“I called it the curse because I thought a witch must have laid a curse on me,” Viola said. “Like in 'Sleeping Beauty.'”

Everyone looked at her.

“Well, I did,” she said. “It was the only reason I could think of for such an awful thing happening to me.” She handed the folder back to the docent. “It still is.”

“I think you were awfully brave,” Bysshe said to Viola, “going off the ammenerol to have Twidge.”

“It was awful,” Viola said. “You can't imagine.”

Mother sighed. “When I got my period, I asked my mother if Annette had it, too.”

“Who's Annette?” Twidge said.

“A Mouseketeer,” Mother said and added, at Twidge's uncomprehending look. “On TV.”

“High-rez,” Viola said.

“The Mickey Mouse Club,” Mother said.

“There was a high-rezzer called the Mickey Mouse Club?” Twidge said incredulously.

“They were days of dark oppression in many ways,” I said.

Mother glared at me. “Annette was every young girl's ideal,” she said to Twidge. “Her hair was curly, she had actual breasts, her pleated skirt was always pressed, and I could not imagine that she could have anything so messy and undignified. Mr. Disney would never have allowed it. And if Annette didn't have one, I wasn't going to have one either. So I asked my mother--”

“What did she say?” Twidge cut in.

“She said every woman had periods,” Mother said. “So I asked her, ” 'Even the Queen of England?' And she said, 'Even the Queen.'"

“Really?” Twidge said. “But she's so old!”

“She isn't having it now,” the docent said irritatedly. “I told you, menopause occurs at age fifty-five.”

“And then you have hot flashes,” Karen said, “and osteoporosis and so much hair on your upper lip you look like Mark Twain.”

“Who's--” Twidge said.

“You are simply reiterating negative male propaganda,” the docent interrupted, looking very red in the face.