Julie was feeling miserable. Not only was she under house arrest and suspended from school for attacking Eric and Frieda during lunch last week on Tuesday; but she was stuck out side in the back yard, watching a drained pool being flushed. With her father Martin Stovall discovering green algae in the fresh water pool’s filters last night; Julie was fighting back the urge to vomit as she sees the thick sludge oozing from the pool’s water inlets.
“Is it running clear Julie;” Martin shouting from the cabana.
“It still looks like green slime dad;” Julie shouting back.
Martin leaves the cabana to see the oxygen eating algae settle in the deep end of the pool; running back into the cabana, to turn open the drain valve, he once again forces bleach into the pipes and flushes them out.
“Okay,” Martin sighing; “let’s give that thirty minutes and we’ll check on it again.”
******
Amanda Knight was sitting in a chair adjacent to her hospital bed; tethered to an i.v drip and in her fursona to help aid in her recovery. The black furred were-panthress was just finishing texting her husband Benton; informing him that she was taking it upon herself to deal with getting the staff rehired. After Benton hitting their butler Jeffrey in a fit of rage after his hostile takeover of Tachibana Enterprises failed and feeling the tip of Daisuke’s katana at his throat on Thursday of last week; the Knight family has been without servants since then. While Frieda was able to adjust; Amanda and Benton where clearly struggling. Neither adult was able to use the kitchen appliances save the coffee machine to prepare or make a meal.
Amanda hated showing weakness in being unable to provide for her daughter; not able to figure out how to use the stove last Friday along with her husband was equally galling. So when Doctor Tora Tachibana came in to check on his patient; he saw a were-panthress looking pleased with herself.
“How are you today Mrs. Knight;” Doctor Tora speaking.
“Itching to be discharged,” Amanda answers; “I’m about ready to jump over the wire as it were.”
“I can’t advise that,” Doctor Tora looking at Amanda’s charts; “you still have a few days of recovery left.”
“I can rest up just as easily at home,” Amanda growls; “At least there I won’t be confined to a small room and a lumpy bed.”
Doctor Tora just laughs, “Sadly you are still suffering from an iron deficiency from the albendazole we had to give you earlier. I won’t feel safe to discharge you until your iron levels are back up. You may be feeling fine, but you are still slightly anemic. You’re not going anywhere for at least another forty eight hours.”
Amanda just growls as her doctor leaves; stuck for another two days, Amanda gets up to pace. Taking a few steps she nearly stumbles as she grabs her i.v pole for support. Feeling a little woozy Amanda slowly heads back to her bed.
“Perhaps a few more days then;” she grumbles.
******
At city hall; Samantha Twist was finishing up the budget meeting with the town’s comptroller Marcus and his assistant Lila Carpenter. Leaving her kitten’s Saffron and Jasmine back in her office; Samantha absently drifts off as Marcus drones on. All Samantha could think about was how Frances was fairing. Finding out her life partner’s mother was in the hospital recovering from a hysterectomy to deal with ovarian cancer, was a shocking; but to find out that Angelica never fully disowned Frances despite being lesbian, floored the therapist. Frances came from a family that left an Amish community somewhere in Pennsylvania shortly after she was born. Why they left was something even Frances’s brother Samson was light lipped about. Resolved to take Frances to the hospital after work; Samantha breaks out of thoughts as Marcus speaks her name.
“Samantha? Did you get all that?”
“Yeah,” Samantha lying; “it sounds fine. Are we just about done? I have a few phone calls that need returning.”
“Okay,” Marcus taking his papers. Looking at Lila; “let’s get this budget finalized before the council members try to add more amendments.”
“I’ll be with you in a bit,” Lila answering; “I need to ask Samantha something. Girl talk and all that.”
“Please make it quick,” Marcus sighing; “the sooner this is done, the sooner we can go home early.”
Lila nods; smiling at the thought of surprising Lance when he gets home before having to head to his were-panther gathering. Her thoughts of pleasure were broken when Samantha spoke up.
“So what is it you wanted to talk about?”
“Lance Knight,” Lila swoons; “I’m head over heels in love with him.”
“Really,” Samantha being the curious cat; only meeting the man once as he came by her house. To drop off a scroll from the elder council to her life partner Frances. “Tell me.”
“I moved in with him last night,” Lila grins; “and he has one hell of a rod.”
Samantha chuckles; “I wouldn’t know of the second part. I love my Frances.”
“Well anyway,” Lila sitting down in a chair; “I’m thinking he is the one. He met my brother and his wife last night. While my brother; despite being younger than me, feels he has to give Lance the third degree.”
“I take it Rick doesn’t like him,” Samantha answering; “After that mess with Zach, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had reservations.”
“Well to be fair,” Lila sighing; “Rick got burned from some business he did with Benton years back. So Lance sort of has to deal with the blowback from that. But from what I hear, Lance has had to deal with his older brother’s antics since he was born.”
Samantha just nods; “So you already moved in with him. You plan on marrying him at the end of the week?”
Lila laughs; “oh no. That is way too soon. Hell I haven’t even met his parents and they are coming to town in a few days.”
“Anton and Esmerelda Knight are coming to Moon Lake,” Samantha looking shocked; “it’s been thirty years since they left for the Caribbean for their quiet retirement. What’s bringing them back?”
“Lance was a little tight lipped about that,” Lila answering; “I think it has to do with Benton and his Bipolar diagnoses.”
“That makes sense,” Samantha looking at the wall clock; “I guess we chatted long enough. You need to finish those budgets for Marcus and I need to deal with a few issues that Martin left for me. You know he is working from home again. No doubt it’s because of Julie’s house arrest.”
“Perhaps you should run for mayor next year,” Lila smirks as she gets up; “sure the man has done good things for the town. But what his daughter did last week and to Frieda Knight no less; Martin’s chances of re-election are non-existent.”
“Yes,” Samantha leaving the meeting room with Lila; “Julie’s assault with Eric Anderson and Frieda Knight was a foolish act. Did you know that there was also an investigation to Julie possibly violating the town’s Statute 1A*. There is no substantial proof; but she tried to turn Eric Anderson into a wer-mer against his will.”
Lila swore; “When did that happen?”
“Monday of last week,” Samantha answered; “if that did happen and thankfully it didn’t. Martin would have been forced to step down as mayor and possibly leave town as well. Could you imagine the shame of having to face the people of this town, knowing your child committed a cardinal sin?”
Lila just shook her head as both neared Samantha’s office.
“Thankfully Eric is now a were-panther,” Lila speaking; “That is what Lance told me. Frieda Knight did the honors and the kid was willing.”
“Yes I know,” Samantha sighing; “being next door neighbors to the Anderson’s, Martha and William filled us in what happened with that bit of drama.”
“I’ll let you go then Samantha,” Lila stating as Samantha is about to enter her office; “It was nice to talk to you and not be about work.”
“Same here;” Samantha nodding.
*Statute 1A is a crime in which a were turns a normal person against their will. Those weres found guilty of turning a normal into a were without their consent face a minimum mandatory sentence of 50 years in jail.