Officer Leprune turned with Harold Jenkins and Virginia McCoy as they heard a vehicle pull into the Jenkins' driveway.
The two weretigers looked at each other, the same unspoken questions on their minds.
Was Melissa all right? Was she a member of were society now, and if so, what?
OUTSIDE...
After parting company with his parents, Melissa Jenkins and Trevor Tyson were strangely silent on the way back to her house.
So much had happened over Halloween night, the best part being Melissa declaring her feelings for Trevor and joining him in were society as a werecow.
She had no recollection whatsoever of having a conversation with her future daughter, who reassured Melissa about her future with Trevor, before leaving the Tyson farm. All Melissa could swear to was that she was in love with Trevor, she was his werecow now, and that she was very happy.
Trevor on the other hand was silent for a different reason. He kept trying to figure out how to tell Mister Jenkins that not only did he lovingly take his daughter's virginity, but that he looked forward to seeing Melissa on a more regular basis now that they were officially dating.
As Trevor parked his pick up truck behind Harold Jenkins' vehicle, Melissa turned her head and smiled at him. If either of them had even noticed the other car parked at the curb, no one commented on it.
Trevor smiled back before rushing out of the driver's door to race around the truck cab and open the passenger door for his Mel.
She held out her hand and Trevor kissed it, before helping her out of the truck.
Standing next to his new girlfriend, Trevor leaned close to her and whispered in Mel's ear, "Would you be ashamed of me if I admitted I have absolutely no idea what to say to your father?"
"That makes two of us," confessed Mel, before kissing him on the cheek. "But do you have any idea why I still want to rip off your clothes and take you right here on the front lawn?"
"Like I said back at my place, besides the fact a lot of people consider sex a were's favorite past time, the euphoria from your first transformation probably hasn't worn off yet," assumed Trevor.
"Then this is a feeling I hope never ends," replied Mel, before taking his hand in hers and leading them toward the front door of the house. The clothes donated to her by Mrs. Tyson, along with the outfit that no longer fit now that Mel had transformed, were still in the pick up, but those could wait.
INSIDE...
It was all Harold and Virginia could do to keep from jumping up to greet Mel as the front door opened.
Although Melissa Jenkins was biologically only Harold's daughter, Virginia was feeling more and more like a mother to the red haired girl now that she was engaged to the weretiger who had won her heart. The fact that the two of them planned to get married before the end of the calendar year in a simple civil ceremony wasn't lost on either Harold or Virginia, but ironing out the final details on that and the blessed union to follow were matters to discuss later.
As Mel used her key to open the front door and step into her house, both Harold and Virginia instantly knew she was different.
Mel's hair was longer. She was a bit taller with a larger bust and more shapely hips and legs than when they last seen her.
She's a were now, realized Harold, staring at his daughter. But, being the more inexperienced of the two since he hadn't been a were that long himself, couldn't help wondering A were what?
Melissa Jenkins stared at the weretiger couple sitting on the couch. The fact that Virginia was smiling at her as the two of them were holding paws and her father stared anxiously back at her in return wasn't lost on Mel.
Who the other man in the room was, taking all of this in, was a question that could wait.
Mel smiled at her father and his fiance, and then said one simple word.
"Moo."
With that, Harold and Virginia rushed off the couch to jointly hug Melissa as Trevor walked into the living room behind her.
"Oh Mel," cried Harold, hugging his daughter. "We were so worried about you!"
"It's okay dad," said Mel, hugging him back. Then she turned to look at Virginia. "Should I call you mom?" she asked.
"Not until after the wedding, but I'd be honored if you do," the weretigress replied.
"Deal," said Mel, before hugging Virginia. The fact that Harold never uttered a word against this development wasn't lost on the ladies, considering how he felt about his deceased first wife before falling in love with Virginia.
Then both adults became aware of Trevor Tyson standing next to Mel.
Trevor grew a bit scared, seeing two weretigers staring intently at him, but although he and Mel were currently in their human forms, the werebull stood his ground.
Harold took a step closer to Mel's boyfriend. It was a bit intense, seeing such a large animal staring back at you, no matter what the circumstances. Trevor couldn't tell if the weretiger was happy, angry, or what.
"Mister Jenkins..." began Trevor, staring back at Harold. "Melissa and I will be the first to admit that we wish what happened tonight between us was under better circumstances, but know that I love your daughter very much and will always do my best to do right by her."
Harold continued to stare at Trevor, which was starting to unnerve him.
Then the weretiger smiled. "One of the things I've been having trouble coming to terms with since moving to Moon Lake was acknowledging that my Mel was growing up. But as much as she'll always be my little girl, Melissa is nearing adulthood, and capable of making her own choices. As long as you keep the promise you just made to me, you'll always be welcomed in my house," added Harold, before holding out his paw.
Trevor just nodded his head in agreement as he started shaking hands, not knowing that Harold would one day be his future father-in-law.
"But if you don't..." growled Harold, as he tightened his grip on Trevor's hand.
"Yes sir!" replied Trevor, before Harold smiled at him again.
"Just look at you Mel," said Virginia, taking in the new Miss Jenkins. "We've got to go clothes shopping and—"
"Mrs. Tyson gave me a bunch of stuff she can't wear anymore, like what I have on," replied Mel.
"The rest is still out in my truck. Do you want me to go get it now?" asked Trevor, not willing to admit how strong a weretiger's grip is as he flexed his fingers to get the circulation back into his right hand.
"I'm not sure we have the spare funds for a new wardrobe," began Harold, turning to look at the ladies.
"Isn't there a bull/cow group that might cover some of the expense, like the weretigers did for Harold?" Virginia asked Trevor.
"Look folks," began Officer Leprune in a loud voice, interrupting the family reunion. "I hate to break up this joyous occasion, but I still need to ask Miss Jenkins and Mister Tyson some questions about what happened tonight and Alice Decrux," he said, just as his cellphone started ringing.