"You make it sound like you or Molly, or both have some hatred of her parents now," Dave commented.
"Wouldn't you?" I asked back, "Parents are supposed to protect and love you. Accept you, regardless of your faults. Molly's parents didn't do that. They all BUT abandoned her."
"People will always fear what has the capacity to eat them," Dave replied, "and living out here... taking on your dad's "position" as part of the county sheriff's office, I think you've put enough distance between them and you... surely you could forgive them for fearing Molly."
"I would prefer to have them apologize for fearing her first," I grumbled, "Why forgive someone who's not sorry?"
Dave only shook his head.
"So what did you do next?" Dave asked, "how did you get work out here with the Sheriff's office? I mean, even with the right college courses, because of differences in the law in every state, every police unit has its own "training" program, and I think they're longer then two months."
"We're getting to that," I sighed heavily.
++++++++++++++++++++
The return home was as slow as the drive to college two months before. Again Molly rode with me, and we did have some fairly light conversation, which was somewhat of a relief to me. It felt good to hear her be more like the Molly that I knew rather then the Molly who was depressed by what the freak show had done to her.
We didn't have everything that we had had in college. I mostly had the large furniture in the back of my truck, and it was tied down. Our parents had much of the rest.
"Thanks for the ride," Molly said to me as she climbed out at stretched her back.
"You're welcome, Molly," I told her as I began to help her get her furniture out of the truck.
"I'll start looking for something once I'm all settled into my "cage"," Molly told me as she set the last of her furniture on her family's driveway.
"You are always free to visit," I told her.
She bent over and nuzzled me with her muzzle, the closest we could now do to kissing as her lips could not pucker.
"I know," Molly answered, "You'd best go on. I can handle this."
"You're sure?"
"I'm a big buff girl," Molly gave a chuckle while posing. Her shoulder muscles and biceps were quite impressive.
A part of me wondered why she remained romantically interested in me, as I was now so frail in comparison to her.
+++++++++++++++
"From the way you've told me, the thing that has kept you together has been that you've cared for her," Dave commented, "She loves you for who you are on the inside, not what is on the outside... and your love for her goes the same way."
I nodded, "I know, and I did know it then."
++++++++++++++++++
"So what do you plan to do with your life, son?" my father asked that night, "you're mother and I will help where we can, you know that?"
I nodded, "of course, dad. Career wise, I've been looking at law enforcement, but I don't really want to be in such a big place as Peoria."
"I could help you get into the "academy", are you sure about going somewhere else?" my dad asked.
"Where are you wanting to go?" my mother asked nervously.
"More of a small town atmosphere," I said slowly, "some place where I'd be seen as part of the town, rather then only as law enforcement."
"We do A LOT of good, son," my dad countered.
"I know, dad, but you have such a large area to look after that not everyone knows you," I told him, "It's a shame because you HAVE done such a good job... but I'd like a shot where people would see me, smile and wave, without having to explain the good that I've done."
"I see," my dad nodded slowly, "I can admire that actually, but it will be tough for you, son. Small towns don't have the openings that I could find here. Their budgets are smaller since they do not have as much to look after."
"I will try my best," I told him.
"And where will you be looking?" my mother asked directly.
I sighed and said the states that Molly and I had agreed on.
"Idaho, western Montana, and Colorado," I said slowly.
"WHY?" my mother practically screamed.
"Molly needs the space," I admitted.
"You can't run away from your problems!" my mother insisted.
"Molly is running on a combination of instincts now," I sighed, "she can't stay where she'll have to face a lot of people crowding her, expecting her to be just like them... and as you said, you don't want to put here in a place where she ends up mauling someone."
"But it's so far away," my mother said slowly.
"You love her, son, don't you?" my dad commented.
"Yes," I nodded.
"And you're determined about this?"
I nodded.
"We'll do what we can to help," my father answered, "It'll be tough, but we'll do what we can."
+++++++++++++++++
Over the next couple of days I began going through online wanted pages in the states Molly and I had decided on. Some places had openings, some were willing to provide training, but it was clear that we would need a lot of luck to move forward.
"GEORGE!" came Molly's voice.
I sat up to look up from the computer. Molly then rushed in, straightening her dress.
"You look cheerful," I commented.
"I got an interview!" Molly cheered.
"To teach?" I asked.
"No, as a teacher's aide, but it's an interview," Molly answered.
"Where?"
"Columbia Falls, Montana, I have some cousins out there," Molly answered, "they heard about what happened to me and they wanted to lend a hand."
"That's great," I hugged her.
+++++++++++++++++
"I get the odd feeling that Molly found work before you did," Dave commented.
"We're getting there," I commented.