"So how do you plan to get to Columbia Falls for this interview?" I asked Molly, happy to hear that she had and opportunity to take some step forward.
"I was hoping my knight in shining armor would drive me," Molly answered, "It'd be a nice road trip and we could be alone. Away from all the pressures... away from the people that think I want to eat them."
"I see," I said slowly.
"What!? George this was YOUR idea," Molly pointed out.
"I know, and personally, I'm in favor of it," I sighed, "there's just one small problem..."
"And what's that?" Molly asked, sounding a little agitated.
"My mother," I answered, "She would prefer that I stayed closer to "home" as she put it."
+++++++++++++++
"Your mom really needs to let that sort of stuff go," Dave commented, "no one stays in one place forever anymore, and America is one of the countries that encourages people to choose their own path... most of my family lives in California working in the wine industry."
"And here you are working out a sort of "mountain grape" that will produce a whole new flavor."
"You know my point," Dave answered back.
"I do," I said slowly, "but some families don't like having distance being put between them. My mom was worried, normal "mom" stuff."
+++++++++++++++++++
"And just where is Columbia Falls?" my mother asked Molly and I that evening.
"Western Montana," Molly answered, "My uncle and his family live there, and it was through his children, my cousins that I got the opportunity for a job there."
"A teacher's aide wouldn't pay much," my mother countered, "how will you live?"
"My cousins seemed to imply that I could stay with them," Molly told her.
"And what about my son, since you seem to want him to take you? Why can't your own..."
"Mrs. Wayne, my parents have not treated me well since my... my mutation," Molly sighed, "George has been the only one that has treated me fairly and the only one that I trust to get me to my uncle's place."
"And where will he stay? my mother asked.
"I'm sure my uncle and cousins wouldn't mind," Molly said slowly, "and it'll only go until we can get a house built, provided I get the job."
"A house... you mean... LIVE together," my mother gasped.
"I love George, Mrs. Wayne," Molly answered, "and in time... I would like to marry him."
My mother switched gears almost immediately, "Oh man... we'll need a church, a reception hall, a cake..."
"Relax, mom, we're not that far, yet," I spoke up, "and all this is, is a job interview."
++++++++++++++++++
And so Molly and I were soon on the road again, driving west. When I met up with Molly, she seemed to have a lot of bags with her that I didn't think were necessary at the time, but I wasn't going to ask. Maybe Molly had packed something to snack on as we went. Once we made our first stop for the night, I learned what it was.
I can't remember the hotel we were in. I had originally gone for two separate rooms, but Molly had insisted on a single room. I guessed that if we were to ultimately live together, we'd be doing "this" fairly often.
I had sat on a bed to watch some television when Molly came in, finishing off a packet of bologna that she had packed.
"I'm going to shower, George," Molly told me as she tossed the package into the garbage bin by the door.
"Okay," I answered and looked up to see her fiddling with one of the bags.
She pulled out a sort of body-wash/conditioner out of the bag.
"What's that for?" I asked curiously.
"To clean all this," Molly answered as she removed her dress in front of me. She then ran one paw along where her fur shifted from her red-orange sides and back to the white of her belly, drawn my attention to her breasts, her reproductive organs, and her enlarged muscles, which I could notice through her fur, "normal soap doesn't lather on my coat. This is the only thing I can use to clean myself, short of shopping in Petco exclusively."
And with that, Molly disappeared into the bathroom.
+++++++++++++++++++
"It seems like her thoughts on nudity had changed," Dave commented.
"I'm not so sure," I told him, "other the me and probably other women, she won't let anyone see her naked."
"But she did complain about cloths..."
"Not about being clothed," I told him, "it was mostly with the feel of most clothing against her fur. She didn't really have a problem with cloth that didn't make her itch."
++++++++++++++++++++++++
I didn't pester Molly on her bathing for the rest of the trip. She was clean and that was all that mattered to me... though once we had our own home, we'd need to work some things out so that we wouldn't be clogging the drain with fur, but that would be an issue for later.
As we finally crossed the border between Wyoming and Montana, I was consulting maps to help negotiate the roads to Columbia Falls. A lot of the countryside was beautiful and we did see some wildlife. I barely noticed Molly eying the deer hungrily.
"So, tell me about your uncle," I spoke, hoping to get her attention away from the wildlife.
"There isn't that much to say," Molly answered, "he was the sort of guy that could never stay in one place for long. He served in the National Guard while in college, served one tour before asking for an honorable discharge, which he received. He then traveled around and my folks lost track of him."
"Seems like fun," I commented.
"When we heard from him again, he sent us a letter from Columbia Falls, saying that he'd gotten married and had two daughters," Molly answered, "I think my family visited him once while I was little."
"And now you return as a tigress, ready for grand adventure," I announced to make everything sound exciting.
Molly gave a soft chuckle at that.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Molly was instrumental in providing directions to her uncle's home which appeared to be a small ranch home near a clearing filled with cattle and fenced in with barbed wire. The scent of pine was strong enough that I could smell it drifting down from the mountains around us. It was all amazing to me. I was greeted by two enthusiastic "hellos" as I got out of my truck.
"Hello, Molly?" the first "girl" asked.
"Boy, you've changed," the second spoke.
"Actually, I'm George Wayne," I answered as I repositioned the drivers seat to let Molly out, "this is Molly."
The two gasped as Molly came out and stretched out her muscles from the long car ride. She quickly got to her feet and straighted her dress. One of the two whistled at Molly's height.
"Hello Meredeth, Nessie," Molly "reintroduced" herself to her cousins, "this is my boyfriend, George. He'll be staying with me while I'm here."
"He's kinda cute," the first, Meredeth, commented.
"He is MINE," Molly gave a low growl.
"Easy girl, save that for the wolves, cougars, and grizzlies," Nessie spoke, "we ain't gonna steal anyone."
"Good," Molly answered.
"It's good to meet you George," Meredeth said politely, "what do you think of Columbia Falls?"
"It's bigger then I thought," I admitted.
She laughed.
"Hopefully you'll like it here," Nessie spoke, "let's go inside."