Like life. Not that I'm downplaying it, but Elena, Caroline, Tyler, they've been dealing with it for longer than we have. And, in some cases, they had no choice, and in some cases, they chose.
( She glances at Carol, though. )
I can only imagine what Isobel is going to do now, but, as far as I know, she's with a witch somewhere else.
[Miranda stills at the mention of what Isobel will do now. She looks back at Liz, frowning as she tries to process information that she she feels like she should already know.]
[Carol will very much pour her another glass but she doesn't know what's going on here either. Miranda, though, is mostly concerned because she hadn't heard this yet.]
["You couldn't have known - and they needed to know." Carol will reassure her, and Carol will also top up her wine glass because this may be one of those conversations.
Since Grayson is coming, she will put the phone on speaker as she calls, and after a couple rings Elena does answer. "Mom?"]
Hi, sweetheart. I just ... I'm not sure how to say this but I wanted you to know that Isobel is also one of the people who was brought back.
[She's going to assume, in good faith, that Elena doesn't know. She would hope that if she did, Elena would have said something. But the silence stretches a little too long and she starts to get the sense that her daughter is choosing her words carefully.
"I know," she finally says softly. "Caroline told me."]
["I was going to. But there's been a lot going on. I'm sorry."
Miranda sets her jaw a bit, because for most things maybe Miranda would understand, but this is, in fact, a sore subject.]
After everything she did, you didn't think it would be important enough to make it a priority?
[The anger in her voice is clear and when Elena speaks again it almost seems like an edge of panic, like she wasn't expecting her mother to get angry. "Mom, I - "]
What if she showed up at the party, Elena? Did you think it would be good for her to surprise us like that?
["I honestly am not sure she would. I figured she wouldn't be here until the weekend if that."]
But, you understand why we feel blindsided. Your mother was just coming around to all of this, to two children who appeared on Damon Salvatore's doorstep.
( He's not trying to sound agitated, only trying to get through to his daughter. )
["I know, and I was going to tell you. I only found out last night, and today I was dealing with those children, so I've barely processed it." Elena is trying not to sound defensive, but she can't help but feel like she's on the back foot.
Miranda takes a breath.]
When this party is over, we are going to have a conversation about what you do and don't think is fit for us to know.
["Mom, I said - "]
I know what you said, Elena. And I know that you may feel like you're trying to protect us. But because you're in this world, we are now too. Especially when it comes to someone like Isobel, who you yourself have said is dangerous.
We get that you have everything going on and that you've been handling this party, and those kids, but you could've taken five minutes. Everything we've heard about Isobel is bad.
( Almost everything, anyway. )
Now is there anybody else we need to know about while we're all on the line together?
She knows. And, if things hadn't happened one right after the other, she might have. She went from being rescued from a kidnapping to handling her back from the dead friend, and even more after that - most by phone.
[Miranda raises her eyebrows back at her husband because she knows what it feels like. It feels like a belated response to the fact that they hadn't told her about Isobel in the first place. And she knows it's irrational, but there are so few things she controls in her life right now, and as a grown adult she can't help but feel frustrated.]
I am tired of feeling like I'm being handled. That I need to be protected. I'm not completely fragile.
Then don't. Because I don't. Elena is doing the best she can. And while she may have kept Isobel coming back from us in order to protect us, she knows now that's not her job and it never has been. But, she hasn't had parents for a very long time. So, she needs to relearn that. I think she is.
( It's not to spite them. )
I think everything is happening at once. And maybe our grandchildren took priority.
According to Elena, it did for a while, at least when it came to her. We have to believe it will. Or, can. And, we need to focus on what's next for us.
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( She glances at Carol, though. )
I can only imagine what Isobel is going to do now, but, as far as I know, she's with a witch somewhere else.
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Isobel is back?
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( She sends another look to Carol, because she is accidentally starting something and she suddenly doesn't have enough wine. )
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Does Elena know?
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( But, Caroline does. And Stiles. )
Apparently, she appeared with an unidentified witch.
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I should make sure she knows. Excuse me.
[Grayson is welcome to join her or stay with the girls, up to him.]
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Well, crap.
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Since Grayson is coming, she will put the phone on speaker as she calls, and after a couple rings Elena does answer. "Mom?"]
Hi, sweetheart. I just ... I'm not sure how to say this but I wanted you to know that Isobel is also one of the people who was brought back.
[She's going to assume, in good faith, that Elena doesn't know. She would hope that if she did, Elena would have said something. But the silence stretches a little too long and she starts to get the sense that her daughter is choosing her words carefully.
"I know," she finally says softly. "Caroline told me."]
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Grayson looks up when his daughter confirms what he assumed, too. )
You didn't think to tell your mother or I?
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Miranda sets her jaw a bit, because for most things maybe Miranda would understand, but this is, in fact, a sore subject.]
After everything she did, you didn't think it would be important enough to make it a priority?
[The anger in her voice is clear and when Elena speaks again it almost seems like an edge of panic, like she wasn't expecting her mother to get angry. "Mom, I - "]
What if she showed up at the party, Elena? Did you think it would be good for her to surprise us like that?
["I honestly am not sure she would. I figured she wouldn't be here until the weekend if that."]
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( He's not trying to sound agitated, only trying to get through to his daughter. )
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Miranda takes a breath.]
When this party is over, we are going to have a conversation about what you do and don't think is fit for us to know.
["Mom, I said - "]
I know what you said, Elena. And I know that you may feel like you're trying to protect us. But because you're in this world, we are now too. Especially when it comes to someone like Isobel, who you yourself have said is dangerous.
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( Almost everything, anyway. )
Now is there anybody else we need to know about while we're all on the line together?
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Good. We'll see you at the party.
[And with that, she will hang up and take a breath as she tries to calm down.]
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( He feels a little like he chewed her head off. )
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[That they left her alone and contributed to the lone wolf that has become her daughter.]
But she needs to remember that we deserve to have that information too. She's not the only one who could get hurt anymore.
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( he sees her side now. )
This isn't about her doing it on her own.
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[Miranda raises her eyebrows back at her husband because she knows what it feels like. It feels like a belated response to the fact that they hadn't told her about Isobel in the first place. And she knows it's irrational, but there are so few things she controls in her life right now, and as a grown adult she can't help but feel frustrated.]
I am tired of feeling like I'm being handled. That I need to be protected. I'm not completely fragile.
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( It's not to spite them. )
I think everything is happening at once. And maybe our grandchildren took priority.
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[The ones she had with a vampire in another world. As much as Miranda is curious to meet them, it also still makes her feel so tired.]
At least she told us about that.
[Yeah, okay, she'll calm down in a minute, she's still a little bitter.]
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( He moves closer, hands running along her shoulders. )
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[She tips forward, letting her forehead rest against his shoulder.]
Do you think this will ever slow down?
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( And nearer to that, partying. )
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[She sighs again, before pulling back and pointing back to Carol and Liz.]
We should probably get back in there.
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( And they return to their old friends, finishing the bottle of wine, and reminiscing. )