Stage Sisters chapter 1

Written by & copyright of Andre' Cotton Wolfie8898@hotmail.com

Featuring Laretta Morrigan (Cassie's rhythm guitarist) and Cassie

Cassie, the Rock & Roll Vixen
http://members.aol.com/rufinoform/Cassie.htm
Laretta Morrigan
http://velar.ctrl-c.liu.se/vcl/Artists/Richard-Foley/Laretta2.jpg

Please read the prequil, "Inquiring Minds Want To Know", featuring Cassie, Lucy
(Cassie's former drummer) and Jim, a character created for that story at
http://members.aol.com/CassieRockVixen3/inquiring_minds_want_to_know.txt
Please read the sequil, "Christmas Time Is Here" Featuring Cassie, Alex (Cassie's drummer),
Cindy (Cassie's bassist), Laretta (Cassie's rhythm guitarist), Rachel (Cassie's keyboardist)
Vixina (Casie's fiddler) and Slim (Cassie's chief roadie) at
http://members.aol.com/CassieRockVixen7/christmas_time_is_here.txt

All characters created by & copyright of Andrew Cotton except Cassie, who is created by
and copyright of Andrew Cotton, Alex, who is created by and copyright of Donna Fritz,
Vixina, who is created by and copyright of Cloudchaser Shaconage and Ben Moss, who
is copyright Rick Hobson

Laretta took a few deep breaths and readied herself in a defensive stance.  A large,
vicious male lion was hunched back, ready to make an attack on her.  Her tail twitched
with anticipation as she stood on her toes, waiting for him to make his move.

He lunged forward, but she was ready for him and side stepped his attack.  He was quick
to follow her, and followed up with a few more lunges and a side kick.  Laretta
effectively deflected each of these attacks with swift dodges and blocks.  She huffed as
she prepared to respond with some attacks of her own.

She tried some side chops, but he was equally swift in blocking her moves.  He was an even
better opponent than Laretta, and could easily predict her moves.  When she thought she had
an opening, Laretta tried to hit him with a high axe kick.  The lion was ready for
this though, as he caught her heel as it came down.  Laretta panicked as she found
herself caught in this bind and tried to break away, but it was too late.  The lion used
her own momentum against her as he forced her leg down and brought her close to his
body, taking hold of her arm.  With a rapid, fluid motion, he flipped her back over his
body, sending her crashing to the floor with a thud.

Laretta lay back on the floor, letting out a frustrated sigh.  Even though her behind was
sore from the impact, the most wounded part was her bruised ego.  She had started taking
Shotokan Karate classes a few months earlier, in order to relieve the stress of traveling
on the road with Cassie's Band.  Plus, she fancied herself a thrill seeker, and always
wished to learn self-defense once she found the spare time.

Her opponent and instructor helped her get back to her feet.  "I'm impressed, Laretta,"
the lion said, "Among all my students, you've improved the most in such a short period
of time!"  Laretta nodded, "Thanks, but that was still a dumb mistake on my part.  I
shouldn't have attacked so quickly!"  The lion smiled, "Don't worry about it.  Making
mistakes is all a part of the learning process.  With some more practice, you'll be ready
for your next belt in no time!"

They made their ceremonial bow, closing their practice session, just as a familiar human
and vixen entered the dojo.  "You came at just the right time," replied the lion
instructor, "We were just wrapping up!"  Foxonian smiled and nodded, "That's good, we
didn't want to interrupt anything!"

Laretta smiled and hugged her two good friends, Cassie and Foxonian.  They were in the
middle of a break between the band's tours, and were glad to have the time to relax.
They were dressed casually for the occasion, Cassie in a pink short-sleeved blouse,
blue shorts, and flat brown leather sandals, and Foxonian in a brown short-sleeved shirt,
gray slacks, and tennis shoes.  Laretta had left her hair its natural black color and was
dressed in a traditional karate uniform, a white cotton robe and trousers, tied with a
cloth green belt.

"Thanks for dropping by, guys!"  Laretta said has she threw a jacket over her karate robe
and slipped her bare feet into thong-like wooden sandals.  "Sure, Laretta!"  Cassie
smiled, "We didn't want to lose touch with you while we were on break.  It sounds like
you've been keeping busy!"  Foxonian nodded, "It's hard to believe you're a green belt
already!  It seems like only yesterday that you started taking karate classes!"

Laretta grinned, "My teacher says I'm a fast learner.  I'm trying to get to blue belt, but
the going's getting tough!  Oh well, it helps take my mind off the stress of touring."
Cassie smiled and nodded, "We also heard you just bought a vacation home near Lake Tahoe.
It must be beautiful up there!"  Laretta grinned, "It sure is!  I just love it up in the
mountains.  The air is clean and the people there are very friendly!"

"You sure are lucky, Laretta!"  said Foxonian, "I remember going on ski trip to Kirkwood.
It really is great up there, and I kind of wish I could have stayed up there!"  Cassie
acted slightly put off, "Foxonian, you went on a ski trip without me, and now you're
saying you wish you stayed there?!  I'm hurt!"  She pouted in a cute manner as her human
lover hugged her around the waist, "Aw, you know I'd never do that to you!  It was back
when I was in college, when my friends and I were real ski nuts and wanted to see how the
California ski resorts measured up to the Berkshires.  You believe me, don't you?"
Cassie giggled and licked him on the nose, "Of course I do, but I still hope you'll make it
up to me!"

Foxonian laughed, "Of course I will!  Let's plan a trip there for the next ski season,
just the two of us!"  Laretta smiled, "Well, I don't mean to butt in, but if you two need
a place to stay, just look me up!"  Cassie and Foxonian both laughed.  "Thanks for the
offer Laretta, that's very kind of you!"  Cassie smiled.  "You know, Cindy also told me
that you may have love in your life.  Is that true?"

Laretta smiled in a coquettish manner, "Oh, you could say that!  His name is Ben Moss, and
he really is a wonderful, caring little guy!  We haven't had much chance to be together
in person, but we keep a pretty good distance relationship going through the telephone and
e-mail.  I really like him, and I hope you get to meet him some time!"  Cassie smiled and
put her arm on Laretta's shoulders, "That would be nice, Laretta.  I'm so happy for you,
now that you have someone who loves you in your life!"

Laretta smiled, "Thanks, Cassie!  So, is there anything else you want to talk about besides 
our personal lives?"  Foxonian spoke up, "Actually, there is something about our next
tour that you'd probably want to know about, Laretta."  Laretta perked her ears up,
"Okay, Foxonian, let me hear about it!"

Foxonian began to speak, "Well, you know that Cassie and I just got through our talks with 
the Zetag execs.  They're pretty excited about getting our first album released under
their label, but they have a few conditions for us, just as all labels do.  Since
they're going to be marketing us mostly overseas, they want to know how well we do
with audiences outside the United States.  That's how we're planning the next tour."

Laretta nodded, "I see, so our next tour is going to take us overseas?  That's
neat!"  Foxonian continued, "Well, that's just part of the story.  You see, strictly
in business terms, 'overseas' can mean any place outside the U.S. borders.  So for the sake
of logistics, we chose a nation very easy to get to and whose language we already know,"
he grinned to the she-wolf, "and I'm not talking about Mexico!"

Laretta gasped, "You mean?"  Cassie smiled and responded, "That's right, Laretta, we'll
be touring in Canada, your home nation!"  Laretta was so amazed by the news that she nearly fell over backwards.  The news, as simple as it was, meant a great deal to her.  It meant
that for the first time in a long while, she would be returning to the land where she
was born, where her family lived, and where she always considered her true home.

"Wow, that's amazing!"  Laretta replied, wagging her tail, "I haven't been in Canada since
I was a teenager!  This is great news!"  Cassie smiled and nodded, "That's why we wanted
to find you and give you the news.  We wanted to know for sure if you'd be ready, after
being away for so long."  Laretta stopped to consider Cassie's words.  She was aware
that Cassie was worried about putting her into an awkward position.  In the back of her
mind, she thought about going home again after such a long time.  When she left her parents
to pursue her career, she knew it would be for a long time, and feared that time widened
the gap between them.  She set those concerns aside, though.  Business was more important
for the time being, and she would address her personal matters at the appropriate time.

"It's okay for you to look out for me, Cassie," Laretta replied, "and thank you for taking
the time to tell me.  Don't worry about a thing, though.  I plan to treat this tour
as normally as any other!"  Cassie smiled, "I'm glad to hear you're okay with
everything, Laretta.  We didn't want to have everything set up without everyone's
approval!"  Laretta nodded, "Well, you've got mine.  So when do we get set to go?"
Foxonian spoke up, "In about a month.  The band will have just enough time for rehearsal,
and we also need to get our passports cleared."

Cassie grinned, "I have to warn you, Laretta, the others aren't really familiar with
our Neighbor to the North.  Especially Alex, I bet she's just going to bombard you
with questions!"  Laretta just chuckled as she climbed into her car, as she got ready to
drive to home, "Don't worry about it, Cassie.  I think it will be a good learning
experience for us all!"

Time seemed to pass quickly as the band prepared for their big Canadian tour.  It was the
day before they left for Halifax, and they were to continue their tour on to Montreal,
Ottawa, and Toronto shortly thereafter.  Laretta was as ready as she'd ever be for the
tour.  She had all her suitcases packed and her favorite guitars ready for delivery.  She
was dressed in her collar, red bustier, gloves and wristbands, leather miniskirt, white
frilly ankle socks and black stiletto heeled pumps.  Her hair was dyed two-toned as
always, the right half orange and the left half blue-silver.  Only one thing remained for
her to do.

She picked up the phone receiver and dialed a familiar number.  She wanted to get in
touch with her boyfriend, Ben, and let him know how things would be going.  "I'm so glad
to hear from you, Laretta!"  the mouse happily spoke, "I hope you have a nice time in
Canada!"  Laretta smiled, speaking into the phone, "I really wish I had time to stop and
see you, but you know how life on the road is."  "Oh, don't worry about it," Ben
replied, "Just hearing your voice makes me happy!  I'm glad to chat with you through
FurryMuck, too!"  Laretta giggled, recalling how Ben introduced her to the role-playing
telnet space a short while ago.  It took her some time to adjust to the Internet, but Ben
was very helpful and she found she enjoyed it quite a bit.  FurryMuck was particularly
fun, since both humans and furries used it to role-play as real and mythical
anthropomorphic creatures.  Ben and Laretta, of course, role-played as themselves.

"You'll be on my mind the whole time, Ben!"  Laretta spoke happily.  "As will you,
dearest!"  Ben replied with pleasure.  She sighed and smiled as she hung up the phone, when
a giggling voice alerted her that she had company.  The cheerful little arctic vixen
Alex, dressed in her fetching short red dress and strappy red stiletto heeled sandals,
was grinning and standing in the doorway.  Playfully tapping her drumsticks on the side of
the door, she giggled, "Looks like somebody's been yakking it up with her boyfriend!"

Laretta crossed her arms and strutted over to her grinning companion, fixing her gaze on
her.  "Of course, Alex, that's a subject you must know a lot about!"  she wryly
replied, staring down at the still giggling white vixen.  The she-wolf chuckled and gave
Alex a vigorous noogie, mussing her curly blonde tresses.  "Hey!"  Alex struggled and tried
to get back at Laretta, but to little avail, since Laretta was taller and stronger than
her.  They both laughed like schoolgirls as Cassie, their tall vixen companion dressed in
an enticing blue dress, walked down the hall and shook her head.  "What am I going to do
with you two!"  she said with a smirk, with her hands on her hips.  "Well she started
it!"  Laretta responded, pointing to Alex while keeping her in a hold.  The little
vixen smirked and stuck her tongue out at Laretta playfully.

Cassie couldn't help but chuckle, even while keeping a serious attitude.  "Well, if you
two aren't too busy, we'll need to hit the road soon!"  They both nodded as Laretta let go
of Alex, "Just let me get my place locked up, and I'll be ready.  I just got finished
talking to Ben.  He's so nice to talk to!"

Cassie and Alex both smiled, knowing how fortunate it was for Laretta to have a loving,
caring boyfriend.  "You're going to have to tell us everything about him, Laretta!"
Alex laughed, "Every juicy little detail!"  Laretta just smirked, but Cassie was less
patient.  "Now Alex, you know it's not polite to pry like that!  Laretta will tell us
about Ben when she feels ready!"  Alex whined, "Aw, c'mon!  We've gotta have something to
talk about when we're on the road!"

Laretta smiled as she grabbed her suitcases and joined her companions.  "It's okay,
Cassie," she replied, "I actually look forward to talking about him.  Having
significant others is something we all just about have in common now!"  Cassie nodded, "At
any rate, you'll have time to chat about him when we're on the road.  We need to get
going now!"

"All right, let's go!"  Alex replied as she hurried down the hall.  "Just a minute,
Alex!"  Cassie called out, "Before we go, remember what you promised us!"  The small
vixen gave an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes, "I know, I know!  No pranks
whatsoever, not even little ones!"  Cassie nodded, "I mean it.  I expect you to be on
your best behavior this trip!"  Alex threw up her hands and made a sour face, "Sheesh,
don't have a cow!  Don't you think I've learned my lesson by now?"  Laretta chuckled,
"With any luck, that trick bracelet might have actually worked!"  Alex glared at the
she-wolf, "No kidding!  It took me a week to figure out how to get that stupid thing off!"

Cassie and Laretta laughed, seeing how put off Alex was.  She didn't seem pleased,
but eventually Alex gave in and laughed with them.  They walked out to where their ride
was waiting, and looked forward to a memorable voyage.

******

The tour went along more successfully than anyone could have imagined.  Every venue
Cassie's Band played at sold out rapidly.  They also found their Canadian fans very
welcoming and enthusiastic.  They had wrapped up their shows in Halifax, Montreal, and
Ottawa, and had just arrived at The Odeon in Toronto, their next stop before going on to
Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver.

"It's incredible," Laretta said aloud as looked about the impressive stage, "I saw my
first rock concert in this very same place when I was fourteen.  Now I'm going to be
playing here!"  Rachel and Alex were looking around with her.  "That's really
interesting, Laretta," Rachel replied, "and you're what, only twenty-two now?  Anything
else you have from on down memory lane, old timer?"  She and Alex both giggled, while
Laretta just shook her head, "You know, I think it's improv night at the club down the
street.  Why not try out your act there?"

Cassie shortly joined the group to see what they were up to.  "How do you like it here,
gals?"  she asked.  "I like it, Cassie," said Rachel, "It has the look and feel of one
of those old-time grand theatres."  Cassie nodded, "I wouldn't be surprised if it was, at
one point.  Rock acts like to come here, because of the impressive acoustics."

"So, what's our itinerary, Cass?"  Laretta asked as their group left the stage area.
"Well, the reason we arrived in town so early is to allow time for the Zetag execs to
arrive in good time," Cassie began.  "They're being extra cautious about overseas
travel.  We'll also have time to review our playlist and see if we want to add or
change anything.  We could also decide if we want to change anything for our future venues."

They were in the backstage area and checked with the road crew to see if everything was
all right.  "Besides that," Cassie grinned, "we'll have plenty of time to look around
town and enjoy ourselves.  How about we have lunch at the jazz club downtown and then do
some sightseeing?"  "All right!"  Alex grinned, as she paused to adjust one of her
sandal's ankle straps.  "What tour would be complete without a shopping safari?"

The four of them laughed as they exited the building.  They were barely outside the door
when they were pounced by a group of wolves.  "SURPRISE!"  they yelled in unison.  Cassie
and the others were shocked, and Alex fumbled around in her purse for her pepper spray.
Laretta screamed, but this was evidently a scream of delight.  She ran to the wolf pack
(at least as fast as she could manage in her stilettos), where everyone exchanged
hugs, kisses, licks, and nuzzles.

Everyone looked on dumbfounded, as Cindy, Vixina, and Slim exited the building to see what
was going on.  "Did we just miss something here?"  asked Rachel.  Laretta laughed and
turned to face her band mates, even while still being embraced by two of the male
wolves.  "You guys, these are my brothers and sisters!  This is just such an
incredible surprise!"  Cassie and the rest of the band were relieved and happy to
meet Laretta's siblings - her brothers Bryan, Conner, and Patrick, and her sisters
Violette and Clarissa.  "We're sorry to have caused a commotion," said Bryan, the oldest
wolf, "but when we heard that your band was coming into town, we just had to come and see
our baby sister!"  He chuckled and patted Laretta on her head.

"Baby sister?"  Alex laughed.  Laretta gave a soft growl of indignation.  "Don't mind
her, she's the merry prankster of our troupe!"  Laretta joked to her siblings.  "Really?
I thought that was your job!  Right, Fuzzy?"  laughed Violette.  Laretta cringed as her
oldest sister dropped one of her dreaded childhood nicknames right in front of her band mates!

Cassie smiled and approached the group.  "Well, it certainly is nice to meet you all!  Are
any of you going to make it to the concert?"  Laretta smiled and wagged her tail, hoping
they would say yes.

"I can't," Bryan sighed, "I wouldn't want to leave my wife and kids by themselves."
"Sorry, Laretta, I can't either," said Violette, "I have to work extra hours this
week."  "I've got finals to study for," grumbled Patrick, Laretta's younger brother, "and
I was looking forward to it, too!"  "Conner and I tried, but the tickets were already
sold out!"  said Clarissa, "You guys really must be popular!"

Laretta sighed and drooped her ears, "Aw, that's too bad!"  She looked at Cassie for a
moment before she continued, "But, as long as you're in town, maybe we can take the time
to catch up while you're here?"  Cassie smiled and nodded knowingly to Laretta, "Why
Laretta, we'd love to have your siblings join us!  They did come all this way, after all,
and I'm sure we'll all have plenty to talk about!"

"Thanks, Cassie!"  Laretta happily replied.  All of her siblings we equally pleased
and thanked the vixen.  Cindy quietly spoke to Cassie, looking concerned.  "Are you sure
this is a good idea, Cassie?"  she whispered, "I mean, after that P.I. incident, we can't
be too careful about the company we keep."  "C'mon, Cindy," Cassie replied, "They're
Laretta's family!  She trusts them, and I don't see why we shouldn't.  Plus, I think it
would be good for Laretta to be with her loved ones after being away from home for so
long!"  The others - Vixina, Rachel, and Alex - also seemed to take a liking to
Laretta's family, so Cindy just sighed and nodded in concession, "Okay, but the instant I
see any one of them taking any notes, I'm on them!"

Cassie mentioned to Slim and the plainclothes security agents (no one in the band
liked drawing attention to their bodyguards) that their company was friendly and would
be their guests for the day.  The Morrigan siblings were obviously very awed to be in
the presence of such famous celebrities as Cassie and her band.  Just the same, they
minded their manners and didn't let their excitement show too much.  When they reached
the tavern that Cassie had mentioned earlier, they didn't have any trouble settling down
into casual conversation.  Conner and Patrick seemed to greatly admire Rachel's and
Alex's outfits, and both ladies happily posed for their admirers.  Clarissa had started
a friendly chat with Cindy and Vixina about American and Canadian folk music.  Cassie
and Laretta, for their part, settled down with Laretta's oldest brother, Bryan, and
her oldest sister, Violette.

"Just look at you," remarked Bryan to Laretta, "I have to admit, Laretta, you've really
grown up into a beautiful young woman!"  Violette nodded, "I agree, and you've become so popular and successful, too!"  Laretta grinned and blushed, "Thank you, both of you! It
means a lot to me that you've come all this way to tell me that!"

Cassie just looked on silently and smiled.  She could see how happy Laretta was to be
with loved ones, and made a mental note to herself to pay a visit to her own parents as
soon as possible.  Laretta was eagerly talking about the band and their tour when she
received an unexpected question from her Violette.  "So Laretta, are you going to be able
to make it home to see Mom and Dad?"

Laretta was momentarily stunned and speechless.  With all the activity and excitement that
she was dealing with, she had completely overlooked the thought of seeing her parents
again.  Charlottesburgh, the small town that was once her home, was just a day's drive
north of Toronto.  She certainly had the time to make a trip home before the concert, but
it still came as a shock to her.  So much time had passed since she last saw her parents,
that the idea seemed almost impossible to grasp.

There was a momentary awkward silence at the table.  "Er, maybe this isn't any of my
business," Cassie started as carefully as she could, "I could leave you three to discuss
it among yourselves."  "Oh please don't," said Violette, "I'm sorry, Laretta.  I didn't
really think of how you'd react."  Bryan put in his own thoughts, trying not to make
the situation any more tense, "But you know, they would be happy to see you again, Laretta."

Laretta touched her claws together, searching for just the right words to say.  "Well, I
know all that," she started, "but, you know, they never really liked it that I wanted
to become a rock musician."  She sighed and continued somberly, "They must be proud of all
of you, but what do they think of me?"  Bryan touched her hand gently, "Well, there's only
one way you're going to know, sis."

Cassie again chose to diplomatically remain silent.  "We're sorry to have brought this up
in front of you," Bryan told Cassie.  "Oh, it's no problem at all!"  replied Cassie,
"It's good for you to be talking the way you are."  Violette smiled, "You've certainly
taken good care of our sister!  For that, we are grateful to you."  Cassie chuckled, "Aw,
I'm just there to give her instructions and lead her in.  She does the rest herself, and
does her job quite well, I might add!"  Laretta smiled, glad that Cassie broke the tension.
However, she knew the question of her parents would be bothering her from now on.

Later on, after food, spirits, and laughter, everyone was ready to part ways.  Before
that, Bryan quietly asked Laretta about visiting their parents again.  After some
uneasy thought, Laretta plainly responded, "I'll think about it."

Later on, the band regrouped at the studio to practice a few songs.  They were still
excited about meeting Laretta's family, and couldn't stop talking about them.  "You
were right, Cassie," said Cindy, slinging on her leather jacket, "Those were some nice
folks.  I'm glad we had the chance to meet them."  Rachel grinned, "Patrick and
Conner certainly have excellent taste in women," while Alex laughed and nodded in agreement.

"I hope they didn't say or do anything inappropriate," Laretta asked, slightly
concerned.  "Not at all!"  Rachel replied, "They were perfect gentlemen.  I think Alex
was even coming on to them a little too much!"  Alex smirked, "Hey, you know me, once I
get started, it's hard to stop!"

They were all ready to retreat to their hotel for the night, although Cassie caught up
to Laretta and asked to speak to her privately for a moment.  Laretta noticed that
Cassie seemed serious about her request, so she complied.

"What's up, Cassie?"  Laretta asked, leaning her guitar against a wall.  Cassie brushed
her hair back and gave Laretta a plain look as she started, "You have a very nice
family, Laretta.  You should be glad they came to see you."  Laretta nodded uneasily,
"Yeah, it was nice having them around again."  Cassie continued, "Your brother asked
you whether you were going to visit your parents, didn't he?"  Laretta sighed, "Cassie,
I'm not sure I like the way this conversation is headed."  Cassie fixed her gaze on
her companion, "Laretta, please, hear me out.  We're only going to be here for a few
more days.  I really think you should pay them a visit."

Laretta felt her stomach go into knots.  Her vixen friend obviously wasn't going to let
the issue slide.  "Cassie, I thought you said this issue was none of your business!"
Cassie shook her head, "You know I only said that because they were there!  Listen to
me Laretta," she said, looking down to the she-wolf, "There really is nothing more
important in life than family.  What's so terrible that you just can't go and see
them?"  Laretta growled and shook her head, "I don't know!  They don't like my music or
the way I dress!  I know they'll just get on my case about how I should have been more like
my brothers and sisters!"  She forced herself to calm down when she realized she was acting
up right in front of her best friend.  She took a few deep breaths before continuing
calmly, "Look, I'm sorry, but I just can't do it.  There are too many old wounds between
us right now.  Maybe next time..."

With that, Cassie stood up right in front of Laretta, fixing her gaze on her in an icy
glare.  "Stop right there," she said forcefully, making Laretta's fur stand on end, "Will
you just listen to yourself?  What if 'next time' comes too late?"  Laretta suddenly felt
very ashamed of herself.  She stared down glumly at her feet, unable to respond.  Cassie
continued, but more gently this time, "Look, I didn't mean to come down so hard on you
Laretta, but the truth is, you may never have this chance again.  I'll admit I really
don't know what your parents are like, but no matter what happened between you in the
past, they must still love you and miss you."

Laretta nodded her head sadly, "I know, you're right.  Still, it really scares me.  I
just don't know how they'll react when I see them again."  Cassie gave Laretta a pat on
the shoulder, "Would you like me to go with you?"  Laretta shook her head, "No, please
don't.  This really is something I have to do by myself.  Besides, you should be here with
the band."  She sighed and twitched her tail slightly, "I'll bet they won't be happy that
I'll be skipping out on them just before the concert."  Cassie replied, "Maybe not, but
that's totally beside the point.  This is much more important to you than any concert
on earth!  Don't worry about the others, I'll handle things with them."

Laretta smiled and hugged the tall vixen, "Thanks, Cass.  I'm glad you're here to get me
on the right track.  Cassie smiled, "Don't mention it."

******

A gust of wind rustled the leaves of the birch and maple trees in a desolate corner of
the forest.  A lone road snaked through this densely wooded region, like a paved brook.
It evidently did not get a lot of traffic, as it lacked painted lines or any regular
road markers.  Even though it was one of the few paved roads in this particular region,
it clearly lacked for maintenance.

A sleek silver vehicle suddenly came speeding down this lonely road.  This seemed to catch
the birds, even the trees, by surprise as the driver sped along to an unknown location.
The driver had a clear destination, though, brought into focus by memories of childhood
and home.

Laretta kept her ears perked up as she carefully winded the turn, remembering exactly how
her home lay at the foot of the stony hills, between the weedy stream and the maple
tree orchard.  Sure enough, as she slowed the car down to a halt, there lay the
old-fashioned homestead.  Laretta was amazed that she remembered it all so clearly, but
there was no mistake that she was home.

As she climbed out of the car, she paused to take a deep breath.  She closed her eyes and
let the sweet scents of the countryside overcome her.  The wind brushed against her,
blowing back her naturally colored black hair and her modest green dress.  Dry leaves
curled around her feet clad in flat brown leather sandals.  Laretta knew that she
couldn't show up dressed in her stage outfit -- that was how the world knew her, but not
her parents.

She stared for a moment at the old homestead, as she felt a brief hint of reluctance
and anxiety.  That soon passed, however, as she assured herself that she had come too far
to back out now.  "The time has come," she thought as she gradually approached the front
porch.

She knew how proud her parents were of their home, especially her father.  It was was
where seven happy wolf cubs grew into adulthood.  They were not exceptionally wealthy
people, but they never lacked for anything, and owed a debt to no one.  Laretta kept
these admirable thoughts in mind as she knocked on the door.

A few moments passed that seemed like an eternity to the she-wolf.  She could not avoid
the grim thought of her last stay at home, the way her parents gave her such
disapproving looks as she proclaimed her intent to become a rock musician, and how she
sneaked off in the middle of the night to leave for the last time.  Just as she thought
her resolve would crumble, the door swung open.

Laretta's eyes widened as she gazed upon him.  When she was little, she always thought
her father was as big and thick as a tree.  Even though he had aged, Harry Morrigan still
had a massive and rugged appearance.  Years of working in the countryside toughened his
body, coarsened his fur, and blunted his claws.  Dressed in a flannel shirt, dirty pants,
and boots, he looked like he could have come right out of the hills.  His brown hair
was graying, seeming to blend in with his fur, but the years could not slow him down in
the least.

A few awkward moments of silence passed as looked down upon the stranger, unable to
recognize her at first.  When the moment came, though, his brown eyes lit up and his
fanged muzzle broadened into a smile.  "Laretta, my girl!" he pronounced as he drew
his daughter into an embrace, lifting her off the ground.

Laretta smiled and buried herself into his massive form, "Papa, I missed you so much!"
They rubbed their muzzles together affectionately and wagged their tails, feeling a
closeness not since Laretta was a small cub.  "My goodness, how you've grown!  Who ever
would have imagined that our little darling would grow into such a beautiful young lady?"
he smiled, looking her over with approval.  "Oh, Papa," Laretta replied, blushing,
"I'm so sorry I was away for so long!  Can you ever forgive me?"  The old wolf rubbed
his chin, "Well, you came home, and that's all that matters."

"What's going on in here?" asked an older female wolf as she entered the living room.  She
was clad in a red sweater, long brown skirt, and clog-like slippers.  Like her husband,
Sara Morrigan's gray fur showed visible age and coarseness, and her dark hair was tied
back into a single braid.  Her blue eyes widened in surprise as she gazed upon her
daughter Laretta.  "Oh, my precious darling!"  she said happily as she and Laretta
embraced.  Laretta smiled and licked her mother's cheek, "I missed you, Mama!"

"What a wonderful surprise!"  Laretta's mother said as she reluctantly released her
daughter, "What on earth have you been doing all this time?"  Laretta responded in a
judicious manner, trying to avoid the nature of her work, "Well, my work has made me travel
a lot.  I've been so busy that I haven't had a chance to come home.  I'm sorry I couldn't
see you until now, but I promise to make it up to you!"  Laretta's mother just nodded,
"Well, we certainly have a lot to catch up on!  Why don't I get your room ready, you must
be exhausted!"

"My room?"  Laretta asked with uncertainty.  Her father nodded, "We've kept it almost
the exactly how it always was.  You know, we really don't get a lot of company these
days."  He looked down upon her with tenderness, "We really are glad you came back to us,
you know."

Laretta sighed reluctantly, "Thank you, Papa, but I'm only going to be able to stay
for tonight.  I have to go back to Toronto tomorrow."  Laretta's father was surprised to
hear this, "Really?  So soon?"  Laretta nodded, "Yes, I'm sorry, but Cass--er, I mean, my
boss has me following a tight schedule, and we have a lot of ground to cover."  She felt
highly uneasy avoiding the issue with her father, especially as he gave her a stony,
neutral look that he used so often.  Somehow, though, he didn't let on any tone
of displeasure.

"Well, as long as you're here, we've got to show you something!"  he said as he led her to
the hearth.  "Really?  What?"  Laretta asked as she followed along curiously.  She
was immediately overcome with awe at what she saw.  Neatly arranged on the mantle were all
the trophies she won as cub in singing competitions and talent shows.  Just above on the
wall, where one would normally boast hunting trophies were treasures of a different sort.
Alongside a photograph of the family were large photographs of Laretta in her school
choir, and a particularly beautiful picture of Laretta.  She was seven years old and
dressed in a frilly yellow dress, with her hair done up in ribbons and curls.  She had a
large smile on her muzzle as she was holding up a first-place award for her school's
talent competition.

Laretta smiled as she gazed upon on the display, remembering the events so clearly.  She
could see that a lot of care and attention went into putting such a spectacle
together.  Laretta's father was standing next to her, smiling.  "You really made us proud
back then," he said, affectionately putting a large hand on her shoulder.  Laretta
remained speechless, but in response she touched her hand to his and smiled.

"Thank you, Papa," she said softly.  The older wolf just looked down to her and
smiled, "Welcome home, dear," he said as he retired to the back porch to watch the sunset.

She looked around for a few moments, and smelled a wonderful aroma from the kitchen.
Her mother was preparing dinner for that evening, and it was one of Laretta's
favorites:  minced meat pie, with pan fried potatoes and cabbage soup.  Laretta offered
to help her mother with preparation by peeling and slicing the potatoes.

Her mother smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  "That's really sweet of you, dear,"
she replied.  As she kneaded the pie crust to get it ready for the oven, she wore a look
of deep concern.  Laretta noticed this and started to feel uncomfortable.  After she
nearly dropped the knife (and just barely avoiding cutting herself), she spoke up, "Mom,
is there something bothering you?"  After a moment of awkward silence, Laretta quietly
sighed and continued, "You're still upset about my leaving home, to...do what I'm doing
now."  She silently cringed, feeling very embarrassed, and starting to think she made
a mistake by showing up.

Her mother stopped what she was doing for a minute to collect her composure.  "Petite,"
she replied in an even tone, "You are a grown lady, now.  I've come to accept that you will
do whatever you want with your life, no matter how others may feel.  No, I am not pleased
that you are exposing yourself in front of thousands of wild lunatics.  What can I do to
stop you, though?"  She turned to face her daughter with a slight smirk, "Somehow, I know
it comes natural for you.  Your father's family has always been stubborn, and my family
has always been proud.  You've just taken after us, that's all."

Laretta was pleased to see that her mother wasn't all that upset, but still felt
uncomfortable.  "What about Papa?"  she asked after some hesitation.  Her mother
sighed, crossing her arms, "Well, I know he has some choice feelings about the subject.
Perhaps you should go outside and talk to him about it."

Laretta nodded, understanding what her mother meant.  "Dinner will be ready in about an
hour," she said as Laretta turned to go out on the porch.  Outside, the sun was still
setting in a brilliant blaze of red and orange.  A slight cool breeze gently rustled
the leaves and grass.  Looking out across the wide expanse, Laretta could see in the
distance the pond where she and her brothers and sisters would play hockey each winter.
She also spotted the small glen where she met a non-anthropomorphic doe and her fawn.
She smiled as she remembered those moments, and knew why this was such a special place.

A soft rocking noise caught her attention, as she turned to see her father in his
favorite rocking chair.  "You came to enjoy the view, I see," he said, seeming to be half
lost in thought.  Laretta silently nodded and took a seat next to her father.  "I
never realized how much I missed this place," she replied, trying to find a
suitable conversation topic.

Her father just nodded, replying, "Why don't you sing a song to me like you did when you
were little?  I always enjoyed hearing your sweet voice."  Laretta nodded, trying to
remember a song from her childhood while judiciously blocking out the many rock tunes she
had practiced with Cassie.  She settled on a gentle tune that she made up as a child, about
a magical fairy castle.  Her father smiled as she sang the sweet melody, remembering back
to when she was young.

"That was very nice," he said after she finished.  Laretta smiled, thinking that
everything was like old times.  Then her father continued, "So I hear you've been singing
a lot lately."  Laretta grew nervous, detecting a slight edge of displeasure in his
voice.  She nodded calmly, "Yes, that's right."  He continued gruffly, "Would I be correct
in guessing that it's not nursery rhymes you've been chantin'?"

Laretta sighed and bowed her head in submission, knowing that she could no longer avoid
the subject.  "No, Papa," she started, "I'm in a heavy metal rock band with five other
anthro women."  He scowled, though Laretta tried to find something pleasant to say, "We
were on a stop for our tour in Toronto, and I thought would be nice to, you know, come up
here and see how you and Mom were doing."

"I would have thought as much," he replied in a low tone, "At least it's reassuring to
know that you've stayed out of trouble...thus far."  Laretta now felt like she was on
the defensive.  "Papa, it's not like that at all!  Cassie, the band leader, is a very nice
and caring vixen!  The others are also very friendly and supportive, and we never get into
any trouble!  We work hard and make people happy, that's all we do!"  she replied sternly.

Harry turned to face his daughter, looking rather peeved, "You can say whatever you like,
but it's not going to change what I think of that horrid 'music' and trashy business!"
He looked down at her with a withering glare, "Do you honestly think that I would be proud
to say that my youngest daughter wails and gyrates in front of hordes of leering cretins,
dressed like a half-naked cabaret dancer?"  He growled and shook his head, "I honestly
will never understand what attracted you to that garbage."

Laretta had all that she could stand, and shot back fiercely.  "Why are you doing this
to me?!" she shouted, "Do you think I never worried about what you thought of all this?
I honestly can't tell you why I like heavy metal so much....I just DO!  It's fun, it
pays well, and it's gotten me the greatest friends!  I'm sorry, Papa, but I just can't
imagine doing anything else with my life!"  She breathed hard, finding it harder to
control her emotions.

"We never should've let you go to the big city," he grumbled.  Laretta glared at him,
"Oh, that's great!  It would've been much better if I never went out and experienced the
great big, bad, real world!"  Father and daughter were glaring at each other, unable to
say anything without letting their anger get in the way.

Laretta let out a deep sigh, "Look, I'm sorry.  I'm sorry I showed my face and made you
so upset all over again."  She stood up, no longer enjoying the atmosphere, "If it's any
help, I'll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning for Toronto.  Our concert's coming
soon, and I have to be ready for it."  Harry just remained still, replying quietly, "So
be it."

Laretta just snarled and went to go back into the house.  She paused for a moment to say
one last thing, "You know, I really didn't want to come home, but Cassie insisted.  For
once, I wish I didn't listen to her."  Harry didn't say a word, just staring quietly
out towards the horizon.  Laretta walked back into the house, and the first thing she saw
was the giant picture of her smiling with her award.  She couldn't bear to see this, so
she covered her eyes and ran to her room.  She slammed the door and lay down on her bed,
weeping into her pillow.

They were all eating dinner soon afterwards, though it was hardly an enjoyable affair.
The mood was tense and quiet.  No one said a word to anyone else, they all just ate
silently.  Somehow Laretta managed to finish her meal, even though she scarcely had
an appetite.  Occasionally her eyes would meet with her father's, but they each only shot
a cold glare at each other.

When dinner was finished, Laretta helped to clear the table while her father simply
retreated to the den.  She helped her mother with the dishes, though the atmosphere was
still very tense.  "I'm going to have to go to bed soon, Mom," she said finally, "I have
to get up early tomorrow."  Sara nodded, "I see.  Well, do try to sleep well."

Laretta sighed, "I'm sorry about all of this, Mom.  It's all my fault!"  Sara patted
her daughter gently, "Petite, I know it was hard for you to come home and face your
father.  It took you a lot of bravery.  Yet feelings just don't change easily."  Laretta
just nodded and rubbed noses with her mother.

She quietly retired to her room, making a passing glance to where her father was reading,
but nothing more.  In just a few moments, she lay herself down to sleep, but found herself
unable to.  Unpleasant thoughts kept swimming through her head.  "This was all a big
mistake.  They're not proud of me, and they never will be!"  Tears welled up in her eyes,
as she gradually cried herself to sleep.

Early the next morning, Laretta shook herself awake to the smell of breakfast wafting from
the kitchen.  It was another one of her favorites:  buttermilk pancakes with
cranberry preserves.  She still didn't have much of an appetite and ate only a little.

"Your father wasn't very hungry, either," remarked Laretta's mother.  Laretta only
nodded helping to clear the table like the night before.

"I'm sorry I have to leave so soon, Mom," said Laretta, giving her mother a hug.  "It's
all right, dear," replied Sara, hugging back, "You've got a big day ahead of you!"  After
gathering her belongings, she saw her father silently watching the sunrise.

"I'm going now," she told him in a neutral tone.  Harry barely turned to see her, not
making eye contact.  "I see.  Well, drive safely then."  Laretta accepted the reply and
went out to her car.  Both her parents were there to see her off, though there were
strong conflicting emotions all around.  Taking one last look at them, Laretta waved
good-bye, and they waved back.  This was not the scene of a close family, however.  It
was more akin to Laretta staying overnight with strangers.  She managed to collect
herself, though, started the engine, and was soon on her way back to Toronto.

Not a word was said from the time she left.  Later in the day, though, Harry returned to
his study, where he kept his favorite fiddle.  He took it out only on special occasions,
but even though years had passed since he last played it, he still knew many songs by
heart.  Holding it gently, his memories recalled the happier times in life, when his
children would laugh and play together, and the way his youngest daughter would sing like
an angel.  Losing his composure, he wept silently in the fading light.

******

Laretta arrived back at the hotel shortly before dusk.  Luckily for her, traffic was
light, but she knew she had a lot to make up to the band for missing practice.  She found
Alex waiting there for her, and they would both return to the theatre for a wrap-up
practice session.

She gave the small white vixen a hug.  "Sorry I left you gals high and dry," she said as
she went up to her hotel room to shower and change.  "Aw, it's all right, Laretta!"
Alex cheerfully replied, "Cassie was able to take over both your parts and hers.  Cindy
and Rachel were a bit miffed, saying stuff like they needed your 'sound' to hold
everything together, but Cassie straightened them out all right!  Boy, it sounded like you
had something important to take care of!"  Laretta just nodded and replied, "You could
say that."

A few moments later, after she changed back into her stage outfit, Laretta and Alex
proceeded back to the studio.  "So, how was your trip?"  Alex asked innocently
enough.  Laretta shrugged, "It went about as well as I could have hoped for.  Wasn't
exactly anything you'd see in a Hallmark TV movie."

Alex blinked as they paused for a moment, "Yeah, well, I still think you're pretty
lucky."  She looked down at her toes as she remarked, "At least you still have parents
that you can see and talk to."  Laretta nodded and gently snugged Alex, realizing just
how right she was.

"You know," Laretta replied, "I still think I should do something to make it up to the rest
of you.  How about I treat you all to dinner tonight?"  Alex grinned, "Sounds cool to me!"
On their way, they stopped by an ATM.  While Laretta went to withdraw some money, Alex
stood by, watching out for anything suspicious.

As this was happening, three young male anthromorphs - a Dalmatian hound, a Grizzly bear,
and a coyote - happened to be passing by.  They caught attention of Alex and eagerly
approached her.  "Hey, aren't you in that awesome girl band, you know, the one with that
hot vixen who kicks her shoes into the audience?"  the Dalmatian asked.  The three of them
had broad, enthusiastic grins on their faces.

Alex giggled and smiled back, assuming the three were fans.  "You betcha we are!"
she grinned, thinking that they wanted an autograph.  "Really?  Cool!"  he replied,
"Say, could you do one small favor for us?"  He reached into his pocket, and quickly
pulled out a pocket knife, holding it up to Alex's throat.  "Stay quiet and don't try
anything funny!"  he snarled, "This is a hold-up!"

Alex gasped, stunned by the turn of events.  Before she knew what was happening, the
burly Grizzly 'morph grabbed her and held her arms behind her, while the Dalmatian 'morph
held her muzzle shut with one hand and the knife at her throat with the other.  Alex's
eyes widened as she saw the coyote 'morph stalk up behind Laretta, pull out a knife, and
grab her from behind.

As Laretta was making her transaction, she hear the scuffle coming from behind.  Before
she could react, she felt someone grab her from behind and the sharp point of cold steel
at her back.  "All right, Miss doggy," the coyote hissed into her ear, "Listen carefully
and no one gets hurt.  You're going to be making a very large withdrawal!"  She gasped as
he sniffed into her ear.  Turning her head just slightly, she caught a glimpse of the form
of Alex, terrified and struggling in the grasp of the other two aggressors.  "Don't
worry about your little friend," the fiend hissed, "We're taking good care of her!"

Laretta's heart raced, thinking of what she could do.  With the knife still at her back,
she breathed heavily as she started fidgeting with the machine, until she paused for a
minute.  "What's the big idea?"  the coyote growled angrily, "I said no tricks!"
Laretta gulped, "I - I don't know!  The computer won't accept my card!"  "What?!" the
mugger said incredulously, peering over her shoulder.

"See?!  Take a look for yourself!"  Laretta said desperately.  As the mugger looked closer
at the screen, Laretta sprang into action.  She shoved her arm back and slammed his head
into the console, knocking him out cold.  Seeing this, the other two thugs reacted.
They dropped Alex to the ground and charged at Laretta, surrounding her.  Laretta,
meanwhile, grabbed a tire iron from the other thug's back pocket, intending to use his
own weapon against his comrades.

The Dalmatian charged her first with his knife drawn.  Alex could only look on, her eyes
wide with terror.  Laretta swung her weapon at the canine thug, forcing him to keep
his distance.  With a deft swing, she knocked the knife out of his hand and into the
street.  Unfortunately, with all this excitement, Laretta forgot about the remaining
assailant who grabbed the tire iron out of her hand and sent her sprawling to the ground.

Laretta recovered and got to her knees, where she saw the angry Grizzly 'morph standing
over her.  He was huge and muscular, and in a show of dominance, he bent the tire iron as
if it were made out of rubber and tossed it aside.  Laretta showed no fear, though, as
she stood her ground and kicked off her pumps to secure her footing.  The Dalmatian
'morph, rubbing his injured hand, loomed behind her ready to strike.

All at once, the scene unfolded.  The Grizzly 'morph roared and barreled towards
Laretta, while the Dalmatian 'morph reared up, ready to pounce from behind.  Alex
screamed, "LARETTA!!"

The she-wolf reacted in good time, acting on her karate training with perfection.  Just as
the bear closed, Laretta delivered a swift kick to his mid-section.  This knocked the wind
out of him, but Laretta wasn't finished yet.  With the bear's momentum still carrying him
forward, Laretta spun to side, grabbed his outstretched arm, and in a rolling motion flung
him over her back.  This caught the Dalmatian 'morph completely by surprise as his
companion went flying into him, sending both attackers sprawling into a wall.

Laretta instantly raced to Alex's side to see if she was okay, while still keeping a wary
on their attackers.  They slowly got up, though not in the best of shape.  The Dalmatian
was clutching his knee, evidently having sprained it in the fall.  Realizing he was in no
shape to attack again, he limped off down a back alley.  The Grizzly also arose
groggy, clutching his head and abdomen.  He still had the wind knocked out of him and
had taken a hit on the head.  Glaring at Laretta for a moment, he just sneered and spat,
and ran off in another direction.

Sensing that the danger had passed, Laretta turned her attention to comforting Alex.  "Are
you okay?"  she asked gently, "I'm sorry I gave you a scare there."  Alex wiped the tears
from her eyes and sniffed, "I'm okay, I think."  Laretta helped her to her feet.
Retrieving her pumps, Laretta said, "Come on, let's get out of here," as they quickly
made their way to the theatre.

******

Everyone at the studio was amazed to hear what had happened.  Foxonian immediately called
the police to take a statement and track down the muggers.  They also checked to see
if Laretta and Alex needed medical attention, but neither were injured, only shaken up by
the incident.

"Ah jes' cain't bahleve thet those varmints woul' do sumthin' lahke thet!"  Vixina snapped
in disgust.  "Din' their mamas teach 'um how theyz suppos' ta treat ah lady?"  Cindy
sneered and nodded, "You're telling me!  It's amazing, the balls guys have these days.
Of course, they're lucky I wasn't there, or they wouldn't have any balls left!"

Cassie was very visibly disturbed by what had happened.  "This is just awful!"  the vixen
bemoaned, "From now on, we're staying together as a group as much as we can, and help
will never be further than an arm's reach away!"  She stood by and comforted Laretta and
Alex, "I feel so terrible for you two!"

"Aw, it's not that bad, Cassie!"  Alex replied, obviously having recovered her cheerful
demeanor.  "Boy, you should have seen it!  Laretta totally kicked their butts, all three
of 'em!"  She was obviously quite proud of how Laretta defended them, though Laretta
wasn't really sharing her enthusiasm.

"It was nothing, really," she said, brushing back her hair, "Those guys just didn't get
the hint.  Anyway, I'm sorry this screwed everything up.  Our rehearsal schedule is
already screwed enough on account of me!"  Cassie quickly replied, "That isn't important
now, Laretta!  You and Alex have been through too much already.  We'll even postpone
the concert if we have to, just don't put undue pressure on yourself!"

Laretta shook her head, "Well, Alex can do what she wants, but I came here tonight to make
up lost ground, and that's what I intend to do!"  Cassie still didn't seem pleased, but
she didn't object to Laretta's request, nor did anyone else.  "Hey, I'm a big girl,
too!"  replied Alex, "Just let me get this dirt off my fur, and I'll be ready!"

As everyone prepared to take their places, Cassie took a moment to talk with Laretta.
"You've been through a lot," she said to Laretta, "How did the visit to your parents
go?"  Laretta sighed, "Not that great, unfortunately.  They still think I made a
terrible mistake getting into rock music.  We really didn't talk much the whole time."
Cassie sighed, "I'm sorry to hear that, Laretta.  I've been thinking, and maybe I
shouldn't have pushed you too hard into that situation.  It really wasn't any of my
business."

Laretta shook her head and looked straight at her friend, "No, Cassie, you were right!
Seeing them again was something I just had to do, otherwise I would have been left
wondering about everything, and that would have been the worst thing of all."  Cassie
smiled and hugged Laretta, "Well, if nothing else, you'll always have a family with
us!"  Laretta smiled and wagged her tail, "You know what I like best about that,
Cassie?  You're like a big sister who doesn't call me names!"

Cassie chuckled, "I'll be calling you mud if you don't get your tail out on that
stage pronto!"  Laretta grinned and nodded, getting her black and red curved guitar tuned
just right.  Rehearsal lasted well into the night, and even though Laretta protested
and insisted on continuing, the band overruled her and decided to call it a night at 2 a.m.
Even though she was tired, Laretta wanted to do all she could to block out the
unpleasant thoughts from the past two days.

******

The concert was postponed by a day just the same, out of concern for Laretta's well being
and in the interest of tightening security.  Everyone seemed to benefit from having a
little more breathing room, and even Laretta had gotten her spirits back up.

It was only moments before the concert was to begin, and Laretta, as always was
hurriedly finishing her preening.  As she was putting her black eyeshadow and eyeliner
on, Andy knocked on the dressing room door.  "Fifteen minutes, Laretta," he announced
as Cindy and Rachel passed behind him towards the stage.  Laretta nodded and waved
without taking her eyes off her business, "Got it, Andy.  Thanks!"

She peered at herself in the mirror, wondering if she looked "just right."  She brushed
back her hair and straightened her collar, still not entirely satisfied, but she decided
it would have to do.  She quickly grabbed her guitar and hurried out the door towards the
stage.  Before she could get there, though, she bumped into someone.

She tried to apologize, when she recognized the individual as her father.  She was
stunned silent for a moment as she realized that not only he, but her mother as well was
there with him.  She blinked a few times and immediately felt self-conscious in her
skimpy stage outfit.  Her parents, however, didn't seem bothered, and just smiled and
looked at her with approval.

"Hello, dear," Harry said finally, "We're sorry to have surprised you like this."
Laretta, still wishing she could cover herself, managed to reply, "Well, I sure wasn't
expecting to see you here.  Is, uh, everything okay?"  Harry sighed and relented, "No,
it isn't.  I've thought about how I behaved the other day, and I'm very ashamed of myself.
It took you a lot of courage to do what you did, and I had no business making you
feel little."  He chuckled softly, looking towards Sara, "Your mother, of course, set
me straight!"

Sara smiled and gave her daughter a hug, "I know what you must be thinking, that I don't
need to stand up for you.  Well, that's what a mother does, you know!"  Laretta laughed
and hugged back, and turned to her father.  "It's all right, Papa," she said gently, "I know
I said some terrible things too, and I'm sorry.  I know you'll never approve of what
I'm doing, and if there was anything I could do to fix that, I would!"

Harry shook his head, "No, dear.  You're living your life the way you should, and not the
way someone else wants you to."  He looked at her again with a sheepish grin.  "You know,
I can still remember when you came home dressed like that," he chuckled, "You nearly gave
your poor mother a heart attack!"  Sara grumbled and crossed her arms, "Oh, come on, now!
You yourself were ready to go running and screaming into the hills!"

Laretta couldn't help but giggle slightly at this, when she noticed Cassie approaching.
"Is everything okay here, Laretta?  We're all waiting on you, now," she said.  She noticed
the strangers standing by, but Laretta composed herself and hastily made introductions.
"Laretta, I want you to meet my parents, Harry and Sara Morrigan," she smiled and turned
back to her parents, "Mama, Papa, this is my 'boss' Cassie!"  The vixen smiled warmly
at Laretta's parents, "It's a pleasure to meet you both!"  Laretta's father smiled and
took her hand, "The pleasure is all ours, Miss."

Laretta told Cassie, "I'll just be a few more seconds, Cass.  I promise I'll be
quick!"  Cassie nodded and returned to the stage, as Laretta told her parents, "I'm sorry,
but I have to go on stage right now."  Her parents smiled and nodded, "By all means, dear.
A lot of people came to see you play, and you shouldn't disappoint them!"  said her father.

She gave them a parting smile as they watched her take her place on the stage.  Getting
closer to Cassie, she whispered to her, "I'll just bet you had something to do with
their being here!"  Cassie grinned, "Well, they couldn't just slip by security, you know!
Now get in position, we're gonna start!"

Meanwhile on the sidelines, Foxonian had joined Laretta's parents, who seemed a little out
of sorts.  "We really shouldn't be around here," said Laretta's father, "Not without
having paid for our tickets!"  Foxonian spoke up, "Oh please, do stay!  You're
Laretta's family, and we'd all like to have you around to watch her play!"  Laretta's
mother smiled, "Why, thank you young man!"  as she and Harry took their seats to watch
their daughter perform.

The stage lit up and hummed to life with music as the band started off with their big
hit, "The Night Has Come."  Laretta's parents marveled as they watched her pull off her
part with tremendous skill and energy.  "That girl Cassie seems nice enough," remarked
Harry, "but how on earth can she just throw out a perfectly good pair of shoes like that?"

They all just laughed as the band played on through their impressive repertoire.  Laretta
played her part with excellence, not only cranking out the rhythmic chords to support
the lead, but also by adding her melodic voice to support Cassie.  Then a surprise came
to Laretta's parents as she got to take the guitar and vocal lead on the band's cover
of Aerosmith's "Janie's Got A Gun."  While it was agreed among the band that Cindy
sounded most like Ozzy Osbourne, they also agreed that Laretta could pull off a
relatively decent Steven Tyler!

"I must admit," said Harry, "I've never seen her happier."  Sara nodded, "That, and
she's sharing her wonderful voice with so many people!"  They smiled and watched
with admiration as she took the lead again for the band's finale.

It was specially selected as a temperate, emotional piece, to emphasize the emotion
in Laretta's voice.  Rachel selected a pipe organ chorus on her synthesizer while the rest
of the band played slow, smooth background music.  Everyone was rapt by the power and
range Laretta's vocalization.  Laretta's parents smiled, for they were indeed proud of
her.

The concert ended to a standing ovation, and after the band made their bows, Laretta
returned to her parents offstage.  They drew her into a warm and loving embrace while
the others watched on happily.  Tears flowed from Laretta's eyes, but without a doubt
they were tears of joy.

END OF STORY
Last revision:  December 22, 2001