Charlene sat with some relief and glad to see Rachel smile and feel more relaxed at things. It was something that showed Rachel returning more to the personality that she'd had in Florida before Leslie raped her. Granted, Rachel wasn't as "outgoing" as her sisters, but she functioned well and had some friends, friends that to a degree even supported Rachel after everything else that had happened. Seeing Rachel return to that was a good thing, as it relieved a lot of the stresses that Charlene had felt regarding what had happened. For Charlene had always loved her daughters, accepted that Rachel was a lesbian and even helped her hide that from her father. Those were all things that Charlene had been more than willing to do to keep Rachel happy.
"Mom?" Rachel asked to her as she sat back, "MOM!"
"Oh... what?" Charlene managed, "I'm sorry dear, I'm afraid I was thinking over something... something jogged by seeing you smile and feeling more comfortable. Something that's been on my mind ever sense... well... what happened... something where I've wanted to help and be there for you."
Rachel blinked and looked to Cynthia, who only shrugged and looked about as puzzled as Rachel did. She looked to her mother and found her looking calm and relieved, but her lips were pulled tight and she was twiddling her thumbs in her lap. It was something that Rachel felt was a sign of her mother being nervous, largely because she might do the same thing at times, particularly when in her normal human form.
"You've already been there for me, mom," Rachel spoke with her eyes focused on her mother, "what more could you do?"
"To be a werecat... to be there for you," Charlene said slowly, and noting Rachel's widening eyes at that in surprise. She also noticed surprise rise on Cynthia's face as well.
"You're?" Cynthia asked, noticing that Rachel was at a loss for words.
“I’m straight,” Charlene answered, “but… it’s just that after everything that’s happened… I’d had the thought that if I were to do this… I could be there for Rachel. Shoulder some of the burden… not come off as a failure for not being able to protect her.”
“I’m not going to say anything on what you should do, Mrs. Covaks, as that isn’t my place,” Cynthia said slowly, “but it would strike me that if you’re doing this to “help Rachel,” you’re wanting to become a were for the WRONG reasons. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with being a were… or even being a werecat, but because there are no take backs… that choice needs to be because it’s something YOU inherently want for YOU. Not because you’re making a sacrifice for your daughter.”
“And why would I feel better about things by you becoming a werecat!?” Rachel finally spoke in a louder and more pointed voice, “this whole thing started because Leslie couldn’t wait for the right romantic moment and couldn’t be honest about being a werecat… and…” Rachel’s voice then grew weak, “and maybe I had bad judgement in trusting her… but that’s neither here nor there, now. What’s happened has happened, and to a great degree, I was already a lesbian, so it wasn’t like becoming a werecat changed my sexuality.”
That outburst had attracted attention, as Rachel could hear some footsteps on the second floor, meaning that Jasmine and/or Michelle had overheard her. It’d add to some of the embarrassment and fear of being teased about being there with Cynthia, though a part of her didn’t care. But she knew she had to be “proper” about things and take things slowly enough so that she knew on where she and Cynthia stood. The possibility that Cynthia could be more than just a student advisor and might be attracted to her, however, seemed unimportant to Rachel at the moment, given what her mother had just said.
"I don't know..." Charlene admitted, "it's just that after everything happened... you've been quiet, distant, uncomfortable with yourself. Not as you were, and that was all quite understandable. But unlike instances in the past where you'd gotten hurt, or had some high school drama, or something else... I have had nothing that I could give you first-hand knowledge or comfort on. For years... when you and your sisters got hurt or needed help... you father and I were there... at least... until... well, you know. I've just wanted to be there for you, Rachel. To let you know that everything would be okay and that you wouldn't be alone in all this. And if it meant changing my sexuality... I could accept that knowing that you would be alright."
"But mom... you HAVE been there," Rachel said slowly, catching a surprising amount of sorrow and guilt in her mother's voice as she gave that explanation, "you've been there and understanding. When I figured out I was a lesbian... I told you and you were accepting and understanding, in ways that dad could have never been. You've accepted me for who I am without any complaint or issue. It was something that left me feeling accepted and supported. You, Michelle, and Jasmine accepted what happened to me when you found I'd become a werecat and you didn't reject me or anything like that. Your love and acceptance... that is ALL that I need from you mom. You don't have to become a werecat to prove you love me or that you'd be there for me. Because I know you've been there. That's all I need..."
Charlene found herself giving a small smile Rachel at hearing that. That she was loved and what she'd managed so far had seemingly been accepted and supported. But this was still something where Charlene retained her own questions on how to help Rachel and what would be needed. After all, there had been all of the issues and worries that Rachel had voiced on her condition as a werecat after Leslie had raped her. That was still something that weighed on Charlene's mind, and like any good mother, she would worry for and about her baby, possibly because Rachel was her oldest child.
"I still feel there is more that I could do," Charlene said slowly.
"No... there probably isn't," Cynthia spoke up and put a hand on Rachel's, "I'm not a psychologist... but because my work as a student advisor at the college, there was a certain amount of training on these sorts of things that come into play. It's something where a lot of what has hurt your daughter is more mental than physical and something that if she were to get help from a werecat, it'd need to be an experienced werecat. If you were to become a werecat... you'd essentially be in the same boat as Rachel regarding controlling transformations and everything else... and it wouldn't address the mental strains of what had happened to her... particularly in relation to HOW she became a werecat."
Charlene slowly nodded.
"And in this... with the meeting this evening, I've actually gotten the things I needed," Rachel answered, "and it's done a lot... helping me start to feel more comfortable with..." Rachel then lifted up one hand and extended her claws on that hand and then retracting them into their sheaths before finishing, "this. It's a new part of me... and I am still adjusting, but meeting the Richards' pride and getting answers from them, that's done a lot for me."
"I have been glad to see you smile," Charlene spoke, "it eases a lot of my worries..."
"I know, mom," Rachel said slowly, "but... I think, you've gone above and beyond the call of duty with regard to helping me and being there for me. All I could need is your love and support. If you... if you want to become a were at some point, assuming it's a willing change... it should be into the specific were that YOU would want for yourself. Not just something that you think will help me..."
"Particularly as while many weres often pair together with weres of the same species," Cynthia commented, "there are a fair number of families where the family are all different weres. A father as a werewolf, a mother as a werefox, a daughter as a werecat, a son as a werehorse... and all living happily together. And there are some families, like mine, where most of the family is still human. My parents never became weres, and my elder brother became our family's were."
"You said something about an aunt earlier..." Charlene commented.
"Yes, my mother's sister," Cynthia nodded, "but Moon Lake tends to apply the Mandatory Were law to the nuclear family unit. Thus, my aunt and uncle were viewed as a different family group from my parents and elder brother. And if you do wish to become a were... there are multiple of options to choose from, and Rachel's status as a werecat doesn't mean you can't become a were of your choice."
"And knowing that you've already done so much for me, mom," Rachel spoke, "So much."