With all the clean up done, Henry Jenkins Senior and his helper were about to leave the Johnstones place when John Harper asked, "What about the note concerning the wet paint?"
"Having already called Frank about it, and Reggie knowing we were here before he left for work, I didn't think it was necessary. Do you?" Henry asked.
John just shrugged his shoulders as Henry added, "Besides, last time I tested our paint sample board before we started cleaning up, the second coat sample for the front porch was already tacky and they know not to step foot on the back patio until morning. So unless it rains overnight, we're all set."
"If it does rain, what happens then?" wondered John.
"We come back out, access the damage, if any, and decide how to proceed from there. Now then, ready to go home?" Henry asked, while putting on his seat belt.
John smiled at that thought, for not only would it give him a chance to be with Ginger O'Toole again, but that one little four letter word never really meant that much to John until he started living with the Jenkins.
"Yeah. Let's head home," John said happily, securing his seat belt.
With that, Henry started the pick up truck and drove off.
All the way home from school, Tommy Johnstone wondered what he would say to John Harper upon meeting him.
He, along with most of Moon Lake's were community, had heard the news and gossip concerning the Harper family ever since they came from Alabama in James Harper Senior's misguided attempt to stop his oldest daughter's wedding to Harry Jenkins.
The Sophomore weretiger had only caught a glimpse of John walking away from the Jenkins' Construction pick up to his backyard while leaving for school that morning, but Tommy thought he was cute and wanted to get to know the boy better.
However, the gay teenager was seriously disappointed as he approached his house and saw the construction company truck drive away.
Tommy stopped dead in his tracks. "DANG IT!" he cursed out loud, to no one in particular. Well, I know whenever he get's registered, I'll see him around school. Wonder what grade he'll be in? Tommy pondered, as he resumed walking to his house.
MEANWHILE...
Sophomore Spencer Lawson sat in her pick up truck within the student parking section of Moon Lake High School, wondering what was keeping the boy she was hoping to see.
Doesn't Eric know I'm waiting for him out here? she asked herself. Then again, the hybrid werewolf-cat-panthress suddenly remembered that she forgot to offer Anderson and his girlfriend Julie Stovall a ride home this afternoon when she took them all to school that morning.
Him and Julie must have left out the front door on foot! she realized, starting her truck.
It was easy enough getting out of her parking space, but considering students shared the parking lot with the teachers, buses, and other school employees; it still took her a few minutes going through the line of vehicles to actually get off of school property and onto the street.
As soon as she could without risking a ticket, Spencer made her way around to the front of the school, but saw no sign of the were-mer couple.
Spencer found a place to turn her truck around and head back along the route toward their respective houses.
Spencer drove, nudging the limit but not officially speeding, until she finally saw them.
Eric and Julie were entering the Stovall residence, blissfully unaware of her interest in them.
The door closed behind them as she drove past.
"Crap!" exclaimed Spencer, as she drove on. I still don't know what it is about her, let alone him that attracts me so much, but one of these days I'd love to find out, she thought, looking for a place to turn around to head back to her own house.
Ginger O'Toole, anxious to see her (boy)friend, rang the doorbell of the Jenkins house.
"Yes?" said the recently wed Jenny Jenkins upon answering it.
"Hi. Is John home?" asked the weretigress.
"Not yet. John and Henry are still on that painting job, but we expect them home at any time," answered Jenny.
"Oh," said Ginger, unable to hide her disappointment in not seeing John. "Well, if I'm not able to make it back over here today, could you please tell John I'll be over tomorrow morning at 11 for our walk. That is, if it's convenient for him."
"Sure," promised Jenny.
But as the young weretigress turned to leave, some inner sense of the werevixen made Jenny add, "Ginger? I can't predict the future, but I do know you're very important to him."
"I feel the same way about him," Ginger said with a smile, before walking the rest of the way to her house a couple of doors down from the Jenkins.
It wasn't until Ginger was on her front porch and opening the front door that Henry was pulling up to park along the curb of his house.
TO BE CONTINUED...
(and of course, all weres are currently in their normal forms in public during the day.)