for the rest of us death will be a relief

[praevaricatio]

Comments

[bibrid]

This will be quick. Did you get Dad's whole, 'I was lying, you can stand down' messages? Mom's okay. Which means mom wasn't always going to be okay and he's been lying for a week.

( Her boyfriend is in the shower now, so she's going full-on sister rant. )

[polydeukes]

[Josie nods before she realizes that Lizzie can't see it because this is voice call not video call.]

Hope's Aunt Freya also mysteriously disappeared on a witchy quest that she was very tight lipped about. Odds that they were working on the same thing?

[Josie thinks they're high.]

[bibrid]

Uh, high, like Pineapple Express high. Why is it the adults continue to treat us like we don't know anything, even though we single-handedly defended our school on no less than ten different occasions?

( Seriously, what's up with that? )

Uncle Luke also hasn't done his Wordle updates this week. You think?

[polydeukes]

I wouldn't be surprised.

[Jo is good at working with her siblings. If she was working on a project that she was pulling in outside help for, of course she'd start with family.]

She likes doing family projects.

[bibrid]

Without us. Which, I'm in London and you're in New Orleans, but if this is a family issue. This is just like mom and dad to keep us safe and then we learn the word 'Merge,' on our own and it doesn't even matter, because Kai took over again and you shattered a sandclock.

( Her rant over. )

Sorry. I'm happy mom's okay. And, I'm guessing uncle Luke and aunt Liv and you know she pulled in our new uncle if she pulled them in. Shepherd. What kind of name is Shepherd? Isaac was the sheep.

[polydeukes]

You'll have to ask Grandpa Parker about that one.

[Except he's dead. You know.]

Would you have rather stayed home from your trip to see Danny?

[bibrid]

... No.

( Her sister makes a good point. )

But, they could be honest. And if we wanted to butt in, then they should give us the chance to. Not that I wouldn't have sent you or Hope or, maybe Facetimed my way in. But, I would've been given the choice. We.

[polydeukes]

Or maybe we are not entitled to all of Mom's secrets because we are her children and maybe this has nothing to do with us at all.

[She doesn't one hundred percent believe that but she does believe that their mother is entitled to her privacy.]

[bibrid]

Is this about our mother being a person? Because I get personhood. She's not just our mom. She's a sister and a wife and a woman. Feminism. I just - hate when she sends dad in to do her dirty work. He's really bad at it.

( She has to ask. )

Was he always this bad of a liar?

[polydeukes]

Oh yeah. Dad was always the first to spill on surprises.

[Jo is the one one who keeps things close to her chest.]

I'm sure Mom will fill us in when she's ready.

[bibrid]

She always does.

( Even when it hurts. )

Thanks, Jose. I miss you.

[polydeukes]

Miss you too. But I really am going to pass out now and you have a full day ahead of you.

[She closes her eyes as she settles more into bed.]

Love you. Tell Danny I said hi.

[And speak of the devil he is emerging from the bathroom, clean and dressed.]

[bibrid]

Josie says hi. Night. Bye, Hope.

( "Please hang up," Hope asks nicely, head on the pillow. )

Well, hello. My turn?

[undermyfeet]

[She does and will go to sleep.

Danny moves over to her, leaning in to kiss her briefly.]

All yours. Everything good with Josie?

[bibrid]

Colm and Ivan are either terrible or great influences on her but she's asleep and everything is now regular with our family, including our terrible liar of a father and our badass mother.

( She climbs out of bed and does a big stretch before passing Danny and giving him a quick peck. )

Which paves the way for Lizzie and Danny: London Edition. Day... whatever number it is.

[undermyfeet]

[He smiles at that, kissing her back before going to find his phone to make sure he handles any coven business before they leave.]

I'm enjoying having multiple Lizzie and Danny days in a row. I've missed our time in New York.

[bibrid]

Yeah, I really took them for granted. Know how much I liked them, too. And how much I've missed you. And keep remembering all of it while I'm in the shower.

( But, also, handle any coven business. Modern coven business involves more calls and emails than Lizzie anticipated.

Sure enough, though, she emerges, also ready to tour, taste, and tackle the day anew. )

There should be a rainmaker shower head in the dorms. I could just compel the one janitor.

[undermyfeet]

It would become the most coveted shower in the dorm.

[Which would probably lower her odds of getting to use it exactly when she needs it.]

Unless you're going to have him replace all of them?

[bibrid]

Good point. Maybe, you could make me one of those bracelets, except it leads to your shower.

( She waggles her eyebrows. )

Although, if I don't know your bathroom schedule, that could get awkward. I'll workshop it. Ready?

[undermyfeet]

That is not how the bracelets work, but I will take the suggestion into consideration.

[Maybe David will help him. If David lives after his hostile coven takeover. But yes, phone time done.]

Ready. What's our first stop?

[bibrid]

Picadilly Circus. I don't really want to buy anything, but I have to go to Harrod's at least once. You know, for the experience. And then there's a few Notting Hill stops.

( She made him watch it the night before and then did some research into where it was filmed. )

[undermyfeet]

Got it. We can wander and explore.

[None of these things are new to him, but he'll happily follow her around as she checks them off her list. He's just happy she's here and wants to spend all the time with her he can.]

There's actually a really great bakery near there, in Soho.

[bibrid]

Yes. I don't even care where. There's a Soho in London?

( Her boyfriend knows much. )

[undermyfeet]

[Helps to have lived here your entire life.]

Yep. It's one of the districts in Westminster. Brewer Bakery is in Brewer Street, and it's run by the widower of one of the witches from the coven. He makes the best red velvet cookies. And red velvet cake. And honestly, anything he makes is worth eating.

[bibrid]

Then we have to go.

( Widower's sad, but it feels very London, very rom com. )

That kind of perseverance deserves rewarding. A lot of people might give it up, but he keeps on. Isn't that a London saying?