Nate Anderson and his mother Martha, along with Nate's boyfriend Alex Ramsey, were still standing in the Twist driveway with Ben Twist and his girlfriend Kenya Adaeze, when a car pulled up along the curb.
As it parked, all they could see was the driver had blonde hair before Mrs. Melissa Stovall got out.
"Is Julie here?" she asked. "I tried calling her cellphone several times and there's no answer."
"The service seems to be out in this area for some reason Mrs. Stovall," replied Ben. "We can't even call each other and we're all standing together."
"Well, that explains that. But it is getting late and Martin and I are expecting Julie for supper," replied Melissa.
"Afraid she isn't here Melissa," answered Martha. Considering that their children were already engaged to each other by were-mer standards, the Andersons and Stovalls were going to be in-laws someday. "Eric isn't either. Nate and his friends just got back from—"
"Flag football practice for the Thanksgiving Day exhibition game," explained Nate, interrupting his mother, "but we didn't see them on the way home."
"That's odd," observed Melissa. "They usually go to either here or our place when they get out of school, but could they still be there for some reason?"
"I honestly don't see how or why," replied Nate. "After all, Julie and Eric are the last people I'd ever expect to get detention, and I'm sure one of them would have said something if they were staying after for some reason."
"Then where are they?" Martha asked again, as Samantha Twist came out to see what the gathering in her driveway was about.
AND WHERE ARE ERIC AND JULIE???
They, along with their new friends Spencer Lawson and Morgan Barr were at his house, sitting around the Barr family living room together doing their respective homework, when Morgan's mother came into the room.
"Morgan, will your friends be staying for dinner?" she asked. "We have plenty if they are." Although I'm not sure how picky were-mers are about their diet, she realized, not having much experience with them.
Morgan looked up from his clipboard at his new friends, hoping to prolong having company. It gets lonely being home schooled. Besides, maybe later Spencer and I... as his thoughts drifted to more physical pleasures.
Eric and Julie looked at each other. They had just about finished everything they had to do for school and contemplated hanging out a while longer, if not actually sharing a meal with Morgan and Spencer.
Then Julie, realizing that she should ask her parents first, got out her cellphone and that changed everything.
"It's almost 6!" she said in alarm.
"It is?" asked Eric, looking around the room. That was when he realized that, although most weres don't wear wristwatches (since the bands would probably break switching to their fursonas) there were no wall clocks anywhere to be seen.
"I better call home," said Eric, reaching for his cellphone, but Julie stopped him.
"Don't bother. I can't get a signal," she told him.
"Let me try," offered Spencer, reaching into her purse for hers.
"Nothing," she revealed a moment later, unable to connect with her parents. "Are we out of the service area here?" referring to the fact that the Barr residence was near the outer edge of the wagon wheel layout of Moon Lake.
"I don't think so," answered Morgan.
"Let me try something," said Julie, but a moment later added, "My attempt to call you goes straight to voice mail Eric. There must be something wrong with the phone system right now."
"Then maybe we better get home before our folks start worrying about us," suggested Julie's fiance, as Eric started gathering his things.
"I'm so sorry about this guys," said Spencer, as she started collecting her stuff too.
"The phone outage isn't your fault," replied Eric.
"Besides, we probably should have called home and let them know where we were to begin with, because usually we just walk to either Eric's place or mine and do our homework there," added Julie, not mentioning the other thoughts and activities that cross their minds when alone.
"Well, I hope you kids don't get into any trouble over all of this," said Mrs. Barr. "If any of your parents have any questions, just have them call me and I'll straighten things out," before giving Eric and Julie her number.
"Is everybody ready?" asked Spencer, standing up with her book bag. There go the rest of my plans for today. While there's still a chance for me and Morgan later, I was hoping that me and Eric; or maybe even Eric, Julie, and I could—
"Can I go to?" Morgan asked his mother, as the trio were preparing to say goodbye and leave.