Janine has always loved winter, even when she was a little girl. The snow made the world look cleaner. True, it tended to be very cold, but Janine didn't mind the cold. She minded it even less now that she had a warm skunk fur. Though being by the big bonfire at the Winter Solstice party was very nice. She and her mother, Anne, were warming themselves while Walter was getting some hot cider.
"Very pleasant night, is it not?" asked Janice.
"Ze longest, darkest night of ze year," said Anne.
"Not so dark," said Janice, "Zere's zis big bonfire and ze moon is full. And zere's bright spirits all around."
"Like zose Dinotopians who just got engaged," said Anne.
"Speaking of engagements," said Janice, "You and Oscar, it took quite a while to get around to zat."
"Well, I want to be sure zat all of my family will be at ze wedding," said Anne giving her daughter a pointed look.
"But Maman, 'ow was I suppose to know 'ow you would react?" asked Janice.
"I am your maman. It should not matter if you were a skunk or not. I should have still been at your wedding."
"Well, I'll be at yours, as awkward as it may be."
"Let's hope ze rest of our family won't make it too awkward," said Anne.
"Oui, oui," said Janice, thinking back to their family reunion.
==========
(The dialogue in this flashback is translated from French.)
Paris, as the largest city in France, had a lot of room for big families and plenty of opportunities for work. However, that work wasn't always the best available. The Cumbertin family weren't high-class citizens. Most of them had to do menial work in order to get by. Janice was always thankful that her mother was able to send her to America. Now she was equally thankful her mother was able to live in America with her. This visit to Paris didn't bring back a lot of good memories, but at least she was seeing the more pleasant sights of Paris.
"So where are we supposed to deliver that ambergris?" asked Janice.
"Oh, that is not our only business here," said Anne, "We have family to visit, hopefully bring back to the States."
"I'm not sure if we can get everyone in the family," said Janice.
"But there are some we can bring back," said Anne, "Your cousin Fleur has been really wanting to come to America."
"Flirty Fleur?" asked Janice with some dismay. Fleur had always been teasing Janice since their early teens. It was no secret that Fleur had a thing for girls and while she'd never touch her cousin, she like to get Janice riled up.
"Oh, she's grown a lot since you last saw her," said Anne, "She's a lot more in control."
"Yeah, I'm sure," said Janice, her tail stiffening slightly from instinct.
==========
"She wasn't zat bad," said Anne.
"She kept 'ugging my tail," said Janice, "You know how bad an idea zat is with a skunk."
"She'll have her own tail to 'ug before long," said Anne.
"I just hope she'll not be another skunk," said Janice, "I don't think our whole family has to be skunks."
"She may be something lither," said Anne, "Probably a cat."
"Non, too common for 'er," said Janice.
"We shall see," said Anne.