Brian Walker was getting chewed out by his mother Emily Walker. After being appraised by Sheriff Douglas Cooper over the new revelations involving her son and the Sheriff’s cousin; Emily was livid.
“To think you could be so stupid to try an earn money like that,” Emily nearly shouting.
“Well it’s not like you would-,” Brian tries to speak but is interrupted.
“SHUT UP,” Emily shouts; “of all the bone headed ideals, this takes the cake!” Looking at Brian she continues, “and here I thought declaring your father dead was shocking, but no! You tried to become a gigolo!”
Andrew Curry the wer-mer representative of the elder council and Rachael Gaudet the were-otter rep; both present and were quietly observing the entire exchange for the past hour. Deciding it was time to get involved Rachael made the first move.
“Mademoiselle please calm down,” Rachael speaking in a thick French accent. Her family originally hailing from the town of Strasbourg of the Alsace region of France; Rachael’s family fled prior to Nazi Germany annexing the area just before world war two. She was only fourteen at the time. While she was almost ninety years of age; Racheal didn’t look a day over thirty. Standing at five feet in height without heels and her raven black hair in a simple bob; the were-otter rep wasn’t much to look at. Yet when she spoke; it was her voice that everyone noticed. While she managed to speak English okay when calm; rile the woman up and she would curse and swear at you in both French and German, the two languages she learned to speak prior to migrating to America.
Emily Walker seeing Racheal speaking up stops to look at her; taking a seat she continues to stare at Brian, giving him an ‘I’m not finished with you stare’.
“Merci,” Rachael calmly speaks; “while I understand your son’s intentions. I do agree they were not the right way to help as it were.” Rachael holds up her hand to inform Emily that she wasn’t done speaking, “but what’s done is done. And we must move forward. Now that your mauvais payeur de mari* is officially dead, we can now help with easing your debt load. If George Walker does come back to try and undo being déclarer mort** he will be made to provide restitution to the council’s satisfaction.”
“That is all well and good,” Emily answers; “Andrew curry told me this before. However I’m currently mortified over the drama involving this Alyssa Cooper slut.”
“Ah I may be able to help in that regard,” Andrew speaking up; “I got word form Douglas Cooper that his cousin is currently in jail. The prosecutor has given him twenty four hours to arraign her with trespassing and breaking and entering.”
“Good,” Emily answers.
“If I may be able to speak now,” Brian looking sullen; “none of this would of happened mother if you allowed me to get an after school job to help you out with the finances. If you ever bothered to look at my grades or even attend the parent teacher interviews, you would have known that I have managed to keep a steady “B” average for the past three years now.”
Emily was about to speak up when Andrew waves her off, “I hate to say it Emily, but your son is right; An after school job will keep him busy and I know of one that will also be a fitting punishment.”
“Okay,” Emily still looking like she is about to blow up again; “what is it you have in mind Andrew?”
“The elder council building,” Andrew smiling; “is always in need of custodial staff to clean up during and after council sessions.”
“Mademoiselle Walker, “Racheal speaking up; “Most sessions take place in the evening and never last longer than a few hours. Brian will be back well before whatever curfew you have with him.”
“You said most sessions,” Emily asking; “what about the ones that don’t?”
“Other than the odd emergency session called upon by Tachibana or myself,” Andrew answers; “we try to keep them in the evenings on the weekdays and mid-morning during the weekends.”
“As long as Brian’s school work come first,” Emily sighing; “I will not have him miss classes because of a mess on some marble floor needing mopped up.”
Andrew smiles as he gets up, “that shouldn’t be a problem. Rachael or myself will contact both you and Brian as to when he will start his after-school job.”
Emily Walker escorts the two council reps out. As soon as they leave she closes the door and they can hear her once again shout at her son.
<Emily is certainly upset,> Rachael speaking in French.
<Most of that anger is misplaced rage meant for her husband George>, Andrew also speaking in French.
<I take it you know the Walker family well then>, Rachael arriving at their shared ride.
“I’m Brian’s godfather,” Andrew talking in English; “So when George ran off, I became a sounding board for Emily.”
“So that explains why you have been stepping on my paws regarding were-otter business,” Racheal speaking as they both enter the town car; “but why involve me now?”
“Because,” Andrew looking at a picture of his sister on his smartphone; “after the last council session discussing Benton’s bi-polar diagnosis and revealing to you and the rest as to how dangerous it is, I feel it’s time for me to step down. I’m getting too old for this.”
“This wouldn't have anything to do,” Rachael asking; “with you breaking down and telling everyone your sister went feral from being bipolar?”
Andrew continues to stare at the picture of his sister. “Partly,” he answers; “Now that every council member knows of the feral ward, I can start looking for a replacement wer-mer to represent the council.” Andrew putting his phone away, “I’ll stick around once this drama with Benton Knight is safely concluded, but afterwards I’m retiring.”
“Anyone on your short list to replace you,” Rachael getting curious.
“Surprisingly,” Andrew looking at his list; “my number one pick is Martin Stovall. Despite what his daughter has done recently; he has managed to more good for this town recently then anyone on the council combined.”
* “Mauvais payeur de mari” is French for Deadbeat Husband
** “déclarer mort” is French for Declared Dead.