Julie Stovall stood in the second floor hallway, wondering why her boyfriend Eric Anderson wanted to talk to her father, when she heard voices, followed by footsteps, begin to ascend the staircase.
Realizing that the Town Council must have been in a meeting*, Julie looked around for some place where she could minimize her risk of discovery, and ducked into the office of Town Chancellor Samantha Twist.
MEANWHILE...
Mayor Martin Stovall entered his office about 4:20, according to his wristwatch, to see his 4pm appointment sitting in a chair, chatting away with his secretary Janet Dix.
"Sorry to keep you waiting Eric. Town business," was all the mayor said. "If you'd care to move into my office, I'll be with you in a moment."
"I didn't mind. I understand there are other things going on. Nice to meet you Ms. Dix," replied Eric, while grabbing his backpack and moving into the other room.
"Well?" quickly asked Martin, when he was sure Eric couldn't hear him.
"The kid's quite a catch. No wonder your daughter is gaga over him," began Janet, summarizing their brief time together in a low tone of voice. "He does know that for 'happily ever after', he'll have to become a were, and Eric doesn't seem to have a problem with that. But what kind of were..." she added, while shrugging her shoulders.
"I see. Okay. I'll talk to him. Meanwhile, cancel the end of the day staff wrap up, then please call my wife and let her know I'm gonna be late, but don't mention Eric being here," requested the Mayor. "But I'll need you to stay and man the phone at least till we're done, in case something else develops in the current situation*."
"Will do," replied Janet, as Martin Stovall entered his office.
"Something tells me you're not here to discuss town business, are you Eric?" he asked, while closing the door behind him.
"No sir," replied Eric.
"Is everything all right between you and Julie?" asked Martin, as he sat in the empty guest chair next to Eric, instead of taking his customary seat behind his desk.
"To a point, yes sir."
"Please. Right now, I think you can call me Martin, and to what point?" he asked, turning the chair around to face Eric.
"Maybe I'm over thinking this. Wouldn't be the first time I did that, and if I am, I apologize," began Eric. "I do love Julie, and that feeling is growing stronger every day. I know she loves me too."
"True love is a precious thing in short supply in today's world, and acknowledging that is a big step. Do you think of each other as soul mates?" asked Martin, wondering what the answer would be.
Eric had to stop and think about that for a second, before saying, "I'm not sure. In truth, I've never really thought of it in those terms before. I have been having these dreams where I see us in various stages of life together. Dating, high school and then college graduation, along with various points in time beyond that," he added, deciding not to go into details about just how close they are in the dreams at times.
"I see. And is Julie aware of these dreams?" wondered Martin.
"I have told her about a couple of them, and she has told me about a couple of hers, but Julie doesn't know that I've had them every night since going to her pool party Saturday."
And, whether it was shock, caution, or something else, Julie has yet to tell you she's been having the exact same dreams you are, realized Martin Stovall.
"And while neither of us are at the point where I'm prepared to ask you for her hand in marriage," continued Eric, not realizing what was on the other man's mind, "I do realize that for any kind of a long term relationship with Julie, I will have to become a were at some point."
"Eric, you do realize that becoming a were is a lifetime commitment, right?" asked Mister Stovall cautiously.
"Yes, sir. I mean—Martin. But my problem, besides not knowing when the right time to become a were is, is not knowing what kind of were to be either."
"I see," said Martin, thinking over how to proceed. "First off, like a lot of things in life, I'm afraid there is no way of knowing when the right time will be until it actually arrives. For example, I was born a were, and instructed in the ways of the were-mer from when I was old enough to walk, although my first actual transformation didn't occur until the sixth month after my 14th birthday. Naturally born weres do experience their first change after the onset of puberty, but again: there's no set schedule. My sister had her first a week after her 14th birthday, but my dad didn't have his first until almost a month before his fifteenth birthday."
"I did read somewhere that men seem to mature slower than women physically," said Eric.
"Which proves my point that there is no 'right' time until the moment comes. That's why we have ceremonies to formally introduce normals into were society and help them ease their transition."
"Is becoming a were painful?"
"No. It's more a question of overwhelming emotions the very first time, but that reminds me. The town will be issuing a new edict soon that all normals will have to have a pre-screening blood test before they become a were."
"Oh? Why?" inquired Eric.
"Nothing to worry about. Our scientists have recently made some new discoveries concerning were biology, and they want more 'before and after' type data to study," explained the mayor, not revealing the true reason.*
"I see. But that brings me back to the other part of my quandary. Which type of were to become?" asked Eric.
"Personally, I would think the answer's obvious. But you have total free will to decide if, when, and what. Yet, do you mind telling me why you might become something other than a were-merman?"
"As far back as I can remember, I've been different. More the brainy type than the athletic type, like my older brother Nate is. I was picked on and bullied a lot before moving here, and I never liked that feeling of helplessness. I felt it again Sunday when that rogue Yvette Smith broke into our house, and I'm worried that if something ever happened to Julie because I was unable to defend her..." said Eric, as his voice trailed off.
Martin Stovall couldn't help noting that Eric had gone from looking at him to staring at the floor by the end of his explanation. Poor kid.
"Well," began Julie's father, "being a were-mer isn't without its advantages. Besides the fact that the were-mers are the only aquatic based variety that has multiple stages of transformation, we can breathe, see, hear, and speak just as easily underwater as we can on dry land."
"Julie already told me that, but there are other water based weres?"
"I know there's were-seals, were-octopi, and were-sharks for sure, but that last group pretty much keeps to themselves for some reason."
"Oh."
"There's also were-dolphins, but they prefer warmer climates, and usually don't hang out in the upper Pacific near us until the summer months," added Martin.
"Please don't take this the wrong way, but what makes being a were-merman different from the other aquatic weres, let alone the land based ones?" asked Eric.
"Well, first off, being able to retain our legs in the first two stages of transformation gives us a greater range of mobility. All the other weres, air, land, or sea; just go directly from human to animal," began Martin. "Then, you do realize that being underwater, you're exposed to greater pressures than you are on dry land. To survive that and the colder temperatures of being below, all the aquatic weres have thicker skin. But since were-mers are the closest to regular human beings, when we're on land, our denser skin does make us a little more impervious."
Eric looked at Martin in disbelief, as Mister Stovall quickly added, "I'm not talking about any kind of true invulnerability, but were-mers never have to worry about minor things like nicks, scratches, or paper cuts, because it would take something sharper to damage our outer layers of skin. Underneath that though, we're just as vulnerable as any other were, anywhere."
"I see."
"And because of the greater pressures underwater, we also have a stronger muscular structure too. On dry land, that doesn't mean anything super like being able to bench press a car with one hand; but it does give were-mers a better physical endurance, so we can handle more physical tasks without breaking into a sweat or tiring out sooner, compared to other weres or regular humans. Not things most people outside were-mer society think about, so we don't brag."
"Modesty. I can understand that. I've never been one to toot my own horn," admitted Eric.
"Another asset that makes Julie crazy about you," agreed her father.
"Which reminds me. During dinner Sunday night, you told my family how you and Mrs. Stovall met. If I can ask, how does your past courtship compare to mine and Julie's now?" asked Eric.
Martin Stovall thought long and hard before answering that. "I'm going to be totally honest with you Eric. In were-mer society, love at first sight is a proven fact. I felt it the moment I first saw Melissa, and Julie keeps referring to you two as Melissa and I in reverse, because she felt that way the first time she saw you in school."
"You mean either passing in the hallway or sitting in the lunchroom? Because it was almost a week after I moved here before I first met Julie in the lunchroom, and we don't have any classes together this semester," said Eric.
"She came home after your first day at school, telling her mom she saw the man of her dreams. But because of your brief contacts, it took Julie time to find out who you were and confirm the sensation. But once she did..."
"Wow..." was all Eric could say, as his face turned red.
"I'll admit, I was a little shocked at first, as both Julie's father and a were-mer; because the youngest case on historic record in our group is 19."
"Then that story by Hans Christen Anderson...?"
"The original version doesn't have a happy ending, compared to most of the later day adaptations, but otherwise, your guess is as good as mine," admitted Martin.
"So what happens now?"
"I'll admit, I have mixed emotions on that," said Martin. "On one hand, I hope it doesn't take you and Julie 10 years to get it all worked out, like what happened between me and Melissa. That is the only sore point in our relationship, and while I try to keep her from dwelling on it, Melissa still regrets not seeing the truth sooner and wasting that time we could of had together. On the other hand, I hope neither of you rush into anything, and that you wait before..."
"Before I become whatever type of were I might decide on, let alone our relationship goes on to more... serious levels," realized Eric.
"Exactly."
"Julie told me about the promise she made to her mother, and I assume you as well."
"About waiting until after her high school graduation before... no longer being a virgin?" asked Martin, now becoming a little uncomfortable himself.
"My dreams don't have us doing that until our wedding night, after graduating college," replied Eric, not telling him about the latest ones showing an earlier time table.
"You have a good head on your shoulders Eric, but my wife and I have the growing suspicion that Julie might decide not to wait."
"Really?" Eric asked in disbelief, remembering the urges he was starting to feel around her. "This is tough to talk about, but rest assured that I really do love her Martin, and whenever that time does arrive... Julie will be my... first," he admitted, starting to blush again.
Really? I guess some of the things I've heard about normals outside of Moon Lake were wrong, silently realized Martin. But I'm definitely going to privately check with Melissa tonight and make sure Julie stays on the were birth control for a mighty long time to come.
Each man remained silent for a few moments, lost in thought, until Mister Stovall asked if there was anything else.
"No. But I do thank you for your time and the information. You've given me a lot to think about," replied Eric, as he held out his hand to shake Martin's.
"You're welcome. As a parent, I'm in serious foreign waters here, but you're a good kid Eric, and someone I'm glad Julie has in her life. I really do hope everything works out for the best between you, but let's take this one day at a time. Agreed?"
"Certainly."
"Now then, normally, I'd offer you a ride home, but I've still got some outstanding business to take care of," explained Mayor Stovall, as he stood up.
"I understand. Thank you for your time," replied Eric, as he stood. Grabbing his backpack from underneath the guest chair, he waved to the mayor as he left Martin Stovall's office.
MEANWHILE...
{{*In regards to the Rick Plunkett/Rikki the werecheetah situation of another Moon Lake story line.—tmw2015.}}