The afternoon had gone quite well for Jenny and Harry respectively. Both had had to catch up on what they'd missed in the morning, but thanks to Harry's efforts that had gone well, and they did have the material on hand and that was was good enough to study over. The thing that they were truly left with was getting through the afternoon classes and with their own business. The classes went fine, and Jenny actually found herself being congratulated on her engagement and being a werefox. While other weres, particularly the females and the female werefoxes made her to some extent nervous that they would want to fight her for Harry, so far she had experienced none of that. They either congratulated her on her engagement and apologized for Yvette's actions. The vixens had also all called her sister and wanted to be her friend. Some of them had even been friendly to her before her transformation.
That went quite well and made Jenny feel quite comfortable in many ways, and toward the end of the school day, she reunited with Harry, and that made her feel much better. Simply being with her bonded mate gave Jenny comfort and confidence. Even if she was regaining some of her own confidence, Harry was still important to her, and he always would be. That lead a brief visit to get some cards that would serve for the formal invitation cards for the wedding. The two of them had settled on a rather simple design of a white and gold card that had the official print in block lettering. They'd have to write out the invitations by hand when the cards were ready and would need to have them sent out special for the invitations going to Alabama, but that couldn't be the only thing that they would have to do with regard to the invitations.
"You're sure you're going to call them?" Harry asked to her as they approached her dorm building from the cafeteria building, "You have been concerned with how they will respond..."
"I am concerned..." Jenny said weakly, "but they are still my parents and I will have to invite them. And it's bound to be WORSE if they just get the written invitation first. They'll take it as a sign that you aren't the good man that you are."
Harry sighed as they walked along. It was something they would have to do, but it was one of the things that had him worried. Jenny certainly looked better in the afternoon, but he was still conflicted over the concerns with her parents. If they didn't respond to the announcement, there was a lot that could go wrong, and that was something Harry didn't want. Though, he also figured that he didn't have much choice in that matter. They would have invite Jenny's family to the wedding.
"I know," Harry sighed, "I guess... I guess I'm just nervous that they'll hurt you."
Jenny turned and saw Harry's nervous smile as he looked to her. She didn't want that either, but it wasn't something they could avoid, and as she had thought about it over the course of the day, it wasn't as if they had much choice. If they waited until after the written invitations arrived, things would surely be worse.
"I know," Jenny answered, "and I am concerned... but better now than later and when they think you're not a good man..."
Harry nodded as they made their way into the dorm building and soon were on their way to the dorm room. When they reached the dorm-room that Jenny and Karen shared, they found a note taped to the door. It read: "Hey, Jen... you great love doctor! You'll never guess what happened! I met a guy in class today who was very nice and friendly. He's a werelion... and well... there's just something about him. His name is Peter and we got along quite well! Long story short... I have a date tonight. Don't wait up! - Karen."
Jenny carefully reached for the note and pulled it from the door, and gave a bit of a smile, remembering some of the things she'd heard Karen comment on how she wasn't attracting many lovers. She felt very happy to see that Karen had found someone.
"So she found someone," Jenny said with a smile as she showed the note to Harry.
"A werelion," Harry answered.
"Yeah... what do you think she'd look like with a mane?" Jenny asked.
"While no were loses their human hair... only the male werelions grow a mane when they transform," Harry answered, "and it's probably a bit early to expect Karen to become a were."
"Maybe," Jenny replied as she opened the door and let herself and Harry in, "but a part of me just wants to see her happy and in love... and if she's with a were..."
"She'll become a were," Harry answered with a nod as Jenny then shut the door, with full knowledge of what would happen. It reminded him of the magical night he had had with Jenny to become a werefox and Jenny's mate. He'd thought he'd never have give up his humanity, but now he was more than glad to be a were, especially as Jenny's were. However, Karen's love life wasn't the present topic that they had to deal with. He followed Jenny further into the room. They hadn't yet been able to replace the cellphone that Yvette had stolen when she took Karen's backpack, and so, Karen sat in the chair that had been provided at her half of the desk that was provided for her and Karen to use.
Halfway between Jenny's half and Karen's half there was a lone dial up phone. It wasn't as high tech as modern cellphones, but it was capable of allowing students at the college to contact with the outside world. Jenny reached for it carefully while Harry moved to sit on Jenny's bed and looked to his mate while Jenny began dialing a number. He paused his gaze to her to check the clock. It was only six thirty PM, and while it was Pacific Time, it wasn't too terribly late where Jenny was calling. Alabama was in Central Time, which only made it eight thirty there. His acute hearing could hear the sound of a ringing phone on the dorm phone's tone for a few moments. After a few moments a gruff and gravelly voice answered. The voice was male and sounded absolutely worn down by life itself.
"Hello?" a voice said on the other end of the line.
"Dad?" Jenny said slowly, "It's me."
"Jen... darlin' are you okay?" her father asked in response.
"Yeah," Jenny said slowly and looked to Harry for a moment, "In fact I'm MORE than fine."
"Oh?" her father asked. He did sound curious, "learn something interesting for electric power management?"
"No... it's more a happy sort of thing," Jenny answered.
"Knowing how to manage a power company would make me happy," her father pointed out, and Harry actually drew his lips in a snarl. The man seemed to have no consideration for what Jenny might want.
"It's not THAT kind of happy," Jenny gave a heavy sigh, "It's more of a personal kind of happy..."
From what Harry could hear, Jenny's father's voice immediately went sour.
"I hope your understand you're not allowed to even DATE until after you're back HOME and with Dieter Wilhelm," her father spoke.
"Dad, the guy was a dirty drunk in High School," Jenny answered, "I told you that I had no interest in him."
"His family runs the power company for the entire county," her father argued, "marrying him will get us OUT of the gutter and into luxury."
Harry gave a snarl at the inconsiderate greed that the man gave off over the phone.
"Well, I'm afraid that won't be happening," Jenny answered, "I've met a good Christian boy up here who is studying to work as a fireman."
That was an accurate description of what Harry wanted to do in life. Moon Lake had a standard fire department that was professional and the present Fire Department manager was approaching retirement age, even for a were. And it was expected that when he retired a spot as a fireman would open up, which Harry intended to enter. He'd always imagined himself as a hero saving people from burning buildings. The training for the Moon Lake Fire Department was part of its own program that was separate from the college. So, for the moment, Harry took a generalized major that allowed him to be well balanced education while waiting to enter the real Fire Department training after college.
"He's kind and caring," Jenny continued, "and he has proposed..."
"And you said NO firmly and told him to go to hell," her father answered, "because you ARE marrying DIETER WILHELM."
"No, I said yes, because I LOVE him," Jenny answered, "which is more important than how much money they have."
Harry didn't hear an answer to that. After a few moments Jenny spoke up again.
"I know this isn't what you want, dad," Jenny answered, "but he is a fine man and he loves me very much."
"How can I believe you when I haven't been able to meet him?" her father eventually answered, Harry could hear the growling tone in the man's voice.
"Well... you and mom will be getting invitations with time to get to Moon Lake in time for the wedding on Halloween," Jenny answered, "You can meet him then and see that he is a good man."
"HALLOWEEN?!" her father gasped, "Do you realize how close we are to that?"
"Yes," Jenny answered, "and it felt right when we agreed on it. You and mother are invited."
Harry heard a series of frustrated grumbling but nothing more than that.
"I can't believe you would betray your family like this!" her father eventually growled.
"I've only followed my heart," Jenny answered, "and that is what lead me to my decision. When you meet him... hopefully you'll see that I was right."
"I doubt that," her father answered, "but stranger things have happened. Your mother and I will bring the family... and if he doesn't pass our test, you're coming home with us."
"He will pass," Jenny answered, "see everyone soon."
With that Jenny hung up and slumped back in her chair. Harry got up and approached her.
"Greedy goon," Harry growled.
"I told you that they were strict and had their own plans for me," Jenny answered, "which was why I made my choice to NEVER go back."
Jenny then stood up and moved to hug Harry and sink into his arms.
"And I'll never regret my decision," Jenny said with a smile, "as it lead me to you."
That made Harry smile as Jenny moved to kiss him. Harry kissed her back and held Jenny to him.
"I love you... and no matter what your parents do... I will always love you," Harry said to her.
"I know," Jenny answered.
The two kissed again. It felt good and comforted Jenny greatly. She then felt Harry's hand move to cup her very generous bosom as they kissed. She paused to look to him and saw his gray, tan, and white fur growing from his pores.
"Does my dog-fox want his vixen?" Jenny teased in a low voice as she took Harry's other hand in hers, as her fingernails lengthened into short claws and her own cream colored fur began to grow, and brought that hand to caress her other breast as well.
Harry smiled as the Gray Fox within him emerged and as he watched Jenny's ears move to the top of her head and grow to the proportionately massive size on her head that was typical of the Fennec Fox. The two of them soon began to lick each other's muzzles as they pushed forward.
"Yes... and to show her how much I love her," Harry answered.