Chapter 10

Healing

Of course, it was already well after dark by the time the happy young couple arrived at the Warton residence. Mae knew the way just fine, although both she and Bea couldn't help but feel slightly disturbed seeing the soft, sandy pit where the well once was.

"Hey Mae, hey Bea. About time you got here." Germ greets them from the porch. "Won't be long until dinner's ready. We were planning to play some poker afterwards too, if you want in."

Mae grins. "Oooh, I'm in. How 'bout you, Beabea?"

She snorts and smirks. "You all have no idea what you're in for. You already know I'm unreadable when I wanna be."

"Should make an interesting game, then." He waves them in, holding the door. "Oh, and uh, James is here tonight."

"Oh, cool." Mae chuckles. "He any good at poker?"

"Better than you." James says from his spot at the table just by the door, sipping another Fiascola.

Bea cracks her knuckles. "Ah, good, I get to kick a god's ass tonight."

Half the room bursts into laughter, and James almost chokes on his soda, while Gramma speaks up from across the table. "Good luck, I swear he turns his face to stone when he plays. Good to see you're already in the know though, we don't have to be so damn secretive tonight." She huffs.

James rolls his eyes. "Says the one member of the family who's intentionally more of a mystery than I am. 'These words are for your ears only' my ancient ass, I know the old magic, it don't work like that." This gets everyone but Gramma roaring, save for the three kids, since Germ and Mae are both appalled by being fooled by the old woman, and Bea's just confused.

Mae crosses her arms and huffs. "Well, if that's the case, what do ya have for me this time?"

"Hm?" She peeks up. "Ah, yes, Margaret. I did have another vision for you, and Beatrice as well." She huffs. "Your fates are intertwined at this point. I largely wanted to tell you that darkness following you is lifting, but the stain on you is still there. Be careful. Even after you leave this place, you're a magnet for things that don't belong. They'll find you, one way or another. Be careful, or your end could still be grisly." She grumbles and peeks to Mae's left. "And Beatrice, keep a close eye on her. Your critical eye and strong hand could be the difference between her leaping into the unknown or watching it approach with caution."

Mae shivers for just a moment, but Bea gives a stern nod. "I figured as much, but thanks for the heads-up."

"Y-Yeah, thanks, Granny Warton." Mae chuckles nervously.

Germs mom silences everyone with a quick clap. "Enough magic, let's get to the meal! I made a good thick, meaty lasanga today, and stuffed manicotti!"

James hums contently. "Of all of mortal kind's creations with the nature we once commanded, cheese has to be my favorite."

Mea holds a had out for a fistbump. "Couldn't agree more, big man." He gladly returns it.

Bea just laughs quietly and facepalms at her girlfriend casually fistbumping a god. "Ooooh what the fuck have our lives become?"

James hums. "You gettin' your ass beat in poker, soon."

"If I beat you, you owe me a miracle."

"Clean lungs sound good?" he smirks as Bea peeks up in shock.

"… Uh… Wow. Ya know, if that's actually on the table, hell yeah."

"If you lose, you owe me a lifetime discount on supplies at your store until ya sell it."

"Ya know what? Deal."

Germ chuckles as he watches this unfold. "This is gonna be the best match we've ever seen."

And following a fantastic meal, it was. The Warton family is inviting, earthly, some of the kindest, most open-minded people either of them could ever hope to meet. Both were blown away by Mrs. Warton's talents with Italian cuisine, and their souls felt just as fed as their stomachs. Some would blame James for that, but he did nothing. His family just has a talent for it in the most natural ways, no magic necessary.

But those full bellies and rested souls were set ablaze soon after. Clearly, the Warton family has a lot of experience with poker, and the game gets fierce. Mae pretty quickly, having no poker face to speak of, and the best she could do was attempt to scare and confuse people with her patented Nightmare Eyes. It didn't work. Germ lasted quite a while, as stoic as he is, but fell out soon after the halfway mark. Eventually, it came down to Bea and James, and it was a close match. James has countless years of experience under his belt, but Bea is a natural. In the end, the cards decide, and James wins with three tens and a pair of jacks, beating out Bea's pairs of queens and fives. She can't hold it against him, it was a hard-fought game, she held her own remarkably.

James holds a hand out to shake. "We'll have to play again sometime. I haven't had a challenge like you in ages."

Bea sighs and grins, gladly shaking his hand, but she gasps as she feels a rush of air fill her lungs involuntarily. She coughs for a moment and some thick, black smoke puffs out, which he catches, crushes in his hand, and tosses the resulting stone in the trash. "Consider that and a ten percent discount a fair trade, hm?"

She sputters for a few moments, rubbing her throat a little, but she slowly grins and nods. "O-Of course! Thanks, James."

"Eh, just doin my job." He shrugs and takes another sip of his third soda for the night. "Besides, it's more than deserved. Karma's a form of healing too, ya know."

When the girls left that night, all seemed right in the world, until Mae realized she was about to be dropped off at home alone. "Babe…. Are you sure you wanna spend another night there alone?"

Bea sighs and slouches a bit in her seat. "I feel like I have to. One more night to just… take the place in. Everything it means. I know moving in with you is the right move. I just need tonight to really wrap my head around moving on." She pauses as Mea's hand joins hers on the stick shift. "… Then I know I won't have any of it left on my mind when I move in with you. No distractions, just… us."

Mae slowly smiles and nods, tracing her thumb along the side of Bea's hand. "Ok… and I promise I'll get things ready for you to move in. Dad and I will even pick up the new bed tomorrow morning."

Bea smirks. "Tomorrow night is probably gonna be the best sleep of both our lives, then."

"Hell yeah it is."

.


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Back at the Warton residence, Germ stops by his Gramma's chair in the livingroom, finding her staring off into empty space. Those eyes always seemed to see both everything and nothing at all. It's horrifying and humbling all at once. The extent of her vision, the furrow of her brow, her steady breath hitching as her eyes twitch. He knows she sees things nobody should. He knows her gift is a curse.

It's just as much of a curse, in his opinion, to watch knowing that he cannot help her or those who her visions are for. Especially when she's dishonest with them. "Gramma… why did you lie to them tonight? I know there was more. I saw the look on your face when you asked me to bring her."

She huffs and closes her eyes for just a moment. "… I realized there was no point telling her. It will happen regardless. As things are, she's safer than she would normally be. There's hope. Before, I thought her only hope was a warning. Seeing Beatrice convinced me otherwise. Whether she'll live, I can't be sure. How soon will it happen? I don't know either. I do know my time to tell her is… limited."

Germ's eyes slowly widen. "Gramma?... Are you..?.."

"Oh quiet, Jeremy. You, I, and everyone else in this family have known I'm not long for this world." She huffs. "And James… When I first met him, he went by Archie. I was around your age when I realized he always came home when it was time for someone to be born… or for someone to die. He makes sure our deaths are peaceful. He's good at that. I see no point in fussing over it."

Germ falls silent for a few moments, but he slowly takes a seat by her. "… Are you sure you're ready?"

She laughs quietly, her voice growing weaker. "Dear, I've been ready for a very long time. I saw it… sitting here, with you… and with him." James wanders in and nods, kneeling beside her chair. "Here to guide me through the Ghost Star at last."

James hums and nods. "Whole lot of the family's waiting for you, and many friends. You've said your goodbyes?"

"All but one…" She turns to Germ and holds out her hand. He gladly takes it. "Jeremy, dear…" She chuckles. "Germ… always such the creative boy. Nerve of stone and soul of wind. Your life is going to be very interesting. And those crazy friends of yours are a big part of it. I know you won't let them down, boy. Friends like them, family of the heart, they're precious. But I doubt I have to tell you that, do I?"

Germ slowly shakes his head. "Nope. They're stuck with me."

"Good." She chuckles and coughs slightly. "Make the best of it all. Never a dull moment or a wasted passion. When your body withers, train your mind. When that goes, rely on the soul. Give all you can to every moment. Just as you always have. And don't forget…" She wheezes. "… Even from beyond, you're loved. You may have a… unique… way of showing it… but I know you've loved plenty, and will always receive in kind." She chuckles as she lets go. "You're a rare kind, dear. A friend to anyone. Never stop being that."

"I don't plan to, Gramma. Anyone who needs me, I'm there…" He sighs shakily as he lets go of her hand. "… Somehow, I knew this was coming too."

"Of course you did, dear." She smiles and closes her eyes. "You're my grandchild. This gift skips a generation, you know." She sighs in relief and relaxes her weary body. "… I'm ready, James."

He nods and takes both her hands, caressing them gently. "Time to rest now, Lily."

Germ watches as she takes her final breath and goes still, and the moment a tear slips free and he moves to wipe it away, James is gone.

.


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Mae wanders in and takes a seat on the couch beside her dad, flopping down with a sigh.

"Long night, huh?" Stan chuckles.

"Very tiring one, but a good one. The Warton family is awesome."

Stan nods. "Yeah, George Warton and I go way back, he was always a nice guy. They get you into one of their poker games?"

"Yeah, I lost pretty quick. Bea almost won, though."

"Against the Wartons? Damn, remind me not to challenge her then."

She giggles and nods. "Gladly. So, uh… I've been meaning to ask…" She shifts a bit in her seat, but freezes as he speaks up.

"Gonna ask if she can move in, right?"

"… How obvious are we, exactly?"

Stan shrugs. "It just sounds like a smart move. The kind she'd be very willing to make. And, well… I may be doing better at work after the strike and the union, but we still need to fill some gaps here. Not wasting her income on a two bedroom apartment and putting it in here would make everything better for all of us. You mother and I already considered offering it and renovating the crawl space into a full room, still bigger than her bedroom there, before you got together."

Mae shrugs. "Well, this way, she and I will just share a room, lot less effort. We do need a new bed, though."

He shrugs. "With all the extra we'll have coming in by getting her in here, that's well within the budget. Should we run for that tomorrow?"

"Yeah, definitely. Anything new would be better than what she and I have been using."

"What, she still have one of those old spring mattresses?"

"Yyyyep."

"Yeah, not letting you two use that above our heads, that's way too much squeaking for my tastes." He smirks at Mae's appalled stare.

"H-Hey come on, t-too soon!"

"Kitten, you're both twenty-one, it's definitely not too soon."

.


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Back in Bea's apartment, she sits in the livingroom, staring into empty space, embracing the lack of photos, the beer stains in the carpet and couch, and how bare everything is. There's even one entire room stripped of everything, now only occupied by memories of a man who still haunts her.

She lowers her gaze down to the photo in her hands, one of herself and her mother, when she was young, innocent, and happy. She and Mae were friends back then, too. It all went downhill so fast. Everything, gone in what feels like an instant now, but dragged on for almost a year then.

She used to feel so loved, and it all disappeared too quickly. Lost to time, suffering, and spite. All that's left is memories she wasn't even allowed to hold dear until recently, and they all come flooding back all too easily now.

She slowly sets the photo down, then turns to her keyboard on the coffee table. It's a gentle tune, like tears falling onto the keys, slow and purely by instinct. It takes a few minutes, but she finds a pattern, something sad, but comforting. She repeats it a good dozen times, perfecting it, and sets it to loop.

And as the loop begins, she picks up a pen and notepad.

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A.N.: Sorry this one took so long! Life got a bit busy, huge new youtube series to record, job hunts, girlfriend, etc. Next chapter is prepared as well, but you'll have to wait until next Tuesday for it! In the meantime, how do you guys feel about my representation of the Warton family here?