“Well, isn’t this lovely. A family reunion!” Peggy addressed her friends, showing off her granddaughter. Caiohme looked around curiously at her new surroundings, seemingly not minding the emotional undercurrents of this meeting. She caught her mamma Bette’s eye and laughed happily.

This brought Helena out of her funk and she relaxed at last. “Well, mother, how have you been?”

“Oh just fine my darling daughter. Myself, Muffy, Buffy and Jaunty…” She gestured to the three 50something women in the chopper with them. “and I, have just been to Hawaii. I do believe we need to pop back over there to pick up a few things before you girls can be off to wherever you wanted to go.”

Bette and Helena exchanged surprised looks before Bette spoke. “Yeah, um, we have some friends we really should pick up.”

“Oh really?” Peggy asked curiously.

“yes Mother, though, they’re both infected…” Helena averted her eyes from her mother’s gaze, however she was surprised at Peggy’s response.

“Oh good.” Peggy said firmly. “the scientists we’ve been working with have a potential cure. The problem is, some of these disgusting human beings are too busy either running from us, or trying to eat us. And really, I do despise guns. I will simply not allow a violent round up. So we’ll pick up your friends and be done with it—if you can keep them under control?”

Bette nodded, strangely relieved that they would be returning to one of their former homes. Helena seemed less pleased. Beside her, Jaunty, Buffy and Muffy were piss drunk on pink champagne. Peggy smiled at her daughter’s disdain.

“Darling,” she said quietly. “At the very least, you can be happy that I’ve rescued you once again.”

Helena turned her eyes back to her mother, studying her features and checking the familiar mixture of insecurity, anger and sadness that rose within her when she saw this woman who, in all honesty, she knew very little about. “Thank you.” She said carefully, “but we could have done without that last bit.”

But she was interrupted by the sound of Muffy and Buffy—twin sisters no doubt—laughing hysterically at Jaunty.

“Rar rar rar rar rar…” Helena mimicked. “Oh good, here’s Lara and Alice.”

While the two women made conversation with Peggy and her friends, Helena and Bette showered quickly.