Ben Twist's alarm went off when it usually did, and he gave a bit of a stretch as he sat up after shutting the alarm of. Things were calm and quiet for the moment, which had generally fit most mornings for him. The only thing that had really been tense of late had been the disagreement between himself and his mother, Frances, mostly over the debate with regard to the Thanksgiving Football game. Though, while he did like the fact that he was able to "win" the debate, that didn't mean that he wanted his relationship with his adopted mothers to fall apart over that. It was also something that Kenya reminded him on when they talked later in the evening and that remained on Ben's mind as he went about getting started for the day.
He went about showering, drying, and then dressing as carefully as he could while trying to think of some way make sure that the debate over the football game hadn't truly drove a wedge between him and Frances. He loved both his mothers and had fond memories of both raising him as a child after his biological parents were killed in a car crash. And while he did wish to play, he didn't want that argument to jeopardize the good things that had always been there the mom/son relationship that had been there for Ben with Samantha and Frances. As such as he came out of his sleep, his mind drifted on how to let Frances know and understand that the debate was never something intended to drive any sort of wedge between them.
His mind was still on this when he made his way to the kitchen, though as he did so he not only heard that his mothers were both up but were already in a different discussion. One that had nothing to do with the Thanksgiving Football game.
"And you really HAVE to attend?" Ben heard Frances ask.
"Well... I don't HAVE to," Samantha replied, "My role as Town Chancellor doesn't include roles with the City Council... I may have to abide by the rules they pass and vote on, but I have no say in what they debate over or even the vote itself. That's more Kat's job... and even her role is limited to moderating the debate and providing a tie-breaking vote should there be a tie."
Ben caught on to this and recognized it as relating to some of the things that had been going on in the background over the course of the week. He knew that Nate and Alex had noticed all this too as the rumors about this City Council meeting had flown around the school rather heavily. But for the most part, much of Ben's mind had been focused on getting permission to play in the flag football game. For the moment he was quiet as he heard Samantha say the shortened form of the name of Moon Lake's Deputy Mayor, Katherine Chambers. He knew that Samantha worked with Katherine, which was good, but that didn't necessarily relate to what was going on.
"But from what I've heard... so much of this meeting will relate to the were secret... that it might not be one to miss," Samantha then spoke.
"But hasn't much of the discussion on this often related to new ways to protect the secret or dealing with some new business coming into Moon Lake that would have offices and staff from outside Moon Lake?" Frances asked, fairly familiar with some of things that had sparked special meetings in the past.
"It could," Samantha admitted, "Kat hasn't told me that much... but with what she has told me and what I've heard during the course of the day... something seems to be different about this meeting. Which is why I've been thinking of going."
"I see," Frances answered.
By this point in the conversation, Ben had made it to the doorway to the kitchen and he announced himself before going. Both Samantha and Frances probably suspected his approach as he didn't see either of them jump as he came in, but that was likely related to the fact that their own senses were so good.
"Morning," Ben announced as he came in and drawing some attention, "What's up?"
"Not much," Samantha said from near the toaster as it popped up to slices of toast, "at least that'll be the hope..."
"This wouldn't relate to all the rumors that have been going around school?" Ben commented.
"Rumors on this meeting have gone around school?" Frances wondered from the table while she watched Ben retrieve a bowl and was soon getting out a box of cereal.
"Some are pretty outrageous... like the city is planning to go to war and conquer the state," Ben answered.
Samantha gave a frustrated and audible groan at that while she finished assembling her breakfast and moved to sit down next to Frances. She knew there was bound to be trouble over it, the rumors at city hall seemed to indicate that, but to have it go to the city of Moon Lake going to war with Washington State was ridiculous. If that was what some of these rumors had turned into, it was something that sometimes made her almost wish that the "were secret" wasn't a thing, but she also knew that much of Moon Lake depended on it. Most of her job depended on it remaining. But there were times when some things were proposed that were ridiculous.
"But I'm sure nothing is going on like that," Ben commented, "it's probably just something that's like the telephone game... One person tells someone something and then its retold. By the time the rumor gets back to the original person the message doesn't even resemble what it started as."
"Sounds about right," Frances commented as she watched Ben come to the table with a full bowl of cereal and one glass of juice.
Ben sat down beside Frances and looked over to Samantha and then said for a moment, "and mom and I will be behind you..."
"Thank you, Ben," Samantha answered.
With that, the conversation on this meeting paused for a moment. After a few bites of his cereal, Ben did look over to Frances and soon noted the signed permission form by her place at the table. He could see both of his mother's signatures on it. It brought him back to what he'd been thinking over when he got up and he slowly cleared his throat before speaking.
"And thank you, mom," Ben began.
"For caving?" Frances asked, having the sense Ben was referring to what had been something very much a point of conflict between her and Ben.
"For loving me," Ben corrected with made Frances blink with some degree of surprise. "I'm not going to say I agree with your initial fears... but... I you did so because you love me."
Frances sat quietly for a moment or two as Ben reached out to touch the hand that was closest to him. He held it softly and gently and softly rubbed his thumb over the back of Frances's hand for a few brief moments.
"And I'll be as careful as possible with the game," Ben promised, "because I love you and mom too."
"So you would love me eve if I said no?" Frances asked.
"Even if you said no," Ben answered, "I wouldn't like it... but I wouldn't stop loving you. You and move have given me a lot."
With that, Frances smiled and turned in her seat the bring her other hand forward and then Ben's hand in hers. The real part of her reason for caving on the issue of the football game was more because her fear that she was turning to the same tactics her parents had chosen with regard to the flag football game. As there was a fair amount of danger that existed in every were's life. That was something that just happened to be part of being a were, and the prospect that the she might well have forbidden Ben to be a Werewolf went through her mind during the debate, even if Ben hadn't actually made the accusation that that was what she was trying to do. That was why she caved.
But Ben had never gloated and never celebrated on the issue. He'd taken it fairly calmly, which Frances could respect. The fact that Ben had stated that he'd still live her regardless of the debate was something that did feel right and it was something that made her smile. She then held Ben's hand to her own and smiled.
"That's all I could ask for," Frances smiled.
This seemed to ease the tensions in Ben's mind and he managed a smile back. It felt good that things did sit well between him and Frances. The soft moment was soon interrupted, though.
"As nice as this is," Samantha spoke up from her seat, "Ben, you have school, and Frances you and I have work we'll need to get to soon."
There was a pause before both Ben and Frances nodded and resumed eating their breakfast to get ready.