As Whitney found that Reverand Jack was the Slug Person colony's friend, Lucy and Jeff were still working through the issue that had become quite obvious with Lucy falling for Simon's daughter, Melody. The primary issue was the gravid womb that both Melody and Lucy were presently sporting. Lucy was the most embarrassed by it, as while there was a good part of her that wouldn't mind motherhood in the future, she'd hoped that day would come after she'd gotten married... and at the present, also without the shadow of an evil wizard who might well want her children to use as a living magic battery. The thing that ultimately kept her from breaking down was that Melody was providing a rather calming aura at the moment that she could feel through the hivemind and that Jeff hadn't given any sort of "told you so" in.
Privately, a part of Jeff might have wanted to, but he sensed his sister's distress and Melody's guilt and decided not to press that issue. As for the most part, there was the sense that Melody and the Slug Person colony would do what they could to protect them from Cupple and that would mean that the eggs that Lucy and Melody were carrying would also be protected. It raised a sort of familial urge on his part to comfort Lucy and show some measure of solidarity to Melody. Though, Jeff wasn't any surer on how to explain this to their mother than Lucy was.
"I was stupid," Lucy sniffled as she leaned a bit on Jeff's shoulder with one hand absentmindedly rubbing her swollen womb.
"No, you weren't," Jeff said for what felt like the millionth time, "things have been odd beyond all belief and all that... and I'm sure that's been a distraction in its own way... and it isn't bad to fall in love."
"You're not going to hold it against me?" Lucy asked to her brother as they arrived in Melody's kitchen and the owner of the home was quickly setting about getting some breakfast ready.
"I'm not going to say you did things perfectly... but, as things go, this is rather innocent, and from what we've found out.." Jeff answered, "I think you can trust Melody to treat you right. And keep yours and her children safe."
"I just don't know how to tell mom..." Lucy managed, "and I'm... well... I'm afraid she may take things out on me for not waiting till after we graduate, you know?"
"We'll just have to be honest," Jeff managed, "I'm sure mom will understand... as I think everybody noted that there was some attraction between you and Melody, yesterday. Explain that as you learned more about her... the more you two fell in love."
"Like that will work," Lucy rolled her eye stalks as they settled at the counter watching Melody work.
"You might be surprised by all that," Melody spoke, "though the big thing right now is to eat and begin getting a nest ready. Laying the eggs shouldn't hurt... at least it shouldn't be like how humans have their babies, but we will need to construct a nest for them. As right now... I don't think we're too terribly far away from being ready to lay our eggs."
"That has me nervous too," Lucy admitted.
The brother and sister watched as Melody went about readying something not too different from what they ate for dinner the night before, only this time also adding in some scrambled eggs... obviously store bought chicken eggs. The scent of the food smelled good as it cooked, but that didn't change Lucy's nervousness at the whole issue, and that was something that both Jeff and Melody could pick up on.
"I'll be there with you... as a lot of it will be pretty simple... coiling your tail around yourself, almost and then secreting as much slime as possible while using your tail as a means to shape it," Melody said slowly, "and a lot of it will be somewhat instinctive for you... it'd be where you'd just have to let it happen."
Lucy nodded, but one eye stalk still turned down to look and her presently round belly and the eggs she knew were within it. How many eggs were there, Lucy didn't know... but something told her it was more than one and that still only left her nervous over explaining things to her mother, particularly while the shadow of Edward Cupple still hung over the Chapman family.
"And at the same time... I can call my father after breakfast and before we begin constructing our nests," Melody spoke, "he can help explain things and set things up... partially as it'll be something that would require moving the meeting here."
"Have your dad tell my mom that I'm pregnant?" Lucy asked.
"No... that I'm pregnant," Melody answered, "given that your family became Slug People and know that we are a highly fertile species, your mom may make that guess... but the confirmation wouldn't be made until they get here. And even if your mother does guess... my father can be quite helpful... often because humans generally tend to be unready for things that relate Slug People's fertility or more sexual lives... It may be rough... but I'm sure my dad can keep your mom calm... and hopefully the colony's friend can help you stop Cupple."
Lucy found herself smiling as Melody presented a plate of scrambled eggs and ham, with steam rising from the eggs. The food smelled good and the assurances from Melody made Lucy feel better. It was something that fueled the feelings of love that Lucy had been feeling since the previous night, regardless of how weird or stressful Lucy might have felt it to be. It made her feel better and that let them eat breakfast with a degree of ease. They ate and eventually, Lucy followed Melody to where a landline phone was mounted on the wall in the home. Jeff followed behind and watched as Melody picked up the phone and began to dial a number. It wasn't long after that that a male voice was softly heard answering, and it was more that the two Chapmans could listen to Melody's end of the conversation.
“Hello, dad, it’s me,” Melody began, “look…”
There was a pause for a moment.
“What do you mean he’s early?” Melody asked.
“Who is early?” Jeff wondered.
Melody raised a hand to shush him, “he said he had other things scheduled… I see… that sounds like a lot, but definitely unexpected.”
There was another short pause where Simon answered and said something, leaving Jeff and Lucy to glance to each other. After a few moments, Melody turned back to Jeff and Lucy and said to them.
"It would appear your "Reverand Jack" is the colony's friend," Melody spoke, "quite the coincidence, but maybe one that will help you even more."
"Maybe he could do the wedding when all this is over," Lucy found herself blurting to Melody, which did make Melody smile before she turned her attention back to the phone.
"Look, dad, there's something that I need to update you on," Melody spoke and there was a pause, "yes, that was Lucy mentioning a wedding... and I wouldn't be opposed to it... or her... but that is ultimately part of what I need to update you on. As you know... attraction can lead to love and love can lead to..."
Melody's voice tailed off at the end, which sounded like a clear indication that she was leading her father to the fact that Melody and Lucy were pregnant, if not saying so outright. From what Jeff could hear, as it appeared Simon was speaking softly on his end of the line, Jeff could guess that Simon did come to that conclusion.
"Yes... both of us are pregnant and will need to begin building the slime nests soon," Melody answered, "but Lucy is very nervous on how her mother would respond... probably because of a combination on how humans tend to respond to these issues and the nature of how her mother acted when she first transformed and the fact that Megan and Jenny didn't give any of the Chapmans any choice in whether or not they wanted to be Slug People."
Jeff and Lucy could easily feel the guilt in Melody's voice as she finished and guessed that Simon picked up on it too.
"It's about Jenny..." Melody answered, "the Jenny that was involved in the Chapman's transformation was my friend Jenny... She'd gotten beyond the range that our hivemind could protect her and Cupple bewitched her... and it's another crime that Cupple has committed and may well mean that Megan may have been human once too."
There was again, a short silence.
"Thanks, dad," Melody managed and then hung up, "they'll be on their way shortly... and my dad will do his best to prepare your mom..."
Lucy slid forward on her tail and simply hugged Melody, feeling their gravid middles rub against each other for a moment. She was still nervous on how her mother would react to her acting so quickly on newfound love, but she also had the sense that Melody was as still hurting because one of her friends in the Slug Person colony was probably Cupple's FIRST victim.