After Melissa set the table, Harold walked out with a small pot of vegetables and asked Melissa to get the tuna casserole.
"Tuna," Alice huffed, "How predictable. Figures something like that would come from a big cat."
"Oh?" Virginia replied, "And what did the raccoon bring? Garbage?"
"What?" Alice exclaimed, looking quite shocked. "I'll have you know that I've brought the best chocolates my store produces."
"You own a chocolate store?" Melissa asked.
"Well, we make all sorts of sweets," Alice responded, "We have everything from taffy to chocolate to hard candy and even licorice. You should come by if you ever get the chance. We even offer a discount for students."
"Oooh, that does sound good," Melissa said as a dreamy look formed in her eyes.
"So, Harold, how was your day?" Virginia asked.
"Well, I had a nice talk with my boss about a certain law, and then I spent the rest of the afternoon doing some historical research. I have to say that it's quite fascinating. I think I'm starting to understand this town a bit more."
"Isn't it interesting?" Virginia said quickly. "The secret history of weres is so fascinating to me. Learning about their ancient origins. The deals made with kings and governments. The formation of Moon Lake. When I'm not busy grading things, I like to go up to the MLC and just read for hours on end."
"Sound like you and dad have something in common," Melissa said while rolling her eyes. "Before mom died, he would spend hours in some sort of book. If mom didn't check up on him now and then, I'm sure he'd be starving to death with his face in a book." The girls around the table giggled as Harold looked uncomfortable.
"Well, handsome," Alice said with a rather low tone of voice, "if you ever need anything...and I do mean anything, don't be afraid to ask." Harold couldn't help notice that Alice was rubbing his arm with her finger...and his leg with her foot. Melissa noticed Virginia scowling at Alice, and Melissa sort of heard a growl coming from Virginia.
The four continued their dinner without incident, with Alice doing her best to flirt with Harold and Virginia trying to distract him. Melissa worked very hard to keep from laughing at the situation. It wasn't long before dinner was finished and the ladies were excused from the home. Alice made one last pass towards Harold followed by Virginia's attempt.
Once the two ladies were out of the house, Harold and Melissa cleared the table and started to do the dishes. While Harold was washing and Melissa was drying, the two started to talk. "So, what do you want to talk to me about?" Harold asked.
"Well," Melissa started. She wasn't sure how to begin. "You know about that law? The one that one of us has to become a were?"
"Yes..." Harold said slowly, not liking where this is going.
"Well, it's just that...I've met a few new people today. All of them weres. There was a werewolf, a weretiger, a wererabbit, a werebull, and a werefox. They were all so nice, and I really got to know them better. And well, I've been thinking. If one of us has to be a were, why not me?"
Harold paused in his scrubbing as he thought a bit. "Are you sure you want this? Do you know which one you want to be?"
"Well," Melissa started to answer slowly. "If you ask if I'm sure I want to do this, the answer's yes. Given the situation that we're in, I think it's the best way to go. I'm willing to do this. Now, as to which one I want to be, well." She paused as she thought a little bit, "I have some ideas, but I haven't decided yet."
He paused and then sighed as he said, "All right. Fine. But on two conditions. First, you have to tell me when you decide on which were you want to be. Second, you have to wait a full day after telling me. I want no surprises from you."
Melissa smiled and said, "Thank you, daddy." She paused as she remembered the conversation with her friends. "Oh, and I'll need to get birth control pills."
"What?" Harold replied, looking at his daughter with wide eyes.
"Well, it's just that weres are highly fertile, and they can get pregnant very easily."
He sighed as he rubbed his forehead. "Okay, make that three conditions. You stay on those birth control pills."
Melissa smiled at her father as she gave him a hug, "Thank you daddy. I love you."
Harold looked down at his daughter and said, "I love you too, pumpkin. Now, let's finish these dishes, and I do believe you have homework."
"Aww, dad," Melissa said as she put on a big frown. The two finished washing the dishes and putting them away.
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Later that evening, once Melissa finished her homework and got ready for bed, she lay in her bed and read the book that she got from Megumi. It was a thick read, to be sure, but it didn't leave anything out about the types of weres or being a were. She couldn't help notice that all of the men were quite muscular and handsome. She also noticed that the ladies were quite curvy and beautiful. She couldn't help but look at her own body. While she was on the thin side for a fifteen-year old, she was happy with who she was. She wondered, though, how she would look as a were. She turned off the light, and, in the dim light of her room, raised her still normal hand and looked at it. She tried to imagine it covered with fur and her fingers as sharp nails. No matter what she chose, she knew that her life would never be the same. This was the last thought as she drifted off to sleep.