"I know various were groups have their own take on love, like the Skulk with their life/soul mate bond," said Samantha Twist, as her next door neighbor Martha Anderson began the drive to Moon Lake General Hospital, "but for me and Frances..."
"I'm sure she's all right," said Martha, trying to reassure her.
"She has to be," replied Samantha. "Frances is my... my everything! From the moment I first saw her across the street from where I used to live with my mothers when the Carters arrived in Moon Lake, I knew Frances was the one. Don't ask me how because at the time, even though I knew I was a werecat and a lesbian, I hadn't had my first transformation yet. But there was just something about her, getting out of their station wagon, even before Frances started looking around, let alone spotted me, that said There's your future wife Samantha."
"I know the feeling. I had a similar experience the moment I first saw William in college. Not to the point of knowing that I'd wind up being Mrs. Anderson," conceded Martha, "because I was already doing my damnedest to suppress my bi instincts; but the feelings I felt upon seeing him told me William was a man I would be spending a lot of time with. We had some rocky years before moving here between me denying a part of myself and him cheating on me, but now..."
"As a werefox, William's life/soul mate bond is with you, not that rogue that created his fursona in hopes of making him hers," Samantha pointed out, thinking back upon the Andersons' early days in Moon Lake and Yvette Smith.
"Because our love was already quite strong, despite the bad times. But those days are over and history now," said Martha proudly. "Our marriage is stronger now than it ever has been," she added, thinking about their new relationship with William a bonded but loving werefox to her and she an openly bi but happily married werecat who shares her dalliances with him when possible.
"Well, Moon Lake is a very special place; but all I know right now is that I won't be happy until I see Frances alive and well and in my loving arms again," complained Samantha, as the ride continued.
MEANWHILE...
"There she is!" exclaimed Janice Harper, as her big sister Jenny and her new husband entered the Jenkins home.
The newlyweds had spent a brief but quiet romantic honeymoon under the stars in the woods surrounding the crescent shaped body of water that the town was named after.
Now Harry and Jenny Jenkins were back and being warmly greeted by everyone present, although that was far short of the total number that should be under the shingled roof right now.
Janice started pestering her big sister with all kinds of questions concerning the honeymoon, as well as talking about meeting the teenage weretigers down the street and wondering if tigers and were-mermaids could be friends.
But there was a more important question that needed to be answered.
"Where is everybody mom?" Harry asked, once the greetings and welcoming embraces ended.
"Betty went to go freshen up after helping me out in the kitchen, just before the two of you walked in. Huck and John have gone to the store, while your dad drove James Junior to the hospital to check on his father," she answered.
"Is everything all right?" asked Jenny. Although her father was a bigoted jerk who tried to keep her from marrying the man she truly loved, Jenny certainly hoped James Harper Senior would recover from his heart problems in time.
"As far as I know. We'll definitely be eating dinner after everyone's back and had a chance to settle, but your father called to say they're bringing Mrs. Harper with them, so no fur while she's here," explained the elder Mrs. Jenkins.
"That also means no talking about such things either," Jenny said, interrupting her sister's endless barrage of words.
"Darn it," complained Janice. "But there's so much I want to know."
"In time," Jenny said, reassuring her little sister with a hug. Then she turned to face her new husband. "Well, it may not be the ideal evening we were hoping for Mister Jenkins, but the sooner we get the ball rolling on emancipating Janice and John, that will be one step closer to having my parents back in Alabama where they belong."
"Agreed," said Harry. Then he asked in a low tone of voice that only another were could hear, "But do you really think you can talk your other brother into moving out here someday?"
"Only time will tell," replied Jenny, privately hoping to one day have everyone she cared about relatively in the same vicinity again.
ELSEWHERE...
"Where is she?" Samantha Twist wanted to know, as she walked into Moon Lake General Hospital.
She hadn't even waited for Martha to bring the car to a complete stop in the parking space before she hopped out and ran to enter the building.
"Where's who?" the nurse on duty asked.
"Frances Twist, my wife."
"Hmm..." said the nurse, checking her computer. "I don't have her listed as a patient."
"That's a relief," said Samantha, feeling like a tremendous weight had just been taken off her. "Then where is she? Frances is a doctor who—"
"Doctor Twist?" repeated the nurse, double checking her computer again. Then, after looking at the results, answered, "Oh, she's in labor."
"HUH?" replied a totally confused Samantha.