{{The potential for violence is at the end of this episode, but how bad it gets remains to be seen.}}
With the budget meeting over and her guests gone, Samantha Twist was about to leave her town hall office as Moon Lake Chancellor, even getting as far as being in the outer area with her secretary, when Samantha's cellphone rang.
Seeing it was her wife's office on Caller ID, Samantha answered, "Hi honey. What's up?"
"Sorry to disturb you Mrs. Twist," began a male caller on the other end, "but is everything all right?"
Recognizing the voice as belonging to Frances' office assistant Rudy, Samantha replied, "As far as I know. Why?"
"Frances and her brother Samson just called. She asked me to cancel all her appointments for this afternoon. Something about a family emergency at the hospital," was his response.
"WHAT?" exclaimed Samantha, much to her secretary's chagrin. It took a moment for her to calm down before Samantha replied, "Thanks for letting me know Rudy, and if you hear any more before you leave for the day, please let me know."
"Ditto. Take care," said Rudy, before hanging up.
Then Samantha frantically dialed another number while her secretary got up and approached her superior, wondering if there was anything she could do to help.
CONCURRENTLY...
"And so, although there are two major political parties established within the United States—" began the history teacher, when a buzzing noise interrupted him.
Being a were himself, the teacher instantly knew where the noise was coming from.
"Mister Twist," he said, walking over to Ben's desk, "please surrender your cellphone. You know the rules about taking calls in class."
"S-sure," said Ben, while removing the over sized lanyard from around his neck, "but I do have it set for emergency priorities only," he added, while handing it to the teacher.
"Let's see," said the teacher, while looking at the screen.
911-MOM S. was displayed on the screen, as the teacher answered it.
Not recognizing the voice on the other end, Samantha instantly demanded to know if her son was all right.
"Yes ma'am. He is. I am looking right at him," the teacher reassured her.
"What a relief. Wait. If her brother is with her, then Frances' family emergency is with the Carters, not us," realized Samantha. "Please tell my son that if neither of his mothers are home when he gets there, to stay and wait until we return."
"I will," replied the teacher, as Samantha hung up. "Mister Twist, my apologies. Your mother said..."
"I heard," said Ben, being a werewolf himself, while taking the phone back from the humbled teacher.
BACK AT SAMANTHA'S OFFICE...
"Tell anyone that asks I'll probably be out of the office for the rest of the day on a family emergency, but they can still contact me for town emergencies," Samantha instructed her secretary as she started to leave.
"Is everything all right?"
"Don't know," admitted Samantha, "but if the Carters are involved, Frances is going to be in deep shit with them and need my help," was the reply as she headed out the door.
MEANWHILE...
Since Samson Carter was not on duty with the Moon Lake Sheriff's Department today, he was not in a cruiser, but he and Frances still made good time reaching Moon Lake General Hospital.
It didn't take long to track down where Angelica Carter was being operated on, but despite being family, Samson and Frances were only allowed as far as the waiting room, where they found their father Joseph pacing the floor, waiting for word on his wife's condition.
Frances couldn't help thinking he hadn't changed. Still a tall and imposing figure with short black hair and a thick matching beard.
Hearing the footsteps, Joseph turned to look at the new arrivals. He was happy to see his oldest child and only son, but one look at Frances instantly soured his mood.
"What is that harlot doing here?" he demanded to know.
"Father, I—" began Frances, only to be rebuked in return.
"Don't Father me!" began Joseph. "I have no daughter you shameless bitch. For all I know, God is punishing us for your sins by inflicting my wife with this pox upon her. Now get out of my sight and never darken our lives again unless you're prepared to repent and change your sinful ways!"
As a hospital security guard came to see what all the yelling was about, Frances turned and started running away in tears, even as Samson started growling at his father. "YOU STUPID FOOL! Frances only came because I told her about mom and she still cares about the two of you, despite how pig headed the two of you are towards her and Samantha."
The guard thought about going after Frances, but realized he still had two angry men to deal with, and didn't want their argument to get physical.
"Don't you dare speak that other sinner's name in my presence son," warned Joseph, growling angrily under his breath.
The security guard realized he was facing two weredogs, and being only a were-merman himself, called for back up because if they started fighting...
"I know you are only trying to do God's work, because He does say we are to turn the other cheek and try to forgive and save others, but some are too lost to be saved," said Joseph.
"You do know this is the 21st Century, right?"
"Do not take such a mocking tone against me son," warned Joseph, shifting positions to take a more defensive stance against a possible threat, even if it was coming from his own child. "I am right and you know it."
"No, you ain't! She's still my sister and your daughter, whether you care to admit it or not you righteous fool! God, the Federal Government, and even most of the free world have accepted people like Frances and Samantha. Why can't you?" Samson demanded to know.
But before Joseph could answer, another voice said, "WHERE'S MY WIFE?", as Samantha walked into the waiting room. With the Town Hall being only a couple of minutes from the hospital, she had made good time getting there.
"You have no wife sinner. Get out of here!" Joseph yelled at her.
"You didn't see her on your way in?" Samson asked Samantha.
"No. Why?" she asked in return.
"He chased her out of here," Samson replied, pointing at his father.
"Then where is she?" Samantha demanded to know.
"In hell, where all sinners are unless they repent!" shouted Joseph.
"Okay. Let's all calm down folks. Family disputes should be settled more peacefully, or at least off hospital grounds," said the security guard.
"That slut is not part of MY family, and I want her removed immediately!" Joseph told him.
"All I want is to find my wife," declared Samantha, as she left the waiting room.
"I told you you have no wife harlot!" screamed Joseph, as he started to reach out to grab Samantha and confront her.
But that action found Joseph Carter being instantly slammed against the closest wall as his son growled even louder at him.
"If that's how you feel about my sister and her mate, then you have no son either!" declared Samson, even as another security guard rushed into the waiting room to join his partner and separate the Carters.
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For those curious on the subject, I am straight, but supportive.—tmw.