As the Adaezes sat around the dinner table with their guest (and someday future son-in-law) Ben Twist, Kenya's uncle Barry looked at him and said, "My niece says you will be pursuing a career in art."
"Yes sir," confirmed Ben, while briefly glancing at his girlfriend.
"It is a noble profession, but some of the creative types I have encountered in my life so far do tend to have their head in the clouds and their feet nowhere near the ground or reality. How good are you young man?" he asked.
Ben's only response was to remove the cellphone from the over sized lanyard he wore around his neck, call up the photos he had of his art within the device's memory, and then pass the phone over for Barry Adaeze to see for himself.
One by one Kenya's uncle looked at the photos, with his wife Tanya leaning closer to see for herself.
Kenya and Ben watched the couple closely, waiting for a response, while she reached under the table to hold his hand.
When they finished scanning the photos, Barry looked briefly at his wife, who simply nodded, before he turned to face Ben. "This last image, the one of Kenya, does not look quite right."
"That's because it's unfinished. I keep it to have her with me physically as well as within my heart," replied Ben, while he felt Kenya hold his hand a little tighter under the table.
"Regular photographs will not do?" wondered Barry.
"For some, perhaps. But I like to think that my drawings not only capture the essence of the people in them, but how I feel about them as well," said Ben.
"Then you must care very deeply about the people in these drawings, including my niece," observed Barry.
"I do. Very much," agreed Ben. "Those are drawing of my mothers, friends and neighbors that I have known since I was old enough to know what to do with a pencil."
"I see," said Kenya's uncle, still holding the cellphone in his hand. Then Barry Adaeze smiled and said, "You are very talented young man. With time and effort you will go far in your chosen profession," before he handed Ben back his cellphone.
"I have plenty of time, and put in a lot of effort," confirmed Ben. "While it is just barely started and not within this phone, I am also working on a drawing of you and Tanya too." That I hope will be ready in time to give you, framed, as a Christmas gift this year, he silently added.
"Really?" said Kenya's aunt, surprised to hear that. "When did you take our pictures? I don't remember you ever doing that."
"I don't. I work from memories and feelings when it comes to drawing people," replied Ben.
"Then I am more impressed over your work than before," admitted Barry. "While you will still have to formally discuss the matter with Kenya's father, my brother, when the time comes, you have my personal blessing for whatever life brings the two of you together."
Kenya almost squeezed Ben's hand off, excited and overjoyed at hearing her uncle's announcement.
Ben just smiled and thanked him.
"Now that that is over, what is for dessert my love?" Barry asked his wife.
MEANWHILE...
Peter Talbot and his girlfriend Karen Yuletide sat on one side of a table in the Moon Lake College dining facility, while Jenny Harper and her fiance Harry Jenkins sat on the other.
The two couples were starting to get to know each other.
Harry was still a bit in awe at being with Moon Lake's resident "Lion Prince", for even though he only recently joined were society himself, even as a normal the Jenkins had heard of the Talbots and their place in werelion society.
Yet despite the alleged leonine social structure, Peter was pretty much an average, likable guy. Something Jenny quickly picked up on, especially in light of how much in love her best friend and dorm mate Karen was with him.
"So that's pretty much were things stand at the moment. The belief that Lionel Ulysses' so called tail was a fake is starting to spread, but how many people will actually buy that and go on with their lives remains to be seen*," explained Peter, relating recent events in Seattle to them.
"Well, even though I started life out here as a normal, I know Moon Lake has plans in place for such emergencies," said Harry, to which Peter nodded his head in agreement. "The town's weathered storms like this before, but a situation like this is not to be taken lightly."
"Agreed, but I still hope to see the day when weres can walk freely in public during the day and not have to hide who we are," admitted Peter.
"Something else I have to be concerned about when my family comes here this weekend in hopes of stopping my wedding to Harry," replied Jenny.
"It was honorable and proper to invite them anyway, despite how you suspect they will behave. We are on alert and ready, but I must congratulate you for having the courage to face them," said Peter. "If I were in your place, I will not deny giving elopement serious consideration," he added, while taking a quick glance at his girlfriend Karen.
"I have thought about it, but Doctor Twist says I have to face my fears, and them, sooner or later," revealed Jenny. "However Dieter Wilhelm, that jerk they're still hoping I'll marry, will be the wild card in all of this."
"Well, he may be a big fish in a small pond back in your hometown, but he's going to find out just how small a guppy he is in Moon Lake if he tries anything here," said Karen, trying to bolster her friend's confidence.
"Well, the fact he sent that henchman to spy on me, and who knows what else might have been on his agenda, doesn't sit well with us," said Jenny, as Harry let out a low growl.
"Agreed. Members of my pride, as well as myself, will be in attendance this Saturday, so the only thing you will have to worry about is marrying the man you love and having a great life together," said Peter, while looking dreamily at Karen.
"Speaking of families," began Karen, as she reached in her purse for her cellphone, "after I finished my homework, I went back to that art assignment for your father. What do you think of one of these as a potential logo for the restoration company?" she asked, calling up the images before handing Peter the phone.
Peter scrolled through the images. In the first, a pretty realistic drawing of Leon Talbot was standing next to a restored vehicle. The second was a more realistic werelion in coveralls standing next to the same restored vehicle. The third showed a more cartoonish coveralls wearing werelion standing next to the car. The three after that repeated the theme of the first three, but from more of a side view than from the front of the car.
The drawings afterward were of a possible logo for the company. Between different fonts, either Leon's head, the head of a realistic werelion or a cartoonish one was framed within the first O of Talbot Restorations.
"You've been busy," observed Peter, as he finished going through everything. But then he stopped, because whether Karen intended to include it or not, there was one more drawing within the album.
That of she and Peter, naked, embraced and kissing as she started transforming into a werelioness.
"The car I copied from the one I saw your family working on when I was at the garage yesterday. The fonts are mostly computer work, although I drew the heads before cutting and pasting them within the O."
"You are very talented," said Peter, while handing Karen back her phone. "Personally, I like the ones with the realistically rendered werelion, but please e-mail them all to me and I will share them with my father later."
"Can we see?" wondered Jenny.
Before Peter could discretely say something to his girlfriend about the extra drawing, Karen replied "Sure," before handing the phone to her friend.
Jenny scrolled through the images with Harry looking on. When they reached the very last one, the couple paused to look at Karen. Then Jenny handed the phone back to Karen before leaning over and whispering in her fiance's ear, "I told you Karen is crazy about him."
Harry nodded in agreement as Peter, having heard the conversation, simply smiled. When he got home and checked his e-mail later, Peter would move the last drawing into a private folder before letting his father see the rest.
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*As seen in our companion Moon Lake, Tad story, which is running ahead of events here.—tmw.