I wasn't quite sure on how to really respond to Frank Rhoer's comments on his siblings and their treatment of Molly. By my on nature to confront those I thought had done wrong, I had been tempted to tell her parents just how wrong they were. But a lot of that would have brought a tremendous risk. It could lead to a fight or Frank Rhoer could be cited for disturbing the peace. And as Molly's and my ride back home to Bandhavgarh, we couldn't have him get into legal trouble. Both my Father and I warned him not to be too aggressive on the issue. That it would be alright to talk with them, but he would have to keep it civil. He promised he would, and that was about all that we could do.
"It feels a little odd, being back here after so long," I whispered to Molly as we lay in bed that night.
We had the sheets covering us, but the rest of the blankets were placed on a chair and folded neatly. With our fur, we didn't need the blankets to keep warm, and so we obviously removed them.
"After everything we've been through," I finished.
"You were the one who thought it a good idea to move to a more remote place," Molly reminded me, "where I would be free to have my own territory."
I nodded, "and I still think that was the right decision. Back home, if something ever gets under our fur... we can go out into Bandhavgarh and roar at our problems. And we'd face little real trouble for doing so. Here... we can't do that. There are too many people, living too tightly packed together. We roar at something here... we'd attract all kinds of attention just for blowing off steam."
Molly was quiet for a moment.
"I just think it feels odd," I finished, "visiting in the house I grew up in... where you transformed... where the first clothes you wore as a tigress came from... it all brings back memories."
"Any bad ones?" Molly wondered.
"The day you transformed," I sighed nervously, "I didn't know what was happening to you until it was far too late... I couldn't stop what was happening... and when you woke up and realized what the serum was doing, you were so upset... all I wanted to do was help... but I didn't know what to do..."
"It's okay, my big striped knight," Molly nuzzled her muzzle into my neck, tickling the tips of my whiskers with hers, "as I said before, you helped me adjust to everything back then. You did everything you could to make me "me" again. We owe Leona a lot for the help she provided when you transformed and for helping provide the evidence to convict Changes... but I will always have my greatest debts to you."
"I did what I did because I love you," I responded, "I couldn't stand to see you upset."
"I know," Molly nodded, "and I love you too..."
We both ended up drifting off to sleep with Molly hugging me.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The next day promised to be a rather active one, though Molly and I ended up sleeping in a little bit. My dad had already gone in to work when we got up.
"Good morning, you two," Polly Wayne commented when we made our way out, "you two looked very cute in your sleep all cuddled together. Reminds me of the days when Jacob and I were younger... sleep well?"
"Quite well, Mom," I replied and turned to Molly, "I'll go get some of our meat from the igloo. I'll be back in a jiffy."
Molly nodded.
"You two are more then welcome to some eggs," Polly called after me as I went downstairs after pulling a platter off a shelf.
I heard Molly promise that she would take care of that while I moved into the "cold room" where Molly's and my igloo was presently being stored. A quick sniff told me that the meat was still good, but it would need colder temperatures to preserve it... though were also beginning to approach the bottom of the igloo itself. It will need to be restocked before the return to Columbia Falls. I also hoped my folks had a good enough supply of meat on hand for Molly and I for the few days we'd be in Peoria.
As I left the basement, I noticed that Frank Rhoer was still asleep, though I'd expect that after all the driving that he did. I took the platter of meat upstairs and placed it on a counter near the microwave. I found Molly and my Mother in the process of making some eggs.
"Still prefer your eggs scrambled, son?" Polly Wayne asked me.
"Yes," I said simply and then said to Molly, "we'll need to buy meat for the ride home, dear."
Molly nodded and then turned back to my Mother, "You don't need to do this, Mom."
"Nonsense, you two are guests and family," Polly Wayne insisted, "besides, I'll need to be in practice for when there are grandchildren to visit and spoil."
There was a silence for a moment before my Mom finished.
"Besides, I've been powering down of late from work," Polly Wayne admitted, "they've been cutting my hours back heavily ever since you two moved to Montana."
"You're thinking of retiring, Mom?" I asked surprise, as my folks hadn't told Molly and I this over Christmas.
"I'm not as young as I used to be, son," my Mom sighed, "and besides, I'll earn a good pension. Nothing to worry abut The only real problem will be having something to do while your father is at work. Your dad has always been the one who earns the most money, and he says he can keep shuffling the paperwork for another twenty years or so... though sometimes I think he's exaggerating."
"Why didn't you tell us this before?" I asked.
"I didn't want you to worry dear," Polly Wayne replied, and then chuckled, "and if I may make a joke on myself, I probably do enough of that already for all of us. We'll be fine. Don't worry."
Molly and I slowly nodded. Breakfast went by fairly quietly. The steaks that I had brought up were heated up in the microwave while Molly helped my mother cook the eggs, though my Mother actually did the bulk of the work. Frank Rhoer did make his way upstairs just as we were sitting down to eat, and my Mother was soon cooking some eggs for him.
"Thank you, Mrs. Wayne," Frank Rhoer said politely when he was served.
"Don't mention it," Polly Wayne replied.
"Will you and Molly be needing a ride to the zoo if Molly's to get her booster shots?" Frank Rhoer asked in my direction, "Or is Molly going alone?"
"I will be going with her," I nodded, "but I think we'll walk. It'll be good exercise and such. My mom can then show you around her flower garden."
"Much of it isn't quite in bloom yet, but that which has looks wonderful," Polly commented, sounding very proud of her flowers.
Frank Rhoer nodded while we finished breakfast.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Molly and I headed out for the zoo shortly after breakfast. I didn't really need to go, as my medical records were on file at the Columbia Falls Veterinary Clinic with Doc Stimson, and I wouldn't need my boosters until next January. But, Molly did need her booster shots, and I was not about to leave my wife to go it alone. The first time had been embarrassing enough or her, but that time was compounded by her parents behavior at the time. And Molly was pleased to have me by her side, so I do not think I'd made a bad choice.
The walk was as quiet as could really be expected. Just as the time we had walked when Molly had just gotten some clothes that fit her, dogs barked at the both of us from their yards. Thankfully though, we managed to make into the portions of the city near the zoo that were not full of so much suburban sprawl. Once we got far enough away from that, the barking ceased.
This portion of the town had its own problems that confronted Molly and I. Mostly traffic and the related noise that went with it. The engine noise was practically a hundred times higher then that in Columbia Falls. So was the scent of car exhaust, and everything in my instincts was uneasy with all of this. There were also a lot more people walking here. Most were either on their way to work, doing their work, or going shopping, but there were still a lot of them. Some of them politely moved around Molly and I, but some were rather gruff and almost brushed against us on purpose. This was one of the things that bothered me the most. I preferred Columbia Falls where there were fewer people and I wasn't being crowded by them.
"We'll be fine, George," Molly said to me, seeming to sense my unease, "it isn't likely that they'll do anything to harm us. Just let them by."
I nodded and gripped her paw in my own. Molly had been through this before. I had helped her then, and now I guessed it was her turn to actually help me. We continued quietly on our way, ignoring the looks we received as we went. Most of them were fairly neutral, but a fair number had the same sort of fear, mistrust, and reaction that Molly had gone through for so long. There were also a few that actually looked interested.
As we came to a corner though, we ended up "running into" something that couldn't be ignored. A young woman leading two three year old children came around a corner and walked right into Molly. It was an accident, and did Molly no harm, but the fact that Molly barely budged as a result of the collision meant that the young woman ended up on her rear.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Molly spoke and moved to help the woman up.
"Tiggers!" the male child almost cheered seeing Molly and I. The woman, apparently the mother of the two children didn't have the same reaction.
"Molly Rhoer?" she gasped scooting away from Molly.
"Sarah?" Molly gasped back, and then spoke, "Sarah! It is you! Oh I could barely recognize you. Let me help you up."
The woman identified as Sarah continued to scoot away from us. She was Sarah Witfield, one of Molly's friends from high school, and the two had been fairly close.
"Stay away from me!" Sarah shouted, slapping at Molly's paws.
"I'm just wanting to help you up," Molly answered, "I mean you no harm."
"Yeah right, a furry freak means no harm!" Sarah answered climbing to her feet on her own and backing away, "that damn freak show and the serum it produced are out to destroy everything..."
"I didn't ask to be transformed," Molly answered.
"I bet you celebrated that you were though," Sarah challenged back, "just like all the other furry freaks out there filing all these requests in to Gen-U-Tech for doses of the serum. Trying to destroy everything."
"I didn't..." Molly said slowly and tried to move forward, as Sarah backed away, moving her children as she did so.
"Stay away from me you freak!" Sarah yelled, "You have your freaky lover with you. Stay away!"
And at that my own temper boiled over.
"Lady," I growled at her, hoping to give her such a scare that she wouldn't argue, "Neither Molly nor I are freaks. We did not celebrate the loss of our human form. We do not seek to destroy anything. Molly merely wished to help you up after you blindly walked into her. If anything you should apologize to her for that alone. You want think that we're monsters... fine... but leave us alone and do not call us as such to our faces..."
"Or what, FREAK!?" Sarah challenged.
"Or I'll call the police and report disorderly conduct and a breach of our Civil Rights," I growled.
Sarah turned around and lead her children away.
"Tiggers, momma!" the son said again.
"I saw the freaks, dear," Sarah told him, "Ignore them and they won't bother you."
I turned to Molly with a heavy sigh. She didn't look heartbroken at the fact that one of her closest high school friends had rejected her, just as so many had rejected her, but she did look a bit depressed.
"I don't know how Leona puts up with all of this," Molly said to me simply after a moment before we resumed our own walk, "I don't know how she puts up with it... and I am now ready to go home. Back to Bandhavgarh where Dave, Tabby, and our friends are."
"Leona is a friend to," I told her, "and maybe Sarah will come around. Maybe she'll realize that we aren't out to do what she says we're out to do."
"That will take a while, I think," Molly answered.
"Doesn't everything though?"