Lilac Valley

What is Love?

Amber knocks on the motel door.

It opens.

There is a woman in her fifties with long brown hair braided with purple highlights.

"Aster Graves?" she asks. The woman nods. "It's me, mom. It's Amber." Aster wraps her arms around her. "I thought I'd never see you again."

~

"If you're a Spider, why marry a human?" Carter asks.

"My parents were Spiders," Aster admits. "I fell in love with William. We met in college. When I found out he was a Magic Catcher, I wanted to take Amber and run. He had her powers drained and wouldn't let me have custody."

"What about those murders?" Carter asks.

"I take the fall," Aster answers.

"Who drained my magic?" Amber asks.

"That was me," Aster replies. "I had to do it or William would've killed me. I've been running from William all these years. I'm not a Spider. I work with the Spiders, but I am not a Spider. What do you need?"

"Carter wants his magic restored," Amber says. "And so do I." Carter looks at her.

"Are you sure?" Carter asks. Amber nods.

"I can do it," Aster says. "But I need some time."

~

"Do you love Savannah?" Kyle asks.

"I don't know if I've ever been in love before," Con admits. "I don't know what it feels like."

"What about my mom?" Kyle asks.

"I guess the second time around," Con admits. "I like Savannah. She's good for me. Sex is fun. Relationships are hard."

"Don't ask me," Kyle says. "I'm dating this girl Fiona and I like her too, but I don't know if I love her. I like making out with her, though." Con laughs.

"Amber loves Carter," Con says. Kyle nods. "Autumn and Marty are soulmates."

"What do you think love feels like?" Kyle asks.

"I think about my parents," Con says. "Always standing up for each other, supporting each other, taking you for who you are, being silly together. They were best friends. They would always dance to 'We've Only Just Begun' by the Carpenters. That was their song. Autumn and Marty are so much like them."

"Yeah, I don't feel all that for Fiona," Kyle says.

"You don't have to be in love at sixteen," Con points out. "I always thought I was happy with one-night stands, but I'm thirty-four. I want more."

"With Savannah?" Kyle asks.

"I don't know," Con answers.