Dr. Catherine Rex made a moue in the mirrored tile in the elevator to touch up her lipstick. At 57, she took a little extra time, coming and going, to make sure she looked her best. A rough day of practice this had been between all three of the high maintenance clients who had lain on her couch. She fluffed her shoulder length layered hair and winked at her reflection. The black thin rimmed glasses gave her a scholarly aspect with seemed to lend her greater credibility. She had thought that by now, her golden brown hair would have more gray but it seemed her genetics were destined to give her eternal youth. She smiled at herself as the bell chimed her floor.<br/><br/>The mirrored doors slid open and Cat's leather Mary Jane pumps, glossy red, pointed toes, tapped across the carrara marble tile in the hallway of the penthouse apartment that she shared with Bronwyn.<br/><br/>"I see you are awake," Cat greeted the red head who was staring out the plate glass window to the glittering night lights of the city. "Wow, what a day! This world is full of crazy people. I endured an hour and  HALF with your boss's wife. Dear merciful God, that woman..... . Have you fed yet?" Cat was rolling up the sleeve of the lime green cashmere sweater she wore as she approached her, offering her wrist.<br/><br/><br/>The two roommates had an interesting history and from time to time they would laugh about how they became acquainted.<br/><br/>Cat would always sip her wine and laugh,<br/>"... and then, because I was too tired to deal with men hitting on me, I went to a gay bar. I had gone with a girlfriend before and no guys had hit on us so I figured I could just enjoy a drink in solitude."<br/><br/>And then Bronwyn would laugh at her, shaking her head, rolling her blue eyes,<br/>"No one hit on you and your friend because everyone probably figured you were a couple, duh."<br/><br/>and then Cat would grin,<br/>"So you came and chatted me up, and I found out you THOUGHT you were a vampire and offered you my wrist. How was I to know you WERE a vampire?"<br/><br/>They both would burst out laughing,saying together like a well rehearsed line,<br/>"And the rest is history, baby."<br/><br/>They had become friends. Friends only, although Cat enjoyed the buzz that feeding a vampire gave her. She thought Bronwyn might like an easy snack once in a while. They met once a month for "drinks" and discussed their careers, their hopes for the future and finally decided that sharing the mortgage on a luxury apartment would give them more bang for their buck. When this 3 million dollar unit had become available,(Cat hoped that Bronwyn's employer had not tossed some poor sap into the bay to create a vacancy), they had snapped it up. The realtor and the guy at the bank thought it was odd for a woman and her mother to buy a place together.<br/><br/>Most of the walls in the apartment were floor to ceiling glass which they had covered with thick brocade draperies in muted tones of gray, celery and blue. Bronwyn obviously needed it dark during the day. Each woman had a small suite of rooms, a bathroom equipped like a spa, a bedroom, a sitting room and a garden room. They shared a great room/kitchen area.<br/><br/>Cat respected Bronwyn's space and really had no idea how she had decorated but Cat's rooms were white, yellow and lime green, one of her signature colors. The bathroom was marble and polished silver with a shower large enough for an orgy. Plants gave all of Cat's rooms the feel of a tropical garden surrounding large fish tanks of brightly colored fish.<br/><br/>The shared space was modern and sleek. Polished dark wood floors and sleek white leather couches dominated the floor while three large paintings danced across the inside wall, splashing color like a riot. The window view was the breathtaking piece de resistance though. The kitchen was Cat's favorite spot. She loved to bake. Her round middle was proof of that. To her credit though, she did take her baked items to her office for her psychotic clients to take home. One thing she enjoyed about New York was the ability to call on the phone and the grocer would deliver. No more running out of flour in the middle of a project.<br/><br/>"My, you are preoccupied tonight," Cat exclaimed as Bronwyn continued to look out the window. "I need a drink, no, make that a double. I'm here if you need a bite before you go."<br/><br/>Cat crossed to the mahogany credenza and poured a double Bailey's on the rocks. Sinking down gratefully on the couch, she sipped the creamy cold drink and then pulled off her heels.<br/><br/>"These shoes will be the death of me yet, but Reg, you know the boy at the gym? well he said I have great legs. Now what better way to show off these legs than to wear heels that make them look a mile long?"<br/><br/>Cat ran her toes over the velveteen Persian rug as she sipped from her glass. She stretched, working the kinks from her neck.<br/>"I heard they are starting a Zumba class at the gym in the evenings. I think I will go. It would give me a chance to see Reg in his tight tee shirt. Oh my God. when did I get to be a cougar?"