“Good morning Moon Lake! This is your weekend DJ here at KPXX; Righteous Ralph! We have a special weather alert for Monday morning. A major storm front is brewing from the Pacific Ocean and is expected to arrive just as the sun rises. Raincoats, rain boots and umbrellas are required for tomorrow. But that shouldn’t put a damper on the Labor Day picnic festivities; weather permitting the town’s annual fireworks display will go on as planned, one hour after sunset. Just remember to escort your children back home everyone; first day of school begins promptly this Tuesday. You don’t want them to be late for their first class now.”
A furry paw gently turns off the alarm clock. Usually one to sleep in on the weekends; Lance felt it was best to get up early. Wanting to head to the Gazette to check in on things; mostly regarding articles stemming from Frederick Parker’s son Daniel Parker and his impending trial for aggravated murder. Yet the other reason was to check in on Ella Alyn and the article sh was preparing regarding Kenya Adaeze-Crawford and her past as Kendra Smythe. He was about to get out of bed when he feels a couple of hands grab his tail.
“Stay in bed with me,” Lila moaning as she stirs from her fitful slumber; “wrap your furry paws around me and comfort your future cub growing in my belly.”
Lance let off a low rumble as he looked at his wife Lila. Wearing light blue pajamas; the were-tigress was pregnant and in her human form. To ensure no harm came to the developing fetus with in her; Lila had to abstain from shifting into her were-tigress fursona. Placing a black furry paw on Lila’s abdomen; Lance gently rubs his wife belly, purring as he licks her with his rough feline tongue.
“I need to head to the gazette,” Lance getting out of bed and stretching; the were-panther defurring as he throws on a bathrobe and heads to the washroom. “But I should be back around lunchtime. How about I pick up some take out? You up for some Crab Rangoon Lila?”
“And some glass noodles,” Lila getting up and following Lance to the washroom; “and ginger beef, and chicken…”
“I get it,” Lance chuckling; “you want a wide variety of food from different ethnicities. Any thing else?”
“Just one thing,” Lila waiting for Lance to turn around; before slapping him on the face and starring at him menacingly; “don’t ever get drunk again like you did yesterday.”
“Ouch,” Lance looking shocked; “that hurt.”
“And don’t think I won’t do that again,” Lila growling as she sits on the toilet after pulling her pajama bottoms down; “we were-tigers are no pushovers. We are stronger than you may think.”
‘No shit,’ Lance thinks while rubbing his cheek as it starts to redden. Stepping into the shower and tossing his bathrobe out; he begins to get cleaned up just as Lila flushes the toilet; getting hit with a blast of hot water, Lance roars in pain as Lila smiles.
“You did that on purpose,” Lance shouting.
“Who me,” Lila chuckling as she washes her hands; “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
*******
Sitting at the table eating cold cereal; Lance’s face looked completely red. The blast of hot water now hiding the vicious slap he received from Lila earlier; he sips his coffee as he watches Lila eat a bowl of cereal with bananas, strawberries and glob of peanut butter in the middle. Lance shakes his head as he watches his wife eat her breakfast.
“You and your odd food pairings,” Lance looking bemused; “was this whimsy or a genuine urge?”
“I’m eating for two,” Lila answering; “that’s my reason.”
“At least it’s not as bizarre as chocolate covered Brussel sprouts,” Lance rolling his eyes.
“That reminds me,” Lila smiling; “we need more Brussel sprouts and chocolate. Pick up some pickles as well.”
“No ice cream,” Lance pushing his toast away; his appetite completely killed.
“We got plenty,” Lila answering and eating Lance’s toast; “but that message on the radio, was that the coded message for no shifting during the picnic tomorrow?”
“Yep,” Lance finishing his coffee; “Rain boots and raincoats imply being fully clothed for us weres, while keeping our out of town guests from getting suspicious.”
Lance of course was referring to Frederick Parker and his men holed up at the only motel in Moon Lake. All normals, none of them weres; the town went on a were-alert so as not to reveal the existence of were-beasts to these unscrupulous individuals.
“The rest of the message,” Lance getting up; “was a genuine weather report. The whole first day of school starting Tuesday was a nice touch.”
“You mean there could be rain tomorrow,” Lila still eating; “does that mean no fireworks?”
“This being the Pacific Northwest,” Lance sighing; “it’s not uncommon for it to rain. But since it was a coded message,” Lance kissing his wife; “it had to be plausible for our neck of the woods.”
Lila chuckles as she grasped the simplicity of the message. As a resident of Moon Lake, she understood that it does rain frequently and often. With the town located of the western side of the Cascades, such weather phenomena is natural. Any non-resident would think the radio message was a genuine weather alert, while those who lived in town would pick up on the rain gear as a message that no shifting outside will be allowed. Being pregnant, Lila had no issue with the warning. Having to refrain from shifting for the sake of the safety of the fetus developing in her; Lila who was nearing the end of the first trimester, would have to wait after giving birth to let the inner tiger out of her and let loose that mighty roar.
Finishing breakfast; Lila gets up to put away the dirty dishes. Absently cradling her ever growing belly; Lila purrs as she wonders if her and Lance’s first cub will be a boy or a girl. Already decided on names; Cathy if the child is a girl, Arnold if a boy. Both Lance and Lila agreed that it should be a surprise and told their doctor not to reveal the sex of the child once the fetus reaches the stage of development that one can identify the gender.
******
After heading out the door, Lance walked to the gazette. With his Prius still at the Carpenter house after Lila stormed out yesterday; pissed that Lance let himself get blind drunk along with his brother Benton and brother in law Rick. Fortunately the Gazette was not as far from his home; yet he was going to need his car to pick up the take out he planned to pick up for lunch. Contemplating on whether or not to take a cab to the Carpenter house later on or to call up Rick himself; Lance’s decision had to be put on hold as he could see Ella Alyn already at the Gazette working on her story.
“Anything for me to look over,” Lance giving the ace reporter a bit of a scare.