The last week of school before the Christmas Break. Joseph Patten was busy teaching the Second Grade Class that he'd been assigned since the start of the previous school year. The basic Maths and English today for the class of 27. At this point, he was busy checking the math scores they had achieved during the lesson and work. Mostly near the top marks, with only two falling short. This gave him a little time to think about all that had happened this year.
For himself it began with first his - in hindsight - ill-advised verbal assualt on George Wayne. When he arrived at his conclusions about him without first making sure that he possessed all the facts. The resultant maneouvre had driven a serious wedge between them. Following the disasterous first debate that Tabitha had suffered, where his words had been used as a weapon, he realised that he needed to know more about him, and help Tabitha get her campaign back on track. After talking - and properly talking - to George, he began to realise that he in, all likelyhood, had gotten George's character wrong, on account of not knowing him well enough. Clemens visit soon after allowed a further healing of the wounds he'd inflicted, and besides, it was nice of him to visit - scales and all. Then as the debates concerning the position of School Superintendant progressed, and Tabitha built up a solid support base, Hireman's increasing desperation led him to make increasingly reckless moves, as he sought to either destroy Tabitha, or take down the entire school board with him. This had led to Amy having to reveal the fact that she was a lesbian to everyone, and from what he'd heard, resulted in her being kicked out of her own house. On top of all that, the State News Channels came given the extremely political nature that the debates had turned into.
Fortunately, at the end. Hireman's own filthy tactics backfired spectacularly, helping to lead to his crushing defeat in the election. An election that saw the last of the Beauregard Guard eliminated from a position where they could do harm. And - according to some - resulted in one seriously massive scream from him, though he couldn't be too sure about that.
The other big piece was that since it was also an election year. There was an Obama/Romney race. One where Mitt Romney caught everyone unawares by not only defeating Barack Obama by the narrowest of margins, but without the State of Ohio. The first Republican Presidential Candidate to have ever accomplished that. Granted, the Democrats controlled both Houses, but as a Moderate, Mr Romney would not have too many problems on most issues. A result that had taken 3 days to confirm due to the tightness of the vote in Nevada. 1288 was the margin. And unchallenged by Obama. Concerning that. He knew Romney was a little cooler to the Animatrix Issues, so he expected further developments of the Animatrix Serum to reflect it. Though development of the means to prevent it from being transmittable from one to another, he expect that that would receive a serious boost.
Any other thoughts were cut off as the bell rung to signal the start of the Lunch Break. As the class put aay their work for the time being, before heading for the lines - his aide going with them to keep an eye on them - he brought out the keys to the room, set everything and exited the room.
He had brought his own lunch with him, so he made for the staff room. A simple arrangement was in place there. Enough seating for all of them, sink, kettle, fridge, microwave. He brought out the sandwiches that he had brought in with him from the fridge, as well as the milk fir the coffee. A coffee that had just been made when Molly Wayne entered.
"Afternoon Molly" He called out, smiling.
"Af-afternoon Joseph." She responded, looking a little flustered.
"Is...something the matter?" The way she had replied concerned him.
"No. Not really." She said to him, though he wasn't all that fooled, since her breathing seemed to be off.
"Actually. Not to be rude, but I think something is off." Then he remembered that Molly had Bengal Tiger DNA in herself. "Don't tell me. That time of year?"
Busted, Molly could only say one thing. "Yeah. Heat." She seemed to breath the words out more than anything.
"Ah. Just started?"
"This morning."
"Alright then." He needed to say something comforting, but he wasn't sure what. So he made an attempt, that he hoped would work. "Well, today, tomorrow, the day after, then school closes for the Christmas Holidays. Two and a half days. As long as nothing goes wrong, I'm sure you'll manage."
"Thank you." She replied, sounded a little better than before.
"You're welcome." They had their respective lunches in relative silence until Joseph brought up an issue.
"By the way, you and George. You got any plans?"
"Actually, we're planning to start a family."
"Really?" This definately had his attention.
"Yes. With everything that's happened, and the last of Beauregard's system down. We've decided that now is the time for us to have cubs of our own."
"Well, congratulations."
"Thank you. We're hoping to have them by Summer."
"Uh, that's less than nine months away you know." This confused him.
"Well, based on Jacki's pregnancy, it'll likely be six or seven months following conception."
"Ah." That was all he could really say, since biology was not a subject he was particularly strong on. "So I take it you're looking at the end of the year to the start of next month then?"
"Yes. That's about the time." Actually, she planned on Christmas, but Joseph was close enough, so she let it slide a little. "I think that would put the birth of them to about when the Summer Vacation starts."
"Right then." He began to think it through. Then he had an idea. "Say, should I tell Clemens about it?"
"Why?"
"He works at a zoo, remember? He might know a few things that can help. That and he keeps a very close eye on anything to do with the Animatrix Serum. If anything develops concerning it, he's quick to know."
"Alright then. But I'll want to talk to George about it first though."
"That's okay. I have his e-mail address that you can send the questions through, but I'll need his okay before I hand it over. I should have the answer to that by tomorrow."
"As should I." Molly replied, definately looking better than she had a few minutes ago. "Well, looks like the lunch break is coming to an end."
"It is. And an early congratulations for your new family Molly." He brought out his right hand which Molly accepted.
"Thanks again Joseph. For all you've done for me and George." She shook his hand gently, before putting away her lunchbox, and heading back to her classroom. Joseph washed out his coffee cup first, before heading back to his classroom, with two minutes before the afternoon lessons started.