Who: Sebastian and Brianna Where: The McCarthy House When: Evening, Mid-May, a couple hours after this Status: Complete
If Sebastian had known his mother might return home, he would’ve paid a little more attention to his phone. Instead, he’d gotten into the habit of putting his phone on silent when he was with Theo and ignoring it completely. The texts from Phee came in unnoticed, as did the calls from his father, and by the time he saw them it’d been a good couple of hours after they’d been received. Sebastian raced home anyways, worried that his mother might read something into him not being there immediately, despite her not actually knowing who he was. That part was hard to understand, but his dad filled him in once he got home. Apparently, he’d been aware this might happen, something he neglected to tell his kids. It wasn’t a surprise, considering how long he’d waited to even tell Trip that Brianna was missing, but it didn’t win him any points in Sebastian’s book. For all their talks about transparency, theirs was a family that kept secrets and it probably always would be.
Upon learning that his mother had gone to lay down for a bit, Sebastian settled on the couch in the living room. He didn’t know how long she’d rest, for another hour or possibly through the night, but he could wait. If it got too late, he’d head up to bed and try again in the morning. They’d already waited months for her to get home. A little longer wouldn’t kill him. He had his phone to keep him company until then.
Brianna hadn't been sure she would be able to fall asleep in a home she didn't recognize but as soon as she laid down in the king sized bed, she had drifted off almost immediately. When she woke, it was getting dark but she felt refreshed. The bed itself was comfortable and it took Brianna a few minutes to find the energy to get up. She was hungry again so that was the extra push she needed to slip off the bed and cautiously leave the room.
Finding her way back to the kitchen, she thought about trying to find James but decided to do this on her own. For not knowing much about this place, it felt like instinct was guiding her. So maybe those memories were starting to surface. As she walked past the living room, she caught movement in her peripheral and paused, looking in to see a young man sitting there with hair as red as her own. One of her children. James had mentioned the older one was at college, so this was... Sebastian? Suddenly feeling unsure, Brianna simply stood there, watching him, wondering if she was supposed to say something.
It had been long enough that Sebastion didn't immediately notice she was there, not until she stopped moving, and when he looked up his breath caught in his throat. Even knowing she was real, it was like seeing a ghost. She looked like his mother, but there was no recognition in her eyes. No warmth. If he hadn't had warning and time to process it, it would have been jarring. "Mom?" he said, sitting up and setting his phone aside. "It's Bash--Sebastian." His heart raced as he looked at her, the desire to run and hug her so strong that his hands balled into fists. He knew it wouldn't be welcome. He wouldn't want a stranger hugging him either. "I know you don't remember me, but... I just wanted to see you," he said with a small smile.
Sebastian. Brianna nodded. It felt like she ought to say something comforting, but she wasn't sure what that might be. Hearing anyone call her mom was a little jarring, but Brianna was careful not to let it show in her expression. "Would... should I call you Bash, or Sebastian?" she asked, for lack of anything else to say. Brianna's lips twitched. I suppose it's Bash. Sebastian if you're in trouble?" That seemed to make sense to her, anyway.
“Yeah,” Sebastian said, his lips twitching up. “It was Bastian at first, but then Phee started calling me Bash and it kind of stuck. I answer to all three, but those I’m closest to usually call me Bash.” Sebastian always felt formal to him, reserved for teachers, acquaintances, and for when he was in trouble. Despite all that, his mother usually called him by his full name. Sometimes he wasn’t sure if it was because she didn’t like the nickname, or if that was just the sort of relationship they had, one that got lumped in together with teachers and acquaintances. He hated her memories being gone, but for the first time he wondered if this was a chance to improve upon their relationship. They had a second chance. She was alive, for fuck’s sake. “You hungry?”
Brianna glanced toward the kitchen and then back to Bash. "I am. Would you like to join me?" Maybe they could eat and she could ask him questions. Or he could simply talk and she could see if that helped jog her memory. James and Ophelia were likely around somewhere, but maybe it would be less overwhelming to deal with one person at a time. She was feeling better rested and more clear headed now. Once she had woken up in a soft, comfortable bed instead of that filthy horror, Brianna had relaxed and allowed herself to accept that she was home, whatever that word might mean right now.
“Sure,” Bash answered and hoped he didn’t sound too eager. Even if she didn’t remember him, he just wanted to be in her presence. It was such a huge relief to see her that he didn’t want to leave her just yet. So he rose from the couch and followed her into the kitchen, then dug around in the fridge until he found something resembling a healthy late night snack—apples. He grabbed one from the fridge, then went to the pantry and grabbed the jar of peanut butter. “So… what do you remember?” He asked as he retrieved a small cutting board and knife. “Anything?”
Brianna wasn't sure what she was hungry for, all she knew was that she needed to eat. After Sebastian got his apple, she began to look through the pantry, and then the fridge, searching for something that caught her eye. Finally she found popcorn and Brianna helped herself to it, opening the package to stick it into the microwave. Perhaps not the healthiest choice but she was not overly worried about that right now. As the popcorn began to cook, Brianna sat down at the table, watching her son slice his apple. "That depends on what part you're asking about," she stated. "I don't remember much about all of this, or your father, or you. I remember more about where I was. Fog, darkness. Everything was pretty filthy. There's really not much more to it than that."
It was hard for Bash to not bombard her with questions, but he did his best to restrain himself but focusing on his task. That was probably smart anyways. The last thing he needed was to cut his finger open. "Do you remember who was with you?" he asked. "Dad mentioned Mrs. D'Onofrio, but I wasn't sure if there was anyone else." He knew there had been about a dozen that went missing, but most of them weren't people that Sebastian knew. The one that stood out was Jasper and he wondered what Jules would think when she found out that his mother was back. She'd have questions of her own, and if he could pass along answers then he would. That was hard though, with his mom not remembering much. "How'd you get back?"
Mrs. D'Onofrio. Brianna's brows drew together thoughtfully. "I don't... Miriam? I... remember Miriam." Was her last name D'Onofrio? It sounded right, but Brianna couldn't be sure. "She was there. A police officer, some teenagers. A few people I think I knew, but... it's all a bit foggy in my mind right now. I don't know how I got back. I just woke up outside and began to walk. Your sister's... boyfriend? He drove by and found me. That seems lucky." She could have been ignored, or picked up by some serial killer. Greg had been mildly annoying, but Brianna figured anyone would have been annoying to her, given she was tired, filthy and confused at the time.
“Yeah, Miriam D’Onofrio. She lives down the street,” Bash confirmed for his mother. He didn’t know which police officer might’ve been there, but it was good to hear there were some teenagers. Hopefully one of them was Jasper. “Greg,” he smiled. “He and Phee have been dating for a few months, but he’s been my best friend since forever. He lives down the street, too. I’m glad he picked you up and not some rando.” Anyone else and his mom would likely be at the hospital or the police station, rather than home. Maybe there would’ve been someone there to identify her, but it was also possible that they’d have to wait until she remembered more for them to get a call. She was right, it was lucky.
Miriam lived down the street. Brianna filed that information away. Maybe she would walk down to the woman's house and talk to her soon, see if Miriam remembered anything Brianna couldn't. She listened to Sebastian, nodding slightly as she picked at her fingernail. "Your best friend is dating your sister?" Brianna's lips twitched. "That must be strange." Or not, if they had been dating for a few months already. "He seems okay. A bit... I don't know, jittery seems like the wrong word." It could have just been Greg had been surprised to find her, but it was what it was. Brianna hestitated. "And you? Are you dating anyone?" She wasn't entirely sure if she cared, but he was her son and Brianna felt like she ought to know these things, right? Make small talk, learn a bit more about the people she was living with. Maybe then they would feel less like strangers to her.
"It was weird at first, but... I'm kinda used to it now," Bash said with a little smile. There'd been a time when it had bothered him, when he'd felt like he was losing his best friend over to his sister, but he felt like he was mostly past that now. Things were different, but they weren't bad, and he wasn't sure he could explain the complexity of it to his mother who didn't remember him. It seemed weird that she'd ask now when she'd never bothered to care back then, but it was probably just small talk. He could sense her hesitation in her next question and it made him wonder if somehow subconsciously she knew that might be a touchy subject. "I'm seeing a guy named Theo," he said, setting the knife down so he could watch her instead. "Have been for a while, but we haven't really been public about it. I asked him to prom though, so, you know, that's about as public as it gets in high school."
The popcorn finished in the microwave but Brianna stayed sitting as she had the feeling this boy telling her about his prom date was important somehow. She didn't quite know what she was supposed to say or if this had been a sore subject between them in the past. Brianna realized she couldn't remember her own prom. It wasn't just this family that was stripped from her mind, but her entire life. Giving him a small nod, Brianna glanced towards the hall, as if waiting for James to appear somehow. Was their son being gay a problem? James hadn't mentioned it to her, but she found that if she was supposed to be upset by it, she wasn't. "I think if you like him and he treats you well, you shouldn't be ashamed of it," she said finally, her gaze ticking back to Sebastian. "Is it a problem for me? That you're gay?"
“I’m not ashamed,” Sebastian said, his natural defensiveness kicking in before he could tone it down. “It’s more that… he wasn’t out and—and I wasn’t sure if we were dating or hanging out.” Clearly they’d been doing more than hanging out, but it seemed weird to tell his mom that they’d just been casually screwing from the start. The more time he spent with Theo the more he liked him, but he wasn’t sure when it had evolved into an actual relationship. Now that they were actually together, he thought his mom would approve, if she had actually remembered who he was. “You took it a lot better than I expected,” he said with a small smile. “It’s more of a problem for Dad. I think he’d rather just not know, but… I’m really kind of done with hiding it at this point.”
His defensiveness didn't really bother her. She felt a bit out of her depth here and she struggled to find some sense of maternal instinct deep inside to be able to have this conversation in the mental state she found herself in. Apparently she had been gone for a long time and Brianna wondered if James had been able to take on the role of nurturer while she was missing, or if that had always been Brianna's role. It didn't really surprise her to hear James had an issue with his son being gay. There was still a blank spot where it came to her husband, but he seemed like the type who had bigger expectations for his children. Brianna picked at her fingernail briefly before nodding. Was she meant to encourage him? Defend James? It was like she walked onto a television set and was expected to perform despite not having a script. "Well, I suppose all I can say is that you should do what makes you happy. Within reason, of course. How old are you? You have to be nearly eighteen?"
The more he thought about it, the more it surprised Sebastian that Brianna didn't know her own feelings on the matter. It felt like proof that any issues with it were tied to a person's upbringing and experience, that all hints of aversion might be washed away with her memories. Or maybe he was reading too much into it, especially since she'd not been upset about it in the first place. It was just an interesting theory to think on. "Turned eighteen in March," he told her as he grabbed the peanut butter from the kitchen cabinet. There hadn't been much of a party, but he hadn't really felt up to celebrating. He'd hung out with Greg and Phee, then later Theo, and that was all he'd really wanted. "Phee'll be seventeen soon, the Sunday after prom. It's on Saturday."
"Oh." She had missed his birthday. It was hard to feel guilty about it, considering she didn't remember any of the other seventeen. Still, that meant he was legally an adult, so Brianna doubted James could do anything about Sebastian's choices. She stood from the chair and walked over to get the bag of popcorn from the microwave. Then she began to look for a bowl. "So you two are pretty close in age." Was that on purpose? Or was Ophelia - Phee - an accident? Happy surprise, as she was sure some people would call it. "Are you... close?"
"Yeah, I think so," Bash said as he opened the peanut butter and began spooning it onto the plate. If his mother wasn't there watching him, he'd be tempted to eat it straight out of the jar, but even without her memories he was pretty sure she'd frown on that. "We haven't always had a lot in common, but I feel like that hasn't mattered as much for the last few years. We've been practicing magic together--Dad told you about that?" If not, surprise! Bash wondered if she could feel the magic crawling beneath her skin, pulsing through her veins even if she wasn't using it. Now that he'd taken ownership of it, he could always feel it, waiting to be called upon.
Brianna found a bowl and brought it down to pour some popcorn into it. She glanced at Sebastian when he mentioned the magic and Brianna frowned briefly before returning her attention to the popcorn. "He told me, yes. It was easy to accept, which I realize is a bit strange. I suppose if what I saw over there is real, then magic can be real too. Is it safe?" James would have probably told her if it wasn't, but Brianna supposed he could be trying to protect her from something. He seemed like a man who was honest and upfront, but of course, she could be wrong about that. She had only known him a day, after all.
Sebastian moved to take a seat at the counter as he considered how to answer her question. He wasn't sure how much this conversation mattered in the long run, not when she wasn't really herself, but it was easier to be honest with her. It was like a slate had been wiped clean between them and, even if it was only temporary, Bash felt like he should take advantage of it. "Kind of," he said. "It's safe like a car. If you don't drive it, you won't get in a wreck. And... even if you do drive it, you might be fine. But if you crash, it can seriously fuck you up." He normally didn't curse in front of his mother, but it felt like the most accurate description he could give. "I 'crashed'. A couple weeks before you went missing. It should've scared me off it, but--but now I want to learn more than ever. So... I dunno. You weren't a fan."
Brianna blinked in surprise, although she had to admit that sounded like a pretty good analogy. It explained enough to her, at least. She carried the bowl of popcorn to the counter, but kept some distance between them as she sat. Sebastian looked okay to her, so his crash must not have been too bad. Brianna wasn't sure whether or not she wanted to ask. If she was a witch, she didn't want to be frightened of what that might mean. Did that make her a coward? Maybe. Or maybe she was just feeling overwhelmed still. "Well, I can understand why I may not be a fan if you're describing magic as driving a car," she said with a small smile. "I imagine your father will help me with it if my memories don't come back. I feel like they may... there's a familiarity to this place that I can sense, so I hope that's a good sign."
Bash didn't like to imagine what life might be like with his mother not remembering who she was. It made her a stranger, their attachment to her completely one sided and even more complicated than it was to begin with. He wanted his mother back and even though she was standing in this kitchen, she wasn't quite back yet. "I think they're there somewhere," he told her with a little smile. "You knew where the popcorn was. And the bowl. Maybe it's 'cause it's your kitchen, so it's organized like your brain, but I think subconsciously you knew. I hope they come back. We missed you." That didn't even come close to saying how they really felt, but he wasn’t going to awkwardly pour his heart out when she wasn't entirely his mom.
Brianna thought the house was well taken care of, but she assumed James probably hired people to clean it. But Sebastian knew her better than she knew herself, so she accepted what he said with a small smile. "I hope they come back too. I hate feeling like a stranger in my own house... and in my own mind. It's an odd sensation. I appreciate your patience though. I know it has to be disappointing, especially since I've been gone as long as I have." Brianna paused. "Miriam D'Onofrio. Did her memories return? Do you know?"
"We thought you were dead. Or gone forever. A little amnesia is a lot easier to handle, even if it's not perfect," Sebastian told her with a warm smile. It had to be frustrating for her, since it definitely was for them, but she was alive. It made all other issues seem surmountable. He was disappointed that he couldn't hug her without it being weird, but he could wait. "Dad said they did. Not immediately, but over the next few days. So, if what happened to her is what happened to you, then that's a good sign." He refused to believe otherwise. If a couple weeks passed and he still didn't have his mom back, then he could start to worry.
That made sense. If they thought she was dead, at least she was here and whole, if not exactly in her mind. But that could change. The tension in her shoulders seemed to ebb a little at hearing that Miriam's memories had come back. Perhaps that meant Brianna was only a day or two away from knowing this house as her home, and this boy as her son. Taking a couple of bites of popcorn, Brianna thought about finding Miriam, just to say hello. Or maybe she would wait a few days to see if her memories returned to her. "Thank you for being patient," she told Bash. It had only been a day, but she was really thanking him in advance, in case this took a while. "Maybe we can get to know one another better... just in case I can't remember any of this. I'm hoping it won't come to that, but it's better to prepare for the worst."
“I’d like that,” Bash said, smiling softly. Maybe it would be good for them, even if it was short lived. He’d spent a long time pushing his parents away, fearing their judgement, and both sides lacking trust. He didn’t think that would magically change, their family seemed to thrive on secrets, but losing his mother once had presented Bash with a list of regrets that he didn’t want to ever be faced with again. It might not stick once she got her memories back, but at least he’d have tried and could keep trying. He didn’t like feeling like it was him and Phee against their parents. “What do you want to know? I mean, how do we even start that?” he asked with a little huff of a laugh. It was a little overwhelming, considering she hadn’t even known what to call him when she’d walked in the room.
Brianna's lips twitched. "I don't know. I barely know myself. Maybe give me a day or two to get acclimated to everything and we can go from there." She needed to feel more comfortable in this space, around these people, before she dived into who they were. It might be too much for her right now. Or maybe Brianna just wanted some space and time to herself to deal with everything that had happened. It couldn't be fixed overnight, despite how badly she wished it could.
"Okay," Bash smiled back at her and was content to munch on his apple and peanut butter in companionable silence. It was nice just to be around her, to bask in her presence and quietly celebrate the fact that his mother was alive. Even if she didn't know how to use it, he could feel her magic, a warmth that he'd always identified as mom, even before he understood what it was. She might remember everything in a day or two, and then they could really celebrate her return, even if it would take a lot longer for things to truly get back to normal again.