William and Martha both sat down with Henry Jenkins and Betty Timid while Jenny and Harry talked with Karen and Peter. William and Martha could overhear the conversation, but kept their focus on Henry Sr. while Betty talked with him and Martha as well. Betty didn't say much, as the subject matter did turn to talking about Jenny and she didn't have much that she could say, but with Lisa Jenkins taking her turn visiting with Huck, she really didn't have much else to do at the moment. So, she sat politely while Henry Sr. talked with the Andersons.
"So... you say you're looking at... what word did you use? Surrogate? Adopt?" Henry Sr. asked to William and Martha.
"In a way, both could work," William admitted, "Jenny deserves a family that will care for her in the way she deserves."
"I most certainly agree with that," Henry Sr. nodded, "with some of the things that my wife and I have heard about her birth family... or about this Dieter Wilhelm character... there is a lot that is left to be desired."
"And thus why we'd wish to be there for Jenny," Martha took William's hand in her own, "and work with you to give her the family she deserves."
Henry Sr. blinked at that, as it was something that caught him a bit by surprise. He could understand William Anderson wanting to care for Jenny, as a fellow werefox and the fact that both of them were clawed by the same rogue though for different reasons. It represented a sort of direct connection between himself and Jenny. That Martha Anderson seemed to have the interest in it as well was a surprise to him, but the biggest surprise actually related to the line of working with him. After all, from what he new from local news going back to Yvette Smith's time on the run, was that the Anderson family had only recently made it to Moon Lake, so it wasn't as though they were all familiar with Moon Lake and all the businesses and families to have connections beyond the Skulk's induction ceremony.
"To work with me and Lisa?" Henry Sr. asked as he straightened himself in his chair.
"Yes," William nodded, "as Harry's father, I'd assume that you and your family will play a role... hopefully as kind and accepting in-laws."
"We do like Jenny," Henry smiled, referring to himself and his wife.
"And if my wife and I step in as surrogates for Jenny's biological parents we'd both need to work together if they reject her," William answered, "you and your family can't NOT be a part of it."
"I see," Henry said slowly, "well... that is very generous, Mr. Anderson and very friendly."
William and Martha both nodded.
"Just about everyone's been friendly to us," Martha answered, "it's only fair that we show everyone the same in return."
"And in a sense... I feel I owe Jenny for if I'd managed to actively talk Yvette Smith down... perhaps she wouldn't have taken things to the point where she would have gone after her," William said slowly, "Like a firm "no" from the get-go rather than simply letting her get the idea that I was willing to let Yvette generate the idea that I'd go with her..."
"You think she might have seen reason if you told her off from the beginning?" Jenny cut in, having also overheard the conversation.
"She did hit on me," William admitted, "and while I decided not to go with it... I didn't do it fast enough to let her know that I wasn't interested. She might have gone in search of someone else and wouldn't have been on the run from the police and wouldn't have been tempted to claw you as a distraction."
"You aren't responsible for her, Mr. Anderson," Jenny assured him, "I am glad you've been so kind as to offer to be parents for me... and I'd gladly accept it... but you aren't responsible for for what Yvette did... just as everyone tells me I'm not responsible for what Dieter's agent did."
"And in the meantime, I'm sure there are plenty of things that we can work out together to give Jenny the family life she deserves," Henry added, "She's enjoyed dinner with my family. Perhaps by the summer we can all meet out at the lake... or the campsite's near it as a sort of "family" picnic and get together."
Henry then turned to Betty, who'd been sitting quietly beside him listening to the conversation. She'd been quiet as she really didn't know Jenny all that well and thus didn't know Karen at all. She only knew of Peter Talbot by his reputation and the Andersons from the news reports on Yvette Smith's escapades. There really wasn't much she could add to either group's conversation. Henry softly patted the woman's shoulder and gave her a warm and even hopeful smile.
"And by then, Huck should be better and you'll be a happy member of the Jenkins family too," Henry said to Betty, "So you and Huck would be more than welcome to come with us."
"Thank you," Betty answered as Henry turned back to the Andersons.
"There we can all share information and updates on certain things," Henry continued, "It'd be something that would work and let things remain friendly. Perhaps we can all share some things about our families."
"That actually sounds good," Martha gave a small smile, actually thinking of the meadow that the Hales had lead her and William the previous weekend. It had been a very good looking meadow, and the cat in her had felt just as at home in that meadow with William as she did inside the Anderson home. A camping trip sounded fairly fun to her. "Hot dogs and s'mores!"
"Well, one would be dinner and the other desert," Henry chuckled, "but assuming things quiet down here... that'd be the general idea. And it would let everyone share what pearls of wisdom they have."
"And it'd let everyone get to know each other better and make friends," William agreed, "that was a great idea."