Who: Miriam and Brianna Where: The McCarthy House When: Afternoon, Friday, June 1 Status: Complete
In the weeks since Miriam had come home things had returned to normal. Anthony’s status in the town made it easy for her to rejoin the committees she’d been on for the town council. Today was Sera’s last day of school and then summer vacation would officially start. It was odd to have missed an entire season, but the world kept on moving and Miriam was quick to adapt. She wasn’t near as quick to forget. Nightmares from her time in the other world still haunted her. She found herself jumping at shadows, expecting grotesque creatures that didn’t exist in this version of the world. It was both embarrassing and annoying, though putting it behind her was easier said than done. Time was probably what she needed, but she was impatient. In her desire to better protect herself, Miriam found herself doing something she hadn’t done in years--practicing her abilities, just in case she needed to use them. They had been useless on the other side of the portal, but if anything came for her here, she wanted to be ready.
When the invitation came from Brianna to join her for coffee, Miriam readily agreed. They had been casual friends prior to getting trapped together, but the experience had brought them closer. There were few people that could relate to what they’d been through and, like it or not, it had changed Miriam. Her perspective on the town was different now, and the quiet that had settled on it for the last few months she couldn’t imagine to be a coincidence. But they were all just theories, ideas that bubbled up in her head when she had too much time alone. It would be good to catch up with her friend. Hopefully her life had returned to ‘normal’ as well.
Brianna was more than ready for some company that wasn't blood related. James had been wonderful to her for the past few weeks and Brianna had been content with mostly staying home, getting used to being in the real world again, whatever that was, and doing her best to get rid of the nightmares and lingering sense that she wasn't quite... right. Not abnormal, per se, because she hated that word, but... the strange feeling went beyond her magic. The fire inside of her felt stronger, of course, though she still had no idea how to wield her power. But it went beyond that, in ways she couldn't describe. Brianna couldn't even bring herself to telling James about it. She didn't need her husband looking at her like she was some sort of... pod person.
With the house mercifully empty now, Brianna invited Miriam over for coffee. It was definitely time for the two of them to talk again. Out of everyone who had been Over There with her, Brianna knew she could be candid with Miriam. They had been friends before shit hit the fan and Brianna had appreciated her presence in that hellish landscape. Especially when her other options for company had been a cop, a few assholes, a werewolf and some teenagers. No, thank you.
"How are you adjusting?" Brianna asked, once Miriam was seated at her kitchen table and they had two cups of hot coffee in front of them, along with a plate of cinnamon rolls Brianna had thrown into the oven at the last minute. Apparently her hosting manners hadn't disappeared completely.
“As best as could be expected, I think,” Miriam said, her hands wrapped around her coffee mug. She wasn’t cold, but she’d come to appreciate the small things—the smell of hot coffee, the warmth of the cup, and the way it almost burned with every sip. After months of not eating anything at all, she appreciated these tiny joys. “I’m a touch paranoid that there’s more to happen, despite reassurances by both Anthony and Caius that everything should be fine. Things are normal, but they feel… I don’t know, a bit off? I think maybe I’m just bored. I got so used to fearing for my life that I don’t know what to do now that I don’t have to be afraid all the time.” Miriam rolled her eyes at herself and broke a bite off her cinnamon roll. “What about you? Better than me, I hope.”
Brianna huffed a small laugh, looking down into her own hot coffee, kept warm by the magic that seemed to be flowing through her hands. "I'm not exactly paranoid, just... feeling oddly out of place. I'm happy to be home, obviously. I never want to see that place again. But I don't feel the way I did before we were... gone." She wasn't sure if that made any sense, so Brianna brought her coffee up to take a sip. "Do you sometimes wonder if... perhaps we came back wrong?"
“Maybe,” Miriam said, her brows drawn in thought. “I don’t feel like I did before. Not that kind of wrong. I feel like I’d recognize it this time. But… there’s this feeling that I don’t belong.” She’d told herself that it was natural, that a large part of it was due to being a non-witch in a family of witches, forced to rely on them for a higher level of protection. The powers she did have weren’t relatable and were nowhere near as useful. Miriam had accepted it all long ago, but she’d never felt the impact quite the way she did now. “I want to believe that everything will get back to normal and that we’ll put this behind us, but I don’t know. I don’t think it’s that simple.”
Brianna nodded, feeling relief that she wasn't the only one feeling out of sorts. She wasn't friendly enough with the others to ask them the same and while Brianna thought she could ask the deputy, she had heard through the grapevine that he and Deputy Gaines were leaving town or had already done so. She couldn't exactly blame him for it. "I don't think it's that simple either," she murmured, glancing back down into her coffee. "I'm not saying what I'm feeling is... bad. I don't feel the same I did before either. It's just different. I'm afraid to talk to James about it because I don't think he'll understand. And he'll either try too hard to fix it and drive me bonkers in the process, or he'll not know what to do and cope with that by immersing himself in work and fleeing town for a while." Where he would immerse himself in other women. Brianna honestly didn't know which option she would prefer at this point. "How are things at home? Sera must be overjoyed that you're home."
“I felt safe before,” Miriam admitted. “I thought I had a handle on things. And if I didn’t, then Anthony and Caius did. Now… I know what you mean about James. If I say anything, it will raise alarms and I don’t want to do that.” She thought it would probably worry Caius more than Anthony, but her relationship with her husband was complicated. They’d had a passionate love affair that had simmered down once they were married. They were both secretive people who didn’t like to share and kept their cards close. None of that had changed since she’d returned home. While Anthony had welcomed her back, she knew without a doubt that it was Caius who had fallen apart, not her husband. “Sera’s thrilled to have me back. And I’m thrilled that it’s her last year of high school. Is it horrible that I’m eager to send her away to college, just to get her out of this town? It makes me feel like a bad mother, but she’s not like Caius. She seems so much more vulnerable.”
Brianna managed a small smile. "That's not horrible. For so long I had wanted Sebastian to attend a college close by but now I don't think I would be upset if he went somewhere else. The farther from this town, the better. Honestly though, now that he's dating Cora's son, I'm not sure what he's going to do. I'm not looking forward to that family conversation." She sipped her coffee, wondering what James's reaction would be if Sebastian opted out of an ivy league school, or whatever else James had planned for him. "Sera seems eager to get out of Point Pleasant anyway, so I don't think you'll have much pushback from her."
“I thought Cora’s son was off at university himself,” Miriam said, feeling a touch out of the loop. Then again, she’d had a lot more on her mind than the town gossip, both now and before she’d been sucked out of this world. She didn’t recall Cora’s son being gay either, which really showed just how behind she was. “You think he might want to stay for him? How long have they been together?” she asked, not caring how nosey she was being since Brianna had offered up the subject. “I suppose I should be glad Sera’s not gotten attached to any of the local boys. That would not be a fun conversation either. Anthony would put his foot down and… Well, you know how it is. We both like stubborn men.” Who liked to be in control. From what little she knew about James, he and Anthony had that in common.
Brianna shrugged. "From what I heard he was, but he was kicked out. Of course, Cora said he's simply taking a break, but..." She gave Miriam a pointed look before sipping some more coffee. The thought of Sebastian staying in Point Pleasant for a boy was absurd, but she also understood what it was like to be eighteen and hopped up on hormones. "I don't know if Sebastian will stay for his boyfriend. I certainly hope that won't be the reason. Relationships at that age are fickle. I don't know if James would let it happen anyway." Brianna rose a delicate brow and eyed Miriam. It didn't escape her that Miriam said they both liked stubborn men, instead of the other L-word. "Speaking of stubborn, how are things with Anthony?"
If it were Caius, even Miriam would have demanded he leave for college. High school relationships rarely lasted, regardless of how permanent they seemed at the time. She couldn’t imagine Brianna and James letting their son make that mistake, not for a boy he’d just met, but hopefully it wouldn’t come to that. “Things are fine, I suppose,” Miriam said, taking a sip of her coffee. She suddenly wished it had been spiked with something stronger, just to get past a conversation point she wasn’t overly fond of. “He’s… the same as he’s always been. It’s like I never left. Which I shouldn’t complain about, but… I don’t know. Maybe I’m perceiving things differently after having been in the place. I’m either seeing issues that aren’t actually there, or they’ve been there the whole time. Nothing’s changed.” Except her. She’d changed a great deal.
Brianna didn't feel like she was in a place where she could give Miriam proper advice. Anthony D'Onofrio was a powerful man, and a powerful witch. But there was always something about him that made her uncomfortable. Some dark that she couldn't quite put her finger on. It wasn't something she wanted to tell Miriam about. "You should talk to him," Brianna suggested. "Maybe he's worried about you, trying to make things as normal as possible." James had definitely been more attentive to Brianna since she returned home. More affectionate too, although Brianna didn't think it would last forever. Things would settle again, as they always did. And already she was thinking about the man at the motel, though she didn't expect him to be there anymore, not after all this time. "Or maybe talk to Caius? If anyone knew how Anthony handled things while you were gone, it would be him."
“Maybe. That’s possible,” Miriam conceded. “The trouble with a man like Anthony is that… he’s sometimes too good at what he does.” It could be unsettling. When she didn’t have her memories, she’d appreciated the space he gave her, needing it then. Except that it didn’t make him feel like a husband. He wasn’t overjoyed to see her. But then her memories returned and she knew that was just the way he was. If there’d been a huge emotional display of affection, she’d have wondered what had happened to him instead. “I’m sure Caius knows, but I worry more about upsetting Caius than Anthony. I just need to talk to him. He probably knows more than he’s letting on and has failed to share it with me.” She rolled her eyes, unable to help herself. That would forever be her one of her gripes with her husband. He only shared what he deemed necessary, which was always far too little for her taste.
"Caius has never struck me as the type of man who upsets easily," Brianna pointed out gently. "But you shouldn't have to suppress your concerns. Talk to Anthony. Sera is going to be gone soon and it's just going to be the two of you in that house. The last thing you want is for it to feel uncomfortable or cold, you know?" Thankfully Phee still had a year left of school. Brianna was already dreading her daughter moving out of the house. She didn't think she and James would have any major issues, but with how often James left town for work, the thought of being in this big house all alone was a depressing one.
"I know. You're right," Miriam sighed, smiling over at Brianna. Caius didn't upset easily and she should talk to Anthony. She just wished there were nothing to talk about. Returning home was supposed to set everything right and it bothered her that that wasn't exactly the case. But with Sera soon leaving for college, Miriam needed to get her house in order and she couldn't do that if she refused to talk to anyone. "I guess I'm just worried about what they might find. But I'd rather know ahead of time. They both did a magical little scan on me and didn't find anything, but... I don't know." She could feel it, deep in her bones. She wasn't quite right. "I'm sure James did the same for you?"
Brianna nodded. "I think they would have known if there was something lingering inside of us. But... maybe it goes deeper than that. Maybe it's something they can't pick up on. I think maybe we're just having difficulty adjusting. Maybe there's really nothing to worry about." She paused thoughtfully, aware she was just wishing this more than anything else. "We were gone for months, Miriam. I don't think it's too crazy to believe that we might need more time to get used to being home. We were basically imprisoned in one place for four months, where we feared for our lives. Surely that would trigger some trauma in anyone, right?"
“Of course,” Miriam agreed. “I just don’t like it. I feel like, after everything we’ve been through, we deserve a reprieve. And this is one, of course, but… I suppose I’m just impatient.” She smiled, truly hoping that it was just time they needed and nothing else. But as much as she wanted it to just be trauma they were dealing with, it wouldn’t surprise her at all if a place like that left some kind of long lasting effects on all of them. They hadn’t eaten for months and there was no explanation for it. Had it been the air they were breathing that sustained them? Had something been implanted in them as a result? There was no guarantee that magic would detect an anomaly that it had been unable to prevent the first time around. “Have you talked to any of the others? How do they feel?”
Brianna shook her head. "I haven't spoken to anyone. I know I should. But honestly, a part of me wants to avoid anyone and anything that reminds me of that place, present company excluded, of course." A small smile curved at her lips. "I suppose I could reach out to Ty Solomon, if he's still here. I heard some rumors that he and Deputy Gaines were leaving town. I'm certainly not showing up on Gavin Lucas's doorstep to talk to his son. Maybe I could track down Max O'Reilly." She wasn't thrilled about the idea, but if they were all feeling the way she and Miriam were, maybe it meant something. "I just wish I could ignore it all and try to get back to a normal life, but I'm not sure that's possible."
“I could reach out to Mary Cassidy, but I’d like to have as little interaction with Archer as possible,” Miriam said, the distaste written all over her face. She had no real issue with Mary, but her son had been the most wretched person to live with in the dark world and she wanted to avoid him at all costs. Even Vex and the wolf were better company than Archer. “Ty would definitely be preferable, “ she agreed. “I don’t believe I know the O’Reilly’s. But if they can give some insight, it might be worth it. If this keeps up, I mean. Maybe we can give it another week and it will just go away and then we won’t have to interact with any of them.” It sounded horrible, but Miriam felt the same way. She wanted to avoid reminders of that place. Brianna was different only because they’d had a relationship before they went in.
Brianna couldn't blame her for that. She hadn't had any pleasant experiences with Archer Over There and she would prefer not to have to talk to him ever again. "We'll give it a few more days," she agreed. "If we're still feeling... off... I'll reach out to someone. Maybe they know more than we do. And if we're pushed into a corner, I'll talk to James. I don't want to risk repeating what happened." The thought of putting her family in danger against left a sour feeling in her stomach. They hadn't known how to help her before and if she was going to start draining people again, she wanted to know so she could prepare properly.
"Oh god, no," Miriam agreed. "I think I'll know it this time, if it starts up again, but I didn't realize it last time, so who knows." The fact that Anthony hadn't picked up on what was happening until she'd almost completely disabled him was a bad sign. Magic hadn't worked last time and it might not work this time either, but she'd leave town before she let them lock her away in the other place again. If she even could. It didn't escape her that she'd been summoned to the spot with the portal and Miriam hated to think she was that vulnerable. "Let's... talk about something else. What've you been up to? Planning any vacations for this summer?" She doubted Brianna had had time yet, but it was an attempt to finding normality for them both.
That was the worrisome part. That magic hadn't helped them. Hadn't even tipped off her husband, or Miriam's, that something was really wrong. Brianna sipped her coffee again, more than ready to change the subject. She knew now that she wasn't the only one feeling "off", and now she knew she could reach out to someone else and see if they're feeling the same. If it was more than just her and Miriam, that had to mean something. "No real plans for the summer," she admitted with a smile. "Not yet, anyway. I think we're just trying to get through Sebastian's graduation and I'm hoping Trip comes home for a bit. Maybe I'll convince James to take us somewhere for a week or so in July." Getting out of town, preferably to a warm beach, was ideal, even if it was temporary. Something told Brianna that she wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon, but it was much easier to talk about vacations and frivolous things than to acknowledge that to herself, or Miriam.