Dinner and even desert wasn't that fancy at the Anderson home, but Julie enjoyed it greatly. Nate was fairly friendly, though it was pretty clear that the two brothers had very different interests. And despite some of the stories that Eric had told her regarding the past difficulties the family had had before coming to Moon Lake, it was pretty clear that as a werefox and werecat, his parents had put those things in the past. At the same time, William and Martha Anderson had accepted her as a suitor for Eric, who was Julie's main source of joy in life right now.
She'd never expected to find her one true love as young as she was, but neither could she say she didn't like having Eric there. Just being with him made her heart flutter happily with dreams and plans for the future. It was something that was truly unique to weremers in that they could have a visual cue on who the "one" was and it wasn't something that could be wrong. Julie had known that Eric was the only one for her before they'd formally met, and that gave her a sense of certainty in life, particularly as Eric began to fall in love with her. All of that made her happy and the two of them couldn't help but give sideways glances and smiles to each other through dinner, not to mention playing "footsie" under the table.
"That was a nice dinner, Mr. Anderson," Julie said politely as they finished.
"Thank you," William answered with a polite smile, "I'm sorry if it's not a favorite..."
"It's okay," Julie answered, "While weremers can and DO enjoy a lot of seafood, that doesn't mean we don't like other foods as well. It's one of those things that represents how so many things about Moon Lake are different from myth..."
"I think all of us have learned that particular lesson," Martha commented as she stood up
After all, the Anderson family had changed greatly since their arrival in Moon Lake. When they'd first arrived, the only one who had interest in Moon Lake and its "secrets" was Nate, because of the fact that he'd been a were fan for much of his life. Martha and William had heavily questioned even staying in Moon Lake, though eventually admitted they really didn't have that much of a choice and accepted staying. Since then, every Anderson had become a were and had become enthusiastic about being one. William, who'd had his transformation forced on him wouldn't go back even if he could, Martha relished at feeling as complete as she was as a werecat, and Eric had found true love with Julie.
The group slowly collected their dishes and moved to take them to the sink in the kitchen so that they'd allow for them to be rinsed before going into the dishwasher later. It formed a rather orderly line and allowed for everyone to pass each other as they arrived at the sink. William placed his plate and glass of water in the sink before moving back to retrieve the serving dishes that they'd brought out to hold the fried ham and side dishes. Martha followed behind him to place her plate on top of her husband's but then stepped to a side while Nate came forward.
"All your homework is done?" Martha asked to Nate, though it would also count as a question for Eric as well. Her boys were growing up, but that didn't mean she wasn't a mother.
"Yeah, mom," Nate answered as he handed his plate to her, "Alex and I got ours done this morning. So we're ready..."
"Good," Martha gave him a smile, "have a good night. Your father and I will see you in the morning before you head out for school."
Nate nodded and moved around his mother to head for the living room and then toward the front entryway, where the stairs to the second floor of the Anderson home was. As Nate moved off, Eric and Julie came forward.
"Julie and I didn't have much homework to finish, but we did get it finished," Eric volunteered with Julie nodding beside him.
"Well... that's good," Martha smiled, "You two had a good afternoon, right?"
"Yes, very good," Eric nodded with a wide smile and wrapping an around Julie's shoulders as she came forward.
Martha watched as Julie gave a small smile and handed her plate to Martha as well. Martha took the plate and then the glass as well and turned to her right at her waist to lower them into the sink. She'd also noticed a small blush in Julie's cheeks as well, which reminded her on her private concerns regarding Eric and Julie's relations. She was glad that Eric had found true love and was happy, but at fourteen Eric was too young for what that blush and the mutual scents on both of them indicated.
Martha could feel the pull for it as a werecat, herself. William was a very sexy man as a werefox and his equipment was larger than it had ever ben, and as a werefox he seemed to know exactly where to touch her to give her the most pleasure. It was something that Martha loved greatly, and the fun that she'd had with the Twists and the other female weres that she'd been with as a were was also wonderful. It was all a complete and wonderful feeling that Martha loved. But Martha knew that she was an adult and would be recognized as an adult.
Eric was not, and while he was in love, and as a weremer would know that the one he was in love with WAS the one true love for him, no one who wasn't a were would understand that. At the same time, it wasn't as if there was the imminent threat that the Andersons would be leaving Moon Lake any time soon. William had a one year contract with the college with the potential to have it lengthened should he be able demonstrate to the college staff and management that he could avoid the issues that had forced him out of the University of Minnesota and Martha was working to get her certification back, which included taking the PRAXIS for education in Washington State in connection with filling in for a position that would be opening up at the end of the present school year at the Elementary School.
The expected success that the family had was high, and in that Martha expected that they would be in Moon Lake for MANY years to come. In that, Eric and Julie could wait until they turned eighteen in their senior year, and would have MANY years together. It was not as though they were running out of time. Martha could understand the hormonal pull for Eric, and as a were, a part of Martha could understand him wanting to share his love with the one he loved, but there was at the same time the sense that it was smarter to wait. Of course, as her mind wandered on that subject, Martha also knew that it would be better to talk to William before going forward with anything.
In the meantime, as Martha took Julie's dishes, the two young weremers noticed Martha's nervous but polite smile and soon stepped aside. It was, after all a Sunday evening and they would have school the next morning.
"Thank you again for dinner, Mrs. Anderson," Julie said to her.
"It was no problem," Martha managed with a smile, "You've been so good to Eric and William and I are quite happy that he's found someone like you."
Julie nodded again and absentmindedly brushed a few strands of her blonde hair back over her shoulders. She did like the fact that her courting Eric was accepted. It made her feel just as welcome with the Andersons as she did with her own family. And in a way, she did at times have the same concerns as Martha concerning sexual activity and that her parents had the same concerns as well. After all, Julie and Eric were the same age. Before she'd met Eric, she'd promised she wouldn't even consider having sex until she turned eighteen, and to some degree had no real pull do so... even with a were's naturally higher libido.
Then she saw Eric Anderson glow with the light that told her that HE was her one true love. It was something that told her that she had found the one she would spend the rest of her life with, and that really generated the awakening of many of those sorts of feelings that hadn't been a concern before. They grew when Eric began to fall for her. And as that happened that brought in many of the hopes and thoughts that were things she hadn't thought on came in full force, and while she felt concerns to be "proper" and respectful to her promises, she could not help but feel joyously happy around Eric and seeking to be with him in every way. However, as she and Eric moved toward the living room, she knew that she'd need to get home.
"I'm going to have to head home, though," Julie said to Eric as they entered the living room.
"I know," Eric said slowly as he escorted her toward the door, "though... I wish you could stay..."
There was a wistful tone in Eric's voice that echoed in Julie's heart, but she knew that until they turned eighteen they were to live under their parent's rules. At the same time, Julie also knew that since her parents and Eric's parents were okay with them dating, there was no reason to do anything that would lead toward any sort of "teenage rebellion." As he opened the door for her, she smiled to him as she walked out onto the front step and smiled to him.
"I wish I could to... and I wish you could come with me," Julie said to him, "but we have to grow up first... Someday, though..."
"Someday," Eric smiled back as Julie jumped up into his arms and his arms wrapped around her waist.
With her arms around Eric's neck, Julie leaned up passionately kissed Eric on the lips. He returned it and soon their tongues were wrestling with each other. However, it didn't last for long as they eventually broke apart as they had to get ready for bed.
"I love you, Julie," Eric told her.
"I love you too," Julie answered and then turned to make her way home.