"God, Nic, I’m so sorry," Brooke said sadly. Nic shrugged.

"Yeah, well, maybe once she sobers up I can talk to her. In the meantime, watch your backs that she doesn’t go after you. And I don’t suppose I could crash here tonight?"

"Sure, we got plenty of room," Brooke said.

"Just call and tell Lily what’s going on in the morning," Sam advised. Nic nodded.

"Thanks guys. I knew I could count on you."

**

Lily sat holding Nicole while they were all gathered in the McQueen livingroom weighing their options later that day. Since killing Nicole’s mother wasn’t viable, they were going to have to find another solution.

"Maybe we should just talk to her, Nic," Lily offered. Nic laughed bitterly.

"I tried that, Lil. I ended up with a black eye. Besides, she’s not only upset that I’m gay, but she’s having trouble with the fact that I’m involved with, and these are her words, not mine, a `piece of welfare scamming, shoplifting, trailer park Latin trash’," Nicole pointed out. Lily winced. There was a stereotype all layed out for everyone to see.

"Well, if she’s going to insult me, she should at least get it right. Latino’s don’t live in trailer parks, we live in the PJ’s," Lily said humorlessly. Actually, she wasn’t on welfare, didn’t shoplift and lived in a very nice house but who was keeping score at this point?

"Oh, this is getting so messed up," Sam sighed. She wanted to slap Nicole’s mother into next week for the trouble the woman was causing but kept her feelings to herself.

"So what do we do about it?" Brooke wondered.

"Not much we can do until she calms down," Nic said. "Then I guess I can try talking again. From a safe distance, of course."

"I’ll go with you," Lily said firmly. Nicole shook her head.

"Uh-uh, no way! I’m not letting that psycho nutjob near you. She’s liable to call the police or INS," Nicole said in a mild panic. Lily raised an eyebrow.

"Nicole, my family is from California. I can’t be deported," she said wryly. "Unless sending us back to Carmel is considered deportation. And what could I possibly be arrested for? Corruption of an impressionable youth? Please."