William got home at around the same time he usually did. He was a bit later than normal, for a Tuesday/Thursday, which had different class schedules from his Monday/Wednesday/Friday, but it wasn't too bad and most of what made him a little "late" was a student that voiced some interesting ideas at the end of the class period discussion. There was nothing wrong with that, and was actually a good part of why he enjoyed teaching at the college level. There was a level of interest was greater that what he'd remembered in high school and a level of intellectual scholarship that wasn't there at the lower levels. It made for interesting discussions that could potentially challenge the accepted rules when it came to things like literature, and there were times when that sort of thing was actually quite welcome with regard to literary analysis.
As he approached the front door, though, William also knew that despite a good day at the college there were still the worries with regard to Eric. His youngest son had apparently been jealous or nervous over something in relation to Julie's friendships the previous day. Martha had noticed it and told him that Eric had seemed to be sliding back into the self isolated habits Eric had had in Minnesota. That was something that William was concerned with, particularly when he and Martha tried to assure him that things would be fine and that "patience" would important for Eric, only to have that advice not work the previous night and seemed to carry over into the morning.
William had made it through the day fairly well, but his own worries for Eric were in the back of his mind. His bond also seemed to flare with urgings in that Martha had seemed to be extremely nervous over this as well. And between his drive to be a good father and his bond driving him to make Martha happy, worries over Eric remained there as he went through his work day. Thankfully he did manage to hold it together through the work day, but as he arrived home, his first task was to address those worries.
"Martha? Are you home?" William called softly as he came in through the front door.
"I'm in the kitchen," came Martha's reply.
He set his briefcase down by the stairs and then walked across living room and noted Martha's study materials seated on the couch, which gave him some relief. He could tell that Martha was worried when he left for the college, and in many ways he was worried about Eric too. But at the same time, William also knew both of them would have to be strong and supportive for Eric in order to help him. They couldn't spend all their time worrying, as that wouldn't help the situation. He found Martha pouring herself a glass of milk at the counter next to the refrigerator.
"How are you doing?" William asked to her as he watched Martha take a small sip of her milk and then returned the jug to the fridge.
"I'm doing okay," Martha answered with a small but nervous smile as she turned to William as he walked toward her.
"Are the kids home?" William inquired.
"Nate should be at football practice, but Eric is home," Martha answered, "he came home with Julie. They should be doing their homework right now."
William gave a nod as Martha paused to take another sip of her milk. After setting the cup down, Martha then continued.
"He also looked a bit better today," Martha spoke, "and even said that what he was nervous about was a misunderstanding..."
William paused his advance as he raised an eyebrow as he looked to Martha. By what she said, he'd thought that would be good news, that Eric had been upset over nothing and the situation resolved itself. However there was a tone of voice that struck at William's bond heavily. It felt filled with worry and self doubt, and that didn't quite fit with what Martha had said. If it was all just a misunderstanding, then there was nothing to worry about. He glanced at his wife and found her eyes a bit downcast and her smile a bit weak, and that further tugged at his bond. As Martha set the cup down on the counter, he came forward and pulled her into a hug.
"What's wrong, Martha?" William asked, "what can I do?"
"I'm not sure either of us can do anything," Martha answered as she looked up to him, "everything that's gone on with Eric has had me so worried... I couldn't focus that much today..."
"But Eric told you it was all a misunderstanding," William commented as he held Martha to him and softly stroking her back in a pattern that he knew would comfort her, "that should be a good thing, right?"
"I guess so," Martha spoke, "but as I said... it had me nervous, and I didn't know about the misunderstanding until after Eric came home. In this... over the lunch hour I went out to talk to Frances... see if she might have some advice that could help with Eric."
"Well... I'm sure she could," William commented, "didn't she help you with all the adjusting that we went through with regard to Moon Lake's were population?"
Martha slowly nodded at that. She remembered when they'd first moved in and she was still trying to figure things out with regards to Moon Lake's were secret and mandatory were law. She'd been nervous of it then, and her relations with William weren't as good as they were now as she was also still adjusting to the consequences of William being unfaithful to her over the years. The fact that she'd been trying to deny being bisexual only seemed to add to it. Samantha and Frances had both helped her with that, even though Martha couldn't quite figure out how they figured out she was bisexual, but then that didn't matter. They did help and she became a werecat as a result. However, the one who'd done the most help had been Frances.
"Both her and Samantha did," Martha answered, "but I think that Frances did the most help... She was comforting and encouraging in a way. It actually made me seem to realize how I'd been repressing who I was and that wasn't really the thing to do... that I needed to accept who I am and be comforted by who I am."
She felt William's hug grow firmer as he held her to him, and she felt warm and safe in his arms. She also loved the back rub he'd been giving her. It seemed to be relaxing all of her tense muscles and made her physically feel better. She figured this was part of a werefox's ability to know how to please their mates and tied in with their bond. A part of her wanted to purr in contentment at the comfort that William was providing, but she had to get through the rest of the report.
"And I figured she could help with some advice for helping Eric," Martha spoke, "but... she said that it could be a potential sign of things more than just jealousy or a misunderstanding. That his slipping into hold habits could be a sign of something bigger."
"Bigger?" William asked, "as in...?"
"Depression or bipolar disorder," Martha said to him, "being a were can heal many things... but mental stresses doesn't appear to be one of them. Frances said from what I was able to share that she doesn't think the cause would be biological... which could mean that therapy could help him in that regard, but she also said that she'd need to talk with Eric directly in a formal session to get answers from him to know for sure."
"But that means that Frances, can help him, right?" William asked.
"Yes," Martha actually sniffled as she thought over things, "but it also means that all our issues PUT the stress on him... Your philandering and my repressing that I was bisexual. WE put all the pressure and trauma on him."
"I'm sure our failings did put stress on him," William commented, "but I wouldn't put that on you, Martha. Repressing that you were bi may have put you under stress, but that stress was more with regard our married life, not to our parenting Nate or Eric. They may not have even known or recognized that... and certainly I should have recognized that."
William's own eyes drifted down and to the side, focusing on an old color photo of the Anderson family when Eric was three. It had them at home with Eric standing by Martha and Nate in William's lap. A small gold colored magnet was placed so that it wasn't covering up anyone's head in the photo.
"I should have recognized that something was bothering you when I came home in an amorous mood and found you distant and withdrawn and actually sat down to talk with you and find out what was wrong," William spoke, "and not go off in search of someone to satisfy my own desires at the time. And the memories of that... that is what fills me with the most shame... and is something my inner fox hates the most. If either of us put such stresses on Eric it was me, NOT you. I could have been a better husband to you and helped you and set things up at home that would have been better for both of us and not drug you through the proverbial mud of having to stand by me after getting that co-ed pregnant and all the mess that came from it. I'm probably lucky your parents didn't kill me outright for it."
Martha again felt William hold her in his arms in a firm embrace. Something in it felt like he was trying to absolve her of any responsibility for the stresses that Eric had surely felt over what had happened in Minnesota. It was a continued reminder of just how strained things had been before the move to Moon Lake. And a part of her could agree with William's admitting to those problems, but at the same time, she could remember that he had come to her first. It was that sort of thing where she realized that some of her own insecurities had played their own role. It made her also wonder what might have happened if she hadn't been repressing her bisexual side.
However, that wasn't the main thing to focus on at the moment. The focus and worry related to Eric, especially as the wounds in their marriage had healed and healed rapidly after they became weres. It was the worry that Eric had been psychologically wounded by their mistakes that had built Martha's main worries.
"And in the end... if all Eric needs is someone he can talk to and get all of those stresses off his chest..." William assured her, "that is a good thing in the long run. I'm sure Frances can help him and we'll figure out how to help him as well."
"I hope so," Martha answered, "Frances seemed fairly confident about that too... but it did mean scheduling an appointment for Thursday."
"Then for now... that's all we can do," William answered and continued to hug Martha. "And hopefully it'll do well..."
Martha nodded and returned the hug.