It was six in the morning when Amanda woke up; feeling her husband’s side of the bed empty, she sighed as he must be up observing the morning trading going on at the New York Stock Exchange. With the time difference between the coast; Amanda knew Benton had to have been up for the past few hours just to catch the opening bell. Shaking her head as her paws hit the hardwood flooring throughout the master bedroom; the black furred were-panthress grabbing the blue microfiber robe Benton got for her at Awareness last year and putting on. Not out of shame as Amanda was comfortable walking around in her fursona. She wore the robe for modesty purposes, as there were household staff members present. Ethel their cook as well as her husband John the chauffeur, both were-panthers. Plus a were-tiger butler and two were-cheetah maids. Hoping to replace the staff back to what it was before; Amanda had to sigh in resignation as the current level of staff had to do for the time being.
Entering the kitchen; Amanda sees Ethel up and making breakfast. Grabbing a couple mugs and pouring Coffee, the liquid ambrosia into the cups; Amanda stares at Ethel before speaking up.
“Is Benton in his study still?”
“He comes out every so often,” Ethel answers; “to grab another cup of coffee. Do you want your eggs poached or sunny side up today ma’am?”
“I’m sort of in the mood for a spinach mushroom omelet,” Amanda answering; “how much coffee has Benton drank this morning?”
“Six cups by my count,” Ethel answering; “did you want another pot made for more?”
“Yes,” Amanda getting up; “but make sure its decaf. This mug in my paw will be his last regular cup of joe. No need to make breakfast for Frieda Ethel,” Amanda getting up; “she is with her friends Eric and Spencer.”
“Will they be joining you and Benton for dinner later this evening with Lance and Lila,” Ethel asking.
“I’ll talk to Frieda later today about that,” Amanda answering; “she will be minding three were-tiger cubs while I attend a baby shower with Lila’s sister in-law Ester.”
Amanda leaving the kitchen as she remembers the first time she met Ester. It was during the Knight's yearly News Year party. Days before Lance and Lila got married; Amanda was surprised to see this small woman could be the mother of three children as the daughter and twin boys raced through the house. Hearing the woman whistle shrilly to get them to behave, putting the fear of god in them if they break anything. Suggesting they would have a fun time in the pool room with her daughter Frieda; Ester couldn’t deny that Cindy, Jasper and Yogi would at least be in safe paws. More so when she saw Frieda being accompanied by Eric and Spencer; their parents also attending the bash and the three teenagers in their fursonas.
It was a fun time for Amanda playing hostess; seeing all sorts of weres in attendance. The Anderson in their were-fox fursonas; seeing the Evan and Maggie dancing, finding out that Maggie was with child explained why the were-panther/feline hybrid was not in her fursona. Even Benton could not help but smile as he saw the large black furred werewolf embrace his wife from behind, placing his paws on her still flat toned belly; hearing Maggie’s obvious purring as she felt safe and protected by her mate. Seeing Anton and Esmeralda speaking to Rick and Ester Carpenter; two were-tigers and future in-laws, Amanda sighed as she wonders why those two could easily be pleasant with everyone. Noticing two white were-tigers present but keeping to themselves mostly; talking to several of the other guests, Amanda wondered who they were. Even Benton was curious; seeing them escorting Tachibana as she arrived for the party; Benton was surprised as the two looked nervous at having to great him. At the time, Benton had no idea that he just shook the paws of Far Hojun and his grandson Kai Hu Wang, the two missing CEO’s that ran the Wang Technical Consortium.
Entering Benton’s study to see her husband staring at his computer screen spitting out numbers of the morning’s stock trading; seeing several empty cups of coffee on his desk as she look on shaking her head.
“I’m not sure I should give you this cup of coffee Benton,” Amanda looking at her were-panther husband; “it looks like you’ve already had a pot or three in you already. How long have you been up?”
“Since three,” Benton answering; “I couldn’t sleep, too much on my mind.”
“This wouldn’t have anything to do with what happened after Lance and Lila came back from their honeymoon now would it?”
Benton stares at his wife as he looks at her with blood shot eyes. Clearly running on only a few hours’ sleep; he recalls what she is referring to as if it happened only yesterday, even though it happened months ago. Greeting his brother for the first time in months as the two arrived at the Seattle airport collecting their bags. Lance and Lia spent more time in Europe then planned; yet the two came home happy yet tired and clearly jet lagged.
“I’m not upset over that,” Benton shaking his head; “Lila feeling sick as she fills up a barf bag while James drove the two back to Moon Lake. It’s a lesson learned,” Benton chuckling; “never eat escargot on a plane suffering from turbulence.”
“Well then what has gotten you to burn the candle at both ends,” Amanda staring at her husband; “what reason do you have to be running on three hours of sleep and enough caffeine to give you a possible heart attack along with your current bi-polar issues?”
“Well,” Benton getting up; “there is Jack Crawford. Despite dad’s successful intervention at the January Shareholders meeting; that scheming were-panther is still being a thorn in my side; going so far as to set himself up an office in our head office her in Moon Lake. The construction of the new elementary school is behind schedule; it’s one thing to fund the project, it’s another thing to expect said project to be completed on a tight schedule. I said one thing; but the contractors are saying something else. There is finding out that you and I are going to be and Aunt and Uncle soon,” Benton approaching Amanda; “Yes, that is joyful news. Lance will be a father and starting a family of his own. But the biggest thing making me lose sleep,” Benton taking the cup of coffee in Amanda’s paw; “is Far Hojun and Kai Hu Wang.”
“You’re still grinding on that,” Amanda looking at her husband; “let it go. So the two spent several months in Moon Lake as guest at Tachibana’s estate. How those two choose to spend their retreat, Amanda quoting the last word; “is none of your concern.”
“You don’t know the whole story,” Benton growling; “but what is digging up my craw is those two having a new Wang Technical Consortium office being built here in town!”
“Are you going to tell me,” Amanda getting exasperated with her husband; “why those two business men have you so pissed off?”
“You remember the New Year’s party,” Benton sipping his coffee; the two white were-tigers escorting Tachibana?”
“What about them,” Amanda answering.
“That was Far and Kai,” Benton grumbling; “they weren’t here for a few months; they were here in Moon Lake since December and still are in town. They had a crackpot scheme to have me removed as CEO of Knight industries and put Frieda in charge after having her get emancipated from us.”
“You have got to be joking,” Amanda looking incredulous; “tell me this is a late April fool’s jape.”
“It’s not joke,” Benton growling; “what’s worse, it would of work if it wasn’t for your car accident stemming from tainted civet coffee and me being diagnosed as bi-polar. Forcing us to make time for Frieda and changing our lifestyle put the kibosh on that plan.”
“I guess that explains why you were recently prescribed Xanax along with your usual bi-polar meds,” Amanda looking at her husband; “so how did you find out about this scheme?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Benton sighing; “To be honest Amanda, I’d rather hold off talking about it until I meet with my therapist later today.”
“Not until after you had something to eat and some sleep,” Amanda looking at her husband; “you can’t keep doing this to yourself. Running yourself ragged, I’m surprised your fur hasn’t gone premature grey with the stress you are putting yourself under.”