3-38
From CleanPosts
This issue marks the exact halfway point in the Strangers in Paradise mega-epic
A car pulls up to the house of Francine's mother. She's thrilled to see David and Francine, less to see Katchoo. She's never seen Katchoo wear a dress and lipstick before. "Yeah, well, take a good look 'cause you won't see it again."
Francine crashes on the couch. She doesn't want anything but to sleep. Brad is upset that Francine said nothing about leaving. David and Katchoo have to make up a story about where they've been. Brad introduces himself to Katchoo as Francine's fiance and David realizes there's going to be trouble. Katchoo didn't know. Brad says Francine has told him all about her, but Katchoo replies that Francine never mentioned him.
David wants to go to the bathroom, but Katchoo won't let go of his shirt while she has a few words with "Bert." Brad! Katchoo imagines they have a cute story of how they met. Sure, Brad replies. They met when he was tending to a cracked rib Francine got...in an argument with Katchoo. She tells David to start the car. Then she launches into a diatribe on what Katchoo has seen men do to Francine. Brad stands up for himself here, and says he's going to marry Francine and he doesn't need Katchoo's permission to do it.
Eventually Brad wins the argument, and Katchoo concedes. But, "if you ever hurt her, you son of a bitch, there won't be anything left of you to bury." She leaves just as Maria comes back. "I mean it, be good to her." She stalks out.
Brand asks Maria what all that was about. "Stepping aside."
David and Katchoo get seperate hotel rooms next door to each other. David goes to get something to eat, but Katchoo doesn't answer the door. She showers and watches TV. Sal Tucciani has been arrested by the FBI David comes back with food and calls, but Katchoo won't pick up. But later that night Katchoo comes into his room, contrite. In the dark, David asks her to marry him. She agrees. And then she makes love to him, using some special tricks she knows, and David is astonished at the pleasure.
But she doesn't sleep, she cries all night and uses a half-box of Kleenex. "I've lost her David!" He tries to console her and tells her Francine just needs time.
In the morning David takes Katchoo back to Francine and tells her to go talk to her. Francine is sitting on a porch swing. Katchoo sits next to her and they hold hands. "I want children," Francine says. Katchoo says she knows. "And I'm running out of time."
Then she sees the ghost of her great-grandmother once again in the snow.
