Martin Stovall still had a big smile on his face as he parked his car for the night and walked into his house.
That smile only broadened as he saw his wife Melissa, preparing dinner.
Without a word, he walked right up to her, giving her a deep and passionate kiss as he put his arms around her.
With the happy couple both being were-mers, it was not immediately necessary for either of them to break the kiss for air. But when they finally did, Melissa smiled at her husband and said, "It's great to see you too, honey. What brought this on?"
"You'll never guess who I had an appointment with today," he replied, before Martin started recounting his chat with Eric Anderson.
When he finished speaking, Melissa looked at him happily and asked, "So you think that when the time comes...?"
"I have no reason to think otherwise," was Martin's only answer, as he grabbed his wife's hand. "Come on," he said, as he started pulling her towards the staircase.
"Martin, as much as I would love to, we don't have time for that right now. Julie will be home soon," she protested.
"But that's what I want to show you," explained Martin, as he led her upstairs.
They walked into their daughter's room, which faced the front yard, without turning any lights on and opened the curtain just enough to peer outside.
"There they are, coming up now," said Martin, spotting the happy couple walking down the sidewalk.
MEANWHILE...
Julie Stovall and Eric Anderson walked side by side, hand in hand, since parting company with Eric's older brother Nate and his boyfriend Alex Ramsey. Neither of them spoke since turning toward her house. Then again, no words were necessary. The warmth of each other's hand in theirs, the closeness of their future mate's body. Those were enough.
For now.
But Julie couldn't understand why Eric suddenly stopped underneath the last street lamp before her house.
She turned to look at him. Eric just smiled and kissed her, before saying, "I just want to see your face as we have this last moment to talk privately. I'm sorry for any misunderstanding that my actions, hiding the fact that I had a private meeting with your father today, might have caused you Julie. I don't want any more secrets from each other. Ever again."
"No more secrets," agreed Julie with a smile, but then quickly added, "except for presents. I certainly don't want to buy you something for your birthday or Christmas or... whatever, and have you figure out what it is before I've even gift wrapped it Eric Anderson."
Eric smiled at his girlfriend and said, "Okay Mrs.— I mean, Julie. Except for presents."
Julie looked at him with her head cocked askew, and asked, "You really meant what you said earlier about the future, didn't you?"
"I do," confirmed Eric, as Julie laid her head against his chest and listened to his heart beat.
Eric couldn't think of anything else to do but hold her and kiss the top of Julie's blonde hair. "I'll also tell you something else."
"What?" asked Julie, looking up at him with her chin now resting against his chest.
"While I don't know when exactly both events will occur, I do look forward to spending the rest of my life with you. Walking, swimming, or whatever."
"Swim—" began Julie, as she realized the implication of what he just said. "OH ERIC!" she shouted, hugging him closer as she began to cry.
"Are you all right?" Eric asked with concern in his voice.
"These are tears of joy, honey. Mere words aren't enough, but I do love you Eric Anderson!" exclaimed Julie, as she started kissing him again.
"They do make a cute couple," said Martin Stovall, snuggling with his wife as he stood behind her, his head resting on her shoulder.
"They certainly do," agreed Melissa Stovall. "I just hope they don't have to wait 10 years before..."
"Hey. It was different circumstances back then. And we're here now," he said, before turning his wife around and gently kissing her on the lips.
"I know, but all that time wasted because of my stupidity," replied Melissa, trying to keep from crying. "If I only knew then what I know now..."
"It doesn't matter to me if it took ten years or ten decades. I fell in love with you from the moment I first saw you, and I will be in love with you forever," said Martin, as he kissed her again. "Now, we better at least get out of Julie's room before she actually comes home for the night," he added, closing the curtain.
"Yeah," said Melissa, composing herself. "After dinner, I have to help Julie with her Halloween costume. She's going to the town dance as a tropical mermaid with Eric Anderson dressed as Jacques Cousteau."
"Oh? Who came up with that idea?" asked her husband, as they left Julie's bedroom.
"Actually, Eric did, in one of the earliest, if not the very first dream he had about her; according to Julie."
"She'll be in trans-formative Stage 2 at the most, I presume?" asked Martin.
"Yes. Webbed hands and feet, along with leg scales. Why?" wondered Melissa, as they stood at the top of the staircase.
"Eric also confided in me today that he's still a virgin, but as much as I now know that those two really do love each other and are destined to be together; as her concerned father, I'm also beginning to realize that our daughter might not wait until after high school graduation before..."
"Oh," said Melissa, realizing what her husband was saying. "I'll do my best to make sure Julie stays on the were-birth control pill for mers until we're ready to be grandparents."
"After she graduates college?" asked Martin, as he started down stairs.
"By our schedule, at least," conceded his wife.
They were back in the kitchen when Julie came in the front door and shouted "MOM! DAD! I'M HOME!"
"In here dear," yelled Melissa in return.
Without even bothering to take her backpack off, Julie came into the kitchen and hugged each of her parents. Then she walked over to the kitchen wall calendar hanging by the phone and asked, "When's 'someday'?" as she started flipping through its pages.
"I'm not sure of the exact date, but it's sometime in the future honey. Why?" asked her father.
"It's something I'm very much looking forward to," replied Julie with a happy lilt in her voice, before telling her parents about her day.