Yeah, I think the main excuse was "hay, her boyfriend Shaw got struck by lightning, she's got her hands full I guess"...which is perhaps less than intelligent, given that she tries to seduce away the New Mutants a good half a dozen times not long after that. XD

And yeah, I find it hard to believe she's in her late twenties AT ALL now. Early thirties, MAYBE, although I think she's definitely closer to late thirties/early forties. Because seriously, that would make her like 18 when she's running around in her Hellfire Club bustier talking down to Kitty like she's old enough to be her mother. XD