Chapter Four: Mother:

Louise and Noiz made it back to Lou�s grandparents� townhouse that evening. Something in the driveway caught Noiz�s attention right away. She tapped her captor on the shoulder.

�Hey Lou-Lou,� the kitty said.

�Yeah,� the older woman said with a freshly lit cigarette in her mouth.

�Was that car here when we left this morning?� Noiz asked.

�Huh?� Louise asked as she looked up. A panicked look came onto her face. A �97 grey-blue Hyundai sports car sat in the driveway in plain sight. It seemed to be waiting for something or someone. Lou nearly dropped her cigarette.

�Oh shit!� she mumbled to herself. Noiz caught that right away.

�What�s the matter?� she asked. Louise looked at her nervously.

�Uh�� she began. �Let�s pull out. I forgot to pick up something.� Noiz looked at her oddly and upset.

�But I want to stay in the house the rest of the night!� she whined. Lou looked at her kitty boss sharply.

�Are you complaining, little kitty?� she asked. Noiz looked at her quickly.

�No,� she said. �It�s just�� Louise held up her finger at her.

�I�m in charge here, not you!� she remained. �If I say we�re going out again, we�re going out again. Got me?� Noiz nodded reluctantly. Louise smiled at her some.

�Good,� she said. �Let�s go!� Louise began to pull out again. But then, her plans came undone from there. Liberty raced outside to the garage. She looked dressed for bed in her thin cotton white nightgown, open baby blue cotton robe, hair curlers, and tan house slippers. She slammed her hand down on the hood of the rental car. Both women looked up in the car at her. Louise went really pale. Drat, they had been caught! Noiz looked on at the old woman flagging at them outside of the car. The catgirl turned to her employee.

�I think Liberty-san wants something,� she said. Louise looked at her crossly.

�Liberty what?� she asked her boss. Noiz rolled her eyes at that remark.

�Mrs. Liberty wants something!� she corrected herself annoyed.

�I can see that!� the older woman hissed.

�Well, what does she want?� the kitty asked. Louise sighed aloud. Too late to run now. Might as well see what good old grandma Liberty wants. The older woman rolled down the window automatically with the switch. The old woman raced over to the driver�s side. Louise looked at her with sight red in her eyes.

�Yes, grandma?� she asked. Liberty leaned in close.

�You mom�s here!� she announced. �She wants to talk to you, right away!� The old Creole lady turned to the catgirl in the car.

�Hi Noiz!� she called. The kitty gave her a little wave. Louise rolled her eyes as she flicked the ashes out of the car window. She groaned really pissed off at the moment.

�Can�t this wait until morning?� the granddaughter wailed out. �What the hell does that old bat want this late at night?�

�Aw, Lou-Lou!� Liberty called out. �My daughter wants to see you so badly! You two haven�t spoken in years. And when I took her you were here for the summer, she got really happy!� Louise looked up at her sharply.

�You told her I was here?!?� she asked enraged. Liberty shrugged at her.

�Hey, she kept hounding me with questions about you,� the old lady replied. �I had to tell her something!�

�You didn�t have to tell her the truth!� Lou argued back.

�She would have found out anyway!� Liberty pointed out. �You *know* how she is!� The granddaughter sat back pouting.

�Good point,� she mumbled to her. Louise and her mother had never really gotten along too well. When Lou was fourteen, her parents got a divorce. As a result, the teenage girl went to live with Liberty and Marcus until things cooled down again. Louise grew up in a confusing land with her forever-fighting parents. Her Creole mother played the strict one while her Cajun father let his little princess do as she pleased. So at first, Louise didn�t know which rules to follow at all. Oh but she moved in with her grandparents, the tiger broke free! Lou became a wild woman and practically did what she wanted. For two years, she began smoking, drinking, partying, and having various boyfriends.

At age sixteen, Louise�s mother found out what had been going on and took back custody of her daughter. Right then, Lou went back to a strict household. She hated it so very much. Her mother wouldn�t let her do anything at all. No more cigarettes, beer, parties, or boys. Louise wanted so badly to run away back to her grandparents. But what good would that have done? They would have sent her back to her mother anyway. So, the teenage girl just grinned and bore it. A year later, things became better however. Lou could smoke and drink again. Her mother had allowed her to do so. They finally managed to get along. But then, along came Daryl Wilcox. He pretty much tore mother and daughter apart. Louise and her mother haven�t been speaking since. Noiz looked both women confused.

�So,� she said. �What exactly are we doing?� Lou sighed aloud to her boss.

�We�re going in,� she grumbled to the hostage. Noiz tried her best not to look over the moon at that one. �Finally!� she thought. �A bath and bed!� Things finally started to turn into her favor. Louise turned off the car and climbed out. Noiz followed behind almost skipping in high bliss. Liberty followed behind both women. The three went all the way into the big well-lit townhouse.

The living room looking like a party hall. Gold and white invaded the whole room. Everything looked vintage. 1800s to be exact. Noiz looked around impressed. She felt as if she had stepped back into time at a rich plantation. Only� owned by Creoles. Louise smirked at her boss.

�Like it?� she asked. Noiz nodded looking on amazed. Louise smirked at her in pride.

�I knew you would,� she mumbled to herself. A woman cleared her throat loudly. All three women looked up right away. Another older female sat in the room glaring at them. She looked straight Creole from her thick black root-curled hair to her fat nearly pedicure feet. She seemed to have just come from a party or somewhere fancy. The black sparkly dress hugged her thick curvy body like a needy little child. The woman hadn�t had a chance to take her jewelry or make-up off. The silver anklet hugged her plump right ankle the same way the dress did. Even the cigarette between her meaty fingers looked classy. Louise stepped forward to the duchess.

�Hello mom,� she said in an unsavory tone. The older woman looked over at her daughter slightly cross.

�Where the hell do you get off with driving away without a single hello to me?� she hissed. �I saw you trying to drive off in that piece of shit rental car of yours! Would�ve gotten away with it too if momma hadn�t you ya, wouldn�t ya?� Louise sneered at her mother.

�Nothing gets past you, does it you old bat?� she asked in sarcasm.

�What did you just call me?!?� the woman snapped.

�Nothing,� Louise said in fake sweet tone. �Nothing at all!� The older woman looked over at Noizchild.

�And who the devil is this?!?� she snapped.

�This is Noizchild, remember? You met her last year in Japan during the summer!� The mother looked on silently for a moment. After a few minutes, her face lit up brightly.

�Oh yes!� she called out loud. �You�re that one with the rat for a husband!� *Sweat drop on Noiz�s head*

�Yes Pelagie,� she replied. �And he�s a mouse, not a rat!�

�Whatever!� the mother called out. �You still married?�

�Yeah!� Noiz said quickly.

�Wow!� Pelagie said as if slightly disappointed. �No seem to exceed my expectations!� �Expectations?!?� Noiz thought with another sweat drop on her head. Louise stepped forward boldly.

�Anyway,� she cut it just in time. �What are you doing here so late?� Pelagie snorted at her crossly.

�Wha?!?� she asked aloud. �Can�t I see my daughter when she comes to town?�

�Not when it�s late and an ulterior motive is involved!� Louise snapped. �What are you really doing here?� Noiz looked at the women nervously. Gut instinct told her to run for cover. That idea looked like a good one as well.

�Uh� I�m going to go take a bath and go to bed now!� she said in a small voice to the women in front of her. They didn�t pay her any mind. Noiz breathed out some.

�Right�� she said a little louder. �Good night!� The kitty ran all the way up the stairs to safety. Louise and Pelagie began their latest fight right away. After a long hot bath, Noiz changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed. Louise and her mother still yelled at each other the whole time. They could wake up the neighborhood at this rate. Oh well. Noiz would be close to death asleep pretty soon. So what did it matter to her?

Noiz reached for her bag on the wicker chair next to the bed in room and pulled out the Mardi Gras bear. The cat sat it on her chest and looked at it for a long time. She began to miss Rob, Kohana, and Ume already just looking at the bear. Did they even notice that she had gone missing by now? Surely, they must have. But what can they do? No one could come and rescue her; Louise would just find a way to chase them off and keep her even longer past summer break. Noiz felt so lonely now. She pulled out her pink Blackberry IV and scrolled through the contact list. She found Rob�s e-mail address and hit enter. She chose to compose new message and got to typing.

�Hey babes. I�m alright. Had a busy day out. Louise is driving me crazy. I looked younger than I am in the clothes she put me today. I bought Ume-chan a little gift today. I�ll show you when I come home. Anyway, going to bed now, Lou�s mom is here and you know what that means� I pray for us all here! Night now. Kiss Ume-chan good night for me. Love ya, Noiz-sama. :*� she typed to her beloved. Noiz smiled to herself as she hit the �send� button. Once the message had sent, the kitty closed up her blackberry and put it away. Suddenly, she felt a whole lot better. Noiz slowly began closing her eyes to sleep.

�Night, night, Gigi!� she murmured to the bear before moving her lightly back into the bag. After a few minutes awake, Noiz finally managed to fall asleep again. All while Louise and Pelagie fought on downstairs.