Waiting for Frances' "work" as a fill in coach for a pregnant woman, who'd seemingly gone into labor as a result of the morning's battle that had disturbed and alerted so many in the area, was rather quiet. Martha had noted that with the knowledge that Frances was okay was enough ease Samantha's fears, which was a good thing. While they waited, Martha actually took to looking into a viewing window into a room where the Moon Lake Hospital would keep newborns while the mothers recovered from labor. The viewing window was there so that visitors could look in and see where the baby was before going on to see the mother. At present there weren't too many of the cribs there that were occupied, but Martha did occasionally see a foot or an arm reach up from crib before going back down again. It was a precious scene that reminded her a bit of when Nate and later Eric were born.
After a moment of looking through the glass, Martha found herself giving a contented sigh. Sure, none of these infants were related to her, and her babies were growing up, but that didn't change her base thoughts on children. She'd always liked kids and infants could be especially cute. Martha knew she'd always had those feelings, and they were ones she had never had any question on. They got her into teaching in the first place and when she'd married William, that had helped spur on the decisions that lead to Nate's birth with Eric being born later. Her only regret was that she and William had never been able to have a girl together. Prior to Moon Lake and both of them becoming weres, they knew that getting Nate and Eric through college would be tight and by the time that'd been done, they'd be too old to try again. Though, now as weres, they looked physically younger and have the potential to be around for quite some time to come. In that, once Nate and Eric were through college and she was re-established as a teacher, maybe they'd be able to try again.
"You know... outside of when I was a baby... I've never been here," came Samantha's voice from beside her.
Martha turned to see the Town Chancellor approaching her from the ward's waiting area. She looked a lot calmer than she did before and sounded a lot calmer. Which made sense, as Samantha had every right to worry about the woman she loved when something as dramatic as a police gun battle occurred right next to her home.
"It's something neat to look in on," Martha answered, "to see cute and innocent little faces... free of hatred and vice... and full of hope... in every child."
"You like kids?" Samantha asked.
"It's why I got into teaching... and at the elementary school level," Martha nodded, "William is more of the scholarly higher level type... but with little kids... I could see them at their start and hopefully be a guide for them. And in way... that was a great time in my life, and I got my start before William did..."
"A better teacher?" Samantha wondered.
"Well... more that William had to earn a Masters in English AND Teaching in order to teach at the college level," Martha answered, "so he essentially had more years of college to go through while I didn't have to do that to teach at a public school at the elementary level. And arguing over who is the better teacher between us would be like comparing apples to oranges. College and Elementary School are two very different things."
There was a brief silence between the two of them, and Martha traded glances between Samantha and the infants in the room. She eventually had a question come to her, which fit within the location on where they were.
"Have you and Frances ever thought on having kids?" Martha asked, "I mean kids of your own..."
"It'd be kind of hard for that... as we're both lesbians and both women," Samantha answered small smirk on her lips and with one eyebrow raised a little.
"I understand that... but there are other means to ensure a pregnancy," Martha answered, "Artificial insemination... that sort of thing."
"But that wouldn't be kids of our own," Samantha answered, "it'd be one of us having someone else's kid implanted in a science experiment. If I wanted biological children... I'd want ONE child at a time... not be some sort of octomom."
"I'm not sure that they'd require you to have that many at one time," Martha commented, "but, I suppose I can understand the reasoning..."
Samantha slowly nodded and gave a small smile to Martha, "If there were a way that Frances and I could have children together... I'd do all that I could for that, as sometimes I think that'd make Frances happy... and there are times when I miss Ben being little... But, we're both women and both lesbian."
"Still... one can't argue with the innocence that children have and the hope that they represent," Martha commented.
Samantha nodded as the two looked in again. Things returned to the sort of quiet patience as they waited for Frances. Largely as there wasn't that much to really say at the moment. There were some things that Samantha did wish to say, but they were all specifically for Frances and her ears only. Martha was a good friend and fell pride mate, and Samantha still found Martha's voice sexy, but Frances was her everything and Martha was a friend for her. And there were some things that were just between Samantha and Frances, and nothing would change that. In this the two stood quietly and ignored most of the footsteps that passed them.
Eventually one set of footsteps stopped near them, making both Samantha and Martha turn to see Frances standing there. She looked a bit tired, but was otherwise fine. Samantha was quick to pull her wife into her arms. Frances returned it and gave a small purr, even while in her human form.
"So... scoping out future voters?" Frances joked to Samantha.
"What? No!" Samantha began to protest, as while she did support public service, she didn't approve of the way some career politicians handled it with lots of big photo ops but doing very little real work.
"We were just marveling at the innocence and beauty that places like this can represent," Martha interjected, "this isn't too different from the maternity ward I was in when I had Nate and later Eric..."
"Fond memories, I take it?" Frances asked, to which Martha nodded. After Martha nodded, Frances then continued, "Well, I would agree that there is often hope that can be seen in children... Hope that they may create a better world... and hope that we may make the world better for them..."
"I'm sure everyone has hope for that," Samantha replied.
"True... but some cases will be more critical in that regard than others," Frances answered and then scanned the room on the other side of the glass window, "and there will be responsibilities we will all owe."
"Come again?" Samantha wondered.
"The girl in the second row third from the left, that's Hope Drake... the girl who's arrival I was here to coach for," Frances explained and pointed to where the infant Hope lay, presently sleeping, "Her mother went into labor at seeing her husband pick a fight with the police and be shot as a result... and in the end... those shots proved fatal. I can't justify Dymixious Drake's actions... but that doesn't mean I think his daughter should have to pay for what he did."
"I can talk with the Mayor tomorrow," Samantha said slowly and processing what Frances said. She'd known about the battle and that Dymixious had been shot in the battle. She knew that at least two officers were injured in the battle, but she didn't know which officers had been assigned participate in the arrest. But Frances had said the shots that Dymixious took were fatal, which meant that the man hadn't survived surgery and that it took a bit of time to connect Dymixious to Jade Drake.
"Thanks," Frances said slowly and kissed Samantha on the cheek, "but I think I've had enough for today... It's been a long one, starting with gunshots and then spending most of the day here in the hospital... I'm ready for a warm bath and being able to lie down..."
"Well, if you're ready," Martha commented, "why don't we all head home... with all the surprises... I don't think any of really got that much done."
Samantha and Frances both slowly nodded. And the three then made their way out, with Martha in the lead and retracing the steps that she and Samantha had followed to meet up with Frances again. Thankfully the hospital did have signs posted that made that fairly easy. Samantha and Frances followed behind with Samantha holding Frances's arm and trying to stay as close as she could. Frances was glad for it and reached across her own body with her other hand to pat Samantha's hand/arm as they walked along to assure Samantha that the gesture was appreciated. They eventually made it out to the front parking lot where the Anderson family SUV was parked. Martha hit the unlock button on the key fab and climbed in behind the wheel. Samantha and Frances both climbed into the back seat and sat close together.
"Okay, here we go," Martha announced after hear the click of the seatbelts in the back seat, "it shouldn't be too long before everyone's at home again."
"Thank you for the ride, Martha," Samantha spoke, "and... well... I didn't..."
"What happened this morning was trying," Martha spoke, thinking back to it. Hearing the muffled gunshots in the woods with William and Joyce had been startling and her first fear was that someone might have gone after Nate or Eric. It became worse when Eric didn't answer her calls, though in the end that was because he was in the Stovall house and perfectly fine while his phone was out on the Stovall's back porch. "And while I'm sure you did all you could to prevent it from going as far as it did... I'd say you're also entitled to worry when the consequences... or potential consequences come back on those you love."
"Still, thank you," Samantha answered again as Martha pulled out of the parking lot and they were soon headed west toward Wood Street on one of the curving roads that made up the center of Moon Lake's wagon wheel shape.