[b]Authors Note: This is the continuation of ‘My Girlfriend Is An Animal’, though the focus will instead be
on Clemens Patten, who was a recurring character in the up to this point in the story. Tricky bit for me at
this early stage was figuring out where he could live to be close to an airport that can get him to where
Joseph Patten lives in Columbia Falls, Montana, on top of being close to a zoo since I’d already established
that that was where he worked. [/b]
[+]
For anyone else at Kalispell City Airport, they’d be more than a little surprised to see him exiting the
terminal alongside his Fiancé, Jenny. Clemens Patten, thirty-seven years of age and one of those who’d taken
the Animatrix Serum, which meant he now resembled a mix between human and African Rock Python. Even though
the Animatrix Serum had been legal for some time now, it was still a rarity in some parts, though his thick
sweater and pants, along with proper footwear probably helped to keep some of the attention off of them.
“That, wasss a [i]long[/i] flight.” Clemens groaned, finally able to stretch himself properly.
“Well at least it’s over now.” Jenny replied softly, wrapping one arm around him.
“That part isss, ssstill have to get all the luggage and the car.” Clemens responded, his hissing lisp still
there, and his right arm around her now. “And then there’sss the drive over to Columbia Fallsss. At leassst
they got a car I can use thisss time.” That brought a slight giggle from Jenny, who remembered his tale about
how he’d ended up having to call Joseph to pick him up, since they didn’t have one that he could drive in
thanks to his lengthy tail.
For their stay, they’d managed to fit everything they needed into two large wheeled luggage carriers and had
them in tow on their way to collect their rental car.
“Clemensss Patten and Jenny Taylor.” Clemens spoke to the man at the counter for Car Rentals, producing the
documents to show that they had a car waiting.
“R-Right. One moment then.” He stammered slightly, the sight strange to him though he seemed to pull himself
together, returning a few minutes later with a set of keys in hand. “Here you go then. Enjoy your time
here.” He at least managed that part with a smile on his face.
“Thanksss, we will.” Clemens replied as he took the keys.
Looking inside the car once they approached it - a Ford SUV - Clemens was relieved to see that it did have the
tail-hole in the backrest like they said it would. Once they had their luggage in, they were good to go.
After an embrace and kiss of course.
[+]
“So?” Jenny asked as they travelled along the roads. “Are we gonna see George and Molly?” Having never
actually seen them before.
“We will.” Clemens answered with the closest thing to a smile that he could manage. “But by the time we get
there, it’ll be getting late, ssso we’ll need to sssee them tomorrow. Don‘t worry, we won‘t be leaving ‘til
we’ve ssseen them and their new kidsss.”
“Yeah.” She sighed to herself. “I just wonder when we can have our own children, that’s all.”
“When we’re ready for them. Remember, I have some sssperm stocked, ssso there’s no issssue there.” He took
her hand for a moment. “And besssidesss, we can have a few yearsss to ourssselvesss firssst.”
“We’re talking mid-thirties to forties here. That is a bit late” Jenny pointed out, even if she sounded
better about it.
“Well. The Pattensss have tended to be late ssstartersss in that field.” Referring to the fact that their
family tree showed a trend of having children around their mid to late-thirties. “Tradition, if you will.”
[+]
Having reached Columbia Falls now, they navigated the streets to find Joseph’s house again, the Sun getting
low in the sky as Jenny gave the directions while Clemens followed them, meaning that soon enough, they’d
reached his house.
Getting out of the car, they’d just made it to the front of the garden when the door opened.
“Clemens!” Joseph cried out as he approached them. “Great to see you again!” As they embraced each other, a
friendly slap on each other’s backs.
“You as well Jenny. Nice to see you again.” Joseph greeted her with a hug and kiss on her cheek. “Come on
in.”
Clemens quickly took the bags from the trunk before following his cousin inside, leaving them in the hallway
for the time being.
“Dinner’s almost ready now, so do you want to take care of your luggage now?”
“Not right now.” Clemens answered cheerfully. “It can wait.”
“I just need to use the bathroom a minute.” Jenny added in.
“Upstairs, left, and second on the right.” Joseph told her where it was, as she left to head there.
“Ssso.” Clemens asked Joseph while they were alone. “Jenny’sss been itching to sssee George and Molly for a
while now. You know any good time to?”
“Well.” Joseph took his time to think it through. “Molly’s on Maternity Leave right now, so she’ll be in
their home tomorrow. So you could call her to see when George would be back and time the visit then.”
“I think I’ll call and find out after dinner then.” Clemens decided.
[+]
A few minutes later and they were all seated, enjoying their meals. Though Clemens had a complete lack of
vegetables, his digestive system only capable of handling meat these days, though at least he could still
tolerate a select group of herbs and spices well enough to provide some flavour and variety.
“So what’s happened here recently?” Jenny asked. “I mean besides George and Molly’s new kids?” Herself and
Clemens not being as up to speed with developments in Columbia Falls.
“Well another big piece was in November.” Joseph began. “Tabitha Choir managed to unseat Wayne Hireman to
take over as School Superintendent for here.”
“Yeah, I remember [i]him[/i].” Clemens remarked sourly. Despite only encountering him once, he had left a
black mark with Clemens, so who knows what George and Molly must’ve gone through.
“Still, that’s in the past now. The last of Beauregard’s influence removed.”
“That’s good to hear.” Jenny noted.
“So how are things in Jacksonville?” Joseph moved the conversation forwards.
“They’re going well.” Clemens replied once he’d finished swallowing. “We might have another breeding pair
there now.”
“That’s good to hear. And you Jenny?”
“Very steady right now. Nothing serious happening.”
“Ah. That’s good news to hear, nothing bad happening.”
The rest of dinner and its aftermath was taken up by this. Catching up on each other’s events, seeing how
each other was doing these days. Until the big question arrived.
“So when’s the day?”
“Hm?” Clemens wondered what Joseph referred to.
“Your marriage? And congratulations to the two of you as well!”
“Oh! That’sss at the beginning of August!” Clemens answered, now that they were on the same page again.
“You sure you can make it?”
“I’ll try, but with Molly on Leave now, we’d be understaffed. I’ll do what I can, but no promises can be
made.”
“Well. As long as you try.” Jenny consoled him.
“In any case, what are your honeymoon plans?” Joseph sought to move to a more cheerful topic.
“Arranged an RV trek across the country. Travel the roads, see the sights, just Clemens and me.” Jenny
replied, her smile widening at the thought of it.
[+]
It was now much later, and almost time to get some sleep now. Clemens and Jenny had just finished getting
their stuff out, and Clemens had his shows and socks off, now pulling his sweater off, Jenny in simple
nightwear beside him.
“Ssso I asssked, and it looksss like we’ll be able to head over at about sixxx tomorrow.” Clemens let Jenny
know when they’d be able to visit. “We’d get there onccce George hasss had time to relaxxx a bit.”
“That’s great!” Jenny replied excitedly as she wrapped her arms around his bare torso, their matching
engagement rings on their respective hands while he was working on getting his pants off.
“Sssay. We have the RV hired, but where exxxactly should we head?” Clemens asked as his slid under the
covers with Jenny.
“Oh, I don’t know.” Jenny responded. “But we have time to work it all out. I’m sure we’ll think of
somewhere to head.”
“Yeah.” Clemens agreed. “And it’s something we can do while we’re here, when we’re not with Joseph, or
George and Molly, or visiting the Glacier National Park.”
“We won’t have a lot off time for that then.” Jenny stated the obvious.
“I know, but it’s something to think about.” Clemens answered with a loving kiss. “Night then Jenny.”
“Night Clemens.”