FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A gang of teenaged, New York pigeons settled on the railing of a roof in front of the bay window of a very expensive loft. Behind that window, a black cat and a golden-furred mouse were curled up around each other, still asleep. The pigeons hooted at them and threw bricks at the window. The mylar outer pane of the triple glazing held firm, the molybdenum stainless frame never flinched. But the noise of the impacts made the black cat mewl and scrunch away. The mouse, on the other hand, opened one bleary eye and regarded the pigeons with a dangerous glare. She reached for the bedside table and felt for a remote, which she held up.

"Get the pipes!" one of the boys yelled. "She's turnin' on the water! Get the pipes!"

Nozzles emerged from around the window. The boys quickly stuck plastic hoses onto the nozzles and aimed them at the seams of the window frame. But no water came from the hoses this time. Instead, the area around the window was flooded by a yellow mist that spread from the hose ends in all directions. The boys began to cough and retch. They flew away quickly. The gas stopped. Nozzles from the top of the loft sprayed high-pressure mist at the yellow, which subsided with no trace more than dampness on the landing. Inside, the mouse set down the remote. She curled up with the cat again, but squirmed uncomfortably.

"Sandi," Sheila said sleepily, "for th'lovagod, let's just get curtains!"

"I like the dawn light."

"Pebbled glass!"

"Hides the view."

"LCD window coating!"

"Only darkens the view in, always darkens the view out."

"I hate this city!" Sheila moaned.

"The best defence is a good offence," Sandi replied, as she wriggled over the the edge of the bed. "They'll fuck off for good when they realize they can't win," she added as she sat up.

"Until another buncha... Where you goin'!" she groaned.

"I can't sleep any more. Might as well get up."

"I can't sleep without you," she pleaded, but Sandi had already crossed to the bathroom. Sheila turned over on her back, her hair mussed, the white fur of her belly feathered into the black fur of her back and sides. Her arms and legs were limp, but her eyes were shut tight against the bright, morning light.

"Don't forget you need a bath this morning!" Sandi called.

Sheila wearily grabbed Sandi's pillow and pulled it down it over her head.

###

The roar of the walk-in fur drier died and Sandi emerged from the bathroom, pulling a clean tee-shirt over her head and tucking it in as she went. She knocked on the bedroom door frame and sang out that the bathroom was free. Sheila growled sleepily from inside as Sandi passed, but water sounded from the shower as she started the coffee machine going. She pulled a couple of rice cakes from the bread box and set them on a plate, then started pulling more out. When her plate was piled with them, she put a few back, frowned and pulled one more out. She got a bread knife from a drawer and bottles of caraway-carrot preserve and vegemite from the fridge. She set them and a cup of coffee on the table and started tucking in, smiling as she listened to the happy patter of rain drops on the shower walls.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Sandi, who is it?" Sheila called from down the hall.

"Dunno, somebody must be holding the front door for strangers again!"

"Can you get it?"

Sandi set a rice cake down too firmly on her breakfast plate as she stood and trudged to the door. She scowled at the darkness in the viewing hole; somebody was pushing their luck! She removed the chain and swung the door open as whoever-it-was knocked again. A tall, handsome, black cat sneered down at her.

"Bow-you!" he wheezed, as he suited actions to words and bowed at his waist to Sandi.

She continued to push her fist into his solar plexus as she pressed her knee to his and shoved hard on his shoulder; he knelt at her feet, his eyes bulging, trying in vain to suck air.

"Who is it, lover?" came from down the hall.

"Your evil twin Skippy!" she yelled back. "I think you better see this, Sheil!"

"'Kay, I'll be right there!"

"Ssssit-t, wai-t!" Sandi growled and pointed to the floor where he knelt.

The cat merely held his stomach and tried not to keel over, still unable to breath. Sandi strategically withdrew to the nearest doorway and stood glaring defiantly at him. Shortly, Sheila opened a door further down the hall and turned towards the entrance, her hair and body wrapped in towels. Their visitor finally gasped and started panting frantically. Sheila stared, her face stern.

"Why did you hit him?"

"The first phoneme out of his mouth was a B," Sandi replied. "Tell me which polite greeting starts with a B." She jerked a thumb at the cat. "Friend of yours?"

"My twin brother, Matt."

Sandi did a double take, startled by the coincidence, as Sheila went and stood over Matt. She looked down her muzzle at him, her expression cold. "Been a long time," she said.

"Who's... chic with... th'fist?" he panted.

"I'm her mate..." Sandi started.

"Room mate," Sheila interrupted. "She's my room mate. What do you want?"

For a moment he knelt, panting. "Room mate," he sneered. "With a mouse." He looked up, shaking his head. "You always were the black sheep girl."

"Why did you come here, Matt?"

He got unsteadily to his feet. "Mamma," he said.

If Sheila's face was cold before, it turned stony now. She stood stiffly, glaring at Matt with old, icy rage.

"Is?" she replied, her voice toneless.

"Dead."

Sheila stood in silence. The tension seeped out of her body slowly. She looked at Matt levelly, blankly, her mouth slightly open. "Dead," she said. (Matt just nodded.) "I, uh... Okay, come in 'n sit down. Sandi, gimme a hand."

"I'll get him to the couch. You'd better get dressed."

"Dressed..." She looked down at herself, noticing as if for the first time that she still wore only a towel. "I-I'll be right back."

Sheila hurried down the hall to the room at the end and closed the door after her. Sandi took Matt around his waist and helped him to the next room.

"Hands to yourself, Skippy," she said. "That's a good boy..."

###

Matt sat in a lounge chair on one side of a small table. Sandi sat on the near end of a sofa on the table's other side and watched him, smiling innocently as he recovered his breath. He glanced at her once or twice while he panted. Mostly he glanced around the living room. His gaze lingered on a gas fireplace between two full-length windows, at the mantle piece and the trophy case that sat on it. It held two consecutive Goody awards with Sheila's name on them and a smaller statuette that had to do with martial arts which bore Sandi's name. The pictures on the wall were mostly magazine covers adorned with Sheila's image, but some were photos of her, or Sandi, or both. He noticed a framed picture on the table which held a third figure; a fox tod. Matt's eyes narrowed as he looked closer at the picture. His teeth bared briefly; he licked his lips and nose and glared at Sandi instead.

"By any chance," he said, "would this be the residence of Sheila Ann Lacy?"

"Good morning to you, too," Sandi replied, a smug smile on her thin lips.

"How," Sheila demanded, suddenly just appearing in a business-like, black dress and bare feet and making straight for the spot Sandi was occupying. (The mouse scooted over.)

"How yourself, Chief Pain-In-The-Butt!" Matt replied. "I can't complain. Still breathin', still earnin' a livin'. N'how've you been? Doin' pretty well by the looks of the place."

"Do you want to keep breathing?" Sandi growled, peering around Sheila.

Matt turned a sneer back at her as nasty as her own.

"You look, Sandi," he growled. "Sheila's my sister and I treat her like family. Maybe you never had one..."

"Sandi, it's okay," Sheila interrupted. "Matthew was always the brat of the family, I expect this of him. Matt, how did she die?"

Matt opened his mouth, then glanced around Sheila at Sandi. The mouse smirked back at him.

"Family call me Matt The Brat," he exclaimed. "You caught me off guard once, you don't get no second chance!

"Mama was sick," he went on, facing Sheila. "She was too proud to tell anybody, you know her. She had to be a martyr. Takin' pain pills and what all over the counter to keep herself goin'. By the time Flo tied her up 'n dragged her to the clinic, she was on death's door, nearly." He sniffed derisively, but it was a wet sniffle. "All she needed was penicillin."

"You got it for her."

"Of course I got it for her! It was just penicillin! I could've got better if she needed it!"

"What did she have?"

"Gonorrhea, not even resistant. But it'd already messed her up inside by the time she got real medicine. The clinic even said her bacteria count was down. Then her heart gave out. Mary was with her, she called 911... before she called Flo 'n Diana for once... the ambulance came 'n got her to hospital... but..."

Matt hung his head and shook it. His sniffle was microscopic. Sheila's ears snapped forwards. She rolled her eyes as she crossed by the little table and sat on the arm of the chair. She grimaced as she took him in her arms.

"It's okay, brat," she murmured, "I'm here."

Matt held onto Sheila, buried his face in her bosom and wept.

"She was an old woman," he moaned. "She had nothin' left to prove!"

"You know that wasn't it," Sheila replied, softly.

Sandi looked back and forth between them. She got to her feet and backed towards the door.

"We need some water," she said. "I'll be back in a minute."

Sheila shook her head. "Take your time," she mouthed.

Sandi nodded and turned.

###

Sandi poured a second cup of coffee into Sheila's favourite mug and brought it to the kitchen table. Sheila added a generous dose of cream and sipped it gratefully.

"He joined some kind of spy thing," she explained. "Some kind of mercenary outfit or something. He still can't tell me about it. He went from that to the FBI."

"I thought he was walking en garde. That's why you hate him?"

"Babymouse, where I come from the cops are not the good guys."

"Want me to describe the police chief's dick? I had it shoved in my mouth enough."

"I hear you. Anyway, turning cop was just part of it. The rest of it...

"Sandi, he left me! He was my twin, my other half! Dad was gone, Mom started actin' like I was the competition, my five sisters were just kittens..."

"Five sisters?"

"Three sisters, and Matt..."

"You said five sisters."

Sheila gave Sandi a weary look, but there was judgment in the mouse's face; there was no putting her off and lying would start a crack that would divide them forever. Sheila sighed.

"Betty and Barby never came home from hospital. All Mama said was it was a very hard delivery and she almost didn't make it either. Daddy was gone by then, so we were all just glad she came home. They were her last litter. We don't talk about it. Alright?"

Sandi nodded. "And then Matt left."

"Just when I needed him most. He was the only one I could talk to. Sometimes it seemed like he was the only one who cared. And he left me! He never even warned me or explained, just one day he wasn't there anymore. Just gone!"

"He did come back."

"Wearing a gun and a badge. I wished he'd never come back at all. I could've imagined for the rest of my life he'd died trying to save somebody's life or been press-ganged by pirates or something..."

"Instead of finding out the truth and not liking it?"

Sheila's ears and whiskers flicked back. But her head and ears drooped almost as quickly.

"Yeah," she said, "something like that.

"Anyway, by that time I didn't care. I didn't need him any more. I learned to depend on myself and I swore I'd never let me down. Or my sisters, though Mama was better with them than me. I'd gotten myself into college and earned my own tuition modeling. And he wanted back in my life! I had to stay out of his way until college started. That meant living on the street for a few weeks and if it pissed him off I was fine with that. It was easier getting a few more photo shoots done without him looking over my shoulder. Then I started college and you know the rest.

"Once in a while since I left home he's tracked me down and tried to make up with me. He managed to avoid you until today, I'm glad about that."

"You're never going to forgive him."

"How can I forgive him! No one's ever hurt me like he did! Twice!"

"So how did he get to cry on your shoulder?"

Sheila froze. At first she didn't seem to have heard. Sandi just stared at her levelly. Sheila's ears turned back and her jaw set into a grimace that even her naturally refined, handsomely chiseled features could not make pretty. After a minute, her ears sank to back to half-mast. She sighed and pursed her lips.

"He's family," she said. "For all I hate him, I still have to love him." She sighed again, aiming an ear at the kitchen door. She finished her coffee. "Come on," she said, "he's done crying. Maybe we can get the details out of him now."

###

"Flo and Diana are sitting with her," Matt said. "Mary went home after a little while, she never was strong. She's getting the place ready for visitors. The reception's at the funeral home, but there'll be some who think they need to come by."

"Where's she lying?" Sheila asked.

"The best, Brewster Douglas. And Holland Dozier and Holland are handling her estate, what there is. But the service is gonna be at the church."

"Which church?" Sandi asked.

"We always went to the same church," Sheila replied.

"Year Of Miracles Baptist," Matt went on, "Rev S. Robinson presiding, who's been wonderin' where you've gone, sister."

Sheila glared at him briefly. "There is no god," she replied. "When is the service?"

"Eight thirty tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!"

"Hey, it takes time finding you! Cindy and Jean didn't want you there at all!"

"Cindy and Jean?" Sandi grunted.

"Cousins, on Mom's side," Sheila replied. "We never got along."

"They stepped in and helped Mama with the house when you moved out. And your sisters."

"They turned Flo and Diana against me, tried to turn Mary, too."

"Flo and Diana missed you for years before they figured out you weren't gonna come home after college! Mary still has faith one day you're gonna walk in the door and be her sister again."

"Baby of the family?" Sandi guessed.

"Keep out of this!" Sheila and Matt replied, together, then stared at each other in shock.

"My home is with Sandi," Sheila declared. "She's my family now."

Matt smiled coldly. "What I figured," he replied. "Lesbian."

"Bi," Sandi replied, putting a possessive arm around Sheila's waist. "Is that a problem, Skippy?"

"It's Matt!" he shot back. "No problem, just took a death in the family for her to admit it."

"I never kept it a secret from anyone who wouldn't judge me wrong by it."

"And you figure your family would judge you wrong."

"Did Mama ever find out about you and that mouse-rat boy?"

"Yes, she did. She was surprised, disappointed. She didn't throw me out."

"She never treated you like her enemy!"

"I never made an enemy out of her!"

"Stop it! Both of you!"

Sheila and Matt both turned glares on Sandi, who merely glared back.

"Sheila and I have until eight thirty tomorrow to move our schedules aside and get to this church. That's less than twenty four hours, we don't have time to air your family laundry. So do you think you could table this cat fight until after the reception?"

"And what makes you think you're goin'?" Matt said, daggers in his voice.

"I need her," Sheila replied, just as coldly.

For a moment Matt glared at the mouse; his eyes narrowed in anger. Then he glanced at Sheila. His eyes were still narrow, but the tension left his features. He put his hands on the table and stood.

"All right," he said. "I'll phone Mary and let her know we need another bed." He turned and strode out of the kitchen. His shoe leather slapped the carpeting towards the front door. "See you in Detroit," he added; the door opened, then slammed closed again.

"Detroit?" Sandi exclaimed.

"You know I come from Detroit," Sheila replied, as she picked up a card from the table where Matt's hands had been.

Sandi shook her head. "We'll have to fly," she muttered, standing. "I'll try to find us..."

"Never mind that," Sheila replied. "We'll book through the agent downstairs and call a cab from there. We need to get to Saks, then Prada and Oscar Blandi before we pack."

"Sheila, for Pete sake! You don't need new clothes, there's not going to be any press! We don't have time!"

"Not for me, for you! We need to finally get you a formal, black dress! You are not going to church, never mind a funeral, dressed like a goth!"

###

Matt flashed his badge at the airport securagoons and lead Sheila and Sandi past them to a black-and-white that pulled into traffic the second they were in and raced, lights flashing, to a neat, well-kept church in the middle of what looked like a war zone. Matt told one of Detroit's finest that the feds owed him one, pulled both women's bags out from under the gun rack in the trunk and lead them all inside at a run. A polite, young fox in clerical robes, who seemed to be expecting them, took the bags; to the minister's office, he said. The grandfather's clock on the wall at the rear of the church said seven fifteen.

"Think we're secure here?" Sandi asked, an unconvincing half-sneer in her lips.

"We'll be okay," Sheila replied.

"Local gangs know better 'n t' scratch the church," said Matt. "Scratch the church, no matter who did it, all the prey turn 'n fight 'n don't care who they trample. Local forces start shootin', even mugger-huggers don't cry. Gangs give the church room! The real bad boys don't care. The church watches Rev. Robinson too close to get to him, he'd be caught in a week no matter what they got him on. Nothin' here worth stealin' either, 'less you're another church. Either you got any other enemies?"

"Paparazzi," Sheila replied.

"In this neighborhood? We'd be pullin' their naked bodies outa the river. How 'bout you, mouse?"

"Nothing you need to worry about."

"Good, I got enough troubles. Now I'll tell you what..." Matt glanced to one side as shoe leather tapped the carpeting far up the pews. "Aw, here comes trouble."

"Been a long time," said a gray-and-white cat, as she approached. The newcomer was half a head shorter than Sheila, but shared her long-tall stature and emerald eyes. She even moved with the same graceful tail-swish. But her eyes burned like green lasers as she came.

"Good morning, Diana," Sheila replied, her voice controlled and cool.

("Wow!" Sandi whispered.)

"Are you here to make trouble?" Diana demanded.

"Are you?" Sheila replied. "I've never gone looking for trouble."

"I know you've always avoided, seems to be what you do best. Only you can't avoid here, so what you gonna do?"

"Well, I suppose that will depend on what you do..."

Matt nudged Sandi and nodded towards a door on the far end of the aisle behind the pews. Sandi gave him a brief glare and turned back to the argument, but Matt put a hand behind her arm. Without closing his hand, he started to guide her towards the door. Sandi tried to pull away, but he kept his hand on her arm. She glared at him; he looked back levelly and shook his head. As Diana and Sheila continued to trade barbs, Sandi went with Matt, trying all the way to shrug off his hand. He finally removed it when they were in a furnished hall beside the church itself.

"Put your hand on me like that again..."

"I know just what you could do," Matt cut her off. "But I'm a federal officer and this is a church, so you're not gonna do it here. Sheila can take care of herself and if you're wise you'll stay out of family quarrels."

"I am her family!"

"And I'd think twice about saying that out loud while you're here. Some of the members aren't as tolerant as I am. This is a funeral, that's trouble enough. Clear?"

"I don't make trouble. I won't take it."

For a few seconds Matt just looked Sandi in the eye. A sly, half-smile crossed his face.

"Mousy," he said, "with a spirit like yours, you'd make a pretty good cop."

Sandi's jaw dropped, her eyes wide with shock. But before she could reply, Sheila appeared in the door.

"Sandi," she called, "let's get freshened up. The women's room is downstairs."

###

"Are you okay?" Sandi asked, as Sheila patted her hair strategically with a brush.

"I'll get through it," the cat replied. "It's just a couple of days."

"I could bruise her larynx. She'd be able to breathe. Talking would hurt too much."

"Don't even think of it."

"Sheil, I was kidding."

"You can't help." Sheila put down the brush and hugged Sandi. "This is my problem."

"No!" Sandi turned her gaze to Sheila's eyes in the mirror. "You are my mate!" she declared. "Don't even think of trying to get through this alone!"

Sheila took Sandi's hand in hers. Sandi moved their hands towards Sheila's mouth. The cat gently licked the mouse's fur. Sandi turned and held Sheila close.

"I love you," Sandi said. "I don't care what your sisters think."

"Babymouse..." Sheila sighed. "We have to be careful until we're back in New York."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Don't try to fight for me. Just... just be there." She looked into the mouse's face. "You're so beautiful. I love you so..."

Sheila's hand bag chimed. She opened it and pulled out her cellphone.

"It's later than I thought. We'd better go find a pew..."

###

_"Amazing grace how sweet the sound

"That saved a wretch like me..."_

Diana stood in the choir box, flanked by two other cats; a slender gray tabby with golden eyes and a shorter, athletically built girl, all black with a white chin and star in third-eye point. Florence and Mary sang harmony; Florence low and Mary high, just under Diana's melody. Their colourful choir robes moved like silk, or more probably rayon; they flowed over the three cats's bodies like water, partly hiding but partly highlighting their forms. Sheila noticed admiration in Sandi's eyes as she watched them and knew what the mouse was admiring. Sheila was enjoying their voices. Her sisters didn't merely fill the hall with their song, they wrapped sweet sound all through it. She smiled at them and kept her ears aimed forwards.

"...Was blind but now I see!"

The song ended. The singers sat. The black cat turned and gave Sheila a little wave before bowing her head towards the pulpit with her sisters. A tall, gray wolf in a surplice got up from a seat at the pulpit's side and stood behind it.

"Brothers and sisters," he intoned, "we are gathered here to say good bye to our sister, Elizabeth Mehetabel Smith-McAfee. We all knew her well..."

Reverend Robinson paused to clear his throat. He took a sip of water as quite a few more throats were cleared, almost all of them masculine. In the choir box, angry grimaces crossed the three cats's faces. Sandi cocked an eyebrow towards Sheila; her lover was clearing her own throat, hiding a giggle behind her hand. The wolf set down his glass.

"Bessy was a good wife, a good mother to her children, a good friend to those who knew her well. She kept her children fed and clothed and raised them despite poverty to be successful in their community. One went on to success on the world stage." (Sandi squeezed Sheila's hand.) "Although her husband left too soon, she took care of her children no matter what it took..." He took another sip of water while a few more coughs rang out. "...no matter what it took! But she met every..." (He cleared his throat.) "...all of life's hard parts -- and they were many -- with enthusiasm and even joy. Perhaps it was her enthusiasm that turned life's hard parts into... pardon me..."

The minister turned away from the pulpit and coughed in earnest, while more male voices coughed in the congregation. Sandi turned and whispered into Sheila's ear, "...into hard cash." Sheila returned a rueful smile just as Matt, on her other side, leaned towards her, too.

"I think the reverend has made his point clear enough, don't you?" he muttered.

Sheila's smile became a serious frown as she turned towards her twin brother, but the minister saved her a reply by turning back and looking directly down on Matt.

"It was by sheer enthusiasm that Sister Bessy turned hard times into assets which she used to raise her family alone. Neither was that her only asset. Bessy was a striking woman, a long, tall woman, and kept herself well turned-out to her final day. She knew how to dress and how to keep herself in every stage of life. Her clothes might not have come from Rodeo Drive, but even in a second hand store she could tell what would work for her.

"Now I'll let you all in on a little secret, something she only ever told me. I forget just when..." (More coughs rang out in the audience.) "Bessy always wanted to open a clothing store," he went on, ignoring the mass catarrh. "She believed that she could do for other women what she did for herself..."

This time it was Sheila who coughed. "Pardon me," she said. Several in the congregation blinked at her; Sandi squeezed her hand The minister blinked too, then went on.

"Bessy believed that she could dress other women as well as she dressed herself. She believed that she could make her fortune doing that. But she never got the chance to try. First Roger passed on, then more kittens came. So she lived instead for her children, as any good mother would. Let none of us fault her for that!"

In the choir box, Mary was leaning on Diana's shoulder, weeping quietly as her sister held and patted her. The minister spared them a glance, but seeing that things were under control, he went on. Sheila noticed her too and petted Sandi's hand. Sandi snuggled against Sheila's shoulder, but kept an ear cocked at the minister.

"Bessy was born fifty years ago right here in Detroit..."

###

The black-and-white that lead the procession from the church to the graveyard had stuck around. Now it lead the hearse alone back to a semi-detached a few blocks from the church. The house was small but neat and well repaired. Black boarders hung from the porch rail. Once again, Matt got out first and pulled the girls's bags from the trunk. Once again they ran inside, but some of the neighbors saw anyway and pointed in Sheila's direction. Mary got out of the hearse and entered more sedately, leaving the minister and her sisters outside.

Matt took the bags to the kitchen and left them while he poked around in the refrigerator. Sheila sat in an old, upholstered chair, leaned back and sighed. Sandi stood beside the chair and raised an arm to hold Sheila close, only to find a black cat in her way. Mary had jumped from the front door, right into Sheila's lap and snuggled under her chin.

"Sheila! I knew you'd come! I missed you!"

"Uh... Mary... I..."

"Why did you stay away? You're my sister!"

"Well... you know I had to go away to college, dear... and... all the modeling work is in New York..."

"That's so glamorous!" Mary sat up and grinned in Sheila's face. "Tell me everything!"

"Mary... I... We just buried Mama!"

"I hoped you could give me something less horrible to think about," Mary murmured.

The little, black cat slipped out of Sheila's lap. She looked at the floor as she walked quickly towards the kitchen. Sheila looked at Sandi; Sandi watched Mary go, then looked back at Sheila.

"I'm sorry lover," Sheila moaned. "She's always been a little..."

"Sensitive," Sandi replied.

"Drama queen."

"I don't think so."

"I beg your pardon? Mary is my sister, I grew up with her."

"My step-father thought I was a slut. I needed affection. I'm going to talk to her."

"Sandi!"

Sheila didn't stand, but rose up in the chair, her fur fluffing out, and glared. Sandi looked back at her levelly, hardly moving, her arms relaxed at her sides.

"Mary is my family. You don't want to be messing with that."

"When we're finally allowed to marry, she'll be my sister-in-law. I like her, she reminds me of myself when I was a kid. Sheil, do you know me? Do you trust me at all?"

Sheila watched, a silly look of feline surprise on her face, still groping for words as Sandi followed Mary into the kitchen.

Mary was slicing fillets from a pork roast, rolling them like paper and laying them side-by-side on a dish. There was already enough food there to feed the entire neighborhood. Sandi spotted a big bunch of parsley. She took some of it and laid it here and there on the creases between the rolled meat. Mary hardly glanced at her.

"Thank you," said the little, black cat.

For a minute or two they worked together in silence.

"Did you do this with your mom?" Sandi asked, at last.

Mary nodded. "Sometimes, holidays and such. When Mama got..."

"Sick?" (Mary nodded.) "You did the cooking then."

"Cleaning, too. I wanted to help."

Sandi smiled and went back to garnishing the plate of pork straws. Mary made more until she'd filled the plate, then started on a second layer. Sandi rearranged the parsley she'd already set down a little, then put more on the second layer.

"Sheil hurt your feelings."

Mary quickly set down her filleting knife. "Sheila lets you call her that?"

"It bugged her at first, so I kept doing it. She finally got used to it. She still doesn't let anybody else call her Sheil. That makes me special."

Mary picked up her knife again, but kept looking at Sandi curiously.

"She'd hit me if I called her Sheil."

"She likes to punish," Sandi replied. "I like to be punished."

"You and my sister... you're her..."

"We're lovers." Sandi smiled as she arranged more parsley. "She's bisexual; she's quite rare, gender hardly matters to her. I'm bisexual too, but mostly lesbian. Sheil saved my life."

"Oh! What from?"

"My childhood. My step-father abused me. By the time I got to college I was brain-fucked, close to suicide, though I hid it behind studying. She showed me how sex could heal. She fell in love with me when I fell for her. She's my ground, I'm her center."

"That's terrible!"

Sandi gave Mary a hard look, but Mary put a hand to the mouse's shoulder.

"How could your step-father love your mother but do that to you? Sandi, why're you laughing... Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry!"

Still laughing, Sandi took Mary in her arms and held her. Mary hugged back and purred. Sandi leaned back, grinning ear-to-ear, her hands still around Mary's waist.

"You remind me of me before mom remarried."

Mary smiled back. Her smile faded as she looked over the mouse's face, down at her small, athletic breasts and tummy. Sandi smiled as she watched.

"I... once... Mama never knew... Sandi, why is Sheila so mean to me? She's always been, what did I ever do to her?"

Sandi stroked Mary's face. "You're sweet," she said. "Sheil knows how to pretend to be sweet. She doesn't believe you're sincere."

"But I am! I don't want to fool anybody, I'm just me!"

Sandi nodded. "Sheil had to get hard to survive when your dad died."

"(Dad left us.) I know, Mama got mean to her. We all saw how jealous she got when Sheila grew up prettier."

"That makes sense. She needs loyalty, but she has trouble with sincerity. I can't help her with that, I'm not sincere, just honest. But I can give you some healing."

Mary blinked at her for a moment.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"You just said you've done it once. I won't help if you don't want me to. But if you trust me, I can make you feel a little better."

"I... well... I'd like..."

"Sandi!"

Sandi and Mary turned towards the kitchen door. Sheila stood framed by it, her tail lashing, her ears curled back and her fur fluffed, staring at them incredulously. Mary looked down, her ears level and her tail between her legs. But Sandi stared back levelly. One arm relaxed at her side, she slipped the other around Mary's waist; her tail curled up above her head, then straightened out behind her. Sheila stared, her ears twitching forward and back as a dozen emotions played across her face. At last her tail stilled and drooped behind her, her ears lowered to half-mast. The tip of her tongue dipped out of her mouth and she stared. Sandi stared back as her tail sank to the floor.

"I will always need you," Sandi said.

Mary looked up in surprise at Sandi, then at Sheila, her own tongue slightly out. Sheila looked away.

"Take care of my sister," she murmured and retreated back to the parlour.

Mary followed her. Sheila was sitting in the same comfy chair. Mary threw her arms around her sister's neck and nuzzled her mouth.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Then she bounded back into the kitchen. Giggling, she took Sandi's hand. Sandi, smiling broadly, followed Mary up the stairs to a room near the top. Closing the door behind them, Mary put her arms around Sandi's shoulders. Sandi embraced Mary's waist, gently rubbing the little cat's butt cheeks beside her tail, but Mary only giggled.

"I don't know what to do!" she exclaimed.

"Did you really have lesbian sex before?" (Mary nodded, smiling.) "Did you like it?"

"Well... it was nice..."

"Then you'll like this. What happened that time?"

"Well... she took my skirt off... 'n she kinda rubbed me... 'n licked me... I just let her."

Sandi shook her head. "I'll do most of it this time, but first I want you to do that to me, just the way she did it to you."

"Why?"

"I want you to feel like you're a part of this, not just letting me do something to you. And I want you to really know that I'm enjoying it too, not just doing it for you."

"Oh! Well... My!"

"Wait a minute."

Stepping back, Sandi unbuckled her black, patent leather shoes. She reached behind her back and undid the buttons on her black, formal dress. She slid it off, quickly stepping out of dress and shoes together and added her bra to the pile. Then she stepped back into Mary's arms. This time Mary caressed Sandi's behind easily. She licked the mouse's golden-furred cheeks, nuzzled her mouth, nipped her throat. Sandi grinned and murred, holding Mary's back, moving her head aside to enjoy the black cat's caresses. Mary slipped a hand into Sandi's panties, cupped her mound and massaged it. Sandi moaned, pressing herself into the cat's hand, but her smile faded quickly. Mary licked Sandi's ear, none too gently, holding her close with one arm. A finger of her other hand, still inside the mouse's panties, squirmed between the lips of her cunny. Another finger pressed against Sandi's tail hole. Panting a little, Sandi watched as Mary knelt suddenly, yanked her panties down and started licking with a rough tongue at the mouse's clitoris. Sandi squeaked in shock, then yelped. She pushed at Mary's head.

"No!" she cried. "Stop!" (Mary looked up, her face pleading.) "Lover, it's too soon! Is this how she did it to you?" (Mary nodded.) "Did you like it?"

"It... she liked it, it was nice being... liked, it felt..."

"Were you really turned on that fast?"

"Guys like it that fast."

"We're not guys!" Sandi knelt with Mary, resting her hands on the cat's shoulders. "Sweet reason, it takes us 'way longer than it does for a guy! I'll show you. Is it all right if I take your clothes off or would you rather do it?"

"What... what would you like?"

Sandi shook her head. "You decide."

"Oh, I... Take my clothes off."

Sandi smiled and started efficiently undressing her lover. Mary smiled back shyly, giggling as her black blouse and skirt slid to the floor. Soon her bra -- a lacy push-up as black as her fur, with matching panties -- joined the pile. Sandi smiled as she looked over Mary's body; not long, tall and buxom like Sheila or her other sisters, but lean and athletic like her own, with modest, round breasts and wide cleavage. She stroked Mary's throat. (Mary began to purr.)

"I'm going to pet your body now. I'll start with your face and head and move down to your breasts, then go on from there. If you feel like any other kind of touch, you have to tell me because otherwise I won't know."

"If I were with a guy, would I do that with him, too?"

"If you could get a guy to listen!" She kissed Mary's nose. "Never mind about guys," she said, and licked a corner of Mary's mouth. "We can talk about guys later."

###

Sheila eased the filleting knife through the pork roast and rolled another paper-thin slice, adding the new straw to the plate. The dish was three levels high now, held together by the pork's own moisture, augmented by sprinkles of Worcestershire sauce. Parsley seemed to sprout from strategic spots along the sides. Sheila started a fourth level, adding a couple of parsley sprigs to the end.

The floor squeaked under otherwise-silent footsteps behind her. A quick glance confirmed that it was her brother.

Matt poked at the pile of meat with a claw tip. He hooked one roll and lifted it gently.

"That's where Mary stopped and you took over," he said.

Sheila carefully laid her palm against the uncut side of the butt of the roast and carved off another slice.

"Cuttin' style," Matt explained. "Yours are just a little bit thinner."

Sheila managed to carve off another three paper-thin slices, but the last two were difficult, the last one raggedy. She put down the butt and started rolling her last four pork straws.

"Mary go somewhere with your mouse friend?"

"Why don't you," Sheila started, "take that grated cheddar and Parmesan by the stove and make the sauce for this," she concluded. "If you remember how," she added.

"You think Mama'd let me forget how t' make a plain, ol' cheese sauce? Just white sauce, then melt cheese in."

"Well why don't you do that."

Matt's low, soft grumble could have been a growl or a purr. He took cream from the fridge, butter from the counter and flour from the back of the stove. He put butter and flour in a sauce pan and stirred them over low heat. Sheila julienned the pork butt and arranged the strips around the plate.

"Where'd Mary get to?" Matt asked, as he added cream to the pot.

"They're around."

"What they doin'?"

"I don't know. Mary needed some time."

"Why're they together?"

"Don't let that sauce burn! You know you have to keep stirring until it's ready!"

Matt turned with a gasp and stirred frantically. His fur lowered, slowly, as his stirring slowed. He smiled.

"Not bad," he said. "You know, for a second there you sounded just like her."

Behind Matt at the counter now, Sheila froze with her hand on a head of leaf lettuce. Her ear cocked towards her brother, then away. She picked up the head and tore chunks off of it.

"Don't push me away, Sheila."

"Is that an order, officer?"

"Do you want it to be an order?"

"What I want, since you ask, is to leave good and early tomorrow, have breakfast in my own kitchen and never see you again."

Matt stirred. Sheila tore.

"Well, I can't say you're not bein' honest."

"It's a federal offense to lie to a police officer. Perhaps you didn't know that."

"Sheila, God damn it, I'm the good guy here!"

"That's not what you thought growing up. Stir that pot."

"I am stirrin' and I did grow up! When are you gonna?"

Sheila dug her claws into the lettuce and made short work of it. She gathered a few shards that had escaped the salad bowl and threw them in.

"Is that what this is all about, me joinin' the FBI?"

Then the doorbell rang. Sheila and Matt both turned towards it. Sheila grabbed Matt's shoulder.

"I'll get it. Your white sauce should be thick by now!"

Matt started and glared at the sauce pan. The mixture was just turning thick inside it. He took the bowl of mixed, grated cheeses from the back of the stove. He glanced at the spice rack as he slowly forked the cheese into the sauce.

###

Reverend Robinson was standing at the door in front of Diana and Florence as Sheila opened it. None of them said anything. Sheila made her way into the parlour. Diana nudged past her and went straight to the comfy chair. Florence was already sitting at one end of a long sofa across the room from Diana. Sheila sighed and turned towards the other end of the sofa from Florence. The minister put a gentle hand on her shoulder before she got there. Sheila stiffened and turned a haughty, indignant expression on him, but moved aside with him anyway.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you in church," he said, softly. (Sheila looked back levelly at him, her tail tip twitching.) "Matthew told me that you live in New York now." (Sheila sniffed at him, glanced towards her sisters, looked back at the tall, gray wolf but never said a thing. Her tail tip swished steadily.) "I guess there's more work for fashion models in the big city." (Sheila blinked.) "I've missed seeing you in church." (Her ears flicked downwards, just a little.) "Sheila, will you please say something?"

"What would you have me say?"

"Sheila, don't be that way! We had something good together, didn't we?"

"You had something good with me. And my sisters, and my mother. Have you been with Mary yet?"

"Yes, I have. I was her first, just like you. She seemed to enjoy it. It's not a sin."

"Did you spank her, tie her up and fuck her? Were you in her mouth, her ass? Did you make her wear your cum under her choir robes?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself? Where is Mary..."

"Did you make her submit to you the way you did me?"

"She's submitted to me, yes. She enjoys it. I remember you enjoying it..."

"Like Mama?"

The minister sighed and glanced away. His ears dipped sideways as he looked back.

"Sheila, you know, don't you, that your whole family has a reputation. You and your mother both lived up to it, you're a lot more like her than you think. In fact, I could tell you a few things about your brother that you probably don't want to hear. The truth is, this house might as well have a red light on the porch, it's a cat house in every sense! Nobody holds it against you, kitten. You all did what you had to do to survive. You, your mother, your sisters, you've been a righteous pillar in this little corner of hell. A dark, misunderstood pillar..."

"Oh, shut up!" Sheila growled back, her tail slowly brushing the floor now. "I've never denied being a slut. I made my fortune being a slut, letting a few... well, a lot of men have me and a lot of women too, so that every man in the world and half the women would buy me! That's why so many magazines, ad agencies, fashion houses, et cetera up to you ear wanted to sell me! And unlike Mama, they paid me my first fortune in royalties for the privilege. And Sammy, I'm not like Mama in another important way!"

The wolf blinked at her for a moment, then cleared his throat.

"What? How... how are you not like her?"

"Mama was submissive, wasn't she?"

"Yes, just like your brother and sisters."

"Well I'm not. In fact, I'm just the opposite."

Sheila watched the minister as his jaw slowly fell in realization, then lifted in a show of throat.

"...and I always made you submit. Lord Jesus, Sheila I'm so sorry, I didn't know..."

"No, you just assumed..."

From above them, a loud meow sounded, stretched out and grew to a lustful growl. Diana and Florence were on their feet in an instant.

"What is Mary doing up there?" Diana exclaimed.

"Probably stroking off," Sheila replied. "I don't blame her, she's been under a lot of stress lately. And you," she said, turning back to the wolf, "you just assumed I'm subby, like the rest of my family. Well I'm not, I'm a dom."

"You are?" Diana interjected.

"Well that would explain a thing or two," Florence added.

"Like how she ran away when we needed her?"

"No, like how she was always so bossy, always expecting to get her way..."

Another loud yowl sounded above them. Matt stuck his nose in from the kitchen.

"What the hell is Mary doin' up there?"

"Stroking off!" four voices replied.

"And what do you mean," Sheila demanded, turning on Diana, "by ran away when you needed me? Mama didn't need me! She wanted me gone!"

("See what I mean?" Florence murmured.)

"Just like you," Diana replied, "always bringin' it back to Mama. What about Mary and Florence? And me? You were always there for us, then suddenly you weren't! Do you know what that did to us?"

"I went away to college! You knew I was going away to college! Not like Matt, just disappearing one day! At least I tried to prepare you for it, if you hadn't just..."

Another impassioned yowl sounded above them and everyone looked up.

("I'll have whatever she ordered," the minister murmured.)

"Wait a minute!" Matt exclaimed. "I had to go! Mama drove dad away, somebody had to support the family! I got an offer, something that would keep you all going, I had to take it!"

"Doing what!" Sheila demanded.

"You know I can never tell you! National security, you know that!"

"I know nothing! You're my twin brother! You're my other half! You tore my soul apart just leaving like that! I needed you! Mama hated me, I needed you more than ever and you left me!"

"Sheila..." Matt, his ears at half-mast, came and stood in front of Sheila. Despite her own ears being turned back tightly and her teeth bared in rage, he reached out and gently touched her shoulders. "It hurt me, too, Sheila," he begged. "I missed you every day, like an arm missing. But I had to take care of us all...'

"WE NEEDED YOU!" Diana exploded. "Daddy left! Matt left! You think Mama was any easier on us than you?"

"She hated me..."

"She hated us all! You didn't see it, she tried to play us all against each other! You're the only one who bought it, but you didn't give in to it, you cared for us! And then you left! If I hadn't convinced Cindy and Jean what was happening, we'd have had nobody to turn to!"

"Cindy and Jean told you I'm..."

"No! I told Cindy and Jean you are! I needed you and you left me!"

"SANDI!" Mary cried out above them. "PLEASE! I NEED YOU! PLEASE!"

"What the hell's goin' on up there!" Robinson exclaimed.

The minister, Diana and Florence pushed past Sheila, who was standing with her face in her palms. Matt, who'd stepped back while Sheila and Diana were arguing, touched Sheila's shoulder again.

"So all that about me carrying a gun..."

"Draw your gun!" Sheila growled, as she took his arm and steered him towards the stairs. "You're about to need it!"

"I don't have it with me! I'm off duty..."

"Just come!"

###

Mary's shoulders rested on the floor, her feet up on her bed, looking up at Sandi. The mouse stood over her, holding her knees, straddling her crotch cunny-to-cunny. Their tails twined about each other's waists. Sandi straightened her knees. A thick, blue, ridged dildo began to pull out of Mary, held tightly within Sandi's depths. Mary mewled. When nearly half a foot of blue plastic stretched between the two girls, Sandi started pushing it back in again. Mary moaned aloud and writhed her belly, away from and back towards the bed. Neither of them paid any attention to Florence, Diana or the Reverend crowding into the open doorway, their mouths wide open. Sandi thrust her hips, rubbing her clit against Mary's as Sheila and Matt arrived. Matt peered between Diana and the Reverend; Sheila leaned on Diana's and Florence's shoulders.

"Oh, Sandi!" Mary cried. "Oh, more!"

"I knew those Kegels would do some good," Sheila murmured.

Sandi's closer ear twisted towards Sheila. She glanced at her lover and winked. Smiling a lustful smile at Mary, she started to thrust more purposefully. The little, black cat moaned with each thrust.

"Wheelbarrow girl-on-girl," Matt murmured. "I'd'a thought you couldn't do that."

Reverend Robinson cleared his throat loudly. Sandi glanced at him.

"Watch quietly," she growled, (as she thrust into Mary), "or close the door!" (as she pulled out.)

Mary finally glanced towards the door. She gasped, pulling the blue dildo out of herself as she slid down sideways with feline grace. She pulled herself up to a sitting position, tucking her legs into lotus position and covering her pussy with her hands, her arms over her firm nipples. She panted, looking at the door in horror. Sandi watched her, surprised at the motion. Then, glaring towards the door, she hissed with anger, pulled the dildo out and threw it on the floor.

"Now look what you did!" she shouted.

"What we did!" Robinson exclaimed. "God forbids what you two were doing!"

"It does not!" Sheila replied. "Gay sex is forbidden and only in the Old Testament."

A second later, hardly one word was understandable for the others piled on top of it. The minister preached theology while Matt cried out the law. Sheila called down those who'd sinned against her while Diana threw her own sins back at her. Sandi stood in the middle and attacked any argument that fell too near her with off-hand facts and logic; argued louder and louder as even Sheila paid her little attention.

Florence rolled her eyes. She squeezed and pushed her way through the crowded door. She took a pink, terry robe from the closet. Stooping, she helped Mary into it. She got Mary to her feet and gave her a quick cuddle.

"They'll hurt each other!" Mary mewled.

"Don't you worry, sweetheart."

Florence turned to the door, Mary's shoulders under her arm. She yowled wordlessly at the combatants in a voice that would have filled the church. The other five voices were instantly stilled. Ten eyes turned towards her.

"That is enough!" Florence kissed Mary's forehead, then advanced on Sheila. "Papa did not die, he ran away. He couldn't bear Mama cheating on him and he couldn't bear to punish her for it. Even though that's probably what she really wanted, knowing Mama. He only stayed as long as he did for our sake. When we started growin' up, he could see we were just like her and we'd break his heart, too. So he left. That's probably the best thing he could've done. Now!" she thundered, as Sheila opened her mouth to reply. "...it was Mama who told me that, so I'm pretty sure it's true!" (Sheila flinched. Sandi's attention immediately flicked to her; she took Sheila's hand.) "Either way it works for you," Florence went on, "he really is gone for good. But you might want to ask yourself why. Since Mama's gone too now, you're free to wonder. But it's your life, so do what you want.

"As for us," Florence said, turning to Diana, "you're damn right she hurt us! But you might not have noticed that she's hurting, too. Maybe even worse than us! Papa leaving hit her pretty hard. Then her twin brother, her other half, went away, too! Yes, I know Matt was your favourite. At least you got him back. Sheila couldn't bear to have him back. Any more than you could if Papa came back," she added, glancing at Sheila. "So maybe," she told Diana, "you could cut her some slack!

"Reverend Sir," she went on, "you know more about this family than anybody else in the community. You've helped us, defended us and taught us, even when the church would have said you were going much too far. And I'm not saying that I thought it was wrong. You know how much I love it when your hands are on me, making me yours. But! You really are not a part of this family, just a very close, trusted friend. This Is Not The Time!

"As for you," she told Matt, "Sheila's right. The Man is not welcome in this neighborhood no matter how good his intentions are. That said, you're my brother and I love you. But until you turn things around from the inside, you better be ready to be hated by the majority. Good and bad alike. And in your heart, you know damn well why!"

"I want to make..." Matt began.

"...the world safe for family values," Florence finished for him. "We all heard it before. Does your own family look like a 'family-values' family to you? Do you think we're bad guys? Don't even answer, Sheila's problem is that you came back at all. You don't know how bad you hurt her! And only time's gonna heal that between you, so get over yourself!

"Mouse..." she started on Sandi.

"Do you like girls?" Sandi shot back.

"I'm talkin' to you!"

"Answer me anyway."

Florence glared in annoyance at Sandi, but paused for a moment in thought.

"I prefer men, but I'm not prejudiced."

"I like you, you speak your mind! Can you take it as well as you dish it out?"

"Well, I..."

"Sometimes," Mary spoke up, "Flo's the only one who'll listen at all!"

Florence gave Mary's shoulders a squeeze. "She talks to me for the family. I always listen to her." (Mary smiled and nodded.)

"At least you have the guts to admit it," Sandi replied, grinning. "I'm gonna love this family!"

"And what makes you think you're part of our family!" Diana demanded.

"She's my mate!" Sheila replied.

"...oh," Diana said.

"There's food waiting downstairs," Florence concluded, "and it's getting cold. I won't speak for the rest of you, but I could do with something in my stomach. Sandi, please get dressed before you come down. We're likely to have guests come by with condolences."

###

Sheila smiled and waved to the neighbors, who waved back as they took pictures.

Diana waved too. Then she turned to Sheila.

"So you're going again, just like last time."

"My life is in New York, you know that. You have my card, I taped it to the 'fridge this time. Call me!"

"Why didn't you ever call us?"

"Di, honey, I... It was so hard! Home hurt so much! Florence is right..."

"As usual," Diana added.

"Di, every man I ever cared about here at home hurt me. Then even Mama turned on me. I had to get away!"

"When did I ever hurt you?"

"If I'd called, Mama would've answered. Di, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you, or Mary, or Flo. I just had to get away!"

"From us too?"

"Or from Matt?" Sandi added, as she brought her suitcase out to the porch.

"From everything," Sheila replied. "Matt was just the last straw."

Sheila started to say something else, then turned away. Sandi took her hand and squeezed it. Sheila looked into her lover's eyes. Sandi looked back, patiently. Sheila turned back towards Diana, but still couldn't look at her sister.

"Di, I know you're mad at me. You got to tell me how I hurt you, I hope you feel better for it..."

"You think that's what I want?"

"Do you even want me back in your life anymore?"

Diana grabbed Sheila's hands away from Sandi. She held them so tight that her claw tips pricked Sheila's palms. "If I didn't want you I wouldn't even be talkin' to you! You're my sister, I love you! I want you back!"

As Diana spoke, Sheila pulled herself up as straight as she could. She looked coldly into her sister's face. "Ouch," she replied, when Diana had finished.

Diana's ears dipped sideways as she looked back with indignant disbelief. But as soon as she let go of Sheila's hands, Sheila took her into her arms. She purred and stroked Diana's face. Soon Diana was purring back. (Sandi snuggled behind Sheila's arm, her ear pressed to her lover's back, smiling happily.)

"I missed you!" Diana murmured.

Sheila flicked an ear towards the door, then turned and looked. Florence lead Mary onto the porch. Mary waved shyly to Sandi. The mouse gave Sheila a quick nuzzle and went back inside with Mary.

"Finally!" Florence declared. "About time we had some progress."

"We're friends again," Sheila replied.

"Did you tell her?"

"Just about to."

"What?" Diana asked. "What do you want to tell me?"

Sheila took Diana's hands, (carefully avoiding her claws.)

"Di, you are a very beautiful and very sensuous woman. You're just as beautiful as me."

"Maybe more," Diana added.

"Heard that one before, too. Di, you're a little too old now to start modeling..."

"I'm twenty one!"

"For a fashion model, that's old. But you still have a wonderful voice. And you look fantastic on stage. You have everything you need to make it! When are you gonna take it on the road and make it a career?"

Diana's ears turned back in shock.

"I'm not ready for that!" she cried. "I'm not good enough yet!"

"You are as good as you're ever goin' to be and it is good enough. You'll never be ready until you start. Trust me honey, I've been there..."

"But I don't know, I wouldn't know what I'm doin'! Where'll I find a manager? I've never been anywhere but church! No manager'd want a singer with no track record at all!"

"Oh, I'll manage you."

"You!"

"Why not? I manage myself, look how far I've gone. I manage a couple other models on the side. I've done some performance work. And what I don't know, I can find out. I've got connections, sister. That's why I'm so big. When Sheila Ann Lacy walks into the room, everybody else stops talkin' and looks at me!"

"Most of the time you walk into the room in not much more than your fur."

"It's a costume, Di. And it works. Don't worry, I'll teach you how to wear your fur! Diana, you're my sister and I love you. I can help you be a very big success. But you have to take the first step. Are you gonna go for it?"

"I... I'll have to think about it."

"Don't spend your whole life thinkin' about it. You know I'm gonna keep callin' to bug you."

"Well at least you're gonna call. Sheila, I can't just leave the family, we're a trio!"

Florence put a hand on Diana's shoulder. "You're my sister and I love you. I want you to be a success. You can't do that with me and Mary holding you down."

"Why? Why can't we be a sister act?"

"Yeah," Sheila added, "why can't you be an act? You all have beautiful voices. Harmony sells, people love it."

"You know Diana's the star. Sooner or later she'll go her own way."

"And before that happens, you'll get your share of success," Sheila replied. "It will help Diana's career. And don't forget about the money, you and Mary get your shares."

Florence gave Sheila an appraising look. Sheila looked back with a cream-eating smile.

"I'll think about it," Florence replied at last.

"Good!" Diana declared. "She'll call and bug us."

"But if we're changing our plans from solo to trio, all of us had better talk about it!"

"What does Mary think about turnin' pro?" Diana asked.

"Oh, she... Mary?" Florence looked around the porch. "Where'd she go?"

"She went back inside with Sandi," Sheila replied. "I think they have their own good byes to make."

###

Mary drew back a little from their embrace, but Sandi held Mary's tongue lightly in her teeth. For a time their tongues reached across the space between them, licking each other. Mary relaxed into Sandi's embrace again. Their teeth intertwined, their lips pressed together. They held their kiss for a timeless time, stroking and petting each other. At last they broke and cuddled and were still.

"I want to finish what we started," Mary murmured. "I wish you'd come last night."

"Sheila wanted me," Sandi replied. "Your brother's gonna be here any minute."

"Why can't I come with you?"

"Can you afford a ticket? We only bought two."

Mary shook her head. "I'll have to save up for a while."

"Call before you come so I can get ready for you."

"I'm going to come, as soon as I can. I love you, Sandi."

"Don't, Mary. I belong to Sheila."

"But you're almost family!"

"Incest doesn't bother you?"

Mary giggled and began to purr. Sandi nuzzled her.

"It's good to be part of a family again," Sandi said.

"What happened to your family?"

"I'll call you when I get home and tell you..."

A car horn blew outside. Sandi and Mary turned together towards the door.

"It's time," Sandi said. "Gotta go."

Mary hugged Sandi tight. She licked the mouse's ear and nuzzled her. Sandi stroked Mary's head and neck with one hand, her tail with the other. But they both cocked an ear towards the noise on the front porch. Soon they parted, but held hands anyway.

"I love you," Sandi said.

"What about Sheila?"

"Neither of us can afford to be jealous. Come to New York."

"You're my sister and I love you."

"Sister in law, and I want you."

Smiling, Sandi pecked Mary's lips. Then, hand in hand, they walked out to the porch.

###

Sheila unlocked the front door to their loft. All three of them came in, bags in tow.

"You're not staying long," she told Matt.

"Can't," he replied, ignoring her tone. "I only got three days off for the funeral. Gotta get back to Washington 'n go on fightin' crime. Got time for a coffee though."

"There's a good café down the street," Sandi replied.

"Go sit in the living room," Sheila called from the bedroom. "Sandi, let's have..."

Then, from their bathroom, came the sound of a toilet flushing. The door opened and a dark, vulpine figure emerged, a toothbrush in his upraised hand.

"I was afraid of that," he said. "Agent Matthew McAfee."

"Kuro," Matt said, folding his arms over his chest. "Saint," he added, sneering. "James," he concluded.

"You and Skippy know each other?" Sandi asked, her expression nonplussed, from the living room door.

"Oh, we know each other," Matt replied. "We been good friends for a long time, haven't we buddy?"

"Better than you know, Matthew," Kuro replied. "Better than you ever will."

Kuro's face turned to stone, his eyes to fire. Cold air seemed to blow off of him in every direction. He held the toothbrush in his fingers as if it was a weapon. Matt smiled back with the level of contempt that only a cop can manage and didn't move a whisker.

"What're you doin' here anyway?" Matt asked.

"House sitting," Sheila replied, as she emerged from the bedroom.

"Why don't you let the Hells do it? They're prob'ly cheaper."

"If there's anybody in town who could keep gangsters out, it'd be my boyfriend." Matt's expression finally changed; first to shock, then anger as Sheila calmly walked past Kuro and stood directly between them, her tail slowly lashing.

"Sheila, get out of the way," Matt commanded.

"You are not fighting in my home."

"Sheila," Kuro growled, "you're in immediate danger! Move!"

"Neither of you is gonna risk hurtin' me. So I'm stayin' right here. Matt..."

"That man is a wanted criminal! He is very dangerous! Get out of the way!"

"You have no idea who I am, Matthew. And I don't really want to hurt you, you're not my enemy."

"You think I'm not your enemy? You been with my sister, dog!"

Sheila turned on Matt, her claws out as she swiped at his face. Matt grabbed at her hand as she did, wrenched it around and was pushing it to the ground, when Sandi's foot caught him at the side of his neck. Sheila turned out of the submission hold as Matt tumbled to the carpet, out cold. Kuro stuck his toothbrush in his pocket and smiled at the mouse.

"He was never good at splitting his attention," Kuro said. "Trained to attack in groups, not alone. Nice flying kick, Sandi." (The mouse bowed.)

"Can you tell me anything about what just happened?" Sheila asked.

"Sorry babe," he replied. "It's one of those things I warned you about, even knowing would put you in danger."

"First him, now you! Seems like every man I love has to protect me from the truth!"

He took Sheila in his arms and gave her a quick, open-mouthed smooch. "Cut him some slack, Sheila. He was trying to save the world. I wish I didn't have to know from what and I'd never wish that on you! Well, I'd better disappear. Sandi didn't kick him into next week and feds like him carry transmitters you can't see. Want to go to a movie Saturday?"

"Not this week, lover. I just buried my mother, I need some time."

"Okay, Sheila. Call me during the week so I know you're okay." He made his way towards the door. "Matthew," he muttered, as he stepped over the fallen feline, "how the hell are you gonna deal with me as your brother-in-law?"

"Not so fast, motor-hips!" Sandi exclaimed, as she stepped in front of Kuro. "You know our deal!"

Smiling, Kuro swept Sandi into his arms. "I know. Anything Sheila gets..." He closed his mouth over hers and gave her a similar smooch. "You get too..." he added. Then his ears turned back and he dropped his eyebrows in suspicion. He sniffed at Sandi's neck, face and breasts. His eyebrows raised as he looked up, his tongue showing through a broad, silly grin. "Well now!" he exclaimed. "Who have you been with, hmm?"

###

Night time. Sirens wailed through the dark of the city; police, fire and ambulance in turn. Down in the street, men shouted and women screamed; johns grunted and groaned as hookers growled. Now and then someone made a sound that you wouldn't want to describe. New sirens added their screams to the darkness; car alarms alerting helpless owners that they'd have to find another way to work in the morning. Owls and bats and occasional day birds flapped quietly above the street; minding their own businesses or stopping in at rooftop stores and cafés; screaming and cursing and finally going thud as they hit the ground. The streets of Gotham never slept. But eventually the night creatures who prowled them had to. Things actually quieted down a bit as dawn touched the sky.

But only for a little while. As the sun wiped darkness from the blue of the sky, traffic picked up in the streets once more. Up and up and up! Car engines snarling were joined by diesels grumbling. Jackhammers beat and car horns blared and a million radios clashed. The sly night birds surrendered the skies to the obnoxious day birds. Gotham stretched and yawned and set its feet upon the floor.

A gang of pigeons settled on the railing of a roof in front of the bay window of a very expensive loft. Behind that window, a black cat and a golden-furred mouse were curled up around each other, sleeping. The pigeons threw bricks at the window. Sheila mewled and scrunch away. Sandi opened one eye and regarded the pigeons with a dangerous glare. She reached for the bedside table and felt for a remote.

"Forget that," Sheila growled. "No matter what you do to defend yourself, they'll come up with somethin' to counter it."

"What do you wanna do?"

"The best defence is a good offence, right?" (Sandi rolled over and looked at her and nodded.) "Then let's attack!"

Smiling a canary-eating smile, Sheila pulled herself out of bed. The pigeons hooted as she stretched and walked towards the door, tail swishing. Sandi grabbed a brush as she followed. She found Sheila in the kitchen, behind the door out to their rooftop patio, and applied the brush to her fur.

"How far are we goin' with this?" the mouse asked.

"Far as it takes to make them run," the cat replied.

"Think they'll be too scared to come back?"

"That's the idea."

"If they do?"

"Then we're buyin' drapes!"

"Can they be sheer?"

"We'll see."

"Turn around."

A minute later the door opened softly and the two naked women emerged. One young pigeon was already looking their way. The rest were still talking to each other, but one by one their gazes turned as Sheila and Sandi approached.

"Man did you see her tail?" the last one talking said. "I think she likes me..."

"Ernesto!" the one he was talking to said, and pointed towards the girls, but Sandi was already on him. She took his lower jaw in hand and turned his face towards hers. He started back at the touch, but the mouse's grip was inescapable. She grabbed his belt and held him down.

The rest of the gang spread their wings and jumped for the air. Quick as a cat, Sheila snatched the biggest, most confident looking one by the back of his pants and hauled him down to the deck. He tried to turn onto his back. She let him, then grabbed his shoulders, her clawtips pushing through his feathers, and straddled his hips.

"Where you goin', kid?" she said, leering. "Don't you want me?"

The boy struggled to get free, but Sheila held him securely. One hand still pushing his shoulder down, she undid his belt, then his jeans. She took his beak in her mouth and held it shut with gentle pressure as her free hand slipped into his pants. His breath came fast from his nostrils, into her mouth; her own hot, slow breath filled them as he panted. Her fingers found his cloaca, stroked between the lips and pinched the tender flesh within. She was quickly rewarded by a whimper, a gasp, a flood of hot, sticky fluid. She snickered around his beak. Then she turned her head, got her teeth into the groove of his beak and bit down. He resisted at first, then opened his mouth. He hardly had time to cry out before two sticky fingers were painting his own jizm onto his tongue. Sheila stroked his throat, firmly; the boy swallowed. He whimpered as his captor reached into his pants again, swabbed inside him with her fingers and drew more sticky fluid over his tongue. He gurgled, then swallowed hard. Sheila was massaging his feathered lips, bringing him to orgasm yet again.

Sandi was holding her pigeon's face towards his ring-leader. She turned it towards herself and took the tip of his beak between her sharp, front teeth. She started undoing his belt and jeans. "I wanted you to see what was going to happen to you first," she murmured.

All at once the boy started flapping his wings at her and struggling. Sandi let up some pressure and he pushed himself free, but she grabbed the cuffs of his jeans as he took to the air. He flapped and wriggled and pulled; Sandi pulled back. With a ruffle of feathers, the jeans came free. The boy flew away without them.

"Ernesto!" Sheila's boy cried. "Help!" and he, too struggled once more. This time Sheila let him up, but held onto his jeans until they were around his ankles before she let go. "You're crazy, lady!" he screamed as he flew, his own trousers spoiling his lift and threatening to fall off.

Sheila and Sandi held each other, laughing aloud as the boys flew away. When they'd disappeared into the sky, Sandi took Sheila's hand and licked experimentally at the pigeon cum. She nommed and licked with enthusiasm. Sheila tried the other side of her hand. Soon it was clean. She took Sandi in her arms and kissed her, sharing the sweet taste of bird seed. She stroked and pressed the happy places on the mouse's mouth and tongue. She stroked Sandi's back with one hand, reached under her tail with the other. Sandi sighed and relaxed with a little, happy moan into Sheila's arms. Holding her lover's shoulders, she let herself be made love to.

###

Copyright © 2008 Allan D. Burrows, All Rights Reserved except as follows

Sheila Ann Lacy, Matt McAffee and Sandi Carter are copyright © 2008 Roochak

Kuro St. James is copyright © 2008 Kaleb Fenoir

Diana, Mary and Florence McAfee and Rev. Sam Robinson are hereby released to Roochak.

New York City and Ernesto the Pigeon are a stock characters used under the public domain.