There was a long pause before anybody said anything. Eventually Brin shifted uncomfortably and cleared her throat. "Well…I'd better get going…it's late and all…y'know." She turned and began to walk towards the door.

That's when Mom stepped in, snapping out of her drugged up state of mind. "You can't leave now, please, Brin, stay."

"Why?"

"I have so many things to ask you."

"Then ask."

"Will you stay the night? Where do you live?"

"It doesn't matter where I live, but," she sighed, "I'll stay as long as you want me to."

"Then let's talk," Mom said to her, and the two ladies walked over to the counter and sat down on the stools. I watched, rather perplexed from my perch on the arm of the couch. With my knees tucked up to my chin and hands resting upon them, I looked like a medieval gargoyle.

Mom began to pull out some coffee mugs and mix up what look like to be tea. Tea. Bleh. Not something I prefer to sit down and drink. Give me my hot chocolate, baby.

Nobody talked as Mom mixed the tea up and handed the steaming cup to Brin, and sat down across the counter, rubbing the ceramic mug in her hand. Brin sipped boredly at her drink, glanced away, then rested her eyes on Mom. "Well, Max, are you going to ask or not?" she asked with an almost teasing smile.

"Alright," Mom began, letting her finger trail around the handle of the cream colored cup. She swallowed nervously before beginning. I, of course, leaned closer so I could hear and this would start to make sense to me. "After the fire…did you ever…do you know…," she sighed deeply. Obviously what she was attempting to ask was hard for her. "Do you know if anyone else survived?"

Brin raised her eyebrows in surprise and then let them slowly sink back down. "Ah, that's right, you thought everyone was dead."

"You mean they aren't?"

"I didn't say that, did I? Here's what I do know, I told your daughter," she glanced over at me and then back to Mom. "I told her that there were only one or two surviving from Manticore. One, of course, being me."

"And Lydecker," Mom sighed bitterly, realizing her hopes for another person to survive had failed.

"Lydecker? He's still alive?"

"He survived the fire. Whether he's still around is beyond me, he's so old, he's probably dead," Mom stated.

"I doubt it. If he survived that fire, not a whole lot is going to kill him."

"He had help," Mom replied softly.

"Really?" Brin asked with a cocked eyebrow. "From who?"

"Me." I nearly fell off the edge of the couch. For years all I had been hearing that Lydecker was this evil guy, this spawn of Satan, the devil himself, and now I find out that she saved him?! Wonders never cease.

Brin sipped at her drink, seemingly not affected by what Mom had said. "Fair enough. I don't know if I could've just let him die like that either. Fire isn't a pretty way to die. Yet," she sighed. "As I was saying, the only person I know that is still around from Manticore is Jace."

"Oh."

"You knew," Brin stated.

"Yeah, I saw her before she left for Mexico. But that was eighteen years ago, still…" Mom's face had fallen again. "So you haven't seen any of the others?"

Brin shook her head. "No, and I've traveled from here to Mexico and back. I would think I would've seen someone during that time."

"True."

"As for me, because you probably want to know what I've been up to for the past twenty years or so, I really haven't done too much. Went to Mexico, like I said, sold shells cheap, made enough money to make it back up here." She shrugged. "For what reason, I'm not sure though, I'm just glad I came back and found you. Well, was found by you."

"Not me, Alanza."

Brin grinned, a rare smile that creased every edge in her face. She hadn't smiled in awhile, it was obvious. "And your daughter. Looks like you did a good job with her. How's Zack, by the way?"

"Zack? Well, as usual, he's off to God knows where. He's been doing this since she was fifteen," Mom said with a nod of her head towards me. "He comes and goes as he pleases. Actually, I'm surprised that he stayed around for fifteen years."

"So, did you ever get married, seeing how you have a child and all with him?" Brin asked with a slightly devious smile.

Mom slapped her playfully from across the counter. "You know it wasn't like that. No backseat involved, thank you very much. But," she said, becoming more serious, "no, we didn't get married. It just would've been too…I don't know…bizarre, I guess you could say."

Brin nodded, agreeing with her. She glanced up at the clock, which hung on the peeling wall. "It really is getting late, and I need to get home."

"Want me to give you a ride?" I offered, rising to my feet.

"No thanks, I'll be okay." Mom walked to the door with Brin and opened it for her. They paused, staring at each other before Mom hugged Brin fiercely.

"It's been good to see you," Mom said.

Brin patted her gently on the back. "I'm just glad I'm not alone anymore."

Releasing her friend, Mom stepped back and rested her hands on Brin's shoulders. "You know where to find me." Brin smiled, glad to be cared about. Slowly, she turned and left, shutting the door softly behind her.

Mom lingered before turning to me, with hands stuffed in my jeans' pockets. "You probably got a lot of questions," she said to me.

"That's an understatement."

"What do you want to ask?" she questioned reluctantly.

"Just start talkin', just start talkin', Mom. It's time for a history lesson and you're the teacher."