Meet Francesca at the bar

You arrived at the bar, the Wolf Dreamer, at noon. It was a cozy little place with dim lights and smooth music, which made you feel relaxed the moment you entered. There was only a row of chairs by the counter and a few extras, so you almost immediately found Fran in the corner, who was already sipping a shot of Margarita.

"Hi! You're here." Fran greeted you with a smile as you sat down in front of her, "You should have a try. They taste different than the ones I mix, but they're still good."

"Sure." You paused for a few seconds to collect yourself, "Fran, so... I went to the cabin in the forest to meet Dr. Jones' friend, Valerie, yesterday. I know my condition now."

"Please tell me you're fine." Fran's smile faded as she put down the glass.

You shook your head helplessly. You told her everything you knew about the werewolf and lycanthropy, about you being infected and unable to be cured unless you found a voluntary pure werewolf to give you the pheromone necessary to complete the cure, about you being a carrier who was dangerous to the people around you.

Fran just listened, with her hands slightly shaking and her face looking sad. When you were finally finished, she lowered her head and bit her lips as she couldn't find the right words to express her feelings right away. You just sat there and remained silent. The situation was dire, and you hadn't really thought of your next moves yet.

But first of all...

"Fran, I don't want to get you hurt. You should-"

"I'm not going anywhere." Fran just knew what you were going to say and looked at you with resolve, "I'm not leaving you alone. I'm always with you, remember?"

You really hoped that she would understand that keeping your distance was the only right thing to do, that any risk to her wasn't worth taking. But you should have known better; the Francesca you had known since your childhood times would never back down, not after everything you had gone through together. You let out a long, shaky breath.

"I know. I just… I can't stand the thought of something happening to you because of me."

Fran reached across the table, wrapped her hand around yours, and carefully checked your fingernails. You tried to pull back, fearing that you would hurt her, but the warmth from her palm calmed you down. You enjoyed her gentle caress more than ever.

"Nothing's going to happen that we don't face together. We've already figured out what the problem is, right? Now we just need to find that werewolf. That's our next step, isn't it?"

You nodded quietly.

"But... that's not our only problem, right?" Fran kept staring at you, as if she was about to see through your soul, "You've been absent-minded recently when we're together, especially during our dinner last night. Is there something else on your mind?"

You were thinking of Grace, the moment you shared with her in the book shop, the betrayal that made you feel ashamed. Fran would be angry if you told her about your affair with Grace, but that could also be a chance for you to face up to your own mistake and to make amends for it.