Entering the kitchen after the arrival of her younger daughters, Charlene had some expectation of what was coming. They may not have heard the initial comment in which she'd mentioned the idea of becoming a werecat to help Rachel, but they had to have heard Rachel's response to it and then the rest of that conversation. Charlene also knew that both Michelle and Jasmine were smart enough to be able to ask the right questions and see through most attempts at deception. Jasmine may have had a fairly flirty personality that played well to what she'd inherited from Charlene, but she wasn't stupid.
"I take it you're concerned about my idea to help Rachel," Charlene spoke as she moved to the doorway on the east side of the kitchen that went into the dining room.
"Yeah, that does come of as weird," Michelle commented, "becoming a werecat, after Rachel told us that doing that would at least make us bi, if not lesbians."
"There's nothing wrong with that," Charlene pointed out, mostly in defense of Rachel who was a lesbian.
"Agreed, but that's still a big change for you and probably wouldn't help Rachel," Michelle answered.
"And Rachel made it pretty clear that wouldn't have been the help she wants," Charlene said slowly, "but it's something that's been on my mind... something for me to be there for her. Particularly as she hasn't been as outgoing as you two. She's had her friends and enjoys some games, but a lot of it has been very casual, and that's why what Leslie did to her Florida hurt her, and made me want to do something that would show her that she is not alone. And it's something I would do for both of you if something like that came up. But at present, what's happened has happened with Rachel and why I then brought up that point to see on what Rachel would want or accept."
"So, you won't go through with this?" Jasmine asked as she fished out bottle of cider from the fridge while Michelle fetched a set of cups out of the cabinets.
"Because Rachel said she wouldn't want or need that help, yes," Charlene spoke.
Charlene watched both Michelle and Jasmine look to her. She had some sense that Michelle and Jasmine would accept that, and it was something genuine on Charlene's part. With Rachel seeming to be more comfortable with her new form and more at ease with herself after attending the Richards' pride's meeting, a lot of Charlene's worries were eased in many respects. And Rachel's answers in the earlier conversation gave her the assurance that Rachel was truly looking to adapt and gain control and return to the way she was before Leslie raped her, and that Rachel didn't need Charlene to become a werecat to do that. It was something that also put Charlene at greater ease, as she was straight. But to a degree, Charlene was also pretty certain that her idea to help Rachel wasn't entirely the reason that Jasmine and Michelle wanted to talk, or at least the reason why Jasmine wanted to talk, and fairly steady eyes confirmed that suspicion.
"Was there something else you wanted to discuss, girls?" Charlene asked, trying to be as careful as possible.
"Mostly you not wanting us to interact with weres when you were planning on becoming one," Jasmine spoke.
"I never said that!" Charlene protested.
"Yeah?" Jasmine replied, "Michelle finds herself a stud and you say "Did you get into something that we need to talk about, Michelle? I don't think we're ready to have two..." That certainly would make it seem like you don't want us to become weres..."
"Hank is just a friend, who happens to be a werehorse!" Michelle turned on her sister, blushing a bit and the prodding joke that Jasmine gave.
She'd had some dates in Florida, but none had ever been serious, and often because her interest in sports took time away the sort of social life that Jasmine liked. Moon Lake not having sports teams was something different, and the werehorse, Hank, had merely offered her some explanations on things that seemed fair and reasonable, and she enjoyed jogging with him and even a few friendly races, even though it seemed pretty clear like he was going easy on her. Still, she'd had fun, but she didn't think it was something that would go beyond making some friends and understanding Moon Lake a bit better. It wasn't like she was trying to get in Hank's pants.
"But you like him, don't you?" Jasmine retorted, "and as a werehorse... if it leads to real love, you'd at least have to become a were of some kind, if not a werehorse, yourself."
"That's all yet to be determined!" Michelle countered, "it's not like I'm out to wrap boys around my fingers..."
Jasmine didn't answer that, but the argument was something that Charlene expected to be part of the present conversation. To a great degree, the fact that Rachel had never become mindless was enough to prove that being a were wasn't an issue. And to some degree, she wasn't going to say she would forbid Jasmine or Michelle from becoming weres if they wanted to, but it was also something that had to be for reasons that went beyond getting a boyfriend or having sex. Jasmine's flirty personality had actually made her worry more about Jasmine ending becoming a were while looking for someone to "play with" and thus would end up facing consequences she wasn't ready for.
The fact that it was Michelle who actually attracted a boy's attention in Moon Lake first was a bit of a surprise, as Michelle wasn't all that obsessed with boys in the way that Jasmine seemed to be at times. From what Charlene had observed, it was more like Michelle was waiting and looking for someone that would share her interests and respect them, and wasn't just looking for a boy, which had happened to keep things at a distance in Florida. The fact that Moon Lake was different and that there was a lot of fallout from what happened Rachel, had been enough that Charlene didn't think that Michelle would even go looking for someone, yet it seemed like someone had befriended her, and likely got Jasmine a bit jealous at that.
"Regardless of whether or Michelle was looking for attention, or whether or not this Hank is a boyfriend," Charlene spoke, deciding to interject her answer into her younger daughters' argument, "I didn't mean to imply any opposition to becoming a were... at least not in the way that would indicate any prejudice toward weres. Rachel's behavior as a werecat has put all those old stories to rest. The thing that I'm most concerned with, is that if one or both of you become weres... it is because you've found real love with a were... or have a reason beyond just getting a boy's attention. As I'm sure you both know that once one becomes a were, one cannot go back, even if they want to."
Michelle and Jasmine ultimately did nod to that, as they knew that Rachel would be a werecat for the rest of her life, thanks to what Leslie did to her.
"If this Hank proves to be a gentleman... and someone that Michelle may want to spend her life with, I'm not going to get in the way of love," Charlene spoke and then looked to Michelle, "though I would like to meet him before anything gets too formal."
Michelle only blushed in response. From there, Charlene then looked to Jasmine.
"I would also want to make sure that you and your sister are not put in a position where you may be taken advantage of or where you have taken advantage of them," Charlene spoke, "I'd think that what happened with Rachel would be proof enough on the wrongs of that kind of thing. Rachel didn't even get a choice..."
"Right mom," Michelle and Jasmine said together, while grabbing paper napkins to make sure there was no cider there as they finally finished the drinks they'd poured themselves.
"Now, it's best you two get to bed," Charlene spoke, "Rachel's Monday, Wednesday, and Friday classes may start in the late mornings, but yours start around eight. You don't want to be tired... and please, don't tease each other over boyfriends or anything else."
Michelle and Jasmine nodded while then putting their cups down on the counter and then departing through the dining room, and avoiding interrupting Rachel and Cynthia's conversation again. Though, as they left, Charlene then moved back toward the doorway that lead to the living room and as she reached it she heard...
"Oh... I should probably get back home," Cynthia said, "It's late and we both have class tomorrow."
"Yeah," Rachel said.
"See you for D&D on Monday?" Cynthia asked.
"Yeah, see you then," Rachel said.
Charlene took that as her cue that it would be safe to go back into the living room, and turned off the kitchen light.