Virginia was actually quite pleased to see the paperwork that Harold had brought home with him as she sat down in one of the chairs next to the small kitchen table where he was sitting. Though with some of the things that were there, it looked rather impressive and detailed, as it were.
"This certainly seems like a lot to go through..." Virginia said softly as she looked to the papers that were there. Her thoughts shifting more to her own perceived happy future with Harold as she looked to them.
"Actually... much of it really isn't too different from what Eliza and I had to fill out when we got married," Harold commented and looked down for a moment, his thoughts briefly go to his deceased wife and Melissa's mother.
However, unlike in times past, with the knowledge that Virginia was his future and was supportive in many of the same ways that Eliza had been and far more supportive than Alice Decrux had been, Harold managed a small smile and a deep sigh that went along with. He still loved Eliza dearly, and he always good, but in its own way, becoming a weretiger had helped him get over the sense of loss and mourning that he'd had. Seeing Virginia smile to him and focus more on the paperwork that he'd brought home with him was enough to make him smile in return. He felt calm and comfortable with the way things were going and didn't want them to stop.
"Much of it is pretty standard for addresses, persons involved... everything that would make the ceremony legal," Harold finished, "I'm almost done with the parts that I'd be required to. I can help you with them when I finish."
"I may need it... I've never had to fill out anything like this before," Virginia spoke, "I mean... weretiger meetings can potentially lead into some "fun..." but much of that was something to do because I was there. It was never anything serious."
"So... a more erotic dating scene?" Harold smirked earning a playful push on his shoulder.
"More like a "friends with benefits" situation," Virginia answered and giving a soft push, making sure that Harold didn't have the pen touching the paper. He laughed and then set about returning to his work.
"So... how was your day?" Harold asked, "I didn't get you in any trouble with the school over what happened at the dance?"
"No... though what happened in general generated the school's rumor mill something fierce," Virginia sat back in the chair, "from what's been able to be checked by members of the staff that are weres, we had at least four to five new weres that were drugged... Though, much of that is going to be a bit difficult to prove for sure. And since the circumstances that lead to the drugged punch coming back were beyond what any of the chaperones and dance planners expected, Principal Ian Andrews hasn't suggested any disciplinary action over what happened. There was just too much wasn't expected. It may mean new rules for Snow Ball in December or the Valentines Dance in February to try and prevent those circumstances, but that will be policy changes rather than discipline."
"We should have watched more closely..." Harold gave a sigh.
"Perhaps," Virginia sighed back as she watched Harold finish, "but then... once the drugged punch was taken to be dumped out, did you expect it to return?"
"No," Harold admitted, "Nor did I expect that the pizza delivery guy would somehow stumble onto it without running into someone..."
Virginia nodded back, "and at the same time, you and I weren't the only chaperones. And none of those responsibilities had us deliberately posted by the punch bowl. We were simply there because of the thought that Alice Decrux had spiked it. Even if one were to say that we failed in that regard... the same would be true across the board and the other chaperones failed as well. And due to circumstances that couldn't be predicted."
"That may not matter to those turned against their will... even IF by accident," Harold commented, "I mean Melissa was rescued in time to be able to make a choice... but any of the others may need therapy to help adjust to things..."
"And they probably will need it..." Virginia agreed, "but it's also something that happens. It is exceedingly rare that someone doesn't adjust to being a were or becoming one. I don't think anything like that has ever happened in my life where a new were has been unable to adjust. The school's guidance councilor will be busy and people could always go to talk with Frances Twist as well... and they can help."
"And their families?" Harold wondered.
"They're all Moon Lake normals," Virginia answered, "they're generally going to be pretty used to Moon Lake's were population, and might even want to become weres themselves. In this, the families have generally been fine with that sort of thing. There might be some issue with one losing the choice of what were to be or frustration if any of those that are female end up pregnant... but for the moment we can only wait and see. Hopefully things will turn out alright."
"How did your book selection go?" Harold asked he stretched and moved away from his spot at the table, setting the pen down by the papers he had out.
"That went well... all decided... it wasn't universal, but the vote did decide on "the American Dream," for the ultimately the reasons you mentioned," Virginia commented as she looked over the papers, "so now it's my turn with all this..."
"Yeah... it's pretty straightforward... name, address, and so on," Harold nodded as Virginia slid the first of the papers in front of her and picked up the pen.
She did look the papers over and noted that they were fairly straightforward. In fact they weren't that confusing, which actually put Virginia at ease and she let out a deep breath and looked over where Harold had filled in his information and where he signed and what documents were for her only. She then nodded and began to fill in her own information. In some ways it was a bit like the job application she'd filled out to join Moon Lake High's faculty when she learned about the job. Though, now there was the added excitement at knowing that the paperwork would allow her to legally marry a man that she had fallen deeply in love with. The speed was surprising, but her heart told her that Harold Jenkins was "the one."
"Did anything else go on today?" Harold wondered as actually stood up and moved to walk over to the refrigerator, "anything aside over what happened at the Halloween Dance or with regard to next year's textbooks?"
"Well... perhaps nothing major," Virginia said slowly, "I think we had some new students that arrived... likely on Sunday. I think they might be Melissa's friends that she mentioned yesterday..."
"Rachel Van Direstag?" Harold commented as he fished out a water bottle from the fridge.
"If Melissa said that yesterday I've forgotten... but there was a new student in one of my freshman classes who looked a bit lost with things," Virginia answered as she finished the first page that was solely for her to fill out. She placed it next to the matching document that Harold had already filled out. "I'd hoped to make sure he was okay... but the day ended and he headed out pretty quickly and once he got in amongst some of the other students in the hall... I couldn't follow, and with the school's academic team having its first practice since the fight between me and Decrux... I didn't have the time to go on following."
"Did Mel stay with you, as I expected her home a bit earlier... or a phone call to say she'd gone home with Trevor and would be home by dinner," Harold commented.
"She was... and call on going to the Tysons would be expected... Trevor is on the team," Virginia commented.
"Impressive," Harold smiled as Virginia continued to work her way through.
"Anyway... Melissa did say on the way home that an old friend had moved to town," Virginia commented, "so... I'm guessing that would be her friend."
"If it is... hopefully it went well between the two," Harold commented.
"They're close?" Virginia wondered as she moved the next completed page to where it needed to go.
"I never really met the Van Direstags," Harold admitted, "I might have seen the father or another family member when I'd gone to pick Melissa up to take her home... but Rachel does seem smart and got along very well with Melissa, which is a good thing... But how well they'd respond to Moon Lake... I can't say. Rachel has also struck me as the sort that is rather fascinated with stardom and all that... Melissa says she has her own YouTube channel where she just posts a video diary of things that happened in her life. Not necessarily bad... but given all Moon Lake's secrets... that could be problematic, particularly if the response is negative."
Virginia frowned at that as she looked over the last page, one of the ones that she and Harold had both had to sign and date. She double checked her information and thought over the issues at hand. The concept of a "negative" response to Moon Lake's secrets and the Mandatory Were Law wasn't necessarily out of the question. Pretty much every new family had someone that did agree and things would stabilize from there, but there were still times when people might be a bit more conflicted, and so far as Virginia could figure, they often took more effort to convince... though with her job a the school, the exact details on how the city handled those things was a bit of an unknown.
She'd had some sense that Harold, when they'd first met, was the sort of person that wouldn't respond well to Moon Lake's secret and certainly not the Mandatory Were Law. After all, he was a quiet and professional man. An academic who's biggest field was not one that generally allowed for much in the way or belief in were-beasts of any kind. The fact that he'd been dealing with the death of his wife would only mean that things like the Mandatory Were Law would add to that stress, and it was why she'd offered more with regard to things that would let Harold see and understand that many of his interests did fit in with Moon Lake and that Moon Lake's residents thought about more than just being in their were forms or having sex.
A negative response and the internet, and sites like YouTube, however, presented one of the big risks of a negative response getting completely out of control. Shoot, even a positive response and the internet could be trouble, given the concept of unintended consequences.
"Could she be the sort that would keep a secret?" Virginia wondered.
"If she wants to sure," Harold nodded as Virginia signed her name on the last line that she had to, "I mean... I know there have been things that Mel hasn't told me... and some of that makes sense. It'd be private stuff. If it's something that Rachel Van Direstag would want to keep secret... I'm sure she would. And given how close she's been to Melissa... I don't think that she'd necessarily betray her friend."
"Well... that'd be good news," Virginia gave a sigh, "and hopefully your daughter friendship remains something that is strong. As outside of that thee isn't too much we can do."
"Hopefully," Harold agreed, "though who knows... I had some major questions and worries at first. A part of me was even willing to run... but in talking with the dean... and meeting you... things just seemed to grow on me."
Virginia nodded in reply.