for the rest of us death will be a relief

[praevaricatio]

Comments

[saveslives]

The whole thing.

[She swallows hard, giving them a chance to process that before she continues.]

I'm sorry for not including you, but I knew you both had plans and I also knew it might be dangerous. So I pulled rank as your mother, just in case. But I didn't go alone. Your aunt and uncles helped, as well as Bonnie and some other friends. This wasn't just about our curse this was also about some very dangerous external witch stuff, and I wanted you both to be safe.

[bibrid]

Just - don't lie to us next time. You can't stop us from worrying, you as the parent should know all about it. Or, if you do, be the one to make the lie, cause dad... It's not one of his strong suits.

( It's his tone and general everything. )

[polydeukes]

["I promise, I will be more transparent in the future." She then glances her attention to her other daughter. "Jo? You alright over here?"

She's ... well, she's a little shell shocked. She blinks as her mother addresses her, before shaking her head.]

Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine.

[She is not fine. She may need her girlfriend to talk her through some stuff when this phone call is over.]

[bibrid]

Jo?

( She frowns, too, sister's intuition. But, what also comes with intuition, knowing that this isn't the place to air it. )

Is there anything else we need to know, mom? Any curse blowback or, anything? Or are we just -- it's over?

[saveslives]

["I'm okay." That sounds a bit firmer, but they'll talk later, when their mom isn't around.

Jo hesitates, unsure what to say but she might as well:]

There does seem to be a side effect or complication but we're still trying to figure out all the nuance. But when we've figured it out, I will update you all. Promise.

[bibrid]

Once you know.

( She even believes the promise, at least. )

[saveslives]

Once I know, there will be a big update in the family group chat, because your aunt and uncles don't know yet either.

[And due to what it is, she definitely has to update everyone.]

It's a very recent development.

[bibrid]

Fine. We accept. Danny's waiting and Josie looks like ( she'd rather be anywhere than here ) she has Hope waiting?

[saveslives]

["Yeah. Sorry, I have to go. I'll talk to you guys later. Love you." And with that, she's gone.

Jo sighs, worried, but she'll make a note to check in with her daughter later. She then turns back to Lizzie.]

I want to hear all about your trip later. I love you.

[bibrid]

I will. And I'll talk to Josie. You dropped a big bomb.

( It was bound to make a big impact. )

But, for what it's worth, I'm happy it's not hanging over our heads.

( Or Josie's kids. And since Josie is off and her boyfriend is giving her space. Thank you, Danny for understanding Saltzman business. )

Hey, mom? ...Did you ever see me being a mom?

[saveslives]

I thought about it. I don't think you can have kids and not think about your kids having kids.

[It is the circle of life in a roundabout way.]

But I didn't want to put too much pressure on you, though. You both had to find your own lives - decide what you wanted.

[bibrid]

You didn't. Or wouldn't. And I know you gave us space to be who we are and to work things out between us and really get it right, finally, as sisters. But, I'm talking about... I can't anymore. I can't have my own kids. So, the curse is quashed but -- I'm not continuing our family line that's finally free.

( It's heady. )

[saveslives]

[Jo considers quietly for a moment, because she knows there's a difference. Between children that are yours and ones that you adopt or bring into your family in other ways. But there also isn't all the same.]

It's not all about bloodlines, Lizzie. If you make a family for yourself, whatever shape that takes, it will be my family too. So long as it's something you decide for yourself and makes you happy. You don't bring less value to this family just because you're not having biological children.

[bibrid]

I don't think I do, for the record, and I would rock a foster mom sitch if it ever came up. ( The nice way of saying, this isn't about what you think. ) I just - was too young to think about motherhood before the biological choice was taken away.

[saveslives]

Yeah, you were.

[She pauses quietly, because she's not sure she's the best person to talk through those feelings with. She's never been in Lizzie's shoes.]

Are you regretting it now?

[bibrid]

Not regretting. I did what I had to do. I was on a mission. And I knew the possible consequences. I just... didn't think through all of them. Also, I was a terrible vampire protegé at first and that was a bummer. But, since I've really come into myself, I graduated, found Danny... I don't know. It's impossible not to think what if.

[saveslives]

Maybe don't think of it as a what if.

[Because there are lots of options on the table, even a potential cure if Lizzie wants to wait for Rebekah to come to the end of her life - she has the time for that.]

The world is an ever-changing place. Maybe think of it as a potential possibility.

[polydeukes]

[Josie hangs up the phone and finds herself just staring at the wall of Hope's bedroom, trying to get her thoughts to process. She really is too young to be having his kind of existential crisis and most people would think that her mother's news was good news.

And it is.

She swears it is.

If it hadn't upended all of the potential plans she already had for her life by giving her options.

She hears Hope come in, but doesn't let it draw her attention just yet. She's still ... processing.]

[bereavements]

( Hope lets herself in, setting her bag down by the door. )

I swear to Ken or Ben or Jen, I won't miss Calculus. I don't know why that was my general studies math requirement I decided to take, but... ( she sighs. ) I'm just lucky my teacher gave me another week to study.

( eh... she compelled her. she plops down on her bed. )

But, I did really try. Whatever my grade is I earned, then, that will be my legacy before I switch majors. ( she turns her head. ) Jose? ( She shifts closer and sits up, tilting her head. ) Is something wrong, I didn't receive a disapproving look at compelling Mr. Grantham so I had extra study time.

[polydeukes]

[Well, she didn't say she compelled him, but even if she did, Josie might not have heard it. She's not sure if any of what she says about Calculus has settled. Maybe it will after. But instead, she turns and meets Hope's eyes.]

My mom broke the curse.

[bereavements]

Your - ( The implications are sudden. And vast. Her eyes go wide. ) She broke the curse?

[polydeukes]

[Josie nods.]

Apparently she and her siblings and Bonnie and probably your aunt got together and figured it out and now there's no more curse and ...

[And now her life is completely different than it was five minutes ago.]

... And all of the choices that I had made for my life based around this curse no longer matter.

[bereavements]

They matter, Josie. Maybe, they mean different things now, but this doesn't invalidate them.

( But, she's not trying to Hope-splain, because, they're talking about something they really never do. )

It does... change things. And I get how sudden change - ( she stops herself ) I'm sorry, we never talk about the curse. We should have.

[polydeukes]

After Lizzie turned, it didn't really matter anymore, I guess. At least not for us in the present.

[She pauses as she leans back against the headboard, playing with her necklace.]

I kind of thought I would like to follow my mom. Be the next head of the Gemini family. But I knew that if I had kids of my own, there's a chance they would be twins and ... I couldn't do it. I couldn't watch them try to sort out who would have to merge or who would have to become a vampire. So I just ... wasn't going to do it. Adopt or something.

[If that partner was Hope, she probably was going to adopt anyway. But now all the options are back on the table and it feels a bit ... overwhelming.]

[bereavements]

Adoption is a great thing. I didn't... know you'd thought that far into it.

( What sucks is that she should have. She should also be considering these things. This was her girlfriend. But, Hope is much more into the here and now. She's always obsessed with what's happening this instant. This problem. This challenge. Or, worse, the past. )

I'm so sorry I haven't - been there for you in this. I feel like a really bad girlfriend, right now.