{{Happy Thanksgiving 2017 everybody, and our episode title is also a great song by The Beatles.—tmw.}}
Joyce Carlson accepted the ride offer back to her apartment from Martha and William Anderson upon leaving The Local Diner.
The werevixen had been on the go for hours and, except for whatever napping occurred between bouts of wild and highly enthusiastic sex with fellow Skulk member William and his bi-werecat wife, Joyce hadn't truly slept since getting up early yesterday morning, before preparing for Halloween.
Now, Joyce sat in the front passenger seat of the Anderson family's car as William drove, giving him directions back to her apartment.
His wife sat in the back, but was leaning forward so her head appeared between them as they talked along the way.
"You are definitely one very active participant when it comes to sex Martha," commented Joyce. "I haven't had such an enthusiastic partner in... I don't know how long."
"Thank you," Martha said with a smile, while issuing a slight purr of contentment. "Between finally admitting to and embracing my bi-nature, as well as becoming a werecat since moving to Moon Lake, it seems like a whole new world of opportunities has opened up for me."
"Now don't sell yourself short dear," said her husband. "You were a wild woman in bed from the first time the two of us got intimate back in college," he added with a smile.
"If I ever enter into a committed relationship like you two have, I just hope whoever my mate turns out to be is as open to... new possibilities as you are," observed Joyce.
"We've had our ups and downs in life," confessed William, "but I will agree with Martha. Moving to Moon Lake and joining were society has been a life changing experience for both of us in a wide variety of ways."
"If I can ask," began Martha, "being bi yourself, who do you see yourself with whenever you do think you've found The One?"
"Gender wise? I won't choose in advance," answered Joyce. "The person that I eventually marry, let alone form a Skulk life/soul mate bond with, has got to have a good heart, a great spirit, a kind soul, is smart, and not only love me for myself, but obviously be willing to share in both life's adventures and whoever I care to share my love of sex with whenever the mood strikes me."
"I hate to say this Joyce, but someone like that may take a while to find," replied Martin.
"I understand, which is why I'm still single and enjoying life to the fullest whenever I can. After all, I'm nowhere near my hundred birthday yet. There's still plenty of time," Joyce observed, before pointing out her apartment complex coming up on the right.
"What if your mate doesn't turn out to be a fellow werefox?" wondered Martha, as Joyce directed William closer to her specific building.
"Doesn't matter. I know plenty of mixed species couples like you and William. Even if they're not vulpine, whoever I do end up spending the rest of my life with will certainly enjoy the benefits of being my life/soul mate, just like you do with William Martha," Joyce pointed out. "The Universe will work it all out in time, so why worry?" she asked rhetorically, to which neither Anderson had an answer.
"Well, there's my building, and there's where I left my car last night," she added, indicating the current version of a VW Bug.
William parked along side it, but left his car's engine running.
"Are you sure I can't sweet talk either or both of you into coming upstairs for awhile? Maybe for some Afternoon Delight?" asked Joyce, flashing both of them a big, toothy smile as she undid her seat belt.
William and Martha looked at each other. Given their night in the woods with their new friend, it was certainly a tempting offer, but...
"I'm afraid we can't," began Martha. "We should get home. I haven't done any studying for my teaching re-certification all weekend-"
"And I've still got to finalize my lesson plans for this coming week. I'm going to spring a surprise pop quiz on my students," added William.
"A shame," said Joyce, expressing the first real hint of a negative emotion since the Andersons met her. "Well, it's been real fun," she began, leaning back to give Martha a French kiss. "Whenever we can get together again..." as Joyce French kissed William, while reaching down to cup the bulge between his legs.
"Oh, we'll definitely get together again," said William, watching the lady start to get out of their car.
"Soon!" added Martha, enthusiastically, getting out of the car so she could sit up front.
"Looking forward to it," said Joyce with a smile, before giving Martha a peck on the check while briefly caressing her rear.
With that, the Andersons watched Joyce Carlson sexily sashay away from them as she walked to the first staircase, and then up the flight to her second floor apartment.
"William..." began Martha, as he started backing out of the parking space.
"The first chance we get as soon as we get home!"
MEANWHILE...
"Are you sure he's going to be all right while I'm gone?" Elizabeth Harper asked her son as she buttoned up her coat.
"Yes mom," replied James Harper, Junior. "The doctors here at Moon Lake General will continue to take good care of dad while we go to dinner."
"I'm not sure," said his mother, hesitantly. "He doesn't like it here. Too many foreigners."
That's too damn bad, thought her son. It's 2015* and both of you need to at least acknowledge the 21st century! But instead he told her, "Everyone here is highly trained medical personnel. Dad's in good hands. Now come on," said James Junior, while taking her hand. "Mister Jenkins is giving us a ride back to his house, where we'll meet Jennifer and her new husband over dinner and discuss some important things afterwards." Like emancipating my younger brother and sister out of his clutches and hopefully try to teach you some independence in the process.
"Okay dear. Whatever you say," replied his mother meekly, while following her son out of the Intensive Care Unit.
A couple of moments later, two figures stood in front of the door to James Harper Senior's room.
"Okay. I'll be right out here monitoring the situation," began Doctor Tora Tachibana. "If I think something's wrong, I'll come in immediately. If you think something's wrong, call out and I'll be right in."
"Right," said his friend and colleague. It had already been a long day for her between the standoff at the house next door and then winding up helping to bring a new life into the world**, but she was a doctor in her own right and would do what she could for those in need.
With that, she took a deep breath and walked into the room.
At first, James Harper Senior just laid there, the only sounds were that of his monitors and his shallow but somewhat steady breathing.
Then, as if sensing something was wrong, he slowly opened his eyes and stared at the stranger before him.
"Who are you, and where's my wife?" he demanded to know in a gruff but raspy voice.
"Hello. I'm Doctor Frances Twist," the new arrival said cheerfully, there to assess James Harper Senior's current mental state and see if she could do anything to possibly change his attitude as a favor to Tora.
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*All our various Earth 1 Moon Lake stories are currently on November 1, 2015.
**As seen in recently posted episodes of our companion Moon Lake, Tad series.—tmw.