SHE'S BEAUTIFUL! said Ava Ross, staring down the stairs at the were before her parents.
It was not a comment meant to be said aloud, but Ava was lost in the moment, staring at the beautiful feline werecat that Town Chancellor Samantha Twist had transformed into before her parents.
Yet while Ava was still secretly perched at the top of the stairs to the Ross family's new Moon Lake residence, she knew her voice was not that loud, for there was no reaction whatsoever from her parents.
However, Samantha turned her head and gave Ava a feline smile.
She heard me! Ava realized in shock, fearing discovery by her parents.
Diana and Kent Ross, while still blissfully unaware of their daughter spying on the private conversation the adults were having with Samantha, did see the werecat before them turn her head to look up the staircase.
"Is something wrong?" Kent asked, as he started to rise from the sofa.
"Among our other abilities, weres have better hearing," began Samantha, turning back to face the Rosses again. "In any form," she added, as her feline features started to subside to reveal the human form within the anthropomorphic being once again. She had been keeping a close eye on the front windows the entire time she was furry, but while no one had come to the front door or had gotten nosy about what might be going on inside the house, Samantha didn't want to press her luck any more than absolutely necessary either. "I think your daughter is upset about something and will be joining us momentarily," Samantha said nonchalantly, as she moved to put her shoes back on.
Thinking quickly and taking this as her cue, Ava reached behind her just enough to open her bedroom door, then acted like she was just now coming out of the room to head downstairs.
"Mom. Dad. I can't find my other box of CDs. I hope they didn't get left behind," Ava complained.
"Well, there's still plenty to unload. Hopefully they're still on the moving van," replied her mother.
"Yeah. Considering what they're charging, we better get those guys back to work," added her father, completely standing up now. "Well Mrs. Twist, this has certainly been an eye opening and informative afternoon," he added, holding out his hand to shake Samantha's. "Should I accompany you outside and get that guide book from you?"
"No. I can do that dad," Ava hastily offered. "Besides, I want to look for my CDs."
"Just as long as you don't get underfoot out there," cautioned her father, still walking out with the ladies to get the movers back to work.
"If you find any of my cookware, I can attempt fixing something for dinner tonight out of our road trip leftovers. Otherwise, it will have to be take out," said Diana Ross as she rose.
"I suggest Moe's Pizza. They make a great Meat Lover's Pizza. Otherwise, you can always order from The Local Diner. Both deliver and if you don't have a phone book yet, just call directory assistance," suggested Twist.
"What's the name of that place?" Kent asked, escorting the ladies toward the front door.
"The Local Diner," replied Samantha.
"No. I mean what's—" and then Kent realized what she was saying. "Interesting name."
Outside, Kent started talking to the moving men, who were sitting on the front lawn taking a break while the Rosses talked to Samantha Twist.
Meanwhile, Samantha and Ava were walking toward the curb, where Twist's vehicle was parked in front of the house.
"Thanks for not giving me away back there," Ava said in a whisper loud enough for only Samantha to hear.
"Thanks for the compliment," Samantha said in return.
"Are all female weres as beautiful as you were when they're furry?"
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But my wife loves me in either form, and that's all that matters to me," Twist answered. "If you didn't hear my entire conversation with your parents, the age of consent for a normal like yourself to join were society is 14, but we do encourage anyone under 18 to check with their parents first," advised Samantha, as she opened her car and reached inside for the copy of the guide book she hid under the front seat. "Also, one thing you should know about werecats. For some reason that we have never figured out, both the male and female version of our specific species are all at least bi, if not outright gay."
"But I'm straight. At least, I like boys. I've never really thought about girls outside of being friends with them," admitted Ava.
"I'm not about to advocate one specific were variety over another, no matter what the situation," replied Samantha. "I just want you to know that if you do eventually become a were and choose werecat, that your sexual orientation WILL change. I've met women who were completely straight before becoming a cat and ALL of them are now at least bi, if not full fledged lesbians."
"Something to think about," agreed Ava, as Samantha handed her the guide book.
"Don't let any of the movers get a peek inside it, for I can tell by their scents they are all normal human beings, but read that carefully from cover to cover before making any decision. The same goes for both your brother AND your parents, in case they eventually decide to join too," said Samantha. Then, before she got into her car, she asked, "By the way, even if I didn't have a feline's curiosity, I'd have to ask. Where is your other box of CDs?"
"Still unpacked in my room. I'll just say I found them later. In all the moving chaos, no one will think twice about it," explained Ava.
"You can think on your feet. Doing well in school?" wondered Samantha.
"Straight A's before we moved."
"Keep up the good work, but I'm afraid I really do have to go now. I've got other pressing town business before me today," said Samantha.
"On a Sunday?"* wondered Ava.
"Moon Lake may be small, but we're growing," was Samantha's only response. Like more discussions about this impending Big Reveal, especially whether or not there will even still be a Mandatory Were Law once the world finds out weres exist. "It was nice meeting you," Samantha said aloud.
"You too," replied Ava.
The young Ross daughter stood back on the sidewalk and waited until Samantha Twist drove off, waving as her car pulled away from the curb.
Then, anxious to look inside but remembering Samantha's warning, Ava clutched the guide book close to her and went back inside the house to give it to her folks.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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*With the relatively smaller cast focus in this story line, time moves quicker in the Tad series than it does in our other Moon Lake threads.—tmw.