"How?" Molly asked after a moment.
"I don't really know," I sighed, "Maybe we can find some way to get someone to accept you as a student teacher... or accept being a teacher's aide or awhile and you can earn the certificate through experience."
"That won't work so long as people keep treating me like I'm a circus animal...man-eater... or crowd me..."
"Crowd you?"
"It's all to much," Molly slowly admitted, "All these people. It's not like I don't like them... I still like my friends, and I wish they could accept what that freak show did to me, and I obviously love you... but with all of them around... it's too much. It makes me uncomfortable... it feels like I'm being smothered by it all... and being denied my chance to succeed... it really hurts me, here."
Molly then took one of my hands in her paw-like hands and placed it on her chest. A part of me did think of something sexual as I could feel the swell of her breasts with my thumb and pinkie... She was dressed though and nothing sexual happened. What I felt the most was a powerful and steady heartbeat through her soft fur and going into my palm.
"Tigers are solitary animals," I told her, "It isn't like they don't get along with other tigers... but they still do not move into prides the way lions do. These may be your instincts to be a tigress are more visible. It's why I had the idea to move to a more rural place with plenty of land for you to BE a tigress in. Not to destroy your humanity... but to give you an escape for when I do something stupid or someone else is mean."
"YOU'RE NOT STUPID!" Molly cried out and pulled me into a tight hug with all her might, "You are my soul-mate, George... the only one who has accepted me, loved me... never think that I would EVER think ill of you."
After being let up for air, I answered.
"Doesn't mean I'm perfect," I spoke, "I am only human."
Molly gave me a curious look that I couldn't quite understand, but after a moment she chuckled slightly and hugged me again.
"I'm sure you'll find a nice place," Molly spoke, "Just make sure there are plenty of trees, snow in the winter, and beautiful scenery."
"Come again?" I asked.
"This rural home idea of yours," Molly answered, "I'll take it."
+++++++++++++++++
"So that was the agreement to move out here, and Molly's work as a teacher's aide," Dave commented, "I have to tell you my daughter loves the tiger-lady."
I nodded, "Yes, rapidly bringing us to where we are now... but we still have a way to go."
Dave nodded, "I think though that you two are moving away from a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship... toward husband and wife. When do you plan to marry her?"
"Let's not get ahead of things," I said slowly, "I'm only up to my college graduation in the story."
++++++++++++++++++++
Finals came and went and most of the underclassmen left the dorms. Most that remained were part of the graduating ceremonies or were graduating. We were all soon involved in preparation for graduating that I did not get to see Molly as much as I wished, but I was sure we'd graduate together.
They posted our preliminary grades just before graduation day. I had passed, though just barely in my opinion. It was mostly Cs with a B here and there, but not enough to make it outstanding.
Both my parents and Molly's came out, and we did meet them together. They did seem happy that we were graduating, but it looked as though Molly's parents were frustrated that Molly preferred her dorm room to the accommodations they had made. To me it served them right for treating her like an animal rather then as their daughter.
++++++++++++++++++++
"So, how do I look?" Molly asked as she twirled in front of me in her cap and gown.
"Very different from what they are expecting," I commented.
The gown was supposed to go down to the ankles, but we had ordered them before Molly's mutation an they now barely reached her knees. Her musculature was too big for the gown to close, and the sleeves, which were big on me were almost tight on Molly's muscles. Thankfully, the gown matched one of the dresses she had had made for her, which she was wearing to make sure that no one really noticed that her official gown wasn't closed. I also noticed that Molly had cut a slit up the center of the gown for her tail, which meant she wouldn't get her deposit back and the company would not get the gown back... but that wasn't that important.
"You do look good though," I added, "come on, the ceremony will start soon. We'd better get to the gymnasium."
++++++++++++++++++++++++
The graduation ceremony went without major incident... or any incident for that matter. The "guides" seemed to recognize that Molly's tigress body was too big for human clothing, and let her alterations go. We all marched out and took our seats as the ceremony proceeded. And now the "master of ceremonies" was going through our graduation class one by one.
"Molly Rhoer," I heard Molly's name read.
One or two people clapped, and when that didn't sound good enough for me, I clapped as hard as a could. To let Molly know that someone was with her. The ceremony then continued and I sat patiently until they came to my name.
"George Wayne," the "master of ceremonies" spoke.
I then walked up the aisle to the platform to take my diploma as another chapter in my life. Next Molly and would soon find ourselves looking for a place to live where Molly wouldn't feel constricted by a society that would expect her to be like them. This would prove to be a tough road as many saw it as "running away", but for the moment, I allowed myself the hope that Molly and I would get our happily ever after.