"You can get dinner started," Molly spoke, "I need to call Uncle Frank and let him know what our schedule is."
I nodded and made my way downstairs while Molly returned to the phone. There were still plenty of things that would need to be done, but for the moment, I didn't need to be hovering over Molly's shoulder when she was talking with her uncle. I knew I would hear what Molly said, but that would only be because of their sensitivity, not because I was listening in on her.
I made my way into the kitchen to find that Molly had already arranged a few things for dinner. The large metal serving platter we used as a serving dish was clean and sitting on one of the counters, while a series of "steaks" both beef and pork were defrosting on a separate counter with paper towels practically around them to make sure no blood or juices got onto the counter. Not that either of us were particularly fussy about it. We had both long since found out that our immune and digestive systems had changed along with us to the point where the bacteria and things on raw meat that made humans sick gave us no problem. Though neither of us ate raw meat unless we were rushed for some reason... though the steaks and meats we cooked for ourselves was still on the fairly rare side of things.
The meat that had been laid out was still defrosting, but the oven that was in Bandhavgarh's kitchen wasn't warming yet. I set it to start warming up while the meat thawed, and was fairly thankful it wasn't a gas oven. I didn't really know how I'd manage to light a match with my fingers, short of igniting myself on fire. It was just another thing that was an impediment to Molly and I. Proportionately speaking, our paw-like hands were fairly dexterous, but since there obviously weren't enough animal people around, yet, we had to cope with things made for humans, and many of their smaller objects were difficult for us to manipulate. Both Molly and I had to extend a claw to turn pages of a book or notepad, and that was something I doubted even more animal people would change... unless books were printed on sheets of cardboard... or they made a large enough version of one of those electronic readers.
As I finished setting things up, Molly finished her phone call with her uncle and came downstairs.
"You'll want to turn the stove on for the pork," Molly advised as she came into the kitchen.
"Right," I nodded and turned the appropriate knobs, "so, how is your Uncle?"
"Doing well," Molly answered, "Meredeth and Nessie will drop him off here Saturday morning to drive us to Peoria."
"A big goodbye, then?" I quipped.
"I guess," Molly shrugged as she made her way in. She looked at something and then proceeded with her instructions, "Okay... we'll start with the beef steaks in the oven. They'll cook slower and will give us time to do the pork steaks on the stove while we're waiting."
"Okay," I nodded, "but we'll need to wait a few minutes for the oven to finish warming up."
Molly nodded.
"How do you want to handle the hotel situation?" Molly asked after a moment.
"I guess to show up and ask if there is any vacancy," I shrugged, "I don't know how long your Uncle will be willing to drive each day."
Molly nodded in agreement, "I can agree with that. I'm talking more about what will we do in the room? It would be economical to let him share the room with us. You and I can "crush" one bed while he takes the other."
"We generally sleep in the nude, Molly," I reminded her, "easier on our fur... but I'd be rather uncomfortable with your Uncle seeing you naked... I'd be uncomfortable with your Uncle seeing ME naked."
"I know, that's why I'm asking you," Molly sighed, "I don't think we can afford to cover two rooms and my Uncle can't really afford a room on his own... not with prices as they are."
I gave a growling sigh as the situation seemed to be a fairly perplexing problem. Letting Molly's Uncle and his family manage the cattle that had been sold to Molly and I gave them work and eventually enough income to allow them to remain at Columbia Falls, but it wouldn't be anywhere near comparable with what Frank Rhoer had made working for Beauregard. Molly's job as an aide didn't pay that much, and while I was paid a better salary with the Police Department, just starting out and holding a very low rank, even that wasn't much. We all managed, but it wasn't much, and something like this trip to Peoria represented a potential financial nightmare.
"The only thing I can really think of would be to stop in a Walmart somewhere and see if they have one of those divider walls," I offered, "like what they use in theater dressing rooms... set it up when we go to bed and ask your Uncle not to look over or around it until morning and we're dressed."
"That could work," Molly mused, "if we can find one big enough..."
"I doubt they make them at OUR size, Molly," I shook my head.
"There are some humans that pretty tall," Molly commented.
"Not as tall as WE are," I sighed, "I have crouch a bit to fit in any building, and your ears brush against the ceiling of any building that doesn't have a ceiling fan or something you'd have to duck under..."
"I guess we'll both have crouch then," Molly gave a mischievous smile, "who knows... it could be cozy."
"Not with your Uncle in the same room," I replied, "but I suppose its the best we can do."
Molly slowly nodded, "On to the meat, now..."
I nodded and began handing her the steaks we were going to cook in the oven.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I went in to work earlier then normal the next morning. The hardest part of the trip to Peoria from the professional side would be getting the time off. I was sure I could get it, but I was privately sure I would also earn a good lecture on proper scheduling. Officer Howard was just coming in as I made it to the station.
"You're here fairly early, Officer Wayne," Officer Howard commented, "Yours and Officer Barnes' shift and patrol doesn't start for another fifteen minutes... and you usually only show up about five minutes before. Long enough to sign in and head out."
"I can't really digest coffee all that well as I am," I shrugged, "I'm here early today because I need to talk to you about taking some time off."
"Time off? Is something wrong?" Officer Howard asked we entered the station.
"Nothing is wrong," I answered, "you remember Leona Washburn, right?"
"The lion woman that figured out why you transformed," Officer Howard nodded, "Yes, I do."
"Now, for awhile this had been fairly unofficial, because she was serving a period of probation and community service for her involvement in the Animatrix Fun House," I told him, "but she's been romantically involved with her main probation officer."
"WITH the probation officer?" Officer Howard gasped, turning the heads of the few people who were already there.
"Yes, sir," I nodded, "though while he was wounded in the gang's attack on her lab, a different officer took over the official role to make sure there is no conflict of interest... now, shortly after the recent lawsuit's verdict was handed down, the original probation officer proposed to her..."
"She wouldn't be able to do anything until the period of probation ends," Officer Howard reminded me.
"And that is this coming Friday," I told him, "and from what I've been told, they plan to have the wedding a week later. She has obviously accepted the proposal, and has also asked Molly to be a bridesmaid."
"You and your wife have to be half her age," Officer Howard commented.
"We are," I nodded, "but I think she probably got hit by the same thing that hit Molly when she was transformed. She lost all of the associates she had had when she was human... and the only one that did associate with her had turned crook and was using some amount of force to get her to go along with his scheme. The Peoria officers and Molly and I are probably among the few people that she's on good enough terms with to do anything..."
Officer Howard then sighed, "Yes... the news reported that she was against the distribution of that serum... though what can you do in a strange world?"
"Hopefully survive," I shrugged, "and she did take the verdict fairly hard, from what Molly and I were able to find out. And since she's helped us with what happened with me, we figured it best to return the favor."
"I see," Officer Howard sighed, "how long do you plan to take off?"
"A little more then a week," I told him, "Our plan was to head out on this coming Saturday and visit with my folks as well. We'd begin to head back on the Saturday after the wedding."
"You're cutting it pretty close, Officer Wayne," Officer Howard told me.
"I know, sir," I nodded, "it's Leona's probation that we had to get around. We didn't know when the last day was, and at the time, neither did she, really... and thus any formal plans couldn't be finalized. And even if they had been at the time, neither Molly or I could really control when they decided to have the wedding."
Officer Howard nodded, "Of course. And I do have no problem with you doing that. Things are finally quiet here, and you do have some vacation days that you can take. I would have preferred it if you gave me a little more time then the rest of this week... so a good schedule could be arranged, but we'll manage."
"Thank you, sir," I replied.
"Tell her congratulations for me when you and your wife get there," Officer Howard answered.