Underland was about half a mile outside of Skripton. It was a ladies-only lively combination of strip club and gay bar that was having a neon night, probably the closest thing Skripton would ever have to a rave. Ramona was already laughing as Emily dragged her toward the door, hoping the three glasses of champagne would help her convince Ramona to hit the dance floor.

"You're not properly dressed for this." Ramona giggled, and slung Emily against the wall next to the door. "Whoa!" Emily cried, tussling a little with Ramona, nipping her ear as the small brunette tore her dress shirt off, leaving just a black bra exposed. "There. Much better." Ramona winked, and she turned and charged toward the door, stabbing the ground with her high heels, pulling Emily behind her grinning madly at her date's take-charge attitude.

Emily picked them up several shots at the bar. It was impossible to talk over the ear-splitting dance jams that were flooding the floor, including an up-tempo "Call Me Maybe" with a slight dubstep remix. So what if they couldn't talk, then they couldn't fight either. Seeing Ramona start to jump in time to the music in a crush of go-go dancers and colorful regulars, Emily suspected the talking part of the night was over, and hurried to meet Ramona.

"Drink this." She said, handing her a shot. "And this. And this."

Ramona made her drink the last one, pressing it against her lip until Emily thought she'd bruise her. The room was fuschia and blue in turns and thudding with music and heat. A hot girl with long red hair and a purple bra and green shorts came by and gave them tabs of something. The night blurred from there.


Emily woke with a start. One hand was flopped over Ramona's waist, and it was sore, because they were crumpled together on the couch, where she kind of remembered falling when they got in the door after the taxi ride. They'd have to take another taxi and pick up the bug from Underland. But more importantly: who was ringing that infernal doorbell.

She shook Ramona's shoulder, taking the moment to kiss the olive-skin covered shoulder bone. "Hey, Sleeping Beauty. Wakey wakey, we got company."

"Ramona?" a young voice called at the door. "Raaaaaaaaaaaamoooooooooooooona!" Ramona blinked her eyes and sat up, alarm warring with grogginess across her face.

"Oh my God. It's Gwen. She's here early-" Ramona practically pushed Emily off the couch in her hurry to get up. Emily realized she was topless. Very topless. Ramona turned and gazed appreciatively for a moment.

"Hey- where did my bra go?" Emily asked, throwing her arms over her chest.

"I played with your boobs for a while." Ramona snapped. "I have no regrets. Now go upstairs and get something on RIGHT NOW!"

Ramona was compulsively slicking down her hair on her way to the door. "NOW! NOW BEFORE I OPEN THE DOOR!" she hiss-yelled. Emily rolled her eyes but bounced up from the floor and tottered to the steps, she was up on the second floor with a clear view of the door from the landing when Ramona opened it with a cheerful smile.

"Darling! I thought you were coming Monday!"

"Yeah, well, I turned in my final early and my roommate had already left and I was bored. Do you guys have a laundry machine?" asked Gwen, lugging in a plastic hamper of clothes.

A little rounder and a little taller than her mom, Gwen won Emily's heart immediately. Maybe it was the thick-rimmed glasses or the blue streak in her hair, or a small scattering of acne on her chin that she'd ill-concealed with putty-colored foundation. Or maybe it was the solid stripe of tattoo that ran around her upper arm. Gwen was the last person she expected to be Ramona's daughter. She looked…really smart and really fun. And sarcastic. And totally unimpressed by her mom, who she shrugged past to set down her laundry on their coffee table, rattling the crystal vase of lilies Ramona had stood there, and looked around the room appraisingly. She had on a Pixies t-shirt and cut off jean shorts and her wrist was bound with a thousand multi-colored rubber bands.

"This place is pretty sweet. You're going to be here all season?"

"Apparently. I'm so glad to see you darling." Ramona put her arms out and Gwen gave her an awkward hug. Was she imagining it or did Ramona's eyes tear a little. "I've missed you so much, Gwen."

"I've missed you too, Ramona." Gwen almost whispered. "Okay. First things first. What's for lunch?"

"Lunch?" Ramona looked at her wristwatch.

"Also…why are you in like, a rumpled evening gown?" Gwen was really looking at her mom. "You've totally slept in that eyeliner, Ramona. What gives."

Emily hurried to her room, snatched up a sweatshirt, pulled it over her head and made her way downstairs.

"Hey guys!" she practically shouted, bounding toward the kitchen. "Good morning! Wow, I slept in late."

Gwen looked at her hard, cracking open the fridge, and then looked at her mom. "I bet." She snorted.