It was a good thirty minutes before Beth; John’s aunt was finally all cried out over the death of her sister, Cathy Shaffer. John’s aunt Beth McDougal was all the family he had left. His father John sr. killed ten years earlier in Seattle while assisting in a search warrant for a drug house. He triggered a booby trapped explosive that killed him instantly. Hearing this from Sheriff Cooper; John Jr. finally knew of the truth that his mother kept from him. The Sheriff pulling out documents and papers backing up the event in question as well as a small fortune waiting for the kid was unexpected; enough that John could pick which ever college or university without having to worry about a scholarship and still have enough left over live in relative comfort.
“Come one Aunt Beth,” John helping her up; Lets go home.”
“You have school,” Beth mumbles.
“Principal Andrews gave me an excused absence in light of what just happened,” John responds; “so let’s go home.”
“No,” Beth answers; “I’ll be fine. You should head to your catering job if you got an excused absence. You need all the hours you can get.”
“About that,” John states; “I gave Mr. Franklin my two weeks’ notice. With dad’s life insurance and pension going to me when I’m eighteen-“
“Until then,” Beth interrupting; “I will need your help with the bills. You better talk to Mr. Franklin in getting that two week notice rescinded.” Before John could respond; Beth looks at him, “no buts. Get it done. Now go, I’ll be fine. It’s not as if we didn’t know this was going to happen if you mother didn’t get help.”
John didn’t answer; he just got up from the bank office he and his aunt where in. Looking at his Aunt he just sighed, “Please don’t do anything foolish. You’re the only family I have left. I don’t want to lose you too.”
Before Beth could answer John left the room. The crowd that gathered earlier when they heard Beth’s lamentations over her sister’s death has since dispersed. The only people hovering was the state trooper quietly talking to the bank manager, a teller and surprisingly Mr. Franklin himself. Franklin approaching the young werewolf, he being the first to speak; “are you oaky? I overheard the exchange earlier.”
“I’m fine,” John answers; “I just told my aunt I gave you my two weeks notice. She wants it reversed.”
“I kind of figured that would happen,” Franklin answering; “I never filed the paperwork.”
“Guess that’s that then,” John answering; “I got a free day today now; anything I need to know at work?”
“A big catering job for a gathering at the Knight Estate tomorrow night;” Franklin answering; "it just cam in a few hours ago."
“So I take it you need me helping with the preparations,” John stating; “Anything in particular?”
“The usual items,” Franklin guiding John to the front entrance to the bank; “the pastries you are so good at making, hor d'oeuvres, profiteroles, croquembouche. Also there is a buffet order, rare roast beef with the usual trimmings and assorted steamed vegetables.”
“I hope I’m not doing this all by myself,” John answering as he and Franklin leave the building.
“The entire staff will be pitching in,” Franklin answers; “Also you and the other cooks will be serving at the function. So you will need to be in your fursona. It’s a were-panther gathering. You'll be getting overtime pay for it.”
“But it’s a school night,” John looking stunned; “don’t were-gatherings go all night?”
“Yes, but our job ends at midnight;” Franklin answers.
John doesn’t answer; it’s not often he gets to shift into his werewolf fursona. At six feet the fourteen year old teenager is already an imposing figure. Shifting into his fursona puts him at a good seven feet. With yellow eyes and fur making him as a timber wolf variant, John will sure to be noticed at the gathering.
“Perhaps some lonely were-panthress might take a shine to you John,” Franklin laughing as he sees John deep in thought; “you might get lucky.”
John smiles, “Isn’t there some rule of the help not messing around with the party guests?”
“While working yes,” Franklin answers; “but afterwards, as long as you and the other are both consenting weres-“ Franklin smiles as he leads John to his car and lets him in. Intent on driving them both to begin working on the food for the gathering that John Shaffer will witness Eric and Spencer being inducted into by Frieda herself.