Mom rested her wet head on Syl's shoulder and smiled faintly, despite the tears dripping from her eyes. "I thought I'd never see you again."

Syl stroked the back of Mom's head, combing the matted mess into individual strands of dark hair, while carefully clutching the hat in the same hand. Her other hand rested on Mom's shoulders, trying to offer her the support Dad had denied her. "I thought the very same thing, Max."

Mom stepped back and wiped the tears from her eyes. She looked down at her clothing-a faded bathrobe most likely borrowed from Cindy-and laughed slightly. "If I knew you were coming, I would've changed."

"No need to," Syl replied with a wave of her hand.

"Here," Mom said, motioning Syl out of the bathroom. "Would you like something to drink? Tea? Coffee?"

"No thanks."

I rose from my crouching spot beside the toilet and followed the two older women out into the main part of the apartment. Making myself comfortable on the couch, I watched carefully, searching for any clues that might let me know more about my aunt and, of course, Mom.

Syl sat down on the barstool tentatively at first, then allowed herself to completely sink down into it. She watched Mom carefully, trying to know answers to the questions she had not yet asked. Mom still stood on the other side of the countertop, fixing herself something to drink.

"Max?"

"Yes?" Mom replied turning around as she stirred a steaming drink. Her eyes were still red and bloodshot from crying, but at least her hair looked better.

"Are you ok?" Syl asked, leaning forward in the stool.

"I-I'm fine."

"Max," Syl cooed. "You don't have to hide it anymore."

Mom sat her quivering coffee mug down on the countertop before it dropped to the floor and smashed into a thousand pieces. She stared blankly at the ground, unsure of what to say. "It's always the same…" she murmured. "Always the same."

"What do you mean?"

Mom looked directly up at Syl. Both of them either didn't notice or didn't care that I was there. "Manticore. I've been away for…what? About thirty years now?" Syl nodded in response to Mom's question, but didn't say anything. She knew better than to interrupt when Mom was spilling her feelings. "And it still controls me." Mom clenched her fist tightly, brandishing it in the air. "Like this. Makes me feel... like no matter what I do or how far I run I can never get away from them. Never."

"It could be worse."

"How? How, Syl?"

"What about your daughter?"

"Alanza? Why?" Mom asked, talking about me as if I wasn't even there. It was slightly humorous in a way to see them discussing me.

"She grows cat hair everyday. Cat hair, Max. Think about it. How bad could her heat cycles be?"

Mom shook her head reluctantly, not wanting to admit it. "They're pretty bad."

"Pretty bad?" Syl echoed.

"Very bad."

"Now, I understand that we have a pretty crappy life when it comes to those heat cycles, but we survive-don't we?"

"That's not the point."

"Then what is?"

"That we have to go out and…and…screw some guy just so it will be over with," Mom vehemently spat.

Syl nodded. "Yes, yes. I mean, having feline DNA and everything will do that to a person."

"I only wish there was some way for it to end."

Syl sighed, "Sorry, none that I know of."

Looking up, Mom grinned wryly. "Do cats go through menopause?"