“Ah now I’ve figured it out!”
Benton was making quick time building the crib using the Allen key that came with the product; already having the major pieces assembled, all he had left to do was to tighten a few bolts and to get his Brother and Ricks help in hauling it in the soon to be nursery. Feeling proud of accomplishing, what was at first a daunting task; Benton heads to the kitchen to see Lila finishing up some sandwiches. Bypassing the food for a moment he goes into the fridge and grabs a beer cracking it open and taking a sip.
“Doesn’t the meds you take,” Lila looking at Benton; “prevent you from drinking alcohol?”
“Only when I take them,” Benton answering; “beside, the two that state do not consume with alcohol are the ones that I take once a day. And to answer your next question,” Benton taking another sip while grabbing a sandwich; “I took them hours ago during breakfast.”
“So you already finished assembling the crib,” Lila looking at Benton as he munches on the tuna club he just grabbed.
“See for yourself,” Benton answering between bites; “I’m surprised it came together so easily.”
Lila heading into the living room to see the crib fully assembled. Placing her hands on the top, she tries to shake it apart only for it to stand firm. Benton looking smug as he sits on the sofa in the living room; his smugness turns to shock as the sofa collapses in on him, causing Lila to burst in a fit of laughter.
“What’s so funny,” Benton looking unamused; his suit soaked from the beer can as it spilled its amber contents on him.
“The sofa,” Lila laughing like mad; “I forgot to mention it was broken.”
“And just how did it get broken,” Benton looking distraught; his suit ruined.
“What do you think,” Lance entering the living room; “Lila and I-“
“I get it,” Benton now disgusted; “tell me you didn’t make your baby to be on here?”
“Nope,” Lila giggling; “besides, my niece and nephews are the real culprits on the state of the sofa. We just hastened its demise.”
“From the many times I asked you to look after them,” Rick coming out of the kitchen with a sandwich and beer in hand.
“They first destroyed some tiffany lamps,” Lance helping his brother up; “that belonged to mom and dad.”
“The ones with the leaded stain glass shades,” Benton speaking.
“The same,” Lance answering.
“Good,” Benton responding; “I kind of hated those lamps.”
“Now what are you going to do with this couch ,” Rick looking at the collapsed piece of furniture.
“We take the sofa in the home office and put it in here,” Lance grinning; “have to warn you though it’s a hide a bed.”
With the exception of Lila everyone took a break to munch on sandwiches and drink a beer. Lila opting to drink a soda along with her tuna club; she notices Lance looking at his phone that he set to silent light up with a call from Samantha Twist.
“I have to take this,” Lance getting up; “it seems important.”
Heading out to the back yard near his hot tub for some privacy Lance answers the phone.
“Samantha,” Lance answering; “is this important? I was having a fun time with my wife and family.”
“I wouldn’t be calling if it wasn’t important,” Samantha responding; “have your heard what happened last night regarding Peter Talbot?”
“Yeah,” Lance answering; “one of my reporters is covering the story of him being shot. What of it?”
“The perpetrator’s father is in town,” Samantha answering; “he is Freddie ‘The Shark’ Parker.”
“A known mob boss from California,” Lance finishing; “I’ve heard of him.”
“Well since he is in town,” Samantha speaking; “we need to enact some emergency procedures. You have to have to issue coded messages in your paper and on your station stating no weres are to shift into their fursona during the labor day picnic.”
“Oh that is going to piss off a lot of the towns folk,” Lance grousing; “labor day is the one day second to Halloween that we look forward to being in our fursonas during the day.”
“The town’s secret takes priority,” Samantha chiding the were-panther; “as a council rep you must understand that.”
“Yeah,” Lance answering; “alright I’ll get the messages sent on my end. You need to get KMLC on the ball with the coded messages as well.”
“Way ahead of you there,” Samantha answering; “oh and one other thing Lance, you need to have the were-club shut down for tonight.”
“What,” Lance sounding shocked; “how do you know I own that place?”
“It’s a dirty secret that all of us in city hall know of,” Samantha chuckling; “as the former town chancellor I know most of the town’s skeletons.”
“I’d appreciate,” Lance groaning; “if you kept that skeleton firmly locked in the closet.”
Hearing Samantha laughing as she quickly ended to conversation; Lance sighs as he sends a message to his KPXX station manager ordering him to broadcast the required messages that Samantha ordered for the Labor Day Picnic. Calling up his paper and instructing them to do the same and to repeat the message in both the Sunday and Monday editions he hangs up his phone and heads back inside his house to rejoin with his wife, along with her brother Rick and his brother Benton.