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"That's perfectly all right, I'm just glad to be here."
"We're glad to have you."
We! Her mother said we! "So ... your husband ..."
"He's picking up the food on the way home. He should be here soon."
Allie practically collapsed into the sofa, full of sweet relief. So he had survived! If nothing else came from this meeting, at least she would have that! But then--what if it was a new husband? What if her mother had remarried? A sister in college, a new house--a lot can happen in three years. She had to know.
"Was he ... badly injured in the accident? I hope not." Allie clenched her toes, preparing for the worst of all possible news. Then her mother said.
"It was a difficult rehabilitation, but he pulled through."
Allie released her breath, not even realizing she had been holding it. She felt her face flush with relief. Her mother took it for thirst, and sat across from her, pouring the bottled water into a glass for her. As Allie reached for the glass, she saw that her hand--the cat woman's hand--was trembling, so Allie took the glass with her other hand instead.
"I must say, I was surprised to get your e-mail," her mother said.
"As soon as I heard you were here in Memphis, I knew I had to contact you. You know, Allie was one of my favorite students."
Her mother smiled slimly. "Really."
Allie searched her memory for a poignant moment to share. "I remember for Mother's Day, we had a poem that each student was supposed to paste into a card they were making--but Allie insisted on writing her own poem--and when it was done, half the class wanted to use her poem instead of the original one!"
Her mother looked at her incredulously. "I still have that card. And you're telling me you remember that?"
Actually, Allie remembered the poem itself, but realized that reciting it might be just a little too weird. "As I said, she was a favorite student."
"What else do you remember?" her mother asked. The tone of the question seemed just a little bit off. Allie didn't think much of it at the time.
"I remember ... I remember one day she came to school sad, because you and she had a fight that morning. Something about a neighborhood boy you didn't want her to spend time with. She never told you, but she was sorry-- and you were right, he turned out to be a real creep."
Her mother furrowed her eyebrows. "That wasn't in fourth grade."
How stupid! thought Allie. Of course it wasn't. Allie found herself getting increasingly nervous, and as she did, that hand kept trembling more and more. "No, it wasn't," Allie said. "But sometimes Allie would confide in me, even years after she had left my class."
Whoo! Lucky save. Allie lifted the water to her mouth, and noticed that both her hands were trembling now.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, yes, fine. Not to worry." Then the glass slipped from her hand and shattered on the hardwood floor. It was the blasted cat woman! Allie was losing control. How long had she been in her body now? Three hours? Four? Quickly she bent over to pick up the broken glass, but her hands were shaking too much. "How clumsy of me!"
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it."
Now they were both on their knees picking up the broken glass, and when Allie looked to her mother, Allie found herself suddenly hissing through gritted teeth.
"Help me--she's stolen my body!"
Her mother just stared at her, not sure how to react. "What did you say?"
Allie was slipping on the ice again. The cat woman was not only awake, but she knew! Allie had to remain in control at all costs. She grappled with the woman inside her mind, forcing her down, and said, her voice a strange warble. "You'll have to forgive me. I'm prone to sudden outbursts. Tourette's Syndrome, you know. Some days are better than others."
Then came the blessed sound of a phone ringing.
"I should get that," Allie's mother said, a little coolly. "Leave the glass, I'll take care of it."
She crossed the room to pick up the phone, while Allie buried her face in her hands.
Stay out of this! she silently told the cat woman. You'll get your stupid body back!
