 weeks away from the fourth month anniversary of his passing at the paws of the rogue werevixen Yvette Smith.
She had originally decided to wait until after her assistant coach subtitute gig at Moon Lake Junior High was over before contemplating whether or not to see Kat again, but now Martha had to tell Kat how she felt and whether or not there would be a future between the lesbian weretigress and the bi-werecat.
Hesitantly, she picked up the phone and dialed the number Kat gave her.
The phone on the other end was answered on the second ring.
"Hello Martha," purred Kat, already in her fursona for the evening, but pacing her apartment waiting to see if she would hear from her potential new lover. "How are you doing?"
"Well..." began Martha. "I am definitely pregnant," she announced, before explaining everything to Kat.
The weretigress listened closely to Martha's story about how the child was conceived on William's last day, but was only coming into the world because she forgot to take her werecat birth control pill that morning, and hadn't taken one since because of her husband's death.
"I shudder to think what might have happened if I had remembered," said Martha, trying to keep from crying.
"There, there," cooed Kat. "It's a moot point now. The baby's doing fine and so are you. Do you know what..."
"It's definitely a girl," answered Martha. "Until it's safe to run further tests, the doctor isn't sure if she's 100% werecat or might turn out to be a feline/vulpine mix, but otherwise Wilma is as healthy as can be at the moment, despite her mom being a nervous wreck, and should be here by the end of July. That will at least allow me some time to recover and get ready for the new school year in September, provided I pass my recertification exam this Spring and Moon Lake Elementary still has that full time opening they said they will this fall."
"Being a were now, you'll find out you're a lot healthier than you think. Unless Wilma's late or they have to do a C-section, you'll be ready for the new school year with flying colors," promised Kat.
"If you don't mind me asking, how do you know?"
"My Moon Lake family had a couple of kids after they adopted me. None of us think of each other as half anything, but it's always better to face the truth than deny it," replied the weretigress.
"I see. I haven't made an appointment with the OB/GYN Doctor Tachibana recommended yet, because it was too late to do so today by the time my examination was over."
"Who did he recommend?" asked Kat, curious. When Martha told her, the weretigress said, "She's good. A specialist in were pregnancies, being a were herself. My mom went to her for all her cubs. You'll be in very good paws."
"Great," said Martha, relieved to hear that. Then she added, "Well, with Wilma's impending arrival, I have also been thinking about us."
Kat kept her paws crossed, hoping for the best, but remained silent as Martha continued speaking.
"I won't deny I'm interested in you. Even before the dream I had about William visiting me and telling me to move forward while revealing I'm pregnant, I dreamed about you last night," she admitted.
YES! thought Kat, while saying, "I hope it was a good one."
"It was," replied Martha, which made both ladies smile. "My original thoughts about us were that I wanted to take it nice and slow and not rush into anything. While I originally thought it was too soon when you expressed your interest in me, I do realize I can't keep wearing a widow's veil forever."
YES! thought Kat, wondering how they would look as a couple, especially when Martha neared her due date.
"But now with Wilma coming..."
NO! Kat wanted to scream, but remained silent, waiting for Martha to speak again.
"This isn't easy for me to say," admitted Martha, trying to find the right words.
The weretigress' fur grew stiff and tense, dreading what the lady she wanted was about to say.
"I'm still interested in you Kat, and I would love to see if anything might develop between us, but I'm afraid we're going to have to wait a little longer than just me finishing being your temporary assistant coach before we can start seriously dating," announced Martha.
Kat wanted to leap and shout for joy, but was afraid of hitting her head on the ceiling of her apartment.
Instead, she just said, "I understand Martha. Besides, nice and slow is the best approach to begin with, even if you weren't expecting; because I would love to see if anything develops between us too. Although I'm going to be upfront and honest with you by admitting that I'm hoping for a seriously long term relationship with you if things work out."
"How long term?" wondered Martha.
"Happily ever after long term," announced Kat.
"Really?" asked Martha in disbelief.
"Obviously you've never taken a good hard look at yourself in a mirror."
"William said the same thing to me from time to time, even before I became a were."
"I have absolutely no idea what you might have looked like before moving to Moon Lake and becoming a werecat, but I can tell you you're very beautiful Martha. You caught my attention and my heart the moment you first walked into my office yesterday," admitted Kat. "I hope you don't think this is just a line, but I've never felt the way I do about you before in my life."
"Seriously?"
"If I was there with you right now, I'd—" then Kat stopped herself.
"You'd what?" Martha wanted to know.
"Well, what I was going to say involved a ring and a specific question," admitted Kat.
"REALLY?" shouted Martha in disbelief. "It's way too soon for that," she pointed out. Then Martha thought about it for a moment and said, "Depending upon how things go between us, maybe sometime after Wilma's third or fourth birthday, but not now."
It was now the weretigress' turn to say "Really?" with a tone of disbelief in her voice. "I can wait. You're definitely worth waiting for."
"Maybe it's just the pregnancy hormones talking right now, but flattery will get you everywhere," purred Martha, tempted to strip and release her inner werecat.
"That is a serious temptation, but we've haven't even had our first official date yet, and I've never done it on a first date," admitted Kat. "The second, maybe, depending upon the lady's mood."
"How many—" Martha started to ask, but Kat cut her off.
"Does it matter? I'm still single, but definitely only interested in one specific werecat."
"Well, you did say you're honest and direct. I'll give you credit for that," said Martha, feeling her inner werecat purring in contentment.
"Thank you. Now then, as your friend, and hopefully someday more, I think it's time we end this conversation for tonight and get some sleep. Tomorrow is a school day young lady," Kat said playfully.
"Yeah, and I haven't even had dinner yet."
"What? Honey, you better have at least a snack before you retire for the night. Even weres have to maintain their health when they're pregnant."
"Okay. I will," promised Martha. "And Kat?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you for being there for me," said Martha, blowing her a kiss over the phone before hanging up.
Coach Katherine "Kat" Johnson sat in her chair long after the call with Martha ended. Even if she was a member of the weretiger group that was meeting tonight, Kat would have stayed home waiting to hear from Martha. But now...
There were moments I was a giddy as a school girl, she realized, but I just couldn't help myself. There's just something about Martha...
Then she got up, left her living room, and went to take a good hard look at herself in the full length mirror of her bedroom.
While of the classic stripe pattern with a white front, her ample bosom and hour glass figure earned from a lot of exercise coupled with being a were, made Kat quite a head turner herself.
After staring at her fursona, she placed one paw between her breasts and said to herself, Heart, you better know what the hell you're doing, because the rest of me sure don't!
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: While the OB/GYN specialist would obviously be a fellow were, other than declaring the character female, I still haven't decided upon a name yet.—tmw.