After the Stovalls entered their house, they tried to resume what they could of their lives.
Melissa and Martin sat down at the small table in their kitchen and had a light breakfast, for neither were actually very hungry but knew they had to eat something to keep up their strength, especially Melissa since she was a little under 2 weeks pregnant with what would be their second child.
After Martin did the clean up, Melissa went to the living room and curled up on the sofa with her laptop to try to get some work done for her computer company (Stovall Systems) while Martin went to his den.
While there really wasn't much conversation between them, Martin told his wife that he would officially step down and resign as Mayor of Moon Lake after the first of the year, because he wanted to give Samantha Twist time to ease into the position of Mayor Pro Tem as well as being Town Chancellor.
Even without all the legal issues and shame their estranged daughter Julie brought upon them, Martin would not officially become the new were-mer representative on the Elders' Council until after Andrew Curtis retired, which would not be until sometime between the end of January and early February of next year because he wanted to see the Council's dealings with Benton Knight through until their conclusion.
When the house phone rang, Melissa jumped in fright, then calmed down a bit as she heard her husband answer it in the den, for he didn't bother closing the door this time so she wouldn't feel completely alone.
A were-mer's hearing is only on par with an average human being's above water, so she only heard Martin's side of the conversation.
There were a lot of "yes", "no", and "I see", responses, before he told whoever called he understood and thanked them for calling before hanging up.
Melissa thought he would come into the living room to tell her what the conversation was about when the phone rang again.
Martin's end of this conversation was basically the same as the first one, but the call with whoever he was talking to ended this time with, "I understand. Just do the best you can and I'll settle my debt with you later."
Then there was a long, dramatic pause before Martin finally left his den and came into the living room.
Melissa sat her laptop down on the coffee table and made room for him on the sofa. The look on her husband's face was solemn as he sat down next to her.
"Julie?" was the one word she spoke. A question that meant volumes of things between them.
Martin just shook his head affirmatively. "Tachibana called. The verdict was guilty on 2 counts of violating Statute 1-A*, and a sentence of 150 years."
An announcement that brought new tears to Melissa Stovall as she leaned against her husband's chest and started crying.
Martin managed to reach the box of tissues on the coffee table that his wife had been using, but otherwise just let her be until Melissa spoke again. The fact that instead of work, Martin saw the open digital family photo album she kept in the unit on display told him all he needed to know, for Melissa had been looking at images of their daughter in innocent, happier times.
Then again, about all I've accomplished so far today is several games of solitaire on my PC, he thought.
"The other call?" wondered Melissa, finally finding her voice.
"Brett Smithson. Basically with the same news, although the Elders' Council is keeping a murder charge against Julie off the table, provided she fully cooperates with them on prosecuting the Seattle chapter of the Luna Brotherhood for killing Alyssa Cooper on their way back to Moon Lake."
Melissa Stovall had mixed feelings about that. On one hand, she didn't like the seemingly always horny were-mermaid who had sexual designs on her husband, let alone herself, Julie, and who knows how many others in town.
Then again, she certainly didn't want Alyssa Cooper dead either. Just out of her hair and away from her family.
But now I can't help wondering what it would have been like... as Melissa recalled when Alyssa passionately kissed her and tried to seduce Melissa into having lesbian sex with her.
"You all right honey?" asked Martin, staring at his wife.
"Yes. Just lost in thought," was all she would say in return.
"Anyway, Smithson volunteered to stay on as Julie's attorney throughout the rest of the Council proceedings, despite the fact Julie is, and I quote, An ungrateful bitch who doesn't know when to keep her big mouth shut."
"Martin, where did we go wrong?" Melissa wanted to know.
"I think it's more a question of where did I go wrong. After all, with my straying, I certainly wasn't the best husband, let alone father the last decade or so."
"Well, you are trying to change your ways now, and for all the right reasons," said Melissa with a smile, as she took his hand and placed it on her stomach, where the new life within was forming.
"But I still can't help worrying about Julie. While the Elders wouldn't listen to her argument in this case, Smithson still plans to argue the Statute 1-A law should be changed to present a lesser punishment for those only guilty of attempting to change someone against their will. Plus, Brett pointed out that there is also no statute of limitations in regards to filing murder charges against someone. If Julie doesn't cooperate or someone on the Council changes their mind later, she's facing a mandatory life sentence if found guilty for killing that poor girl in the ladies' room when Julie escaped custody yesterday, and the laws pertaining to murder don't differentiate between weres and normals."
"We might have to face the facts that our daughter is a lost cause, but this child isn't," said Melissa, pressing Martin's hand tighter against her body.
"Whatever it takes darling, I'm going to spend the rest of my life making things up to you and to insure the fact that this baby doesn't turn out like Julie," promised Martin, before kissing Melissa.
"The only thing I want right now is for you to just hold me until all this goes away," said his wife, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"Whatever you want dear, however long it takes," said Martin, wrapping his arms lovingly around her.
And that is where Martin and Melissa Stovall spent most of the rest of that Friday.
Just sitting on the couch in their living room in a loving embrace, holding each other close.
Enjoying the comforting presence of their mate until the world, or at least Moon Lake, intruded upon their lives again.
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*The crime of a were attempting to or successfully changing a normal human into a were against their will.—tmw.