MZD's The Familiar discussion

Chpt. 2 - Xanther
Xiomara
start: 13:08:00, 6/14/2014 Los Angeles
end: 16:42:50, 6/16/2014 Los Angeles

Xanther seems okay despite vol. 2 ending where it seemed like she had been struck by a car. Anwar and Xanther, driving, run over a squirrel despite dramatic attempt to swerve out of the way. Xanther makes Anwar pullover to assess the squirrel's status: Dead.
Back home, we learn Xanther is since since morning: Vomiting, diarrhea, etc. However, Xanther claims she "feels" fine. Narcon's interrupt to suggest it might be psychosomatic.

Xanther mentions the "red" she thinks she saw previously (harkening back to vol. 2 cliffhanger), as if to suggest it wasn't a real incident we saw. It is clear, too, that Xanther leaaving the cat's proximity is not quite as excruciating as it was in vol. 2, however, it is still distressing.

Astain takes the kids to Taymor's pool where Astair and Taymor talk about Xanther's "trancelike announcement of tonic-clonic seizures," ie. trance-walking into oncoming traffic--which seems like Xanther saw honeysuckle branches reach out and save her from the car that we were left to believe hit her. Meanwhile, Xanther dives deep underwater over and over, thinking about the squirrel and emerges from the water realizing that she needs to name the cat.

The family goes to a restaurant and Freya sees a person who looks like Xanther "wearing pink and black with long black braids." She disappears as Xanther catches a glimpse. Later, while Anwar naps (after working all night long), Xanther sees the house leaner, Xiomara, after breaking a wolf statue in the living room. The twins see the statue break happening and try to calm Xiomara down. Xiomara, determined to repay for breaking the statue, gives money to the twins to give to their parents. They give the money to Astair, saying it's from Xiomara, but refuse to mention that it's in repayment for the broken statue. This is Xiomara's last day at the Ibrahim's since money is too tight for them to afford keeping her.