“So how do you intend to keep three energetic cubs busy today,” Eric asking as he sits in between Spencer and Frieda as Spencer drives her pickup truck to the Carpenter’s.
Spencer who turned sixteen during the spring break and getting her driver’s license shortly after; Spencer gleefully scared principal Andrews as she pulled up in her large brown pickup truck with Eric and Frieda as passengers one day. Her grandfather getting her a seventy nine ford bronco pickup truck. Maggie shook her head as she saw her daughter get behind the wheel of the large beast, while Evan looked on bemused. Spencer who was all agog as she tore down the streets; her truck blaring as she revved the engine, feeling positively giddy. Her first time driving to Frieda’s house to pick her up for school, made Benton freak out as she pulled up in the large vehicle; making him look on concerned as he saw Spencer behind the wheel smiling as Eric was also in the truck as well.
“Oh I was thinking,” Frieda chuckling; “that we out tire them. Game of hide and seek in the nearby forest.”
“Let me guess,” Spencer responding; “in our fursona’s in the day?”
“I’d stick out like a sore thumb,” Eric answering; “white fur among green foliage isn’t exactly a great camouflage.”
“you could always hide up in a tree,” Frieda chuckling; “you have become quite agile in going vertical.”
“Part and parcel with being a were-panther,” Eric answering; “its second nature to be up in trees.”
“That explains why you’ve become good at our catch and release hunts,” Spencer smiling; “you jump at the prey from above. But you need to be careful doing that,” Spencer continuing; “you run the risk of snapping the buck’s spine with your weight bearing down as you land on it from above.”
“You know,” Eric thinking; “what if we did a catch and release hunt with the cubs. Give them a chance to see a buck up close; pet the creature as well.”
“No,” Spencer answering; “we run the risk of running into the campgrounds set aside for normals.”
“Yeah,” Frieda confirming; “that’s out. What about the rec center? We haven’t gone swimming all this year and I have a bikini I’ve been dying to wear.”
“That’s something,” Eric thinking; “what say you Spencer?”
“And just where they are going to sit in my truck, ”Spencer asking;“ it’s illegal to have passengers in the truck bed.”
The rec center is not far from the Carpenter’s,” Frieda speaking; “we could walk them there.”
“You know,” Eric shaking his head; “Jasper and Yogi are going to want to see us eat some mice.”
“Oh ick,” Spencer looking disgusted; “what have you two been doing when I had to help mom and dad with baby preparations?”
“Blame my dad,” Eric shaking his head; “he has acquired the taste for eating live mice. Jasper and Yogi saw him do it when I was helping Cindy with some of her school work and wanted to see me do it as well.”
“Thankfully,” Frieda shaking her head; “Eric had the good sense to say no to that. So back to the rec center Spencer. Is that a yes?”
“I suppose,” Spencer pulling up to the Carpenter household to see Rick about to leave and pick up his sister, Frieda’s Aunt; “It’s a good thing I got a bikini in my glove box then. Don’t know what possessed me to stuff one in there.”
With Frieda and Eric chuckling as they climb out of the truck; Spencer was about to get out after turning the motor off, when her phone buzzed with a text from her grandfather.
‘You’re going to have a brother. Your mother just told me earlier. Don’t tell your dad, she wants to surprise him.’
Spencer puts the phone down as she slowly climbs out of her truck. Eric and Frieda noticing look at Spencer as she stares on shocked.
“What’s wrong Spencer,” Frieda the first to speak up; as she sees something wrong.
“I just got a text from grandpa,” Spencer climbing out of her truck; “mom’s baby is going to be a boy. I’m getting a brother.”
“Congratulations then,” Eric smiling as he hugs Spencer; Frieda quickly following suit as the three were-tiger cubs see them outside and rush them.
*****
Lila was waiting for her brother as he pulled up to her home; still getting used to seeing his sister refer to herself as Mrs. Lila Knight instead of Lila Carpenter. But what he still has yet to get used to is seeing her pregnant; her baby bump just showing as she is still in her first trimester.
“Sis,” Rick getting out of his truck; “how are you.”
“Oh I’m fine,” Lila hugging her brother; “waiting for you and your help in storing my bike. I can’t exactly drive it while pregnant now.”
“No you can’t,” Rick agreeing as he lowers a ramp to help wheel Lila’s bike up into his truck; “your niece and her friends arrived as I was leaving.”
“So they will keep Cindy, Jasper and Yogi occupied while we girls have fun,” Lila answering; “are you going to join them or hang around for the baby shower.”
“I have a shop to run sis,” Rick answering as he secures Lila’s bike; “so no, I won’t be hanging around as you talk about hormones, cravings and other female exclusive things.”
“Awww,” Lila smiling coyly; “you don’t want to have a makeover? For old times’ sake?”
“Only Cindy gets to do that to me now,” Rick rolling his eyes; “At least my daughter doesn’t try to cut my hair for real.”
“Does she paint your claws while you are in your were-tiger fursona,” Lila grinning as she climbs in her brother’s truck; “make you wear a tiara for a tea party?”
“I hope you give birth to a daughter sis,” Rick shaking his head while smiling; “that way your husband can be tormented during father daughter days.”