Now that the work week was over they had one more Wedding Consultation left, and after that a Dress Rehearsal set the day before, but the Parties set for them were closing in on them, Jenny’s set for the coming Sunday and his own for the Wednesday after that.
Jenny was going to be late home again, being forced to take on the Workload left by two of her less-than-supportive co-workers as they were forced through a certain course following their constant low-level amateurish pranks against her. Clemens sighed inwardly as he prepared their dinner, while it was true something was being done about their behaviour, the fact that Jenny had been forced to manage their workload while they were out of the office still didn’t sit right with him. He knew where Jenny’s own boss was coming from, none of the pranks pulled in the days leading up to the disciplinary action were actually definitively provable so he likely had to make his own guesses on the issue. Not that that made it feel any better to him, and in particular to Jenny.
Checking the time, Clemens guessed that if Jenny came back at the time she normally would be now given what she had to do then dinner would be just about ready once she was home, with some time to himself, he could run over the list of what was left to be done before the Big Day itself.
Using the dining table for now, Clemens checked over the substantially shrunken list of items left to be tackled. A reputable photographer had been found, one who didn’t see his having scales and a tail as a problem, the same applying to an equally up-to-the-task DJ for the music. Jenny’s wedding dress had been sorted out without too much difficulty, one that was relatively simple in design yet carried an elegance to it that more elaborate ones could miss out on. His own suit had been a little tougher though, the requirement for a substantial hole in the seat of them to allow his tail out taking up a bit of time for the measurements and subsequent making. That only left the food and drink to be worked out and they’d be set post-rehearsal.
In truth, this made the greatest challenge posing Clemens to be one of his own modified biology. He’d first noticed it about mid-morning, a slight itching in the extremities, and one that had been spreading slowly throughout the day. He knew full well what was happening, this marked the beginning of his shedding his scales, the new ones underneath as-near-as-makes-no-difference ready to come out. Even with his clothes off, as so to minimise the points of irritation, without a serious task to distract him his mind kept being pulled to the incessant itching as he absently rubbed and scratched at the worst points to try and alleviate it somewhat.
He wasn’t so distracted that he didn’t hear the door opening, signalling Jenny’s return. Closing the laptop down, he rose up to the grating on his backside as he half-hobbled to her.
“W-Welcome home, d-dear. D-Dinner sshhould, be ready, now.” He spoke softly trying to keep his own agitation out of his voice, knowing it wouldn’t help Jenny at all.
“Hmm, what is it?” Jenny replied, the tiredness clear in her tone.
“Lamb, tonight.”
“I meant what’s up with you?” She sighed.
“Oh, it’sss that, that time.” Clemens corrected himself, the itching worse now that it had been brought to the front of his mind, hands rubbing hard over his arms and torso. “Sshhedding.”
“I, see.” Jenny practically collapsed into the couch, Clemens sitting next to her. “Had to work through Lunch again. Nine. Hours. Straight.”
“Ouch.” Clemens couldn’t think of much else to say. Clearly the upped workload was getting to her, she already looked burnt out to him.
“Yeah.”
“Then.” Clemens began. “I’ll get, Dinner ssserved up. We can, talk, about it, over, that.”
“That’ll be great.” Jenny murmured, slowly rising to get herself onto the dinner table. Right now, all her body really wanted was to eat then sleep, but maybe a proper meal could perk her up a bit, like it had before.
Clemens had one other consideration as he prepared the plates, with his scales shedding now, the chances of Jenny getting a decent night’s sleep next to him would be close to nil. Perhaps it would be better if he used the couch instead for this night until he’d managed to lose this current set. It was something he’d need to raise with Jenny, to let her know why. In any case though, right now, it was time for them to eat as he set the plates and took his own seat.